Use cut mullet, gulp rootbeer color, or live shrimp, you can’t go wrong.There are some scallops there as well, just not easy to find. Shark fishing is always an easy bet in the summer months and alot of fun.

Till next time, tight lines and safe boating

Capt. John blouse

Hooked up charters & Cedar Key Marina II

This Cedar Key fishing report is from Cedar Key Marina and Cedar Key Fishing Guide Hookedup Charters.

Keep Your Eye On The Ball

We fished the Spoil Islands off the Levy County Coast Monday, June 1, just north of the Withalacoochee River.

Found plenty of Spotted Sea Trout, although most of them were less than 15 inches in length, the legal limit.

Moved offshore a bit and found a small piece of structure that ,according to my “crystal ball ” ,( fish finder) ,was holding fish.

Anchored up and right off start catching 18 to 24 inch Trout, several nice size Pink Mouth Grunts, and Gag Grouper just shy of the 22 inch minimum.

Even had a couple of Cobia come up to the boat, but couldn’t convince them to bite a shrimp.

Needless to say, I added another waypoint on the GPS and will be returning to it soon.

Call Crystal River, Florida & Yankeetown Fishing Guide Captain Nick of Slickcharters for more information about putting fish in your cooler in Crystal River and Yankeetown, Florida

I just called Don of Cedar Key Marina to find out about the fishing in Cedar Key, Florida and he saidthe trout are starting to bite and the fishing is starting to get good.

The reds are biting good on the oyster bars and the sand trout, whiting and sheep head are biting well too.

They’ve been catching fish on the culverts, off shore and on the pier. People have been having good luck at the pier and just a few days ago Don and Captain John Blouse of Hooked Up Charters watched a boat using shrimp fill their limit with nice size sheep heads at the culverts.

Shrimp has been the main bait but the mud minnows should start coming in soon and they will be good for redfish.

Also within the last day, reports of the a lot of Spanish Mackerel at the culverts have been coming in.

Stop by Cedar Key’s only full service marina and see Don. He?isn’t an internet man, so email’s not his thing but he’d be glad to help if you stop by. He can answer your questions about fishing in Cedar Key.

WHERE,WHEN and HOW

Best bet for February along the Citrus/Levy County coasts is Redfish.

From”Eleven Prong”, just south of the Waccassassa River entrance, to the spoils off of Ozello, reports of Redfish are coming in from everywhere.

That takes care of where. When, just before and after the high or incoming tide seems to work best for me, especially around the new or full moon (most extreme tides).

And finally, how.  Although Redfish will bite a large variety of bait, I prefer live or cut stuff, shrimp or mullet.

Note: Snook and Trout season re-opens on March 1st. Whoopee!

Call Crystal River, Florida & Yankeetown Fishing Guide Captain Nick of Slickcharters for more information about putting fish in your cooler in Crystal River or Yankeetown, Florida

A Cedar Key Fishing Report

From Cedar Key Marina

Called Don today to see whats up in Cedar Key. As you can guess business is slow just like it is up and down the gulf coast.

However fishing is good to great for this time of year. John Blouse with Hookedup Charters went out to 60-70 feet of water before the new year and caught 13, but the new regulations will likely put many offshore fishing guides out off business. The economy and the new regs are beating the guides down.

Don and other guides have told me that you can go off shore and lose all the grouper you want to Goliath Grouper, they’ll eat a 25 lb. grouper in a heart beat. They can wipe out a reef and stories abound of guides that have a good bite grouper fishing with the fish half way up and all off a sudden the line goes slack, everything is gone.

But the good news is that Trout fishing is good from Cedar Key toward Waccasassa and a lot of big Reds are coming from that area also.

The Tide had blow the water out and Air boats were the way to go to get big fish but that has changed.

Don said it amazes him how many Sheep Head have been biting at the Cedar Key pier on Fiddler Crabs and Shrimp.

Now is a great time to visit Cedar Key to go fishing and site see. The weather is cool and the restaurants are ready with some great food.

SJ