2010
Crystal River
Fishing Reports
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August 10, 2009 : Inshore & Offshore Red Hot
August has been a truly unique month for fishing along the Nature Coast of Florida. Calm winds, little rain and an abundance of bait and opportunities have helped to keep the fishing as hot as the temperatures. During this time of year we have been targeting early morning departures in hopes of hitting the water early enough to join most of our local inshore and offshore species for breakfast. Redfish, Trout, Tripletail, Sharks, and Mackerel all have joined us during most of our inshore trips, while the Grouper, Kingfish, and the Snappers both Reds and Mangroves have joined us during our recent trips offshore. The early departures are important not only to beat the heat but to catch most of the fish at their most active stages.
Over the years during the dog days of summer it has always been apparent that most inshore and offshore species tend to be their most active during the early morning hours. For one the water temps are fairly cooler compared to the heat of the day, but most importantly most smaller bait fish feel more comfortable feeding during the low light hours of the day. During some of my most recent trips we have been targeting huge areas of schooling bait in hopes of finding Trout, Mackerel, Bluefish, and Tripletail inshore, and I can assure you that Mackerel, Bonita, and King Mackerel follow the bait pods during the early morning hours of the day also offshore.
On a recent inshore trip out of Crystal River Capt Kyle and his clients Bill, Dori, and Debbie Sullivan were spoiled when a large pod of bait soon became inundated with hundreds of sizeable Speckled Trout. For almost an hour they threw shrimp, pinfish, and Berkley Gulp! Jigs into the school. As soon as the fish heard the splash of the baits they were immediately engulfed by trout ranging from 17-24 inches. The action only came to a conclusion when they ran out of pinfish and shrimp. When your smack in the middle of a bite like this you can soon forget that you’re fishing a frenzy in temps hovering in the mid to upper 90’s. A few days later we were fishing the same area when another giant pod of bait became swarmed by hungry Jack Crevalle. After releasing a few Jacks we finally hooked up with a pig of a fish. This fish drug us all over the boat before I realized we were hooked up with a hefty “Racin’ Mullet.” This Snook weighed in at 15 lbs and definitely made us realize that you never know what you’re going to run into when chasing around large bait pods along the Nature Coast this time of year.
During one offshore trip with clients Jay and Nancy Allen we used the same bait pod chasing technique one early morning and were able to boat a nice 30lb King Fish and a number of Bonita on light tackle. A major difference between chasing bait pods inshore and offshore is that through out the day many of the larger bait pods drop towards the bottom during the middle of the day offshore. Inshore most of the bait remains on the surface until the entire school is consumed. When offshore bait pods drop to the bottom it’s time to start looking for Grouper and Snapper. Jay and Nancy found themselves in quite the tug-of-war when 10-15 lb Red Grouper started hammering their bottom rigs. All in all from catching Kingfish on the surface and then winching up Grouper from the depths both Jay and Nancy needed a few days to recover.
So if long, hard, drag screaming battles are what you’re looking for Crystal River Fishing Company can provide you with a fishing memory that could last you a life time. All signs are pointing to an excellent September and October so book your next fishing adventure today. Thanks again, Capt. Kyle Messier and the Fantastic Fishing Team of Crystal River Fishing Company.
July 11, 2010: Tails and Teeth!!!!
The warm days of July have already provided many anglers with early surprises this month. Huge schools of feeding Redfish, an abundance of scallops in shallow water and the early arrival of many hard fighting sharks in some of the deeper waters and holes have provided many Nature Coast Anglers with tons of action packed angling experiences. July’s light winds and slight chances of rain have allowed the fishing and scalloping grounds off of Crystal River and Homosassa to reach a pristine gin clear state, and when conditions like this arrive “Look Out” because the skies the limit when it comes to angling opportunities. With the water reaching such a clarity tons of sight casting opportunities have led to some trips of a life time. Just ask 13 year old Tommy who recently spent the day fishing with myself and his grandfather. On this trip Tommy caught and released a number of Redfish, Speckled Trout, Jack Crevalle, Bluefish, Snapper, Shark, Black Drum, and he was even rewarded with a Hook Up of a 60+lb Tarpon. What a Day!!!!!
Obviously, Tommy’s trip will be one that he will not soon forget, but there have been a few other Red Hot anglers that will have some fishing stories to brag about including myself. Schools of 100 plus fish are not all that rare in the grand scheme of things when you think about the saltwater fishing world. Schools of 100’s (in some cases 1000’s) of Jacks, Bonita, Black Drum, Spanish Mackerel and even Tarpon happen all through out the year Nature Coast. But if you have ever been fortunate enough to come across 100+ Redfish in knee deep water this would definitely be a spectacle that an angler would never forget. In recent weeks the backcountry areas of the Crystal River and Homosassa have been inundated with some of the largest schools of Redfish this year may see. And with most boaters focused on scalloping this fishery should see a complete lack of pressure for quite some time. On a recent back-to-back trip both Cathy Stone and Steve Earhart both set personal bests when these big schools of Reds came rolling their way. Because most of these fish are way outside of the slot limit I like to use a 4/0 Circle Hook with Cut bait. The circle hook ensures a proper corner of the mouth hook up which allows these big breeding Redfish to be set free practically unharmed.
As good as the Red fishing has been the most action packed fishing to date has to be the Shark fishing. Sharks can be targeted up and down the Nature Coast but my favorite method of Shark fishing is anchoring up just off a shallow clear flat adjacent from a deep hole and setting out a good chum slick. Chumming with sardines, ground mackerel, and even hanging Bluefish or Bonita over the side of the boat will always get the attention of Mackerel, Bluefish, Speckled Trout and especially Sharks. Bonnet heads, Spinners, BlackTips, Hammerheads, and Bull sharks are the most common sharks this time of year and it is not unheard of to hook up with one of each during a day of Shark fishing. If you have never tried Shark fishing there are very few instances in the world of fishing that are more exciting than hearing the ZING!!!!!!!! of the fishing line coming off a reel when a hungry shark comes calling. Not to mention Shark steaks are one of the more underrated seafood delicacies.
Now with all of this talk of Sharks we hope we haven't deterred anyone from jumping into the water and enjoying some of the best Scalloping the Nature Coast has seen in years. For over 3 weeks now the Scallop season has been open off of the Crystal River and Homosassa areas and it seems that as the weeks move on the scalloping only continues to gets better. The excellent scalloping can be accredited to strong recent tides of the moth. As the tides move in and out the scallops hitch a ride on many of the floating grasses. The good news to be reported for Scallopers is that there are NO!!! Jellyfish to speak of on the scallop grounds. In recent years jellyfish have been one of the real challenges for snorkeler’s pursuing the tasty scallops but up to date the waters are jellyfish free and should continue to be for quite some time.
So with the weather warming and the fishing and scalloping heating up why not incorporate a fishing/scalloping adventure with Crystal River Fishing Company during your summer break. We can custom build a trip that can surely suit your needs and wants. If you’re interested in creating an inshore fishing or scalloping memory please be sure to give Crystal River Fishing Company a call at 352-563-1500. We look forward to hearing from you soon !
June 16, 2010: Redfish, Tripletail, Cobia, and Grouper Action!!!!!
Wow!! What an unbelievable last couple of weeks in the world of fishing off of Crystal River and Homosassa. World Records have been broken, huge schools of Redfish have showed up early on many of the local flats, the Tripletail have finally showed up along the Nature Coast and the shallow water rocks, wrecks and reefs have become invaded by hungry Grouper, Cobia and Spanish Mackerel. With all of this going on at once it has been extremely difficult and painstakingly fun to put together a game plan day in and day out.
Have you ever seen a true WAVE of fish before? Normally this time of year is full of surprises but I could have never predicted the massive schools of Redfish that have been feeding up and down many of the islands our area is “World Famous” for. Until this year some of the biggest schools of Reds that I have seen in the backcountry ranged from 60-75 fish. In the last month and half I have already spotted 3 schools of well over 130-150 fish and the remarkable aspect of each of these schools is that I have spotted them as far as mile apart. This has led me to believe that these Redfish have schooled up for a reason. Whether it is a mating ritual or if there is just safety in numbers either way these fish are extremely large and are feeding like crazy. These fish are ranging anywhere from 7-15lbs and I know for sure I have seen a handful that would bottom out a Boca Grip. Lately I have been using pieces of cut ladyfish and mullet to get these fish excited but the best part of using such a huge chunk of bait is that you can definitely separate the men from the boys when the Reds come down the shoreline to feed.As exciting as the Redfishing has been the true gem of the last few weeks has been the amount of action on many of the shallow rocks, wrecks, and reefs scattered throughout the area. Grouper, Snapper, Spanish Mackerel, Tripletail and Cobia have all congregated in mass on many of the local structures scattered throughout the Nature Coast. When fishing these structures I LOVE to chum with shrimp and sardines. You can find out just how active a spot is by sacrificing a handful of shrimp into the water. Normally the Spanish Mackerel will show themselves first but after they have found the slick it normally doesn’t take long before the Snapper and Cobia are following the trail also. Because of the unpredictability of this type of fishing it is important to have a rod rigged for what ever unexpected event you can imagine. When fishing the Foul Area I always carry a rod rigged with a 7/0 Circle Hook for a Grouper or Cobia, a rod rigged with a 3/0 Circle hook for a Tripletail, and 4 rods rigged with 1/0 long shank hooks for the Spanish Mackerel, and Snapper. However, even with all of these rigs on hand in the heat of the moment I will still run to the tackle box to rig something up for the unexpected Tarpon, Shark or Huge School of Black Drum that come passing by. GOD! I love this kind of fishing.
To cap off this action packed report I am sure everyone is wondering what is going on with the OIL!! First off I hate this word! Second of all it has been reported that the sheen from the spill is well over 400 miles away from our coast, putting the bulk of the oil at least 600 miles away. Long story short our area is in NO ! immediate danger from the spill so please don’t let the media fool you out of your Florida vacation or your next inshore fishing adventure.
SCALLOP SEASON OPENS UP ON JUNE 19TH!!!!! IF INTERESTED IN A FISHING AND SCALLOPING ADVENTURE GIVE CRYSTAL RIVER FISHING COMPANY A CALL AT 352-563-1551.
OUR EXPERIENCED AND KNOWLEDGEABLE GUIDES WILL PROVIDE YOU WITH A FUN FILLED DAY OF SCALLOPING AND/OR FISHING THAT YOU'LL NOT SOON FORGET ! Thanks and we look forward to hearing from you. Capt Kyle Messier
June 2, 2010: Summer's here and the time is right, for catching a variety of species. The grass flats off Crystal River/Homosassa in the 8ft to 12ft range are producing mixed bags and loads of action. All of us here at the Crystal River Fishing Company have had many successful charters the last couple of weeks. Casting artificial jigs like the DOA shrimp or Berkley gulp shrimp have kept our lines tight and customers extremely happy. Trout, sea bass, flounder, pompano, cobia, grunts, grouper and list goes on... have filled our coolers on our charters.
If drag screaming action in your pleasure, the Spanish mackerel bite is fantastic. Anchoring and chumming them right next to the boat is not only exciting, but the fish are in a feeding mood and a hook up is guaranteed. For you fly fishing folks, this is the ideal scenario for you to strip a fly for a fast and furious mackerel hook up. The red fishing continues to be great and were are seeing more and more schools each week. The water is extremely clear and there is nothing like sight fishing a bull red. Cut bait will be the most productive method for a sure hook up, but artificial's like gold spoons and top water plugs work extremely well.
The are still plenty of grouper around, but we have had to change our tactics. The floating grass in is season so trolling is difficult, it's time to switch to bottom fishing. Anchoring and starting the bite with frozen sardines or thread fin herring is always best, and then drop down the live pin fish for that big gag grouper. The water is warming and a longer run offshore is necessary to find consistent keepers.
On a final note about the oil situation. We are blessed, and it is several hundred miles away and will remain so for the foreseeable future. The fishing is fantastic and don't forget scallop season is only a month away. We all look forward to making your next fishing memory a great one and hope to see you soon... Thanks Capt Dan and the entire Crystal River Fishing Company Crew
May 12, 2010: The Surprises of Salt Water Fishing!!!!!
What are a few of the reasons that make saltwater fishing so
exciting and enjoyable? Is it that fact that the scenery is
second to none? Is it because the salty air brings back old
memories?
For most anglers the endless possibilities of every cast is
what draws most anglers back to the salt waters year after
year. In the world of fresh water fishing when you go bass
fishing, you catch bass. When you go cat fishing, you catch
catfish (or the occasional mudfish). In the world of
salt water fishing you never know what you’re going to
catch. And never has this been more apparent than during
most of my recent fishing charters.
We have over 20 different species of fish roaming our local waters right now and every day there are new surprises to be discovered on the flats. Most of the surprises come when my clients and I are fishing for Redfish or Speckled Trout basically because when targeting these two species we use a variety of techniques and cover a lot of ground which always increases the odds for oddities. During some of my most recent charters while targeting Redfish and Speckled Trout we have been lucky enough to also catch Sharks, Tarpon, Snook, Tripletail, Flounder, and some of the biggest Pompano I have seen in years. Casting Jigs with Shrimp, Berkley Gulps! And Jerk baits have worked best when targeting anything and everything that swims but if you’re looking for a ton of excitement try throwing Top water lures with a trailing fly behind it. This is one wacky rig, but when the conditions are right it can be a ton of fun.
Speaking of a ton of fun if you didn’t hear already a new Tarpon fly fishing world record was set in our back yard this month. Congratulations! to Tom Evans who broke the 12lb tippet World Record with a Tarpon weighing in at over 195lbs. To put this in perspective Tom was fighting this fishing with a tippet that would normally be used for catching Bonefish or Redfish. The fact alone that this fish made it past the sharks is amazing enough, but to actually land this jumping, drag screaming Tarpon after a long battle is even more amazing.
The Homosassa/Crystal River area is home to some of the largest Tarpon found any where in the world and a World Record fish could be jumped any day. A lot of hard work and dedication by both the guide and the angler is what is required when Tarpon fishing. That being said there is nothing more spectacular in the world of salt water fishing than to see the “Silver King” take air. A picture is worth a thousand words but when you see this spectacle in person you can expect a serious case of “Poon Fever” year after year during the months of May, June and July. Thanks, Capt Kyle Messier
So if you’re interested in enjoying a beautiful day on the water with endless possibilities be sure to contact the Crystal River fishing Company and schedule your fishing trip with one of Crystal River's top fishing guides. Call 352-563-1551 or email crystalriverfishingcompany@yahoo.com
April 25, 2010:
The Crystal River Fishing Company team is on fire.
From inshore to offshore the fishing is fantastic. The trout
fishing has been excellent from Crystal River to Homosassa.
We have been targeting the oyster bars off Crystal River and
the deeper grass flats off Homosassa. Jig and Cork rigs like
the DOA deadly combos or a Berkley gulp shrimp twitched
along the bottom has had great success on the trout. 15 to
20, even 25 fish limits made there way on our captain's
boats this week. There has been a variety of other species
as well, while we have been targeting the trout. Sea bass,
cobia, grouper, mackerel and flounder have been hooked on
the end of our lines for our exciting charters.
Offshore, the grouper have been biting well in the 25ft-30ft
range. Trolling big lipped plugs is still the sure fire way
to get the big gag grouper. The water is clearing, so
more realistic colored plugs are productive right now. The
grouper bite will only get better and May is looking to be a
excellent month.
If you're interested in booking a fantastic charter, we are your captains. We look forward to making your next fishing memory.... Capt. Dan Clymer
April 16, 2010
The Crystal River Fishing Company had the distinguished honor of
guiding members of the
Atlanta Homosassa Fishing Club for a fantastic day of
fishing on the flats off Homosassa today. Capt. Mark Zorn,
Capt. Dan Clymer, and myself Capt. Rick Spratt picked up our
clients at their historic club house that has been on the
Homosassa River since the 1800's. Members have been
coming to this club house to fish the productive waters of
Crystal River and
Homosassa since way back when they had to arrive by horse
and buggy. Today, we left their private dock just after 8:00 am
with the plan of heading south to scrap up a few trout for a
shore lunch.
The wind has been fierce lately which severely limits our
options for fishing locations. However, when we arrived at the
mouth of the river, Capt. Z had a fishy feeling. The wind laid
down and we all decided to run a bit offshore to an area in 6-8
feet of water where we have been hammering large trout when the
wind lets us get there. We all took off and in no time at all
the east wind
had us on the spot.
Now the first drift a little slow, except for one of my anglers,
Kit, caught a trout on his very first cast. I told him that he
may as well sit down because we all know that if you do that
it's bad juju and you won't catch anymore fish! We laughed and
continued fishing.
We then took the crew to their own private island and cooked a
shore lunch complete with their fresh catch, hush puppies,
coleslaw, bacon, Capt. Z's FAMOUS baked beans, and cookies for
dessert. A good time was had by all!
Thanks, Capt Rick Spratt
The big trout started to bite and before long we had 6 in the
box, more than enough for a shore lunch. We kept casting and
trying different lure colors and ended up with 12 nice trout
before lunch. We also caught some monster ladyfish!!! We saw a
couple of Spanish
mackerel but no bites. Capt. Dan had his angler
limit of 10 trout while Capt. Mark won the pot with a
limit of 15 trout. Way to go Z-Man!
April 12, 2010
The opening week of grouper season started off fantastic. The
weather was perfect and after a long cold winter the grouper are
chewin'.
Trolling big lipped plugs like the Yo-zuri mag minnows or Rapala
20 X-raps have been very productive. The water is a little dirty
inshore, so a little bit longer run offshore to find cleaner
water is necessary to ensure a grouper dinner. The inshore
fishing is going strong as well, and all of us here from the
Crystal River Fishing Company have been bringing in great
numbers of trout, Spanish mackerel and redfish. The Spring
fishing is as good as it gets and if your interested in
a memorable day on the water, we will ensure a great
charter... Capt Dan Clymer
April 9, 2010 Yeah! April is finally here!!!! This is the time of year that all Nature Coast anglers look forward to the most. Warmer weather, longer days, lighter winds, gin clear water and the spring arrival of some of the “Worlds” most sought after game fish are what anglers are looking forward to this month. Speckled Trout, Spanish Mackerel, TripleTail, Sharks, Grouper, and Cobia are all on the list, but none of these species compare to the “Silver King” when the April migration of fish rolls around.
The Tarpon that roam the flats off Bayport, Homosassa, Crystal River and Yankeetown have all been known as the staple of the fly fishery here along the Nature Coast for years. Numerous world records have been set in our backyard and if this year is anything like years past we may see a few records fall again this year. Interestingly enough the records that most likely will be challenged this year are the records that are held by WOMEN! That’s right myself and a number of other local guides from the area are lining up trips with some of the best flyfisherwomen in hopes of challenging line class records on 4-12lb tippets. Now most of these fish will have to be over 40lbs but it will be very possible for a female angler to shatter a record by 50-70lbs. Keep in mind folks Nature Coast Tarpon average 70lbs and we are still home to the only 200+lb Tarpon ever landed on fly. (If you’re interested in seeing the fish and hearing the story Daryl Seaton at the Nature Coast Fly Shop has the actual fish mounted outside the fly shop in Crystal River.)
Now
that we are all excited about the arrival of the “Silver Kings”
first we’ll need to warm up with a few less challenging species to
build up our fishing MOJO. Fish like Speckled Trout,
Redfish,
Spanish Mackerel and Tripletail will all be in abundance this time
of year and all are more than willing to take a stab at a live bait,
lure or fly from time to time. Lately my clients and I have been
targeting Redfish and Speckled Trout along many of the rocky points,
oyster bars and shallow flats scattered through out the area. I
normally will start my day by jigging Berkley Gulp! Shrimp in large
areas where fish should be holding and then once I find areas of
good fish I will switch to live baits to trigger more strikes.
Gulps! Make great search baits, but topwater lures in the morning
and jerk baits in the afternoon have also seen there fair share of
action.
Kayak fishing is also beginning to heat up!!! Just ask Jane and Van
Sayler who spent a recent morning with me and were rewarded with
some great Redfish, Speckled Trout and Flounder Action. The morning
started off with a great Topwater Speckled Trout bite in water ankle
deep or only where kayaks could float. Walk-the-Dog style of lures
worked best but there were plenty of fish willing to take a stab at
Berkley Gulp! Jerkbait. After sliding a few of these toothy fish
over their kayaks we decided to make our way towards some of the
areas best Redfish grounds. As the warm Florida sun finally rose
above the mangroves and tall palms, tailing Redfish became more
prevalent on some of the skinnier flats scattered across the Salt
River area. I did my best to position Jane and Van in some areas
where Redfish were working but they could not have prepared
themselves for the action that was coming up next. Upon coming up
to a little island we noticed tons of mullet jumping and fining as
the full moon tide made its way out. Every once in a while a bigger
tail was spotted glistening in sunlight. The first two shrimp that
hit the water were immediately donated to pinfish for the cause.
However, the next two shrimp were destined for the Reds. Wham! Van
hooked up! Wham! Jane was hooked up! Redfish double header on
kayaks. Life is Good!!!!!!
Throughout the rest of the day there
were plenty of Reds, Speckled Trout and Flounder caught but none
were more special than the two Reds that were involved in the double
of the day!!!!!!
If
you’re interested in a great fishing, fly fishing or kayak fishing
adventure give Crystal River Fishing Company a Call today !
Capt. Kyle Messier
April 8, 2010: The weather is getting nice and not only are the water temps warming up- . the Fishing is "Heating Up" too !
The Speckled Trout action is HOT and limits
are being boated daily on a regular basis. The Spanish Mackerel
are also starting to show up and many nice sized ones are being
caught out of both Crystal River and Homosassa.
The best baits for Trout this month have been a 3" Shrimp New Penny Gulp on a 1/16 oz jig, as well as a D.O.A. cigar cork rig with a 3" Glow Shrimp or a paddle tail grub Use this cork rig in 1-5 feet of water, and try the Gulp Shrimp in the deeper grass flats. Be sure to change-up your retrieve until you find the action that gets the fish's attention !
Plenty of schools of bait are showing up off
shore around the shallow rocks, and the speedy Spanish mackerel
are right with them.
While fishing out of Crystal River, I've been using a 1/16 oz
jig head with a live shrimp.
I seem to get the most action by popping it in the deep grass (around 8') resulting in some Big Mack attacks !
The Redfish are starting to show up, and as the water continues to warm, the Red's can be found at their usual summer hideouts. They will be waiting ready to strike a live shrimp, pinfish or a shinny bright gold spoon ! Thanks and hope to see you on the water soon.....Capt Mark Zorn ( aka Capt "Z")
April 2, 2010: Kayak fishing is beginning to heat up!!! Just ask Jane and Van Sayler who spent the morning with Capt. Kyle Messier and were rewarded with some great Redfish, Speckled Trout and Flounder Action. The morning started off with a great Top water Speckled Trout bite in water ankle deep or only where kayaks can float. Walk-the-Dog style of lures worked best but there were plenty of fish willing to take a stab at Berkley Gulp! Jerk bait. After sliding a few of these toothy fish over their kayaks they decided to make their way towards some of the areas best Redfish grounds.
As the warm Florida sun finally rose above the mangroves and tall palms tailing Redfish became more prevalent on some of the skinnier flats scattered across the Salt River area. Capt. Kyle did his best to position Jane and Van in some areas where Redfish were working but they could not have prepared themselves for the action Capt. Kyle was going to put them on. Upon coming up to a little island Capt. Kyle noticed tons of mullet jumping and fining as the full moon tide made its way out. Every once in a while a bigger tail was spotted glistening in sunlight. The first two shrimp that hit the water were immediately donated to pinfish for the cause. However, the next two shrimp were destined for the Reds. Wham! Van hooked up! Wham! Jane was hooked up! Redfish double header on kayaks. Life is Good!!!!!!
Be sure to check out the photo gallery for great pictures of the trout, redfish and flounder landed on this kayak fishing trip.
Throughout the rest of the day there were plenty of Reds, Speckled Trout and Flounder caught but none were more special than the two Reds that were involved in the double of the day!!!!!! Another great day of fishing with Capt Kyle Messier !
The redfish are on the move! After the extremely long winter of hiding deep in the back country, the redfish are starting to show up in good numbers. We fished to outer lime rock points today and saw several redfish schools.
The
tide was running hard due to the 15mph west wind, but the fish were
cooperative and ready to eat. A live shrimp under a DOA deadly combo
cork and a 2/0 circle hook was the bait of choice today.
"It's only going to bet better in the coming weeks so book your memorable charter with the Crystal River Fishing Company today" Capt. Dan Clymer
March 20, 2010:
Another
tournament victory in the books. I had the pleasure of fishing Jim and Brett
for their company's fishing tournament held out of MacRae's on the Homosassa
River today. Big trout was the name of the game and we found them.
The
trout bite was fantastic and DOA glow cal shad tail jigs was the hot bait.
We had our 15 fish limit by noon and caught and released several fish over
the 20" slot. Sheepshead, Spanish mackerel and a legal gag grouper (which
was released, season opens April 1st) filled out the day. At weigh in time
we showed up to the scales with a stringer of 41lbs for an impressive catch.
"Today was a fun tournament and I look forward to
seeing all of you again next year".
Capt. Dan Clymer
March 17,
2010:
This month has started out with a bang, and so far the
fishing has been fantastic, with the exception of a few very windy days
during the last couple of weeks.
Check out this oversized Snook measuring about 35 1/2 " long and approx. 12
3/4 lbs.
Snook season is closed, and this fish was released back into the gulf
unharmed. This was an exciting and productive day, and we also limited
out on good sized Speckled Trout.
Another
example of fantastic Crystal River Fishing !
Capt Mark Zorn
March 19, 2010:
Today I had the pleasure of fishing with
four great anglers.
The Speckled Trout were on the flats, and were hitting 1/16 oz jig
heads with New Penney 3" Shrimp Gulp.
We boated our limit of 25 trout ( 5 per person, including myself) The largest measured 24" in length. "Great fishing with a great crew" ! Looking forward to the next trip. Capt Mark Zorn
March 6, 2010:
The annual Trout Masters
tournament was held today at Pete's Pier on the Crystal River.
Crystal River Fishing Company placed 1st and 3rd. Capt Dan and
Capt Mark represented the company in this tournament, while Capt Kyle
and Capt Rick were out working hard to ensure their clients a good day
of fishing.
Two
five fish bag limits were weighed in by the fishing company for a
combined total weight of over 23lbs. DOA glow jerk-baits rigged on a
1/8oz chartreuse jig head was today's top bait.
The
gulf water temperature is still extremely cold so an extra slow
presentation was required to ensure a strike.
About 70 anglers participated in this tournament, and many nice trout catches were weighed in.
Great
fishing, and we look forward to seeing you on the water soon. . .
Capt Dan Clymer and Capt Mark Zorn
March 3, 2010:
BIG Bad Drum!!!!!! 
I will start this fishing report by saying GOODBYE!! and GOOD RIDDANCE! to
January and February, and I can imagine most of the country feels the same
way. With that being said- lets warm up with some good fishing news from
here along the Nature Coast.
In between the cold and windy days we have actually seen some days with temps up into the 70’s here along the Crystal River and Homosassa areas. These are the days that myself and my clients have been looking forward to all year. When conditions have been right we have seen slick calm seas and crystal clear water. The water is so clear right now that sight fishing for huge DRUM, both Red Drum (Redfish) and Black Drum have been the norm during most fishing charters.
Huge Black Drum schools come into the shallows of Yankeetown, Crystal River, and Homosassa this time of year to gorge themselves of shrimp, crabs, oysters, clams and sand eels before they leave to head offshore to spawn. When these giant Drum enter the shallows the first signs of their presence is the massive amount of birds that will follow their route throughout the shallows. As these HUGE Drum forage for anything edible they stirrup the surrounding area sending all bait fish to the surface to get away from the bottom dwellers feeding frenzy. From a distance you can see birds pounding the water as if there is a summer time feeding frenzy occurring. As you approach the birds you will then notice a massive amount of mud in an area that is normally crystal clear, this mud is obviously being thrown around by the feeding Drum.
There are several different ways to catch these Massive Pre-Spawn Black Drum, however using a live shrimp, cut oyster, or blue crab usually will get the bite first. Recently my clients and I have also been throwing tons of fly patterns at them as well. Anything resembling a small shrimp or crab has got the most looks. A Merkin or Kwan fly with plenty of weight seems to be tops when targeting these hungry GIANTS!! With these fish pushing 20-60lbs don’t find yourself under prepared. A good spinning rod with plenty of backbone and a 4000 series reel that will hold plenty of line is tops on the list. And you definitely do not want to be caught with anything lighter than a 9wt fly rod when targeting these bruisers. Because the water is so shallow, 1-2ft of water in most cases, these fish are obviously not going to do much sounding. However, a Black Drum pushing 40+ pounds will give any angler the fishing fight he/she has been looking for!! The Giant Black Drum are not the only big Drum roaming the Nature Coast during this time of year, Huge Redfish are also being targeted in the shallows. The only problem when targeting these Redfish this time of year is that most are way over the 27” slot limit. An average size fish this time of year seems to be around the 28” mark. That is a GOOD problem to have as far as I am concerned but does not do any good for the fryer. Schools of 10-30 fish are common and I even came across a school in the backcountry that had over 70 fish in it. The AWESOME aspect of this school of fish was that there were NO fish under 8lbs in the whole school! “What I would have done to have a fly rod on the boat at that time!” With bait being so scarce at times the Berkley Gulp! Shrimp and sand eels have been my best friends. On some of the shallower days I have poled clients around it still seems as if some of these Redfish just can’t refuse a Texas rigged Bass Worm. I am sold on some of the TikiMan worms especially in lighter colors but if any of you Bass Fishermen have a favorite worm of your own don’t be scared to try it.
Thanks,
and we look forward to fishing with you soon.
Capt Kyle Messier
