Nassua Sound

I spoke with Pam at Nassua Sound Bait & Tackle in Fernandina Beach this afternoon. She tells me that fishing is best 1 1/2 hours before low tide, and one hour before and after the high tide. Some nice flounder are being caught on mud minnows fished on the bottom. Speckled trout and whiting are taking live shrimp fished on the bottom or drifted with the tide. Sheepshead are taking shrimp fished around the bridge pylons. For more information contact;
Nassua Sound Bait & Tackle
904-277-9772
7500 First Coast Hwy
Fernandina Beach, FL 32034

Great Variety in Bonita Springs

I was just talking with Ken at Master Bait & Tackle in Bonita Springs. He tells me that the wind has layed down and his customers are catching a wide variety of fish. Grouper fishing is excellent. One of Kens customers landed two keeper red grouper this afternoon and another brought in three gag grouper. One was 16lb, one was 31lb, and the third was 40lb. All were caught while trolling Man's Lures in 65ft of water around breaks in the bottom. Ken tells me that this is his favorite way to fish for grouper because of the boat retelling strikes it produces. Anchoring around structure and fishing live or frozen sardines on the bottom will produce a lot of grouper. Snapper are being caught by dropping cut bait in the same areas you find the grouper. Quite a few permit can also be caught around offshore wrecks and structure. If you can find crab traps you will be able to find tripletail. Tripletail love to swim around trap buoys, but few traps are out this time of year. A good number of bonita can be caught trolling around bait schools. King mackerel are in the same areas as the bonita, so be prepared by using a short piece of wire leader above your hook or lure. Cobia are cruising the beach. Some pompano are also on the beach. Tarpon are in the passes around Sanibel Island. Look for tarpon around Knapps Point to the south and Redfish Pass farther north. A decent number of speckled trout are being caught in the Intracoastal Waterway along with huge redfish. Sharks are every where! For more information contact;
Master Bait & Tackle
239-992-2553
4465 Bonita Beach Rd
Bonita Springs, FL 34134
www.masterbaitonline.com/

Flagler Beach, Look For Clear Water

I was talking with Roy from Roy's Bait House in Flagler Beach this afternoon. He tells me that if you find the clear water, you will find the fish. Inshore, the sheapshead, trout, redfish, and pompano are all biting very well. Live shrimp works great for sheepshead, trout, reds, and pompano. There is a big run of flounder in the area. In a tournament last week, a 7lb flounder was weighed . Live shrimp and smaller bait fish bounced on the bottom will draw strikes from flounder. On the beach and at the pier, Roy's customers are catching bluefish, black drum, flounder, pompano, and whiting. Shrimp, sand flees, pieces of crab, clams, and pompano jigs are all good baits for the beach. One of Roy's customers, Roby Thomas, went offshore yesterday and caught four nice dolphin, several amberjack from 10lb - 15lb, and bonita. On the way in they spotted several cobia swimming toward the beach, but were unable to stop to fish for them. For more information contact;
Roy's Bait House
386-439-2200
105 N 2nd St
Flagler Beach, FL 32136

Homosassa Fishing is Hot!

I spoke with Nancy at Mac Rae's Bait House in Homosassa this morning. She was telling me that the fishing is hot right now both inshore and offshore. Inshore, speckled trout and redfish are tearing up the grass flats. Free line a live shrimp or pin fish over the grass for great speckled trout action. Look for sand holes and deeper depressions in the grass and float your bait over them. The trout will ambush bait as it floats over these areas. Redfish will stay near the many oyster bars and mangrove shore line of Homosassa. They will move on to these areas at higher tides and move to deeper water near by on the low tides. Live shrimp, fiddler crabs, Berkley Gulp Shrimp, and gold spoons are the best baits. Offshore fishing is at its best right now. Kingfish and spanish mackerel are all over the place. Troll large, lively bait fish, what ever is swimming in the area you are fishing, for the king mackerel or throw Clark Spoons, Spoon Squid, or Got-Cha plugs around bait schools for spanish mackerel. Grouper are in 20ft to 40ft of water which is 20 to 40 miles offshore. The water is shallow offshore of Homosassa. Nancy tells me that it drops one foot in depth for every mile you travel away from land. Look for drop offs or other structure to find grouper. Pin fish and live or frozen bait fish will be the best baits. Cobia have moved into the same areas as the grouper and mackerel. Look for cobia around any kind of structure. Live pin fish are the best bait. For more information contact;
Mac Rae's Bait House
352-628-2602
5290 S Cherokee Way
Homosassa, FL 34448

Snook Season Closed in Gulf

Snook season is now closed in the entire Gulf Region from Monroe Co./ Everglades National Park, to the N.W. boarder at Gulf Breeze. You may not keep any snook caught in this area.