January Fishing Report
Capt. Louie Argiro
January 24, 2019
Crystal River - Saltwater Fishing Report
As for the cooler temperatures that we have been having, I can officially say that this year is setting up to give us a stellar winter fishing pattern. With some of the early December and January cold fronts we have had we've seen some Redfish starting to pour into the river which has been making for extremely exciting river fishing. The trout have started to make their move as well as they are starting to congregate on some of the deeper troughs that circumnavigate the mangroves and as the year goes on we will see them move into the river as well. The winter time trout fishing can be the most productive time of the year to catch the quantity and also quality fish that everyone dreams of. Once getting below the, what seems like Millions of ladyfish, the trout can be found waiting to strike the falling baits. I like to fish something that is slow sinking in these kinds of situations to keep that bait at an optimal strike zone to better my opportunities at producing quality bites.
We cannot be forgetting about the phenomenal fishing that is to be had in and around what makes the Crystal River area famous. THE SPRINGS, that feed the beautiful blue 72-degree water into our River system. Fishing around these springs can bring the opportunities to target species that would not normally swim together. The excitement of throwing a bait around these springs without knowing the outcome of the strike that comes is something that will really get the blood pumping. The reason that I say this is because with every cast we are targeting species that inhabit not just saltwater but freshwater as well. It is not uncommon to catch a monster Snook on one cast and then in the very next cast to hook up on a Largemouth Bass. These springs create an ecosystem that is extremely special to our area of the nature coast making it an adventure that you do not want to miss out on.
But... Our Big-Ticket Item is going to be the SHEEPSHEAD. As the water temperatures cool those spawning jail birds (you all know why) move out to the deeper ledges, wrecks, and rocks that encompass the fowl area just outside our beautiful mangroves. As these fish congregate on these structures they become into a feeding frenzy as they are eating all the shrimp and crabs that inhabit these rocks and other structures. A fish that has proved itself repeatedly as quite the bait stealer (I see some irony in this) has also been proved itself regarding its tremendous table fair. These fish fight hard and taste great, what more can you ask for?
We all love Florida for its warm temperatures in the winter as the rest of the country is wiping the ice from their wind shields and clearing their driveways of last nights snowfall. I for one am happy to live in an area that gives us this great opportunity to fish all year long and it makes for a great getaway from all the blistering temperatures up north. I hope that everyone that is reading this up that way gets the itch to come down here and experience this weather with us. And remember, when I say that the "cooler" temperatures are starting to come our way, us Floridians have a different definition of so than those who are dealing with freezing temperatures. To put that into a term of numbers, a high of 60 degrees to us is what we would call "Extreme Cold." I know what your thinking… I would love a high of 60, well come fishing with us to experience it the best way possible.
Thanks everyone for reading and I hope to hear from you all very soon. Feel free to give me a call, send me a text, or email, with any comments and questions that you may have. I hope everyone had an amazing Happy Holiday season and can't wait to take on the 2019 fishing season with you all at my side.
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