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Fishing Report for Homosassa, Florida
Capt. Mike Locklear
February 18, 2003
Homosassa - Saltwater Fishing Report
Homosassa Fishing Talk from Capt. Mike Locklear
Bill and Anne Tribble of Ft. Valley, Georgia are some of my favorite people in the whole wide world. Why? They love fishing Homosassa with me and they are laid back, easy going and never change.
They booked a trip with me just before my departure to Outdoors World in Orlando. I said let’s just go for a half day trip and give it a try. Sheepshead was our quarry. We left the dock around noon and the day was absolutely perfect. Although we needed a jacket, we were in our short sleeves my 1:30 pm.
The first live shrimp we dropped into the Sheepie resort was eaten by Mr. Sheepshead in the 3-pound class. Folks it was one after another for about 2 hours. They caught their limit of 10 each, but only kept 14. It was a nice mess of fish.
Anne landed the biggest one I think, about 5 pounds. Bill also had one that was pretty darn close to that size. We never moved the boat once except the reposition as the tide changed. Sheepshead is the one fish that like cold water and will bite because of it.
This past winter has been a long cold and windy one for most Homosassa fishing guides. Most clients of mine have been staying closer to home tending to business. Now with gas prices rising, war inevitable more than ever and a soft economy life should turn around to the positive side with Spring nearing us. People will be turning to use credit cards more than ever to fund their trips. I say that to say this. Bring on them cards, I am ready for them.
According to my good friend, Capt. Charlie Harris, a long time ex-commercial fisherman and now one of the best catching guides in the history of Homosassa, he claims that this coming Spring will be awesome for trout and redfish, a Harris specialty.
Now, I would not ever accuse a fisherman of stretching the truth especially from Charlie or my Dad for instance. My Dad always had some humorous descriptions when it came to schools of fish. Dad would say sometimes the fish were so thick you could walk across them. Or if a guide with less experience caught a bunch, he would say, I sure would have loved to been there with a stick.
Charlie’s descriptions amuse me and he is very sensitive about anyone calling him a liar. Anyway, we stay in touch and the latest report from Harris was that the redfish were so thick he could not get his push pole down through the fish without bumping one or one running into the pole.
Another day last week, Harris called me from his cell phone to tell me that the trout were so thick that they looked like a school of mullet and the trout were tailing. I don’t doubt what Charlie says. However, the fish might have well been mullet. Because the water is still cold and the barometer was wrong, the fish had lockjaw. That is shorthand for not hungry.
Finally after one fruitless day, Harris’s party landed 4 redfish using shrimp. Then the rains came on Sunday. I was scheduled to fish and Charlie called me to say he was not going out because the weather was looking pretty miserable for fishing. I agreed and stayed inside and played with my new English pointer, Bo.
Today was not much better, with the wind howling out of the northwest and overcast skies, my clients decided to shoot some trap and ride ATV’s. We played in the woods and had a good time on Presidents’ Day. Remember to keep our President and the Military in your prayers, so we can continue to have the freedom we enjoy.
Bass Pro Shops Outdoors World was fun and fishing in the big bass tank inside was the most fun I have had in a while. I liked it almost as much as spending my money there on stuff I need for my business. You should check this place out if you have never been.
Hunting season was fun as my son bagged a pair of wood ducks. My Mercury Dealer and I did some quail hunting. And I bagged a deer up in north Georgia thanks to another fine young Homosassa guide, Ray Wallace, Jr.
Charlie, Ray and I went hunting one weekend back in December and that evening Charlie carried my deer to the truck over his shoulder, it was that small, sure was good eating though.
Folks you might want to mark your calendar for the Frank Sargeant Outdoors Exposition on February 28, March 1 & 2. It is the best outdoors fishing and hunting show in the south. It is a selling show. Located at the Florida Fairgrounds in Tampa.
Hours open are:
Friday 1-9 p.m.
Saturday 10 a.m.-8 p.m.
Sunday 11 a.m.-5 p.m.
ADMISSION
Friday - Free, courtesy of Ford
Saturday and Sunday -
$6 ages 13 and up
$3 ages 3-12
If you are looking for a motor with low hours, my 2003 90 H.P. Mercury is for sale. $3,999 will make it yours.
Have a nice day.
Capt. Mike
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