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Fishing Report for Homosassa, Florida
Capt. Mike Locklear
April 14, 2005
Homosassa - Saltwater Fishing Report
This weekend the sun is sure to shine
Two days in a row I almost got skunked. This really stank, but fortunately I still got paid. Don't know what happen unless the front had an impact on our catches. One measly redfish this afternoon. Murphy was on our boat, but I can tell you the raw yellowfin tuna with Kikkoman Soy Sauce and smoked kingfish was great tasting, thanks to Barry Kaplan's friend, Steve.
Sorry about the baptizing, Steve. Capt. Mark Zorn has 14 trout and JW Romish had 6 keepers. We tried for reds only and lost two and boated one that we released. Yesterday I produced a goose egg, do you know how hard it is for me not to catch a fish. Well it happended with Jack and Sonny from Georgia. I guess bringing fillets to cook for the shore dinner jinxed us. The hushpuppies were good as all the other fixing Betty Jo Arnold prepared for the Smith party. Three days ago, the fishing was superb for the Smith party with excellent limit catches of trout and reds from members of the Homosassa Gudies Association.
Wright & Orr rip it to the trout and redfish on April 12
Every day is worth writing about especially when you have a great one like we did. I am referring to the great day of fishing yesterday that Eugene Wright of Crestview, Florida and his friend Eric Orr of Tampa Bay. The two are old school buddies and have been out with me in each of my three boats since my guiding career began back in the 70’s.
Yesterday started out like any other Spring day on the Homosassa River except there was a brisk southwest wind coming in and a cold front was approaching. This means excellent conditions for the fish to tear it up.
Trout fishing was excellent using Bass Assassin Electric Chicken and Bone Diamond Eels with Cotee jig heads in 1/8 ounce size. Gene and Eric landed about 20 keeper size trout to 20 inches but only a kept a mess for dinner.
Later on as the tide began to come in we moved inshore to a spot a call Starvin’ Marvin’s Redfish Bar. Well let me tell you, I hooked the first one and it was a line peeler. I managed to get the anchor down and upwind of where I hooked the big red and began chumming directly after I landed the perfect slot bull red of 26 and ¾ inches.
After that it was non-stop action for the pair as they landed more than we cared to count between 17 to 26 inches. It was fun on my new Okuma spinning reels and Ande spinning rods. You could have thrown in the kitchen sink and they would have eaten it.
Today the fish were turned off after the front passed through, but my good friend and guide Capt. Charlie Harris saved the day with 5 keepers for our shore dinner with the big dogs of Atlanta, the Smith party.
All last week was an awesome bite for trout anglers as we had more than 4 on at one time all hitting She Dog Mirrolures. It was incredible action for John Barnes and Vulcan Materials guest of Virginia.
Don’t forget to tune in this weekend for the Chevy Florida Fishing Report on Sun Sports Network. Join hosts Whit Watson and reknowned angler Captain Rick Murphy as they focus on the best places and methods to catch this week's featured species: Red Snapper. Also, viewers can take a tour of each of the state's fishing regions as our expert charter captains call in with the week's news from their local waters.
Sun Sports Chevy Florida Fishing Report Big Bend & Northwest Section
Red snapper
Where to fish for them- Throughout the region over wrecks/rubble in 120’ feet and deeper. Capt. Gene Strickland reports snapper in 40 foot depths off Dog Island. Capt. Ky Lewis reports plenty of red snapper in 50-60 foot of water.
Recommended methods-Bottom Fishing
When- Day or Night
Lures/Baits- Live or Cut bait(sardines, herring)
Typical Size- 5-7 pounds average size with larger mixed in.
OFFSHORE REPORT
Gag Grouper
Specific areas- 35 to 60 feet of water throughout the entire region.
Methods- trolling or bottom fishing
Specific lures/baits- Mann’s Stretch 30’s, Rapalas CD-MAG-18 and Mirrolure Deep 25+ 111MR Live pinfish or threadfin herring or cut mullet are primary baits.
Typical size- Up to 25 pounds but most are in the seven to 15 pound range.
Other- There are red grouper past 40 feet of water and some mangrove snapper along with loads of Key West Grunts on the rocks.
Spanish mackerel
Specific areas- 8 to 12 feet of water from Tarpon Springs to St. George Island. Water temperatures in the 70’s have allowed the bait and the mackerel are right behind them.
Methods- Trolling slowly or casting while at anchor or drifting. Chum blocks are popular in this region.
Specific lures/baits- All types of jigs and bucktails and silver spoons
Typical size- Up to 5 pounds in the Big Bend and Forgotten Coast. Larger mackerel off Hernando County.
INSHORE REPORT
Redfish
Redfish action has been fair to good as Capt. Charlie Harris caught and released more than 20 up to 29 inches. Capt. Jeff Hagaman landed 40 reds to 8 pounds using Berkley gulps
Specific areas- Chassowitzka National Wildlife Refuge and the St. Martin’s Aquatic Preserve- Tierra Verde.
Methods- casting shore lines on incoming tides either poling or using trolling motor. Some sight fishing. Some chumming either using sardines or pieces of fresh shrimp
Specific lures/baits- Redfish are use to eating live shrimp, spider crabs and pinfish for bait. But the best lure bar none is ¼ to ½ ounce Johnson spoon in gold or silver colors. Reds will also hit top water lures such as the Top Dog Mirrolures and jigs like the Bass Assassin Eel or Cotee jigs with root beer twin tails
Typical size- Lately most of the reds have been small, however keepers to 31` inches have been landed.
Other- Some flounder have been taken while jig fishing for either reds or trout
Trout Action
Action has been red hot for captains of Homosassa Guides Association
Lures/Baits- A ¼ ounce jig head is necessary to get the bait down in the strong current of the New Moon Spring tides. We are looking for excellent conditions for this weekend.
Specific areas- 3-8 feet of water
Methods- Drift fishing and casting downwind; throw a buoy marker when you catch a nice trout and repeat the drift.
Specific lures/baits- White Zooms, Cotee Grubs, and Bass Assassin 5 inch eels in the bone diamond and electric chicken colors.
HOTS SPOTS
INSHORE- Spotted Sea Trout from Homosassa Bay Marker #10 to Bird Rack using jigs and cork rigs. 330 degrees 4 miles from #10
OFFSHORE- Grouper in depths between 35-60 feet depths throughout the region using live pinfish or cut bait.
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