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Fishing Report for Homosassa, Florida
Capt. Mike Locklear
February 4, 2006
Homosassa - Saltwater Fishing Report
Top Fishing Guides Speak on Tehniques
The Homosassa Guide Association in conjunction with local businesses and sponsors are putting on a free fishing informational.
Captains Mike Locklear, Jim Long, Gary Cox, Don Chancy, Ray Wallace will speak on various specialty fishing techniques from their respective boats on February 10, 2006 between 9AM-1PM.
The parking lot of AmSouth Bank sets the stage with walking room only. While you're there, you'll have the opportunity to spin the AmSouth Bank prize wheel, buy a raffle ticket for a 17-foot Key West flats skiff, and check out Adopt-A-Pet's animals in need of a good home.
The event is sponsored by AmSouth Bank, Beef O’Brady’s, Riverhaven Marina, Gulf Coast Marine Service, Team Mercury Outboards and the Homosassa Guides Association.
The bank’s location is 6730 W. Gulf to Lakes Hwy. Crystal River, Florida and positioned along State Road 44, 3 miles east of downtown Crystal River, and one block east of the intersection of County Road 486 on the south side. Look for the guide boats under the AmSouth Bank sign. For more information you can call me at 352-628-4207.
Fresh Water Action Heats Up
Although I make my living on salt water, fresh water is excellent this time of year. According to Capt. Billy Henderson fishing has bee real crappie! Speckled perch or specks are tearing it up in the lakes. Limits are easily taken with either live minnows or jigs.
Largemouth Bass fishing is at its best as the females look for a place to fan out a spot to bed. Live shiners in the rivers or canals of the headwaters are big producers. Plastic worm fishermen do well this time of year, too. For more tip and information how to fish yourself go to http://floridafisheries.com
3 Boys Catch Dozens of Redfish - All Released
During the Christmas and New Year’s break I invited Tyler, J.R. and Rueben. Tyler and his firneds are my little fishing buddies I met from Awanas at First Baptist of Old Homosassa. We have fished together twice and swapped fishing stories for several years now.
We departed with the wind chill factor below 32 degrees (were appropriately dressed) from the Cross Florida Barge Canal and U.S. 19 near the FWC office. For the pre-teens it was an exciting trip and sleepless night before.
Right off the bat, Rueben started us with a rat redfish and the morning continued with dozens of redfish and several mangrove snapper.
We used ½ ounce egg sinkers, a 2 foot section of 20-pound leader and 12-pound standing line. A 1/0 plain shank hook was tied using a uni-knot. Live shrimp was our choice bait.
It was a fun trip for all even if I did hit a rock coming home.
Homosassa Offshore/Inshore Reports
Offshore grouper fishing (catching) has been a hit and miss game. Ted O’Quinn and his Dad caught their limit of grouper and a mess of grunts in 30 feet of water, so give that a try if the weather is nice and the water is 60 or over in degrees. Remember always just before the fronts are best or two days after a front has passed is good, too. Stay home the day of the front if the wind has shifted to the northwest.
Sheepshead has been the choice inshore species to pursue this month. Both captains, John Bazo and William Toney have been averaging 20 or more, some in the 5-pound range. A quarter ounce slip sinker and a plain shank offset 1/0 hook will suffice to land the toothy critters. Bits of shrimp used for chum and pieces onto the hook will entice the scrappy salt water breams of the gulf.
With trout closed for the month of February and snook coming open, the challenge will be to land the first snook of the ’06 season. Snook have made their presence here worth pursuing and some lunker linesiders have been released during the closed times by various anglers both on the Homosassa and the Crystal Rivers.
Some guides like my good friend Capt. Charlie Harris, will trailer their boats south to Pinellas County where spotted sea trout is open season. Harris has done well along the ICW and says he loves it there. Limits of 4 trout are allowed (instead of our 5) with the same slots of 15-20 inches with one over 20 inches.
Bass Assassins Sea Shads, Catch 2000 Mirrolures, Skitterwalks and Cotee jigs under Cajun Thunder 3-inch red cigar corks fills my tackle box when pursuing the yellow mouthed trout.
Tight Lines and Screaming Drags,
Capt. Mike
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