Cold & windy

Capt. Frank Bourgeois
February 15, 2014
Hernando Beach - Saltwater Fishing Report

Well I guess the ground hog was right. Winter is still trying to hold on all over the country. Florida has its up and downs putting up with some cold weather in the Nature Coast area. I just returned from Miami attending the Miami Boat show. Words cannot explain what I saw there, as I have attended boat shows from New England to Florida and without argument this is the biggest show I ever attended. The weather was warm making both the inside as well as the outside show spectacular.

Fishing from Tarpon Springs to Crystal River is slow on the inshore waters. The water is cold and clear as a bell leaving the fish tight into warmer waters. If you have springs to fish or a very shallow water boat you can do well. The power plants are very popular at this time of year. Please be careful along with the fish looking for warm water, so do the manatees. You might not know that fish do not like fast changes in the water temperature. The other day we left the boat ramp and the water temperature was 59 by noon the water went to 67 that change is bad for feeding fish. We managed to catch some nice trout in four foot of water close to the white sandy beach off Anclote Island. Hudson area holds lots of dark grass for the fish to keep warm in so when the cold fronts mellow out the fish come out to eat. Chassahowitzka area is baron unless you go to the Chassahowitzka River and Coastal Swamps backwaters. Homosassa and Crystal River has many springs making the fishing much more stable. I have been fishing out of the Plantations in Crystal River near the springs and to my surprise in this area freshwater bass fishing is wonderful. This is a nice place to fish from as you can do either bass fishing or a short ride by water to the Gulf for some great saltwater fishing. Remember if you keep a bass you best have a freshwater license and a salt water license if you keep a salt water fish.

Offshore fishing is also a game of hunt and fish. If you find the fish stay with them as you might go to many numbers and not find fish. I have not been offshore since last year but friends of mine have and one of them went twice over eighty miles with no fish trips. Another friend went forty five miles and produced a couple of Red Grouper. Remember gag grouper in this area is closed. The smaller fish like hogfish, sea bass and gray snapper are the fish to target if you want a fish fry.

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