With a little bit of warmth, winter continues to push as far south as it can. Before this late February cold front most of the Big Bend’s game fish — trout, redfish and snook — were all outside on the keys and limestone rock piles. Some of the snook I saw were in spots that I would target in April. A few days of warm weather is all it takes to move fish west along with the manatees, because when I see them heading out it is a clue to follow them because of the warming waters. Manatees will overeat the river’s grasses and when it’s warm enough they will race out and eat on the Gulf’s edge. If a manatee can handle the bays and Gulf’s cool water then it is game on for our inshore fish.
To catch some really good quality sea trout work the outside western points on the incoming tides. If the tides are low like this coming week target the deeper creeks that are near the Gulf that have deeper channels and holes, because this week’s cold mornings will have fish stacked up according to water temperature. I always start east and work my way west until I start catching fish. All it takes is a keeper trout or a snook and then you will be on the line running north and south for the best temperature to catch fish.
The best baits have been soft plastics in glow or pearl. I like a nose hooked D.O.A. 5.5 jerk bait or the MirrOlure Provoker in pearl with a 1/16 oz. red or chartreuse jig head. The best live bait for redfish has been live shrimp for sight casting them in the very clear waters. I believe the tides this week will be low and lower.
Captain William Toney
Homosassa Inshore Fishing
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