A few things I’ve noticed lately on the water are from years back. South of the river there have been some mudds. A mudd can be from stingrays, mullet or feeding fish. The ones that have been occurring on the incoming tide are feeding fish. From what I have learned it is a shrimp hatch, when shrimp are exposed during the day. It creates a feeding frenzy with trout, spanish mackerel, blue fish, lady fish, flounder and jacks. If you find a mudd, think of it like a comet: the head of it is where the fish are and the tail is where the fish were. Two areas I like best for this experience are along the pole line in Chassahowitzka and near the Bird Rack off of St. Martins Keys. Soft dark plastics that are jigged vertical will get the bite.
Another fish that has made a comeback on the Big Bend is sea bass. I’ve caught a few over 15″ and that’s a good fish on the Gulf side. The best depth is 6′ to 10′ on low profile rocks, ledges and hard bottom. The hard bottom will be yellow in color with black sponges. I catch a lot of trout on this same bottom and the sea bass are mixed in. To concentrate on just sea bass anchor on the west side of the structure during the incoming tide and use live shrimp on a jighead, free lining it. Have a second rod ready because the sea bass will follow up a hooked fish and the follower will even bite a bare hook — that’s the truth. On the same rocks expect a good bite with mangrove snappers and grunts. Look for incoming tide around mid morning.
Captain William Toney
Homosassa Inshore Fishing
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