Homosassa “Spring-time” Fishing
Homosassa “Spring-time” Fishing
It’s GREAT to be back out on the water! After another cold winter here in the Sunshine State the weather has turned and it’s been just about perfect lately, lots of sunshine, no humidity and no wind. I know some of our friends are still dealing with winter in other parts of the country but that sounds like a good excuse for a little fishing vacation here on Florida’s Nature Coast. Yesterday started overcast but by 11 AM, the clouds had burnt off and the visibility was excellent and the Gulf of Mexico was as flat as a mirror. As I was getting my boat ready for the first scout trip of the season the Mullet were jumping in the canal behind my house and I knew that was a good sign. Where there’s bait there’s fish! As I motored slowly through the Manatee zone, I watched Osprey’s building their nests, another sign the weather has turned. As I ran out the river towards the Gulf, porpoise were crashing the surface and feeding along the shoreline. I decided to run South and hunt for Redfish as the tide was going out and I knew I wouldn’t have enough water to get back deep into the creeks for long. As I approached my second spot, I spooked some Reds in about a foot of water and watched them scatter in different directions. The tide was now going out fast and I went with it back out to the Gulf looking for Trout, Spanish Mackerel and Sheepshead. I was cruising along in the pristine clear water and spotted some huge Alligator Garfish which at first look, I thought were world record Sea Trout and a few minutes later spotted a Cobia following closely behind a big Loggerhead Turtle. With the sunny 80 degree days we’ve been having the Gulf water temperature has reached 70 degrees and back in the creeks it was 74 degrees. The bite should explode any day! After my recent trips to Islamorada and South Andros Islands in the Bahamas it was GREAT to be back on “Rosalita” and as Dorothy once said, “there’s no place like home”!!
Prime dates in the month of April are booking fast, call to reserve your charter soon. Don’t forget about our “Introductory Offer”, of $299.00 for a full day charter for one to four anglers, only available the first time you fish with me, that rate includes everything except your lunch and beverages. Visit our web-site at www.HomosassaRedfish.com, to book your day on the water and a memory that will last a lifetime.
For all of our friends in or near the Tampa, Florida area, please stop by and visit with us at The Tampa Tribune Outdoors Expo & Boat Show hosted by Frank Sargeant, at the Florida State Fairgrounds, Expo Hall, Booth # 314, Friday, 3/4/11, from 1 to 8 PM, Saturday, 3/5/11, from 10 AM to 7 PM, and Sunday, 3/6/11, from 10 AM to 5 PM. Stop by and meet the “REDETTES” and register for your chance to win a FREE charter each day of the show! Admission is FREE on Friday for everybody and children under 12 years old are admitted free all days. Also watch for my interview in the special show section published in the Tampa Tribune on Thursday, 3/3/11.
Special thanks to Gail & Phil Oakes of the Homosassa Riverside Resort, www.RiversideResorts.com, for their continued support and donations to the Florida Coastal Conservation Association (CCA), www.ccaflorida.org. Gail and Phil have agreed to donate two nights at the resort which will be packaged with two full days of fishing with Captain “Red ED”, and will be part of the live auctions at both the Tampa, 4/21/11, and Hernando County, 4/28/11, CCA Banquets.
Upcoming Events
March 1 – Speckled Trout Season opens NE & NW Regions of Florida
March 4 – 6 – The Tampa Tribune Outdoors Expo & Boat Show
March 10 – Citrus County CCA Banquet
March 13 – Daylight Saving Time Begins
March 17 – St. Patrick’s Day
March 19 – Full Moon
March 20 – First Day of Spring