Shallow Water Grouper Digging!!
Gag Grouper Season Opens, Wednesday, July 1st and runs through December 10th! This is absolutely our craziest, wildest and busiest time of the year! Between Scallop Season opening on June 27th and the Fourth of July landing on a Saturday this year all on top of Gag Grouper Season opening, it’s out of control busy in Old Homosassa. Plus the annual Fireworks on the River show is also on Saturday, June 27th. It’s a fun and exciting time to be here on Florida’s Nature Coast!
Fishing in pristine clear and clean water only 30 to 40 feet deep, not only can you see the structure (rocks or wrecks), on the bottom you can actually see your baits hit the bottom. We always warn our guests to hold on tight as their baits reach the bottom because it doesn’t take long to figure out if there’s a grouper on the structure. The hit as hard as freight train and will take you to the gunnel in a heartbeat if you’re not ready! If you want to “get your arms broken” come over and try this shallow water grouper digging!
We also believe in the theory of big baits big fish! We’ll use a combination of baits including live and frozen until we figure out what’s the choice bait of the day! We also get a good chum slick going and cover the water column with a live bait on a balloon line and another live bait on a flat line behind the boat just in case a Cobia maybe around the structure too. If Gags hit like a freight train, Cobia hit like a ballistic freight train!
On a recent charter with Jimmy (9 years old), and his Dad, Jim Tsangaris from Struthers, Ohio we had a good day keeping two Red Grouper, (one 9 pound beast), 10 Grunts and 2 Spanish Mackerel! We lost track of how many Gags we caught with some nice 10 and 12 pound monsters in the mix! Jimmy caught the first Gag of the day! We can only hope the Gags don’t have a calendar and they don’t know when July 1st is! After the charter, “Big Jim”, texted me the following: You guys are experienced veterans and that’s why I will definitely be back. You guys are as passionate about what you do as I am every day, no matter what. You will make it happen!!! Thanks Jim, Buzz (my Offshore Consultant), and I both appreciate the compliments.
There is always a mixed bag of opportunities this time of the year with a variety of species available including Cobia, Kingfish, Barracuda, Mangrove Snapper, Trigger Fish, Pompano, Sea Bass, Grunts and Spanish Mackerel. On another recent charter we even had a Dorado/Mahi Mahi/Dolphin fish in 38 foot water chase a bait right to the boat all lite up! I’ve been fishing here since 1981 and have never seen that happen here before! That’s what makes it exciting you never know what’s going to swim by next! Check our website: www.HomosassaRedfish.com – for charter rates and additional details.
A few spots are still available for our “Hosted Adventure” to Nosara Paradise Rentals: www.nosaraparadiserentals.com – from February 9, 2016 thru February 16, 2016. A definite commitment is either a 50% non-refundable deposit or the entire amount paid in full. This will be my third trip to Costa Rica but first time to this part of the country. I’ve traveled from the Northeast Caribbean side, at the Rio Colorado Lodge to the Southwest Pacific side, to the Crocodile Bay Lodge and the Northwest Pacific side, to the Ocotal Resort. My second trip to Costa Rica was to the Zancudo Lodge located on the Southwest Pacific side. Nosara Paradise Rentals is located on the Pacific central side of the country that is about the size of Rhode Island. Nosara Paradise’s claim to fame is that they are the closest to blue water in all of Central America. Please contact me for additional details; join us for what’s sure to be another epic adventure!! Valentine’s Day in Costa Rica, how bad can that be!!!
Upcoming Events:
May 23 – September 7 – CCA Florida STAR Tournament, www.ccaflstar.com
June 27 – Scallop Season opens
June 27 – Annual Fireworks on the River Show
July 1 – Gag Grouper Season opens
July 1 – Full Moon
July 4 – Independence Day
July 15 – 17 – ICAST Show in Orlando, I will be in the Denali Performance Apparel booth during the show, www.DenaliPerformance.com
July 31 – Full Moon
A tackle box is better than an Xbox any day!
Fishing is a real experience that creates memories that will last forever!
“For Real & Forever”
Let’s go SCALLOPING & CATCHING!!!
Captain “Red ED” Brennan
352-382-3939