HOMOSASSA
A couple big openers for us this month here in Citrus County, with gag grouper and red snapper opening.
For the offshore fans, the much-anticipated gag grouper and red snapper season will be sure to excite anglers, looking for a great fight and tasty meal. Having several months of no fishing pressure, your favorite grouper/snapper locations should have plenty on site. Typically, the grouper migrate a ways offshore during the summer months, and a run to the 50 foot range, may be necessary to find steady keepers-sized gags. However, it’s always worth a quick stop on the shallower spots to see what’s down there, and a live frisky pin fish will usually let you know in a hurry if there’s a resident grouper nearby. As a bonus too, the mangrove snapper will be holding on the same structures as the grouper, so have some lighter tackle on board to outsmart the snapper. Chumming, brings the “mangos” off the structure, and a free-lined live shrimp with little weight as possible, will help add a couple extra groceries to the cooler. Another great idea is to have a standby rod rigged with a jig or live pin fish for a summer cobia who may come cruising by.
Red fish are one of our shallow water species who show little effect from the heat, and they are a best bet for the inshore anglers during these hot summer months. A good incoming tide and fresh piece of cut mullet, lady fish or live pin fish around a mangrove rocky point, will put the odds in your favor. Always, look for mullet activity along the shoreline to ensure a likely location.
The grass patches or spotty bottom areas in the 8 to12 foot range, offer a multitude of species including Spanish mackerel, blue fish, trout, sea bass, flounder, cobia, etc. The majority of the trout schools will be taking comfort in the deeper, cooler water. I prefer MirrOlure Lil’ Johns, D.O.A. cal shad tails and D.O.A. root beer colored holographic shrimp, twitched along the bottom or even dragged on some occasions to present the baits properly. When the fish are located, it’s a good idea to have a throw marker handy, so an easily repeated drift will take the guess work out of where the fish are. This is a really handy tool, and will ensure your catch rates will improve the more you use it.
On a final note, keep an eye out for migrating tarpon schools. Always have a stout spinning rod ready with a hogy soft plastic jerk bait or a DOA bait buster, for when the situation presents itself.