|
As winter progresses and many hot spots lose their spark,
head to Homosassa Bay in northwest Floridas trout region for action you can count on!
Situated approximately 60 miles north of Tampa, flows a river of
dreams. Like many here in Florida, this river originates from a huge
natural underground spring, and its called the Homosassa
(home-uh-sass-uh). The Indian name means Place of many wild peppers."
Indians liked to keep things secret and I believe pepper was a code
word for fish.
This natural flowing paradise acts as a gateway for countless species of fish migrating to its head water spring located deep within Homosassa Springs Wildlife Park. Each fall tens of thousands of fish travel this underwater highway on their way to visit the deep caverns deep within the park. Over time more than 40 species have been identified through the parks underwater observatory plate-glass windows. The most popular include redfish, trout, snook, mangrove snapper, sheepshead and jack crevalle. The attraction is the comfortable 72 degree fresh water pouring out of the spring at an astonishing rate. Free to come and go as they please, these fish pass right under our noses on their journey to and from the Homosassa River. Imagine, the natives inhabiting the area hundreds of years ago fished from dugout canoes and later celebrated the days hunt with a slab of manatee steak grilled on an open flame. Times sure have changed.
For decades, the natural Spring of 10,000 fish which feeds the Homosassa River was the main attraction at the park with scheduled fish feedings occurring until the 1980s, when Homosassa Springs Wildlife Park became synonymous as the manatee capital of the world. The natural spring pumps out more than 100 million gallons of fresh water every day which flow toward the salty estuarine known as the Gulf of Mexico, creating a vast ecosystem teaming with fish and wildlife. This piscatorial paradise in the Nature Coasts very own backyard is called Homosassa Bay and covers countless square miles of gin-clear flats spanning from Crystal River down to Chassowitzka Bay, including the St. Martins and Suncoast Keys.
This late in the year weather patterns have already become extremely unpredictable and the water temperature in Homosassa Bay and its surrounding plateaus can vary as much as five or six degrees on any given day, but as long as the water temp doesnt dip below 70, shallow water fishing here can be exceptional. Whats really exciting is the variety you may encounter while drifting across Homosassa Bay. Blind casting will produce surprises in all shapes and sizes including cobia, bluefish, flounder, gag grouper, a rare permit and even an occasional pompano or tarpon. The less desirable include pesky cigar-shaped lizard fish, porgies, hardhead catfish, sail cats and ladyfish, but its the fabulous trout fishery that takes place in the late fall that really gets shallow water anglers hot on Homosassa. Granted, we're still not back to the heyday of trout fishing in the 50s and '60s, but it's improving every year. Just five years ago you couldn't even target trout in Homosassa, you'd only run across them incidentally. Today, its a whole different ball game.
The stretch south of the main channel is a favorite for those who know Homosassa Bay. At Marker 14 there is a row of clearly marked boundary markers each about a quarter mile apart. This is the westernmost boundary for the Chassowitzka National Wildlife Refuge which sits just below Homosassa. Local anglers travel this line south from the Bay and fish their way down to Chassowitzka Point.
A flat bottom technical skiff is best suited for this type of fishing; however with some caution bay boats to 23 will work fine. Water depth averages three to four feet along the entire route however with a hard northeaster Ive seen it become too skinny for even the shallowest drafted skiffs. Even under ideal conditions local knowledge is extremely helpful when plying these waters.
The endless miles of wide open flats in Homosassa Bay are primarily composed of rock bottom covered by live grass. The expanses range from one to ten feet in depth along State waters and drop about a foot per mile as you proceed west. Some swashes are also mixed in with humps rising a foot or two above the surrounding contours. These gently rising hills feature limestone bottom with scattered clumps of grass growing toward the surface. The resident trout are notorious for hiding in and around these weed clumps as they scavenge for shrimp, crabs, and other crustaceous morsels.
The most experienced trout trackers drift across the wide open stretches looking for keeper size fish in the 15" plus bracket. Once located, a marker buoy is deployed to use as a reference for repeated drifts. When backtracking, the boats operator should use caution not to hastily return to the spot directly through your path of travel. Idle back to the marked position by heading around in somewhat of a half circle plot, keeping plenty of distance from your intended drift.
As youre fishing the flats look closely for sharp edges, distinct contours, rocky outcroppings and grassy beds. Cast downwind to these obvious ambush points. Remember that trout strike with distinctive thuds, inhaling the bait as it drifts by. All thats needed is a moderate hook-set to avoid tearing the fishs soft cartilage and coming up short. Line should be kept tight at all times with the rod tip held high and a dip net the preferred method of landing, though I prefer not to use one.
The traditional Homosassa trout outfit consists of a graphite 76" med/action spinning rod with a smooth-drag open faced spinning reel like Daiwas 1300SS or Shimanos Stradic 2500FH. The extra length and backbone of the rod will help achieve the extra distance to effectively work wide open areas.
When it comes to line, like most my personal favorite is braid. PowerPro in the #1 8lb.test diameter is the thinnest available and sometimes hard to find because its fairly new. The #2 10lb.diameter works almost as well. The difference is mere feet in overall casting distance. Monofilament is still in use today by some, but most of the pros have already made the switch, reaping the rewards of braids thinner diameter and greater abrasion resistance. This next generation of line also has next to zero stretch, a property which makes it much more sensitive to even the most subtle strikes.
Pros tips for achieving limits
Homosassa Bay is located in the northwest section of the state, hence as of the July 2005 State rules and regulations theres a closed season in February with a 5 fish per day limit (15" to 20" slot size w/one fish over 20") throughout the remainder of the year.
To stack the odds in your favor, incoming tides with a bit of southwest or west wind are usually the most productive but as long as the water is moving, trout will feed. Average days may see two to three dozen trout though 100 fish days are not uncommon under ideal conditions.
Look toward the lunar tables for peak feeding times when the moon is directly overhead or straight under the earth. Moonrise and moonset are also noted as ideal hours to trick trout. The dark, new moon is generally better than the full moon because trout will also feed at night but overall, you really cant go wrong fishing just prior to a new or full moon.
Approaching cold fronts in November and December offer some of the best times to target Homosassa trout. Namely the day right before the front is best. The drop of barometric pressure turns them on like kids in a candy store. Better yet, if the front stalls to our north, the hot bite could last for days. The overcast conditions are wonderful and any lure or jig white in color will usually work exceptionally well.
There is one phenomenon that occurs during the early winter season that is second to none when it comes to trout action. If you think a strike on every cast is heaven, then you have surely arrived at the gates of paradise when you stumble across muds! These are fish feeding frenzies. Schools of trout accompanied by bluefish and mackerel will churn up shrimp from the muddy bottom causing dirty streaks of water that could range as large as a football field. These huge muds are capable of holding thousands of hungry fish.
The most fun you could have here would be throwing top-waters like Papa Dog MirrOlures for the blues and mackerel which can reach seven pounds. The trout hang closer to the bottom where jig-heads tipped with shrimp are irresistible. My favorite is manufactured by Cotee Industries. I prefer red jigs in quarter ounce for water over four feet deep, otherwise, lighter, eighth ounce heads are perfect for slower descents in shallower water. Once you go through your supply of fresh shrimp, 3-inch gold flake/root beer grubs or pearl twin tail shrimp are golden. A relatively newcomer into the saltwater arena is Bass Assassin. Their jig-heads are constructed with extra strong wide gap hooks ideally suited for redfish and mackerel but will also do the trick on soft mouth trout. Bass Assassins soft baits are revolutionary with electric chicken and bone diamond 5-inch eels both favorites among Homosassas best trout fishermen.
Rig these baits with a three-foot section of 20lb. fluorocarbon tied directly to the PowerPro with a double uni-knot. However, for 100% knot strength a Bimini-twist is recommended on the standing line. I apply this same leader system for all my trout fishing; I may upsize to 30lb. leader when redfish are a possibility and 40lb. if mackerel are prevalent. On the flip side, if conditions are extremely calm, I may downsize to 12lb. if I find trout to be a little line shy in the still conditions.
In late December after the water temperature in Homosassa drops below the mid 60 degree mark, the local trout population will disperse in one of a few directions. A percentage will head west in search of more suitable conditions in the 20 foot depths, a percentage will move way inside into one and two feet of water where the water is a few degrees warmer that the open flats, and the remaining few will head straight toward the spring fed rivers and end up inside the hot water discharge canal north of Crystal River.
During this transitional period the majority of fish will be on the move especially immediately after a cold front has passed through. Once high pressure and fair weather set back in, the wind will generally begin to blow out of the northeast and much of the water in Homosassa Bay will be blown off the flats. When this pattern occurs, its not uncommon for the local trout population to develop lock jaw for a day or two. You might find a few cooperative shorts but thats only because their need to eat is greater than their bigger brothers.
It has been said that the Nature Coast should have been named the Springs Coast because of the four main spring fed rivers, all of which accommodate trout during the coldest of times. As the winter continues, the constant 72 degree fresh water pouring out of the springs creates a variable comfort zone as it flows toward Homosassa and its adjacent waterways. This is exactly when the slightly deeper holes adjacent to rocky points and oyster bars outside of the rivers mouths and main channels become chocked full of trout lined up like cordwood. After the fish have acclimated to these new surroundings, cast after cast can yield fish after fish with a variety of live and artificial baits. A number of the holes may be prove to be more suitable for redfish but most will strictly house trout. To spice things up a bit, a nice mix of drum, sheepshead, snapper and grouper can be bagged in some of these same holes. The most productive of which lie a few miles downstream of MacRaes and Riverhaven Marina.
Before I go, Id like to mention that thankfully the main spring deep within Homosassa Springs Wildlife Park will be protected for years to come and will forever continue to be the origin of our great river, the Homosassa. Thanks to conservation efforts this outstanding waterway is sure to be a shallow water fishing paradise for future generations. Please do your part by supporting your local chapter of Coastal Conservation Association of Florida to insure proper management of our fisheries and our waterways, and when youre out on the water, only keep what you can eat fresh and carefully release the rest to fight another day. As 2005 finally comes to a close and the weather gets relatively cold for us Floridians, I know Ill be hot in Homosassa! Hope to see you there.
Homosassa Resources:
MacRaes of Homosassa 352-628-2602
Riverside Inn 352-628-2474
Best Western Crystal River 352-795-3171
Plantation Inn 352-795-4211
For more info about the Nature Coast, log on to;
www.VisitCitrus.com
www.HomosassaSprings.org
Bio:
Mike Locklear was bred to fish Homosassa by his Dad, a famous guide who pioneered Homosassa tarpon fishing from the 50s to the 70s. At age 15, Mike landed his first tarpon, a giant of 184 pounds using a Harold LeMaster MirrOlure. After graduating Crystal River HS, Mike began his career guiding for a private club. That same year he joined the Homosassa Guides Association which is still going strong today. From 1977-1982, Mike captained various yachts on both coast and the Bahamas while enjoying weekly summer trips to the Cay Sal Banks for lobster, grouper, snapper and conch. During the mid 80s Mike returned and began re-building his career. This was the beginning of more than 5000 charter days during more than 20 years of professional angling. Mike has been active with the CCA of Florida and is also chapter president with Tarpon and Bonefish Unlimited. Happily married for over 20 years with two beautiful children, Mike remains at the top of his game as a legendary guide fishing the Nature Coast.
Capt. Mike Locklear
352.628.4207 - 352.422.1927
www.HomosassaFishing.com
|
