With all this activity the Red Fish bite is remarkably "Red Hot". Limits on just about every trip with many fish over the maximum 27" limit, and many over the 30" range.
Along with the redfish, snapper and black drum are also being boated. Live shrimp and live or cut pin fish is usually a good bait of choice. The drum are in the 2-5 Lb range, and are perfect eating size. The fillets look and taste very similar to their cousins, the "red drum", and they fight just about as hard too.
The Speckled Trout has still been a bit slow, but I've been finding some nice ones in grass beds ranging 6-10 foot deep. Berkley "Gulp" in the New Penny color and the Miro-lure "Little John" in Watermelon Red Glitter are both very productive baits.
Same as last month, around the same areas as the trout, but on the scattered rock piles, grunts, snapper, flounder, Spanish Mackerel, and grouper are usually waiting to attack a live shrimp on a 1/8 oz jig head. The Spanish Mackerel are thick on these areas, and can be taken on just about anything; shrimp, cut bait, jigs, spoons. For some great action, break out your fly rod and give it a try. Be sure to bring plenty of flies, because you will loose a few hooking up with the "toothy" macs.
Scalloping has been great this year, even considering all the pressure from so many people eager to get out their and gather their limit. The scallops are also larger and more plentiful this year. It's still best to go on an outgoing tide and work the flats in the 4-7 foot water range. When that tide slows down on the low tide the scallops come up out of the mud and lay in the grass for easy picking.
July and August will go down in the books as two fantastic months of fishing and making great memories on the waters of Crystal River and Homosassa. Thanks, Capt Mark
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