If you would listen to a good mellow reggae beat, this is how I would describe how our scallop season has been so far on the Nature Coast.

Me personally, I like the less crowded days on the water and I feel that fellow anglers/scallopers do too. Weekdays are still the best if you would like to have it all to yourself, but if weekends are all you got then plan on putting the boat in early because it can be a little “adventurist” if you wait till the crack of 9.

I have not heard of a full ten-gallon limit yet. Most folks are getting between 3 and 5 gallons; maybe more for the hardcore. That’s enough for a diner with sides or in pasta that evening for a family of four.

Head west of the St. Martins Keys during low tide in 3- to 6-feet of water for best results. Don’t stay in one spot all day. Instead, move around. 

For some fun action, I’ve been fishing some nearshore rocks and getting Spanish mackerel, sheepshead, grunts, mangrove snapper, flounder, sea bass and others. Look for the sandy bottom with a dark patch or green turtles catching a breath on the surface. They live on the rocks and eat the grasses and sponges that grow there. The best bait is a live shrimp on a 1/8th oz. jighead. Cast near the structure.

Look for incoming tide late morning or lunch time this weekend. 

Homosassa Weekly Fishing Report from Captain William Toney

To schedule a fishing charter excursion with Captain Toney, visit his website.

If you want to learn more about how to catch Nature Coast fish from Captain Toney, subscribe to his videos at https://inthespread.com