Dodging a bullet with a November hurricane hitting the Big Bend. Being an inshore guide, I can only imagine our next week’s weather – maybe an earthquake, volcano, mudslide, or zombie attack?

Your guess is as good as mine, but one thing that is steady is the fishing.

Trout fishing remains very good using popping corks with a MirrOlure LIL John in watermelon red flake in 3- to 4-feet depths with rock grass or a broken yellow bottom. As of late, the fish are closer to the east on a moving tide. 

Redfishing is best on the incoming tide, and pinfish or live shrimp is the best bait. Most fish are still on the outside keys, but don’t pass a shoreline on the inside that has some mullet gathered near the surface.

Snook are on the same program, staging near river mouths, passes, and further east. Glow colored jigs like the D.O.A. CAL shad with a chartreuse 1/8 oz jighead will get the bite.

My clients and I had a surprise this past week when we caught a tagged snook. After calling the number on the tag and giving the FWC the tag number we found out this snook was tagged in Kings Bay, Crystal River in 2018 at 18″. We measure the snook at 24 ” and caught it close to the Homosassa River. It was released in excellent shape with the tag still in it.

Incoming tide will be late evening or dark in the morning this weekend. 

Homosassa Weekly Fishing Report from Captain William Toney

To schedule a fishing charter or shore lunch 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