Looking to catch some trout? Try fishing small patches of rock grass. Over the years I’ve called it kelp but technically it is a form of sargassum that grows on the hard bottom that is made of limestone. Trout use this grass to hide in to ambush bait. Set up a drift to fish a patch of it and if you catch a trout stick with it. Sometimes I’ll make a pass through it without a fish but on the next drift I may catch two, but if I do not catch a fish for two passes I will move. A cork rig with a glow soft plastic has been the best bait. 

Redfishing has been good on the incoming tide. South of Homosassa I’ve been getting them with a cork and shrimp.

North of Homosassa  I’ve been catching them on cut bait like pinfish or mullet. One overlooked bait that has worked well for me over the years is cut lizardfish. While trout fishing it’s common to catch them and I would save a few for redfish bait. They are tubular and easy to chunk with a knife, a nice piece will cast a mile. Let it set on the bottom and wait for a good pull.

Offshore, the gag grouper bite is very good on live pinfish in 18 to 25 feet. A little further out at 35 feet is an excellent mangrove snapper bite with some nice fish coming to the table at 15 to 20 inches. Live shrimp is the best bait.

Incoming tide this weekend will be in the afternoon. 

Homosassa Weekly Fishing Report from Captain William Toney

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