A new fish has made its way into town. A lot of them are on the small side but fun to catch, nonetheless. Triple tail are an up-and-down the Big Bend fish, and I’ve talked to local guides in Cedar Key who are catching them daily, and then the bite will shift, and the Spoil Banks in Crystal River will be on fire with them.

On my side of the keys, I find them mostly in dark water around the mouth of the major rivers. Triple tail are also on the markers in Homosassa and Chassahowitzka. Most of the triple tail I catch are short, the minimum size is 18″, but if you like to saltwater fly fish this is a relatively easy one to target. They love floating structure like crab buoys, cardboard boxes, tree/mangrove debris and certain markers. 

My method of catching them is to run past likely spots, and if I see one then I use a shrimp under a cork after I’ve shut down and drifted in to casting range.

There is also a method of using FADS. Fish attracting devices (FADS) are a good way to create your own triple tail spots. I use a cinder block with a short piece of black poly crab line attached to an obscure old buoy. In the line I weave brown palm fronds to create the habitat. They prefer brown, trust me.  Sink them just below the surface to keep from being detected.

Keep in mind it is your duty after the fish stop using it to clean up your FADS and put it in the back yard till they show up again in the fall. If you don’t want to do that, then please send me the GPS# when you put them out and I’ll make sure to clean them up for you!

High incoming tide will be early morning this weekend.  

Homosassa Inshore Fishing Report from Captain William Toney

To schedule a fishing charter or shore lunch excursion with Captain Toney, visit his website. A third-generation fishing guide in the Homosassa area, a member of the Homosassa Guides Association, and author of the Homosassa Inshore Fishing Report each week in NatureCoaster.com.

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