Looking forward to a great week of fishing just before the full moon. I like the fishing and tides just prior to and a few days after the full moon.

Not saying the day of, and before and after the full moon, could be bad fishing but If I could choose my days it would be a few days before and after. The saving grace this month is the full moon is called the Harvest Moon because it arrives closest to the Autumn Equinox. So anglers and hunters get out there on the Big Bend and harvest some fish and game. 

The trout bite has been very good on the bays just outside of the creek mouths on the outgoing tide. I’ve been using a popping cork rig and casting towards the yellow bottom. The best colors are watermelon red flake with a red jig head and glow with a chartreuse jig head. Each day I fish the color combo changes according to the conditions. 

Redfishing is as simple as finding jumping mullet on the last part of the incoming tide. I like to tell anglers that redfish are like coots and ducks, they like to hang out together. Another sign to look for is big sharks in shallow water, they hone in on the larger schools of reds and follow them. If you happen upon a school with the big sharks catch a limit then move on because it doesn’t take long for the sharks to start eating the redfish off your line. 

Now is the time to try your luck on shallow water gag grouper. Large plugs that run 3 to 6 feet deep will get the bite. A heavy spinning rod with a 30lb. braid and a 60lb. leader can pull most keepers away from the structure. The idea is to make the fish chase the plug away from the rocks before it hits it, giving the angler a fighting chance to put it in the boat.                                   

High incoming tide this weekend will be mid-afternoon.

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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