Light Tackle

The waters around Crystal River are beginning to warm up. Warming water means better opportunities for tripletail. For anglers unfamiliar with tripletail, they are unique fish with a deep body and enlarged dorsal fins that give the fish the appearance of having three tail fins. Tripletail ambush their prey by laying on their side and drifting near the surface like a large leaf. This unique ambush method makes them easy to spot with a little experience. Tripletail can be caught by sight casting as they drift near seagrass, crab pot buoys, or bits of the structure. Not only are tripletail fun to catch, but they are also prized for their mild flavor and large filets.

Warming waters will soon bring migrating tarpon too. While we do have some resident tarpon in our area, the tarpon migration will bring large numbers of monster fish to our area. Drifting live bait like crabs is a surefire way to tie into a "Silver King." For clients who like using artificials or flies, a good pair of polarized glasses and a few days at the gym for your casting arm are suggested.

Offshore

Offshore fishing from Crystal River has been good, with the weather allowing us to find grouper, snapper, and amberjack. While Gag, Amberjack, and Red Snapper remain closed for harvest, we can still enjoy fighting them to the boat. With the speed and range of the new boat, we can target areas that hold big Gag and Red grouper for those that want to go toe to tail with some absolute brutes. King and Spanish Mackerel are beginning to show back up. Both these species will provide red-hot action in the coming months.

Looking Ahead

As mentioned, Kingfish & Spanish Mackerel are starting to show up. Their numbers should be plentiful into late March & April. Trolling is a surefire way to hook into big kingfish. Ribbonfish, swimming plugs, and spoons are all choice trolling options. Kings can also show up on the wrecks and reefs, taking jigs and live bait intended for other species. Spanish mackerel show up in our nearshore waters around the same time as the kings and are an absolute blast on light tackle. Working hard baits and jigs at top speeds produces explosive bites, and when a school of Spanish mackerel becomes excited enough to blitz, there isn't a lure in the box they won't slash at.

Another spring and summertime fish that will be right behind the mackerel is the Cobia. Fishing heavy structure is always a good method for catching cobia; however, targeting them on the surface is the most exciting way to fish for them. Scanning the water for cruising cobia around structures or riding the wake of big sharks gives anglers the opportunity to pitch baits and jigs directly to these fish. In the months of April and May, we target these fish a lot. 

While it may seem like forever from now, we have already started booking quite a few scalloping trips. The recreational scallop season for the  Levy, Citrus, and Hernando counties (including Cedar Key, Crystal River, and Homosassa) runs from July 1 through Sept. 24. These trips fill up fast. If there is a date in mind, go ahead and reach out soon. With the regulations set at 2 gallons of whole bay scallops in shell or 1 pint of bay scallop meat per person per trip, you can create an incredible meal to go along with an equally perfect day.

If you are looking to fill the cooler with delicious filets or want to tangle with some of the fastest fish in the ocean, you have come to the right place. We can find what you are looking for, from Amberjack to Tarpon, Sheepshead to Scallops. Don't put off a dream trip. Call or email High Octane Charters and lock in your date for whatever Crystal River adventure fits your needs.