January Fishing in Crystal River
It’s 2023, and the new year is starting right with inshore and offshore action.Our water temps have been colder than average. With temperatures averaging in the low to mid-50's at times, the fish have been less aggressive than normal. However, the reward has been well worth it for anglers willing to bundle up and put in the time.
Our nearshore rockpiles have continued to result in great mixed-bag fishing trips. The Sheepshead bite we mentioned last month has exploded with 6-7 pound fish being landed almost everywhere. Now, we don’t mean that you can just blindly target sheepshead, but the voracity and water tolerance of these toothy fish have allowed them to hang out in water from 5 feet to 45 feet.
Mangrove snapper has been a reliable cooler filler this month too. We have been targeting rockpiles in 30 feet of water or more. These piles produce fish in the 5-6 pound range. Just like when fishing for sheepshead, mangrove snapper fishing requires light tackle gear and provides nonstop excitement when the fish get fired up. Anglers can expect to catch a number of other species like grunts, hogfish, porgies, and occasionally a spanish mackerel. The best part of fishing bottom structure in Crystal River is you can never be sure what will be on the end of the line. Our go-to rockpile bait lately has been shrimp. Regardless of what species you are looking for, you can expect to see larger catches in February as big fish continue to school up around our nearshore structure.
For those hoping to reach the deeper spots, our new boat makes the longer runs an absolute breeze, leaving more time for fishing. While gag season has closed until fall Red Grouper has been consistent in spots where the depth is over 100 feet. Another deepwater species that is showing up everywhere offshore is the red snapper. While the season is closed on the harvest of red snapper until further notice, they provide an excellent fight and put an angler’s endurance to the test. Hogfish & Triggerfish may be in the mix, too, and are open for harvest. Needless to say, if and when the season opens again, we will have some awesome snapper spots in our logbooks.
The amberjack bite has been on fire in water deeper than 50 feet. Despite the season being closed until may, these reef donkeys, as they are called, offer one of the best fights pound for pound of any fish in the Gulf. It can be frustrating as an angler to catch fish that are closed for the season, especially when they are such great table fare, but we are participating in sharing our passion and ensuring the resources are there for our children. To add some excitement to catch and release fishing, anglers are encouraged to enroll in the
“Catch a Florida Memory”
program from the FWC. Anglers can attempt to check off various grand slams of game fish and submit their catch photos to the FWC website. Anglers completing a slam will receive recognition, a certificate, and a t-shirt.
February will only continue to ramp up fishing for our target winter species. With the ideal weather patterns this month, we can expect full coolers and sore arms. Looking even further down the line, we have some of our favorite species that are worth booking early to guarantee a spot for the season.
The New year has brought with it fantastic new fishing opportunities and
a chance to get on the water with friends, new and old. Whether you want to try your hand at a big
grouper far offshore or fill the cooler with mangrove
snapper, don’t hesitate to reach out and book a trip with us at High Octane Charters.
