Steinhatchee Fishing Report
August, 2006
"The RedManiac"
Inshore fishing has been unusually good for the “dog days”. Water temperatures just slightly lower than last year’s have produced excellent redfishing; trout fishing has also been better than most summers, especially in terms of size. In addition, anglers have been catching flounder on sandy patches using jigs or DOA TerrorEyz. One major issue for those fishing artificial lures has been extended periods of inshore grass in heavy mats related to rough conditions and westerly winds. Even fishing on the grassflats with live shrimp has been a challenge in the heavier grass. There are lots of smaller trout available, with a catch rate of around 3 shorts for each keeper fishing in 3 to 4 feet on the flats. Some larger fish are being taken on live pinfish and cut bait in deeper, 6-7 foot water. Clearly, locating baitfish, whether pinfish, glass minnows, mullet or pogies will improve your hook up rate whether you are fishing with live bait or artificials.
Captain Rick Bouley of Nature Coast Flats Fishing has found lots of early morning action with slot size and larger reds and trout. Redfish up to 7 lbs. and Trout in the 2 to 4 lb. category have been very common on topwater plugs; especially on early rapidly falling tides....D.O.A.TerrorEyz have also been very effective in the sandy drop-offs around oyster bars. When there is too much grass to sling top-waters, Rick switches to suspending baits such as a D.O.A. Baitbuster.
This is a great month for fly fishing as you can count on early mornings with almost no wind. Standard top-water poppers such as Crease and Flexo Poppers have been the early morning choice this month. Super Clousers in white or chartreuse are a good choice in faster current. A fly that has taken several big reds is a version of the ever-so-popular Tasty-Toad in chartreuse and white. Capt. Bouley also wants to remind everyone to remember to take the time to revive your fish properly before releasing them...it really does make a significant difference in the survival rate.......and always pinching the hook-barbs is also a big PLUS.....
Captain Tommy Thompson has also been fishing topwaters in early mornings in shallow water. He notes that this year the topwater bite may even continue until midday as on several occasions he was catching large redfish and trout around bars at 1:30 in the afternoon. More frequently, though, switching to standards such as freelined DOA or Gulp shrimp, or suspending plugs such as the Catch 2000 will produce in mid-day. On a recent four-day charter his clients were skunked on scallops but recovered enough to score a number of nice redfish and trout. His client’s 11 year old daughter managed one of the finest reds of the trip. Finding schools of glass minnows also resulted in mixed bags of ladyfish and Spanish mackerel, as well as the occasional jack crevalle and bluefish.
Offshore fishing has been slow with regard to grouper, especially in nearshore waters. However, Captain Wiley Horton has been running a little deeper. Fishing in 60 to 70 feet, he has found some nice lane and red snappers to bring home, and the occasional red grouper. Gags remain hard to find but grouper fishing will improve as the water temperature cools.
SEA HAG GUIDES
