Looking into our first month of spring fishing always makes me remember smells and sounds that have been with me my whole life.

Songbirds have new music in the morning and orange blossoms, azaleas, jasmine, vegetable gardens delight my eyes and nose.

Relating to this is how I know where to fish and that all is on track with our Big Bend fishing.

Spanish mackerel will be moving through with the warming waters. Structures, like natural rock piles, will hold mackerels, but one of the top areas to fish for them is near the Spoil Banks in Crystal River Bay.

On the south side of the banks is the “Humps” and this is a traditional spot to use a chum bag to lure mackerel close to your anchored boat.

Other species that can be caught using this method are silver trout, sea trout, pompano, and cobia. Free-line live shrimp on a 1/0 long shank Eagle Claw hook with the incoming tide is what works best.

I have fished it before all the way through a tide phase, and when the tide turns out just do an about-face on the vessel to fish the outgoing,

I know this may be old school but many guides before myself have filled the box at the Humps. The Humps are about 3/4 of the way to short point, leaving Crystal River markers 5 and 6 running northwestward.

High incoming tide will be in the morning this weekend. 

Homosassa Weekly Fishing Report from Captain William Toney

To schedule a fishing charter or shore lunch excursion with Captain Toney, visit his website.

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