One cool fish that has shown up on the Big Bend is the triple tail. They are a good eating fish with a curious habit of hanging around buoys, floating grass and other structure.  The minimum size is 18″ and one of that size is a good meal for a few anglers.

I always look at every crab buoy this time of year, especially if it’s older with grass around the line. If I spot a tripletail, I will slow the vessel down after passing the fish, then idle on a wide berth back upwind, or tide, to cut the motor off and drift into casting range.

Sometimes the tripletail will be deep under the buoy and will look like grass to an untrained eye.

The technique I use to catch them is very simple: tie a jighead about 18″ under a cork and bait it with a tail-hooked shrimp.  I like the cork because after I cast it, I can reel it close to the buoy and know where the bait is. The “take ” when a tripletail bites looks like the cork just stopping or slowly going down.

Once hooked, be prepared to keep the fish off the structure by cranking the motor if necessary.

Incoming tide will be late afternoon this weekend. 

Homosassa Weekly Fishing Report from Captain William Toney

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