Cedar Key...

rangerjason

Has kicked my but 3 times in a row. I think I'm going to try out Yankee Town. Will Gulp shrimp and led heads be ok for fishing there and do you guys suggest taking a few live shrimp also? I think I'm going to give it a shot this Saturday!

Flash

water might be a bit warmer but not much. Need to find some holes for the trout or try in the river.

Jim311

I think it's just been tough lately man. I think what I'm going to do is drag my **** over to Steinhatchee and try to beat up on some trout in the river. I'd rather bash on some reds but they've been pretty elusive for me lately and few and far between.

rangerjason

Yea Steinhatchee would be the better choice I guess going by the fishing reports I have been reading.

Jim311

I've been reading good reports for sheepshead out of Crystal River on rock piles as well. I know they hang out at Waccasassa too I just have been too lazy to search for them. I'm betting the reds are hunkered down way up in the creeks and maybe some trout too but lately I just haven't been able to find them. I'm hoping that even if I get skunked at Steinhatchee I'll have a change of scenery. Getting skunked at the same **** places over and over again gets discouraging but I think all this cold weather has just really made fishing hard. In fact I almost considered hanging up my saltwater hat for a while and trying to catch some bass or crappie until it warms up some. But I've got all next week off so I think I'm going to mix it up some and try some different places for a change.

Billy

Jim311 wrote: »

I'm betting the reds are hunkered down way up in the creeks

Pick a day when the sun has been beating down for a couple days, rising tide, a foot and a half of water over the bars, and them reds will be there even in this cooler weather. They have to eat eventually and that's the best time and place to catch them this time of the year. I've never had any luck catching them in the "holes" this time of the year but then I don't use bait so that might make a difference.

Bill

troutman57

The reds will be in the very shallow mud bottom pools near live oysters round here CR has the discharge to keep the water a bit warmer so I would bet there are a few there. The trout are up with them right now or hunkered down till the temp gets up around 60.

Vertigo

Reds can be caught now, but days and places have to be picked carefully. Billy is calling it right. Warming days, rising tide over bars, and maybe a little sun on them. Every trip I've made over the past two weeks I've gotten at least one red, but I have been carefully picking days and running up the creeks to spots I know are active. All but one have been caught on gold spoons, that one on a white gulp. Most were small slot, but I did take one very fat 27 incher. If your butt has been getting kicked, take some shrimp for insurance.

Ralph-Wiggum

I got skunked on a short day at Shell Mound two weekends ago, so this last Monday my friend and I tried Yankeetown for the first time since August. We didn't do so well there, either. I ended up with two under slot reds (and one big bite that I didn't get the hook set for) and my friend didn't even get a bite. We were both using Gulps! for the most part. We went pretty far up John's Creek without much luck. The two reds I got were both at the creek mouth. For what it's worth, I didn't see other people catching much either.

rangerjason

Never thought I would say it but im about ready for some warm weather. Im going to give it a shot tomorrow somewhere may just flip a coin in the am between Steinhatchee and ck...

Grady-lady

Vertigo wrote: »

All but one have been caught on gold spoons, that one on a white gulp.

I'm partial to gold spoons, but have also used white gulps. I have a hard time keeping them from hanging up though. Do you rig your white gulps to be weedless?

Billy

Grady-lady wrote: »

I'm partial to gold spoons, but have also used white gulps. I have a hard time keeping them from hanging up though. Do you rig your white gulps to be weedless?

I use a hook that has a bit of lead barb on it, make them myself from a jig mold, and fish them hook exposed.



Fluke type plastic baits, you can use Gulp jerkbaits too, that flutter down. I fish in water less than two feet. You simply throw them out and keep them moving. You need to get a feel of how fast they sink so you stay just above the oyster bars. And you hang up once in awhile, as there is always that one bar that sneaks up on you , as it's all part of the game.

Bill

Grady-lady

Thanks Billy.
I think getting a feel for the right speed is key. I've been using a jig head with the gulp, I don't have my tackle box so I don't know what size, and I'm trying to Texas rig it. It looks pretty awkward, the jig head ends up upside down, the small mangos don't seem to mind but reds have ignored it.
Looking at what you have, maybe I need to try some short shank off set worm hooks with a tiny bullet weight?

Billy

Grady-lady wrote: »

Looking at what you have, maybe I need to try some short shank off set worm hooks with a tiny bullet weight?

Maybe a long shank hook, mine are 2/0, with a tiny bullet weight. It's what I used until I figured how to make this setup. The advantage I now have is the lure stays on the hook, when the fish nip at it, especially those pesky mangroves.

Bill

Vertigo

I use the Gamakatsu weighted superline hook when fishing Gulp, but I fish spoons of some type about 95% of the time. I do rig the hooks weedless when using Gulp or any plastics.

Grady-lady

Billy, Vertigo - Thank you both!

I don't venture too far in the kayak but there is water that should produce within my range so I'll play around with rigging some and post up the first keeper red that cooperates.

Our renters won't be out until the end of March, so there's plenty of time to experiment.

Billy

Grady-lady wrote: »

Billy, Vertigo - Thank you both!

I don't venture too far in the kayak but there is water that should produce within my range so I'll play around with rigging some and post up the first keeper red that cooperates.

Our renters won't be out until the end of March, so there's plenty of time to experiment.

I've always felt that the key is getting the lure to hang straight so it acts natural on the flutter fall.

You don't want much weight in the shallow water for obvious reasons but a little bit can help the action.

We have been sight fishing lately so it's just a matter of getting the lure in front of them as they are reaction strikes. The fish just want something that looks like bait in the water. I still use the same setup for blind casting but work it slower. Hope you get one to take a picture.

Bill

Grady-lady

Thanks Bill.

The learning process is part of the enjoyment for me, and I've got plenty of patience. It's great to talk with folks who've fished the area. We are most familiar with surf and off-shore. Mr gl is a good fisherman, but his days of soft and artificial are way back in his (and mine) freshwater days. He thinks I should be using a snap swivel for ease of changing lures/baits as I only carry one rod. I'm currently not using snap swivels, but am beginning to re-think that.

There are a couple of bars where the tide flows over with quite a current, I've tried approaching them (stealthily ) from up current, tossing out a doa shrimp, sometimes with a float, sometimes not, and free lining the bait and let the current carry it over the bar. So far, nada.

I can easily spend 4-5 hours out on the water investigating the seven or eight bars and points on my 'route'.

Barrell

Hey, My wife and I are coming over to camp at Cedar Key. Im bring the Solo Skiff to mess around in close but is it worth this time of year to maybe higher a boat to take us offshore for bottom fishing?

bullbay

Hire either Jim or Jimbo Keith to take you out!