The month of March means one thing to me, Trout and big Trout. In years past Trout have been closed for the month of February, so traditionally the month of March has been the time to start Trout fishing. Usually the cold fronts are starting to lose some of their punch. Days on the water are more easily planned without the the big weather swings.
	The next couple of months have to be my favorite time to fish, not to hot not to cold. Lots of big Trout on the flats. The start of tournament season for Trout and Redfish. And limits of fish on the cleaning table at the end of the day. We are still having to measure the fish, but not as one might think, in the Spring we must be careful not to get to many over the slot. Here on the Nature Coast you are allowed 5 Trout per person, 15 to 20 inches, with only 1 of the 5 allowed to be over the 20inch mark. When I target Trout in the spring months my favorite thing to use is top water lures. To see the strike and then to feel the line come tight, fish on! Many other techniques are just as effective such as live shrimp, jerk baits, and mid water lures. One of the most common mistakes that a lot of anglers make is to fish with their drag to tight when fishing for these larger Trout. Trout have a soft mouth that tears easily, making it easy for the Trout to throw the hook when giving those big head shakes.
It is already shaping up to be a record setting year with limits of big Trout being caught threw the whole month of February. Things will only get better as the Gulf water temperature warms up and so does the fishing. Call and reserve your back country and flats fishing trip on the pristine waters in the heart of Nature Coast here in Crystal River.

The last week of December the weather was warm and the fishing was hot! My clients were able to catch there limits of reds when the tides got right to fish for them. I took my son (Kelly jr.) fishing on the Friday before Christmas break was over. He caught several reds before coming in. He caught the 30in red in the photo on a 5in gulp jerk bait, nosed hooked with a smell live bait hook, with an Okuma C3x rod and an Okuma trio reel spooled with 10lb power pro line, and 15lb leader.

Now that we are in the new year the weather is in for a cold change. Cold North winds are being predicted for the first part of the week, with temperatures as low as the high 20's for the first of the week. I will be fishing around the river and in the back bays near the warmer spring waters. Small shallow running plugs will work on trout as well as live shrimp. Fish the deeper channels and around the rocky points in the river. Mangrove snapper will be close to the warm water of the springs. When I target the mangos I use a small jig head with a live shrimp.

Warm days and cold days. Is it winter is it fall? Fishing in Crystal river with the Northeast winds and no water can be very productive. This has to be one of favorite times of the year to fish. Limits of reds and trout in the same day. With these low tides the fish fall into the small channels and sand holes that are scattered all around the Crystal River area. No matter the bait of choice, the colder the water gets the slower you gotta work it. We are catching limits of reds and trout in the same day regularly. It is a good time to come and see what catching is all about.

		October is the month of is the first real month of fall on the nature coast. The first real Northeasters blowing in the cooler temperatures, and the water temps starting to cool off. This means Trout on the shore line, Spanish Mackerel migrating South, Snook moving into the back country, and schools of Red fish. October in Crystal River is a very productive month. It is not uncommon to limit out on Trout and Red Fish in a full day charter. In the past few weeks I have found using a Cajun thunder popping cork, 18 to 24 inches of 15 pound leader, to a jig head with a white Gulp or a live shrimp to be the best for the Trout while fishing the Crystal River area. Red fishing I will use 10 pound test braid line, tied line to line, to 20 pound leader. For the hook I use a 3/0 circle hook baited with a piece of cut mullet.