I could not be any happier with the fishing in the Hernando/Pasco areas. The bite has been on fire; either from the kayak or boat. Big schools of upper slot fish are being caught along the oyster bars and grass points. Baits of choice have been live pinfish and whitebait. We have also been catching them on Logic Lures Black and Gold Plastix on a Wiggly Jiggly jig head, or smaller dark-colored topwater lures of your… Read More

We are catching Sharks, King Mackeral, Grouper and many other spring fish. All the grouper can be caught and kept after April 1st except gags. Schools of ballyhoo are passing by heading to north florida for the summer. May will bring in the large Tarpon to this area. My guess is April will be again a great month to dust off the old rod and go fishing. Capt Frank Bourgeois Always Fishing Charters View Captain Frank's… Read More

I heard of an organization called FISHING FOR THE BRAVE that takes wounded veterans out for a day of fishing and I just knew I had to be a part of it. So, I got in touch with them and with the help of John Swanson and Dale Snead we made it happen. I had the pleasure of having Scott and Edgard both from U.S.M.C along Frank form the US Army aboard my boat. I was really looking forward to taking these well deserved heroes… Read More

Here's my Hernando Beach Fishing Report for Feb 8th, 2013: Fishing around Hernando Beach is good right now. The nearshore grouper bite has been on fire! We're getting gag grouper from 22-34 inches while trolling the crab trap lines with lipped diving baits, or while fishing the many rock piles in the area. We are still unable to keep any grouper right now. It's only catch and release, but still fun to exercise them with… Read More

So sad and so happy. Mr. Lee from Tampa Fishing Outfitters went grouper fishing with me last week. We caught and released over fifty gag grouper. Luckily, he fished now and not in February as they took four big red grouper home for dinner. Along with the red grouper they took home many gray snapper. I guess your wondering what a gray snapper is. Here is my definition of this great fish to eat: If your boat cost under… Read More

Every fisherman has his or her favorite spot that they love to fish and hold tight. This spot is extra special to me. Besides being my favorite shallow water grouper spot, it's also where we laid my Aunt Maries ashes when she passed away last year. Located 4 miles off the Pasco/Hernando shore line in the middle of a grass flat is THE "G" SPOT (G for grouper). It's a lime rock structure the size of a small truck and it… Read More

I had the pleasure of taking Joey Roberts from Focus Magazine and his guest Tiffany Logan for this month's FOCUS On Fishing report. Tiffany is a well known figure in the community as the Executive Director of the Downtown Lakeland Partnership. Let me tell you she can fish... Tiffany and Joey met me at the Hernando Beach Boat Ramp for a few hrs of fishing in hopes to catch some shallow water grouper and cobia. I decided… Read More

Logic lure black gold getting it done Fishing trips in Hernando & Tampa Bay have not been too bad this past week. I fished with Chris from Conn from the Hobies and caught multiple Trout and Reds, sizes 14-23in caught on Livingston bone Top waters. I prefer the smaller Pro Sizzle Jr's when the water cools off for a more productive bite. Most of the trout were caught over the sand holes and mixed in with the mullet. Had a… Read More

I have been felling a bit guilty fishing so much when the north east is getting hammered with the bad weather. I have been on the water 10 days out of the last 14 both from my 24FT bay boat and my Hobie kayak Of the boat we are still getting some just shy of keeper Cobia in the 4-12ft of water. I cast soft plastics like Logic Lures Plastixs in to the chum slick for a hook up or wait for the curious fish to come up to the… Read More

I love fall fishing, with the cool temps in the mornings, then heating up in the mid morning. There are a lot of fish to be caught in the Nature Coast right now. Find yourself any rock structures or tripods, put out a chum block and the cobia and mackerel will come to you. I like to have my Bull Bay Rods all rigged differently for different fish. For cobia I will use a 7'11 with 30lb braid and 3ft of 40lb mono tied to a… Read More

We were planning on fishing in Homosassa Bay, just off Chassahowiztka Point and Drum Key, but we never made it out to the flats. On the way out Mason Creek, just south of the Homosassa River Channel, we stopped to toss a couple of baits along the oyster beds and small mangrove islands. You never know what you might encounter in the estuary by the Blue and Porpoise Bays, especially with a full moon and an incoming tide… Read More

As mid June approaches us we are faced with the most wind I have experienced for this time of year. When we can get out for a day on the Gulf the fishing is wonderful. Deeper or cooler water will help you determine where you need to be. As in all fishing the location of oxygen is highly important. Cooler water seems to be where I find the oxygen and fish. Springs seem to hold more fish in the deeper gulf than the shallow… Read More

Welcome back Yak fans. This month, I want to talk about several things, so let's get started. First is, of course, fishing. The patterns are in transition and redfish seem to be antisocial, meaning I'm finding them by themselves and not schooled up. This makes for fantastic fishing, but patience can win the day. The mullet have been scarce and when you do find them schooled up, it seems that the redfish aren't with them.… Read More

This month’s column is about survival tips for winter fishing in Hernando County's beautiful springs, apologies (?!), and a fishing story connecting both. I know in some of my articles I have dealt with recreational sites, but let’s be honest, I’m primarily a fishing fanatic, though I do enjoy a good paddling on occasion. “I do enjoy a good paddling on occasion,” is something many of our readers find quite enjoyable. A… Read More

This month’s column is about survival tips for winter fishing in Hernando County's beautiful springs, apologies (?!), and a fishing story connecting both. I know in some of my articles I have dealt with recreational sites, but let’s be honest, I’m primarily a fishing fanatic, though I do enjoy a good paddling on occasion. “I do enjoy a good paddling on occasion,” is something many of our readers find quite enjoyable. A… Read More

Welcome back yak fans. This month I want to talk about how to be productive in summer weather fishing. Let’s be honest, this time of year brings some challenges. I even heard of a kayak tournament that allowed illegal 17-inch reds, but couldn’t find any - and it was won by a short trout and lady fish? By the way, this was a photo tournament, and no, I didn’t fish it. This goes to show that when planning a trip, you need… Read More

Welcome back yak fans. This month I want to talk about how to be productive in summer weather fishing. Let’s be honest, this time of year brings some challenges. I even heard of a kayak tournament that allowed illegal 17-inch reds, but couldn’t find any - and it was won by a short trout and lady fish? By the way, this was a photo tournament, and no, I didn’t fish it. This goes to show that when planning a trip, you need… Read More

Welcome back yak fans and happy 4th of July. Please remember when showing off with fireworks, light - then throw. Alcohol-induced stupidity could be hard on the fingers. I want to cover a few different subjects next month. I call this semi-functional literary ADD. I have a train of thought but there are so many tracks leaving the station. LOL. First, out of the gate is my fishing with Glen Pla of the Average Angler… Read More

Welcome back yak fans and happy 4th of July. Please remember when showing off with fireworks, light - then throw. Alcohol-induced stupidity could be hard on the fingers. I want to cover a few different subjects next month. I call this semi-functional literary ADD. I have a train of thought but there are so many tracks leaving the station. LOL. First, out of the gate is my fishing with Glen Pla of the Average Angler… Read More

The trout that have been around the Bird Rack are slowly moving to the south. To stay with the fish go about 1.5 to 2 miles west of South Point. The hard bottom that looks yellow from the surface is the best place to set up a drift on the outgoing tide. The best rig is the D.O.A. Oval Cork Deadly Combo, and the best colors are glow, rootbeer and stark naked. If the floating grass is sparse the switch over to a MirrOlure… Read More

Trout have been chewing on live bait, freeline or under corks, drifted behind the boat as you drift and jig covering plenty of ground. Banner catches have been noted in 7-12 ft. depths outside Aripeka. Cobia doing well using the same technique. Lots of short grouper and keeper snapper on the shallow reefs are keeping those rods bent. For keeper Grouper, you will need to go to deeper, cooler water. &0 ft plus depths seem… Read More