Florida guys
 

Planning a Christmas vacation to the Crystal River area.Its going to be my family and one other, four adults and four kids from 12-17. Would like some imput on a house to rent, preferably on the water and some recomendations of activities. What kind of weather should we be expecting? Which boat should I bring? The V? Sea ray? or Mckee? Fishing or just riding around?

For the most part, that is SHALLOW ROCKY boating up that way. Theres channels that run out, but get outside the channel, and it's ROCK CITY! Theres a reason most of us who boat the nature coast run aluminum props, aluminum props are cheaper to replace than prop shafts. Theres some deeper water in the rivers as well, but most of the boating along the coast is shallow draft. Also out in this area, it is roughly 1 mile per foot meaning for every mile you go out, you gain 1 foot of depth(it's not exactly this way, but pretty close for a good portion of it. I would stick to a shallow draft boat, and one you won't cry to much about if you hit a rock pile or oyster bar. It's about an hour and a half north of me. I'm not of much help on where to stay other than to look at craigslist, and book early as that is teh busy time of year down here when all the houses are rented out.

Spare, I have never been boating farther east than st marks. Ferm is right stays shallow for quite a ways out. From what I've read , they have a pretty good grouper fishery over there that time of year. Trolling with mann's stretch lures is pretty productive.

Sorry I can't add more.

NMFS always seems to make sure and have the season closed when the fishing is good. The other catch is to get to offshore fishing grounds, it's about a 20+ mile run. I know it's not until about 15-18 miles out that you hit the drop point where you start to get much depth. Where I go out of Bayport, you can be 8-9 miles out, and find spots where you can get out and stand up.

Reds and trout inshore in a small boat is all that is needed IMPO.

The water is clear as gin, most of the time, the bottom is black as my ex-girlfriends heart. Rocky don't fully do it justice. So unless someone had very recently scratched the algae off that piece of limestone your about to hit you won't see it coming.

Rodney MacRae, sort of a legend in the Homasassa area. (Just south of where your going) Took my bosses Shipoke out of "MacRae's Marina". Rodney insisted on driving as "he knew the river like the back of his hand." 20 minutes out he knocked the lower unit off the new 140 looper. The slow tow of shame back to your marina after just thrashing the lower on your friends boat must have been quite a lot to bear.
I fish that area that time of year. I prefer sneaking up on fish in a couple feet of water and drifting across the flats. Plan still works when the wind is up. If I go with my friend that lives there we always take his jonboat with four larger vessels at our disposal. There is a tool for every job.
Offshore is an option, get a guide if you go there are rocks and ledges but few and far between. If you aren't running to a specific number your wasting your time. Grouper are inshore that time of year but out of season. Combine that with winter tides which run low for that week..
The McKee you got rid of would have been perfect.
You can use my V for free after a $2000 deposit on the lower unit. LOL!
Can you feel the love? V

still have the 16 McKee

Ridge, they extended the grouper season until the end of December in state waters. Have to be careful which county your in, but citrus county is fishable. Taylor & Jefferson are closed.

Least that's the way I read it

Spare, see if this link forks for you:
https://www.airbnb.com/s/Crystal-Riv...s_tag=_Kh6WQEB

If it does not, go to Airbnb.com and navigate from there.

Thanks for that update Phat. I gave up a while back when they cloased the winter season when the grouper come in close enough for me to reach them easily in my boat....

Spare-- Have I got a deal for you- You have NV at your disposal. I'll have it fueled up and waiting at the dock for you. It has been pre scratched, and will carry four or five people, fishes three easily..
Bimini in case it rains, smell of fish in the livewell. Neither the boat nor me are wanted in that area, so you'd be safe...

I may have to take you up on that, you sure youre not wanted in that part of town?

watch this, it'll get you fired up

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kGFaSwZTNcs

Good video Phat, its funny the first few minutes they could have been reading from this thread.

I'd be eating nothing but grouper sandwiches my entire life if we could get them like that here.

We have. Grouper bite similar to that for 2-4 weeks in late sept to October. It's pretty exciting. After watching that, I was thinking of meeting up with spare and get ridge to guide us.

That would be awesome, are you sure all three of you are allowed in the same county at the same time though?

sounds like a heck of an idea, my cousin will be coming with us. Hes a SCDNR investigvations officer, so he can be the DD


BTW, still having trouble finding a place, two familys put us at 8 people, would really prefer water front. If anyone know sof anythign let us know

found a place, amyone know a good guide in the area? That grouper fishing looks like fun

NV-Just got back from running her. 26 hours on the meter. Running great. Rated for 5 people it is a great sight seeing vessel for them parts..
Offer stands indefinitely....GPS will keep you informed of where the channels are, the abrupt stop informs you when you have failed to do so correctly. :fam:

does it have those little fish icons on the gps so I don't have to go looking for them?

Oh yes it lies like the rest of them.

You can turn that feature off, after you get tired of the lies...

fish know how good of a fisherman that I am, so generally they leave the area that Im in once they know Ive arrived, ususlly takes about 10 minutes after I drop a couple $100 at the tackle shop, then all the fish migrate to the next state

I seem to do a good job running them off hitting all them rocks on the way in up there. Have we mentioned its rocky up there?

Add to that some strong winter lows and well, you can wade just about anywhere you need to go... Last X-mas was 75 degrees here in Lakeland. So you better pack for cold and mild weather.

Its getting that time. Got a house on the river rented for the holidays. We've got a half day charter for grouper booked. I've got the trailer loaded up with four kayaks. As a family, were going to paddle the rivers around the rental house to do some manatee watching. At some point, I plan to sneak away in one of the kayaks to do some fishing. Where do I need to put in? Is there anything to fish for in the springs area or do I need to get out in the salt? I've read the manatee restrictions, anything else I need to know about?

I'm not super familiar with the area as I've been going out 45 minutes south of there, but I know the hurricane did some damage up that way and has some ramps closed down. We've had a mild winter so far, and the reports still have most of the fushing out on the deeper grass flats. There has been some reports of snapper starti g up into the river mouths.

7 inch red & white rapala with the metal bill has been the hot lure this year

Good luck

is there any fishing in the springs area? I'm assuming its fresh water. I didn't know if theres anything other than manatees and grass there. Do I need a fresh water license in addition to salt?

Yes, you'll need a freshwater license for freshwater species or if fishing in fresh. If fishing in brackish or salt, you need a saltwater fishing license. Not sure how good there freshwater fishing is in crystal river, so I can't comment there.

Theres a road towards the south end of Crystal River that goes all the way out to the Gulf with a beach, fishing pier, and a ranp at a creek mouth just south of the nuke plant. The ramp and all trailer parking is closed from the hurricane, but if you can throw a kayak on your roof and get it out there that way, it's a short paddle from the beach out to some really nice flats. Only catch is there is TONS of oyster bars out there, so you have to watch the bottom or else you'll be high and dry on some nasty bottom. Just remembered today we went out there to the beach and could park there, but there was no trailer parking if I remember correctly.

Just checked and it's called Fort Island at the end of 44.

thanks. google maps show the place we are staying at is just South of the ditch, so i expect to be in salt most of the time

this is where we are staying https://www.google.com/maps/place/12...1!4d-82.636018

we will probably have to drive to get to any of the springs

You're not far at all from the place I was talking about to go out. You're already off 44, so just keep going out to the end, park at the beach, and head out. It's all nice rocky oyster bar covered flats out there from what I seen from the beach. And it looks like you're in luck with the weather as of right now.

got the trailer loaded up with kayaks, leaving out in the am. West coast of Florida, watch out:sand:

made it today, looks like we are in for a good week

Depending on how things go, I may be able to run up that way one day next week.

Been watching your weather down there Spare, looks about perfect wind wise.

The weatehr has been great. We went fishing with a guide yesterday, didn't get to grouper fish, the ocean fog kept up close to shore.Ended up in the area Ferm recomended. We caught some real nice specs, 1 pompano, 1 spanish, several various misc fish including a big remora.Saw one manatee Had a great day. I fried them up for supper tonight, good eating. Took the kayaks down to Chassahoowitxka River today, great trip, we are all beat. As soon as I finish the crown apple/ginger ale, I'm going to bed. Heading back home tomorrow

Chassohowitzka river is where I go flats fishing out of. I doubt you guys made it all the way out to the bay by kayak, but it is quite the place to flats fish. Cold front coming in tonight, but supposed to be gone by Saturday afternoon. I'm hoping it doesn't shut the flats fishing off.

Mmmmmmm, fried manatee.

almost as good as fresh baby seal


Just got back tonight after fighting I95, We had a great trip, I'll post up some pics after I get rested,

I fell in love with the "Young Boats" 22 built near there