Crystal River Fishing Reports (July 2026)

Yankeetown, Florida

Reported 4 days ago

I fished with Dean from Bucks Graphics and his girlfriend Krista yesterday. Dean said he wanted to catch his first Snook and we checked that box first thing in the morning with a beautiful 32 and 3/4 inch drag screamer! Other than the Snook, the bite was a little slow in the morning, on a slow moving outgoing tide. However when the tide turned around and started coming in, things picked up, and Krista decided to put the hammer down on some quality Seatrout, including a pair of fat 22 + inch ones. Not bad for her first time fishing!...

Mike A. Yankeetown, Florida Reported 4 days ago

I fished with Dean from Bucks Graphics and his girlfriend Krista yesterday. Dean said he wanted to catch his first Snook and we checked that box first thing in the morning with a beautiful 32 and 3/4 inch drag screamer! Other than the Snook, the bite was a little slow in the morning, on a slow moving outgoing tide. However when the tide turned around and started coming in, things picked up, and Krista decided to put the hammer down on some quality Seatrout, including a pair of fat 22 + inch ones. Not bad for her first time fishing! The Trout we're all between 17 and 1/2 and 22 and 1/2, so they took a nice bag of fillets home for a couple of dinners. These guys toughed it out through are slow morning bite, some howling west winds and rough seas, and put together a pretty good day of catching fish out in God's Country💪. Looking forward to having you guys back again soon, prayfully with less wind and calmer Seas 🤪🤣!!!

Scroll for more

Mike A.

Yankeetown, Florida

Reported 4 days ago

Ran a scouting trip yesterday with my buddy John out into God's Country. Fished some areas I am not familiar with, which is always fun, and we were fairly productive. We caught about seven or eight Redfish, with the biggest coming in just over 32 in. Also caught some nice Seatrout, including John's fat 22-in piggy. At first we thought John had a Redfish on as it was pulling some drag until it came to the surface and we saw it was a nice chunky Trout. Her stomach was already stuffed full of bait fish, so she had no reason...

Mike A. Yankeetown, Florida Reported 4 days ago

Ran a scouting trip yesterday with my buddy John out into God's Country. Fished some areas I am not familiar with, which is always fun, and we were fairly productive. We caught about seven or eight Redfish, with the biggest coming in just over 32 in. Also caught some nice Seatrout, including John's fat 22-in piggy. At first we thought John had a Redfish on as it was pulling some drag until it came to the surface and we saw it was a nice chunky Trout. Her stomach was already stuffed full of bait fish, so she had no reason to eat John's big pinfish but she gulped it right down into her stomach (see picture below⬇️)! Besides Redfish and Seatrout, we also caught Flounder and Black Drum. We threw a variety of live baits from Captains Cove including shrimp, pinfish, and mud minnows. The bigger fish were caught on pinfish and mud minnows, but live shrimp produced as well. We also saw a hundred pound plus Tarpon swim past the boat, but it would not eat anything we threw at it. Another blessed day out on the Nature Coast, which I believe is one of God's greatest gifts to us!

Scroll for more

Leon H.

Hernando, Florida

Reported 1 week ago

Scallop report:

The scallops are in Crystal River and Homosassa thick this year. We are scalloping in 2ft to 5ft of water all you need to do this is your bath suite, towels and mask and snorkel you will just swim around the beautiful grass flats that we have and can see scallops, stone crabs, spider crabs, and a lot of different smaller fish and starfish. If you don't have a mask and snorkel don't worry we have plenty for you to enjoy your day on the water.

Leon H. Hernando, Florida Reported 1 week ago

Scallop report:

The scallops are in Crystal River and Homosassa thick this year. We are scalloping in 2ft to 5ft of water all you need to do this is your bath suite, towels and mask and snorkel you will just swim around the beautiful grass flats that we have and can see scallops, stone crabs, spider crabs, and a lot of different smaller fish and starfish. If you don't have a mask and snorkel don't worry we have plenty for you to enjoy your day on the water.

Scroll for more

Brian H.

Hudson, Florida

Reported 1 week ago

Inshore bite has been really good despite water temps nearing 90. Still nice reds around, lot of snook, trout, and snapper

Brian H. Hudson, Florida Reported 1 week ago

Inshore bite has been really good despite water temps nearing 90. Still nice reds around, lot of snook, trout, and snapper

Scroll for more

Jason L.

Citra, Florida

Reported 1 week ago

It is hot, but that is normal for July and no reason not to fish! Fishing can be great this time of year, you just need to stay hydrated and watch out for those summer storms.

As far as trout fishing goes, once the water really starts warming up, they have the tendency to move to deeper water. However, you can still catch them in the 4-6’ depth especially early in the morning or if the bar is near deeper water. If you are going to fish water deeper than 6’, I would recommend getting rid of the popping cork....

Jason L. Citra, Florida Reported 1 week ago

It is hot, but that is normal for July and no reason not to fish! Fishing can be great this time of year, you just need to stay hydrated and watch out for those summer storms.

As far as trout fishing goes, once the water really starts warming up, they have the tendency to move to deeper water. However, you can still catch them in the 4-6’ depth especially early in the morning or if the bar is near deeper water. If you are going to fish water deeper than 6’, I would recommend getting rid of the popping cork.

I would also not get too caught up on where the fish ‘should be’…..I have found that we can have the best ideas about where the fish should be based on history, but the bottom line is that you just have to get out there and work through some spots to locate them.

Look for bait pods, moving water, clean water, etc. These are clues to finding fish. Oddly enough, I look for cormorants. When I see these birds working an area, I will sometimes stop regardless if I have ever fished there or not. Those birds are there because there is bait there. If there is bait there, then there should be some predator fish there.

Redfish are around the islands and bars. You just have to keep moving to find them. The spot where you caught them yesterday may work today too but don’t get hung up on it. Be ready to move if you are not getting bit.

Bass fishing is also great this time of year. Lots of topwater action, especially on Orange Lake. I ran a trip there recently and the buzz bait and Zara Spook were doing the trick. I love watching bass blow up on topwater.

Good luck out there!

Scroll for more

Billy W.

North Fort Myers, Florida

Reported 3 weeks ago

There's been a ton of over slot redfish around

Billy W. North Fort Myers, Florida Reported 3 weeks ago

There's been a ton of over slot redfish around

Scroll for more

Mark R.

Crystal River, Florida

Reported 1 month ago

Bites been good

Mark R. Crystal River, Florida Reported 1 month ago

Bites been good

Scroll for more

Mike A.

Yankeetown, Florida

Reported 1 month ago

Great day out in God's Country yesterday with buddy's John and Brendon. We did a little exploring and hooked up with some nice Redfish of all sizes, from overslot, to Upper slot, to lower slot, and some under slots as well. John took big fish honors with the fat 30 inch Red. Also caught some nice Seatrout and kept five good ones for the box. It's such a blessing to be able to fish with these guys as there is always some good conversation, nice fish caught, and a little smack talk as well🤣!

Mike A. Yankeetown, Florida Reported 1 month ago

Great day out in God's Country yesterday with buddy's John and Brendon. We did a little exploring and hooked up with some nice Redfish of all sizes, from overslot, to Upper slot, to lower slot, and some under slots as well. John took big fish honors with the fat 30 inch Red. Also caught some nice Seatrout and kept five good ones for the box. It's such a blessing to be able to fish with these guys as there is always some good conversation, nice fish caught, and a little smack talk as well🤣!

Scroll for more

Mark R.

Crystal River, Florida

Reported 1 month ago

A few photos taken during my last couple of trips

Mark R. Crystal River, Florida Reported 1 month ago

A few photos taken during my last couple of trips

Scroll for more

Mike A.

Yankeetown, Florida

Reported 2 months ago

It is always a blessing to fish with Brian and Stacie. This is their third trip down from West Virginia to fish with me in the last year and every trip has been both fun and productive! They only had time for a half day Charter this time because they had other commitments but we made the best of it as they started out on a nice Seatrout bite first thing in the morning. Caught about 15 to 20 trout and kept seven good ones. Then went on to catch a variety of other fish including Black Drum, Redfish, and...

Mike A. Yankeetown, Florida Reported 2 months ago

It is always a blessing to fish with Brian and Stacie. This is their third trip down from West Virginia to fish with me in the last year and every trip has been both fun and productive! They only had time for a half day Charter this time because they had other commitments but we made the best of it as they started out on a nice Seatrout bite first thing in the morning. Caught about 15 to 20 trout and kept seven good ones. Then went on to catch a variety of other fish including Black Drum, Redfish, and Sheepshead. The coolest event of the day was watching two spinner sharks Circle one of our live baits on a cork. They were very cautious but one decided to dive in and got hooked up. He made a drag pulling run and then jumped fully out of the water did a 360 barrel roll, and spit the hook. What a magnificent sight! You just never know what you're going to see out here in God's Country. I'm
looking forward to the fourth trip which sounds like it is coming up soon!