Good year round. Amberjack are often called “reef donkeys” and provide anglers with the fight of their life. We target amberjacks on large structures & wrecks past 50’ of water. Live pinfish, vertical jigs, and even top waters work great. The 2024-25 season is not finalized but it’s looking like it will be spring 2025 before it opens. Minimum keeper length for season is 34”.
Where, When, and How: Catching Fish in Crystal River
Nick Warrington • August 26, 2024
Ask anyone what they picture when they think of Florida, and after the obvious mouse answer, the results are probably going to lean heavily to fishing. With the longest continuous coastline of any state, Florida offers anglers the chance to catch hundreds of fish species. Of these scores of fish and thousands of miles of coastline to target them, few places provide anglers with a better opportunity to bring home a cooler of high-quality table fare than Crystal River.
Crystal River
Crystal River’s unique bottom topography creates a paradise for anglers looking to catch inshore and Deepwater species all within the same day. Anglers familiar with open-water species like king mackerel or deepwater species like grouper will be excited to learn that both can be found easily in Crystal River. The nearshore bottom structure of crystal river allows anglers to target these great fighting and eating fish just a few minutes from the port, often in water much shallower than other regions of the state.
Where to Catch Fish in Crystal River
The waters of the Crystal River area are teeming with fish. As such it’s not a surprise to encounter multiple species of fish in one trip. These “mixed bag” catches are common, but anglers can’t expect to find all of the species in the same places. To better determine where you want to fish we listed areas that certain species are most often found in.
When to Catch Fish in Crystal River
While many fish swim in the waters around Crystal River, there are times of the year when fishing is better. Whether it be the sheer number of fish or the behavior that makes targeting them more enjoyable many fish have months out of the year when fishing is phenomenal.
As anglers, we are stewards of the resource, and with that stewardship comes the responsibility to harvest fish sustainably. Some species have size and bag restrictions allowing anglers to take only so many fish per outing. Some species have size and bag restrictions allowing anglers to take only so many fish per outing. Some species have seasons in which they can be harvested and the rest of the year is closed to harvest, meaning that while they can still be caught, it’s only catch and release.
How to Catch Fish in Crystal River
Just like how we can’t catch every species in the same place, we will be hard pressed to catch every fish on the same technique. To give you some insight into the style of fishing we will be doing, we included some tips on what we catch our favorite species on. While almost any fish will eat shrimp, the best methods for taking some predatory fish may involve high speed trolling so double check your species.
The Fish of Crystal River
While we couldn't list every species available in Crystal River, we highlighted some of the top species that our clients are most interested in catching.
Amberjack
Black Seabass
December through March is best. 20+ feet of water with live shrimp or cut bait. Not heavily targeted in our area but it can be done during the cooler months if you have the right spots. These are in the grouper family so they’re phenomenal eating. Minimum keeper size in 10”.
Cobia
May & June are the peak months. Migratory fish start showing up in April and leave our waters in November. Cobia prefer water temps in the 70’s which best dictates when they will arrive. Sight fishing them as they free swim or fishing around channel markers, wrecks, large rock piles etc. Live pinfish, mullet, shrimp or large swim bait style jigs are all methods we use to catch them. Minimum keeper length is 36”.
Gag Grouper
April-December is great for Gag Grouper fishing, although regulations in 2024 will only allow us to harvest these guys from September 1st- Spetember 15th. Live pinfish, casted lures, jigs over rocky structure in 8 to 100’ of water. Make sure to book your Gag trip early as the limited season can fill up fast. Minimum keeper size for season is 24”.
Hog Snapper
Good year round. October- December is very good. Live shrimp or specific hogfish jigs fished over live structure starting in 25’ and deeper. While Hogfish are a challenging fish to catch on hook and line, their outstanding table quality makes targeting them a worthwhile pursuit. Plus, they are one of the wildest looking species of snapper you can catch! Minimum keeper size is 14”Minimum keeper size for season is 24”.
King Mackerel
The Spanish Mackerel’s bigger and meaner cousin. Peak months are April & May But they hang around April-October. Found starting in 20’ of water and beyond. Trolling spoons, lipped plugs or live baits work well. Keeping a free lined live bait out while grouper fishing will often catch one as well. Minimum keeper size is 24”.
Mangrove Snapper
December- February are excellent but there’s good mangrove snapper fishing in Crystal River year round. Offshore rock piles, wrecks, and reefs all hold these guys in good numbers. Live shrimp is always our go to bait. Chumming helps & can be targeted at night especially around full moon. Minimum keeper size is 10” in state waters and 12” in federal waters.
Pink Mouth Grunts
Great year round. Often improperly called a snapper in fish markets. Mainly get them as bycatch while targeting mangrove snapper but they are a great cooler filler if you’re looking for a large fish fry as limits are relaxed. Any rockpile past 15’ of water will have good numbers of them.
Redfish
August-October is best as they school up in large numbers on our outer mangrove & spoil islands. Redfish can be caught throughout the year. Live pinfish and shrimp are great options as are jigs and top waters when they begin to stage in shallower water. Slot size for redfish is between 18 and 27”.
Red Grouper
Can be caught year round. Our Red Grouper Fishery suffered greatly during the 2014 red tide. But it continues to improve year after year. Our 2025 season opens January 1st and extends till our quota is met. Which is typically mid to late summer. Cut/frozen baits work well for these guys. Red Grouper fishing tends to be best starting in 70’ of water and deeper. Minimum keeper size is 20”.
Red Snapper
Federal for hire season typically opens June 1st & extends through august. 70+ feet of water over live bottom, wrecks, and ledges. Which in our area is 50+ miles offshore. Look for shows of fish on your depth finder. Schooled up Red Snapper will eat about anything from vertical jigs, to cut bait, to live pinfish. Red Snapper is a phenomenal food fish and spots for this limited season fill quickly, don’t miss out on some of the best eating fish in the gulf. Minimum keeper size is 16”.
Scallops
While scalloping isn’t “fishing”, it is an activity we love to provide and it’s a great opportunity for the whole family to enjoy the water and our wildlife. July 1st- September 24th. August is the best time to do it as it’s less crowded & the Bay Scallops have had enough time to grow to decent size but there’s still plenty to be found.. Look in the clear grass flats from 3-8’ of water.
Sheepshead
While Sheepshead can be found around many docks and pilings, January- March is best for them. We only target them when they school up offshore to spawn in 15-30’ of water. Fish over large offshore rock piles, wrecks, and reefs with live shrimp. Minimum keeper size is 12”.
Snook
Fishing for Snook is active year-round. The months of March through May offer the best fishing. Snook fishing is best at dusk and dawn and they can be targeted using artificial baits like top water spooks and paddle tails. Seasons for take are limited to March-April and September-November. Snook must also fit into a slot range of 28 to 33”.
Spanish Mackerel
These migratory fish typically start showing up in March and stick around until November. Peak months for the spring run are March & April. Peak fall run is October. Shinny and fast moving lures or live pinfish, shrimp, or white bait. Chumming around structure will congregate them. Trolling is also an effective method. No season. Minimum keeper size is 12”.
Spotted Sea Trout
October- April is best. They can be caught year round however. Cooler water congregates them where you can catch a lot of them in a short amount of time. Live shrimp under a cork or, soft plastic paddle tails, jerk baits worked on a ⅛ oz jig head. Grass Flats and rocky points in 4-6’ of water.Slot size for sea trout must be between 15” and 19”. But we’re allowed one over 19” per vessel.
Tarpon
May-June are the best as we have migratory fish coming though. But we have residents year round. Large live baits are the ticket such as mullet work well. Catch and Release only. Flats between Crystal River & Homosassa early in the morning are where to look for these guys. Anglers looking for the greatest acrobatic fight they’ve ever seen should inquire about fishing for these “Silver Kings”.
Tripletail
Triple Tail fishing can be good year round. May, & October are the best months. These guys love floating structure so our best months coincide with the start and end of Stone Crab season. When there's tens of thousands of traps put in our waters to harvest crabs. Live shrimp or pinfish under a cork is rarely turned down. No season, minimum keeper length is 18”.
Be sure to check out some of our other fishing reports & articles:
As we dive deeper into the summer months, Crystal River fishing continues to provide excellent opportunities for anglers.
The first part of April has been plagued by strong winds, making fishing conditions more challenging for anglers. That doesn't mean fishing hasn't been hot! Inshore fishing for redfish and trout have been good. And offshore (when we've been able to get out) our snapper bite has been solid. We're looking forward to more settled conditions as we head into the summer months.
There are few fish in Florida that attract as much attention as the Cobia. A migratory nearshore fish, the Cobia is prized for its combination of fight and table fare. How these fish are targeted in Florida makes them even more attractive to anglers who, at times, will custom design their vessels to make targeting them easier. This article will cover the ins and outs of cobia fishing, such as the state tackle record, fishing techniques, peak seasons, and even a recipe for preparing your catch.
Discover the February & March Crystal River fishing report. From snapper to redfish, learn where to fish and what to expect this season!
What is the key to snapper fishing in Crystal River, FL? Learn all about the different snapper varieties here.
Crystal River has arguably the best sheepshead fishing in the state of Florida. Learn about them with our sheepshead fishing guide! How, Where, and When to target sheepshead.
Florida is an angler's paradise, offering some of the best fishing experiences in the world. Whether you’re a seasoned deep-sea enthusiast, a casual fisher, or planning a family adventure, Florida’s waters are brimming with opportunities to create unforgettable memories. This guide walks you through everything you need to know about booking a fishing charter in 2025—from exploring top destinations to finding the perfect charter for your needs.
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