Inshore Forecast
As cooler air settles over the Gulf Coast, the Crystal River bite is lighting up.
Bait movement and dropping water temps are triggering strong feeding patterns
across the flats, creeks, and nearshore structure.
- Redfish: Schooling on oyster bars and shallow flats during incoming tides.
- Trout: Holding along grass edges and sand holes in 3–5 ft.
- Snook: Migrating into creeks and warmer backwaters.
- Gag Grouper: Active on nearshore structure before temps fall.
- Mangrove Snapper: Staging on rock piles and markers, sliding slightly deeper in late fall.
Offshore Forecast
- Hogfish: Biting strong in the 30–50 ft range.
- Mangrove Snapper: Holding tight to structure in 30–50 ft.
- Kingfish & Cobia: Migrating south this month — prime time to work reefs, wrecks, and hard bottom with live bait or trolling spreads.
Seasonal Shift
Stable weather brings aggressive feeding and excellent topwater action.
Use artificial, live, and dead bait to target your species. As the water cools,
dead bait can often be the most effective choice. After fronts, bites slow and fish push deeper —
adjust presentations accordingly. As we move toward winter, spring-fed warm water zones
remain hot spots for consistent action.
