Photos

Florida’s Crystal River: Red-Hot Action

The Sport Fishing staff had a chance to sample angling opportunites in the Crystal River region of Florida's west coast.

By Jim Hendricks

Updated: June 27, 2013

Capt. Dan Clymer of Racin’ Mullet Charters prepares to release a tarpon for managing editor Stephanie Pancratz. Chris Woodward

Editor-in-Chief Doug Olander hoists a beautiful red grouper he landed on light tackle. Jim Hendricks

The spotted seatrout can grow big in the rich waters off Florida’s Crystal River. Doug Olander

Capt. Gary G.T. Cox of Slap Stik Charters lifts Mark MacKenzie’s redfish into the boat. Doug Olander

Our first trolling strike produced this nice king mackerel. Jim Hendricks

The marina at the Plantation on Crystal River is a great starting point for fishing the Crystal River area. The marina has a launch ramp and plenty of parking for your trailer and vehicle. Jim Hendricks

Director of sales and marketing for the Plantation on Crystal River Michael Mancke checks out the boats at the marina that are prepping for a day of fishing. Jim Hendricks

You can dock your boat along the canals that encircle the Plantation resort. Jim Hendricks

A number of guides are available for fishing out of the Crystal River area, whether you want to fish inshore for redfish, seatrout and tarpon, or offshore for grouper, kingfish and snapper. Jim Hendricks

Capt. Gary G.T. Cox of Slap Stik Charters heads out for a day of fishing along the Crystal River coast. Jim Hendricks

Capt. Don Chancey of Flats Chance Charters discusses the Crystal River inshore fishing game plan for the day with his guests. Doug Olander

There are a number of no-wake zones on the Crystal River, with numerous manatees inhabiting this scenic waterway. Doug Olander

Capt. Dan Clymer skippers his custom Pro-Line inshore boat enroute to fishing for redfish, seatrout and tarpon along the Crystal River coast. Jim Hendricks

The Crystal River area abounds with inshore flats — ideal habitat for redfish, seatrout, tarpon and even cobia. Jim Hendricks

Sport Fishing Editor Chris Woodward shows off a beautiful Crystal River spotted seatrout. Jim Hendricks

Capt. William Toney with Homosassa Inshore Fishing boats a bragging-size spotted seatrout. Doug Olander

Editor-in-Chief Doug Olander hoists another nice spotted seatrout. Jim Hendricks

Soft-plastic jigs are highly effective for seatrout in the waters of Florida’s Crystal River coast. Jim Hendricks

Capt. Dan Clymer admires this hefty seatrout caught by SF’s Editor, Chris Woodward, over the grass beds in shallow Gulf waters. Chris Woodward

Capt. William Toney helps Sport Fishing’s Jim Hendricks land a beautiful spotted seatrout. Doug Olander

Spotted seatrout are not only fun to catch, but delicious, too. Doug Olander

Capt. Gary G.T. Cox helps Sport Fishing‘s Mark MacKenzie land a nice redfish along the Crystal River coast. Doug Olander

Sport Fishing‘s Mark MacKenzie lands his redfish. Doug Olander

Redfish grow fat and plentiful in the inshore waters of Florida’s Crystal River coast. Doug Olander

This Crystal River redfish fell for a weedless spoon. Doug Olander

Tarpon are also regular visitors to the waters of the Crystal River coast. Chris Woodward

Tarpon haunt the flats outside Crystal River, and it’s not unusual to see several in a single day of fishing. Chris Woodward

Capt. Dan Clymer helps Sport Fishing managing editor Stephanie Pancratz land her first tarpon. Chris Woodward

While fishing offshore from Crystal River, we spotted this water spout first thing in the morning, and steered well clear of it. Chris Woodward

Once we passed the storm, the ocean off Crystal River was like a lake, even 32 miles offshore where we trolled for kingfish. Jim Hendricks

This kingfish struck a deep-diving Halco plug. Jim Hendricks

The preferred lure for red grouper in the waters off Crystal River is a Spro jig with a DOA plastic tail. Jim Hendricks

The Sport Fishing staff enjoys a triple hookup on red groupers while fishing 32 miles off the Crystal River coast. Doug Olander

Sport Fishing‘s editor, Chris Woodward, battles a powerful red grouper on light tackle. Jim Hendricks

Sport Fishing‘s managing editor, Stephanie Pancratz, fights a nice red grouper. Jim Hendricks

Capt. Clay Shidler of Hang ‘Em High Sport Fishing shows off one of many red grouper he helped the SF staff catch in the waters off Florida’s Crystal River. Jim Hendricks

Along with dozens of red grouper, we also caught several nice black sea bass. Jim Hendricks

Capt. Clay Shidler helps SF Editor Chris Woodward land one of many red grouper. Doug Olander

Capt. Clay Shidler lifts a beautiful red grouper into the boat. Doug Olander

Capt. Clay Shidler beams with pride at having put the Sport Fishing staff on a hot grouper bite. Jim Hendricks

Editor-in-Chief Doug Olander beat this beautiful red grouper on super-light tackle. Jim Hendricks

Bottom fishing doesn’t always mean heavy tackle. Editor-in-Chief Doug Olander multiplied the fun by challenging red grouper on light tackle off the Crystal River coast. Jim Hendricks

Red grouper are suckers for a well-presented jig. Jim Hendricks

Managing Editor Stephanie Pancratz and Pacific Editor Jim Hendricks compare their catches of gag and red groupers, respectively. Doug Olander

Pacific Editor Jim Hendricks traveled across the country to fish the Crystal River coast. Doug Olander

Capt. Clay Shidler enjoyed the red grouper action himself, catching several on light tackle. Jim Hendricks

Sport Fishing Editor Chris Woodward shows off one of many big red grouper she caught with Hang ‘Em High charters off the Crystal River coast. Jim Hendricks

Capt. Clay Shidler stayed busy assisting all four SF anglers during our trip off the Crystal River coast. Here he helps land two red groupers at once. Jim Hendricks