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Fishing News: Spring Fishing is ON
April 17th, 2011

Fishing News: Winter Redfish in the Waccasassa
January 14th, 2011

Fishing News: The Reds are Running
October 17th, 2010

Fishing News: Labor Day Redfish
September 25th, 2010

Fishing News: Chiefland Bass Fisherman Faces Fraud Charges
September 5th, 2010

Fishing News: Another Great Day of Fishing in Cedar Key
June 24th, 2010

Fishing News: Gone Fishin`: Birthday Trip
May 31st, 2010

Fishing News: Redfish Rendezvous at Deadman`s Key
May 22nd, 2010

Fishing News: Fishing Weather - Finally!
April 5th, 2010

Fishing News: A Window of Weather for Fishing
July 16th, 2009

Fishing News: Shore Fishing to Require License
July 15th, 2009

Fishing News: Trout Bite
May 2nd, 2009

Fishing News: Gone Fishin`: The Fish Are Back!
March 23rd, 2009

Fishing News: Fishing is Goooooood!
November 28th, 2008

Fishing News: The Best Fishing Day
October 16th, 2008

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Angling for Panfish

Angling for Panfish

Cap`n Dan

Up the Wacassa river to the Weekiva run. Sounds intriguing, doesn`t it? Today I`m fishing with a mother and her daughter. Just the three of us motoring up that beautiful old river, twisting and turning, ancient trees fallen across the width of it with only enough room for my 16 footer to pass by.

We`re not fishing for the biggest redfish or mackerel or trout. We`re going. ..."pan-fishin'. Bream, redbellies, warmouth bass, and catfish. All very good eating just seasoned, breaded and fried a little bit.

We travel up the Wacassa about 1 mile and turn off on the Weekiva River and immediately see two big alligators sunning themselves on the bank of a sharp turn. The water here is still a dark brown color. About 1/4 of a mile up the Weekiva the water gets pretty clear from the main springs at its head. The eel grass all swaying back and forth looks like mermaids hair. Here the water is only 4 or 5 feet deep.

I like to fish a spot where there is a bare sandy depression, (or slight hole) and tall swaying grass along its rim. Anchor 5 yards or so upstream and fish into the hole. Cast so you can see your worm or worm-like lure fall into the lighter colored sand.

In an instant some critter will rush out from the grass into the clear and snatch your bait up. Pow! One after another. As quick as you can bait and cast you`ll get action. It is a lot of fun. I get so busy taking fish off hooks and slipping them into the fish box, and then handing out worms, that I don`t get to fish as much as they do. You know...that`s OK with me. To see them laughing and yelling is a real thrill also.

The river here is about 10 to 15 yards wide with thick forest on both sides, and a thick canopy of tree branches overhead. The water is spring-fed and the temperature of the water is 70` to 72` year round. So it's cool in the boat on the surface of the water and quite shady from the overhead canopy of tree branches. Very comfortable. And lots of fun.

The regulations state that we can take home an aggregate amount of 50 fish. (that`s 50 mixed species), and we took everyone of them home and ate half of them with buttered grits, home fries and skillet cornbread. Oh ...that's delicious. That`s fishin`


Capt. Dan
cedarfishininfo@hotmail.com

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