January 20th was one of those warm sunny winter days we have here in Florida. Light breeze and 72 degrees. I met the Bolinger family from Pennsylvania at the boat ramp on the Waccasassa river that Friday morning for a 4 hour fishing trip. Yetti, the family pooch came along too. We left the dock and motored downriver to a large island near the mouth and continued around the whole island stopping and fishing sandy banks and rocky shores. We caught small baitfish and several undersized speckled trout and no redfish.
We moved back into the river and motored upstream. We had been fishing diligently for 2 hours. I saw a bend in the river and I anchored to the side out of the center in about 8 to 10 feet of water. With the current there we needed a half ounce of weight to hold our big shrimp down.
Our timing was just right. The redfish were swimming up the river looking for food. Everyone caught a redfish. I was busy netting and taking pictures. Some of the reds were too small and had to be released. Under 18 inches. We managed to take 3 big reds back to the dock where I filleted them so the Bolingers could eat them that evening. Fresh fish they caught themselves. The senior member of the group, Al, 90 years old and going strong, caught the largest red at 22 inches and Mark Bolinger caught one at 19.5 inches.
Folks, the water temperature will be too cold to fish the `flats` out of Cedar Key untill the first week of March so I`ll be fishing the Waccasassa river until then. Springtime fishing the Cedar Key area is excellent and I`m looking forward to it.
Call me at 352-221-5463 and go to inshorefloridafishing.com and lets go fishing. thanks, Capt. Dan | 
