Florida Angler Television - Joe's Fishing Tips

Citrus County
Friday 8:00 PM
Channel 49
WYKE-TV Broadcast
Channel 16
Bright House - Adelphia Cable

Ocala -
Marion County
Wednesday 7:00 PM
Channel 21
Cox Cable

Gainesville - Alachua County
Sunday 11:30 AM
Channel 21
Cox Cable

Phone: 352-637-2150

There was an unusual mist on the western horizon when we cleared Green Key at the mouth of the Chassahowitzka River. The anglers aboard were commenting that the unusual aspect was that one wasn’t sure if there really was a mist or not. It seemed to fluctuate and disappear like a desert mirage. A trick of the light perhaps.

The captain announced that we had arrived at the first redfish spot of the day and everyone forgot all about the unusual mist. Instead, there was a controlled scramble to grab tackle. The bait of the day was going to be live pinfish which we had secured earlier.

Red Drum
World Record: 51 lbs. 8 oz. - Florida

Everyone put pinfish on their hooks, and we couldn’t help but notice that at least two different systems were being used. Some of the baits were being put under a float and others were being free lined on a bare hook. Conversely, there were two methods of hooking the pins. Those using a float were hooking their baits across the middle of the back slightly forward of the center of the dorsal fin and about one quarter inch down from the top of the body. The ones free lining their pinfish were hooking them well towards the end of the tail but not so far back that the hook shank would interfere with the bait’s normal swimming motion.

The purpose of both methods is the same. They both allow the pinfish to swim naturally. Whether hanging suspended from the float or being free lined, the bait is allowed to maintain its normal attitude in the water. The effectiveness of both methods was soon apparent.