For more info visit the Crystal River Fishing Facebook page

One of my favorite places to visit, on personal vacation or filming my show, Bass 2 Billfish with Peter Miller, is Citrus County, Florida. Whether it’s for scalloping, swimming with the manatees, or for the fishing, Citrus County never disappoints. This area is alive with activities throughout the entire year, but in the fall, there are are some events that I highly recommend for the entire family. Citrus County is home to great seafood festivals, so if fresh seafood is up your alley keep reading. Also, to feed your fishing bug…snook season is open this time of year : ) If you’re looking to get your seafood and fishing fix, check out Citrus County.

Snook Season

Citrus County is a great area to nail an inshore slam…snook, trout and redfish. Two great areas to fish are Homosassa and Crystal River.  One thing that stands out to me,  is how untouched, and pristine it is. If you want to get away from the crowds, this is the place for you. The flats, oyster bars, and vast areas of sea grass,  dotted with small islands, are constantly fed clean Gulf of Mexico water, with the tidal flow. Also, the natural springs are constantly flowing. Rocky areas near inlets and points, with moving water, provide your best bet for snook. In general, outgoing tide is optimal, along with low light conditions, sunrise and sunset.  For snook, a jig head with a gulp will entice strikes, as will jerk baits. For live bait, finger mullet and ladyfish work well.

Snook Regulations in the Gulf of Mexico, Monroe County, and Everglades National Park

• Snook season is open from September 1st through December 1st. 
• Snook season is closed December 1st through the end of February. 
• Snook season is open from March 1st through May 1st.
• Snook season is closed May 1st through August 31st
• The size limit is not less than 28’’ total length or more than 33’’ total length
• The bag limit is 1 per harvester per day; zero captain and crew for hire limit

One thing that has kept this fishery alive is that it’s illegal to buy or sell snook, you need to catch your own. Our Florida snook fishery is so great here in Florida, that I release most of the fish we catch, but sometimes I will keep one for the dinner table. Here’s a simple recipe:

Blackened Snook

Ingredients

-4 boneless snook fillets

-1 stick of unsalted butter

-Blackening season 

-Cast ron skillet

-Lemons

Instructions

1. Heat the skillet until it’s extremely hot, smoking
2. Melt your butter and dip the fillets into the butter, coat with blackening seasoning 
3. Place the fillets onto the skillet, all while pouring more melted butter 
4. Cook each side for a 2-3 minutes, the fish should have a thick blackened crust
5. Serve with lemons

Seafood Festivals 

Stone crab season is a very special time in Florida. The season runs from October 15 each year through May 15, and visitors flock from all over to eat delicious stone crab claws 

In Citrus County, here a couple of festivals to sample fresh stone crab and other seafood.

10th annual Stone Crab Jam in Crystal River   November 4th, 2017

-Open street festival in Historic Downtown Crystal River. The streets are closed to showcase food, craft vendors and artists, along with wine, beer and spirits. 

-Live music with 6 bands, 3 separate stages

-Presented by the Kings Bay Rotary Crystal River, ‘Charitable Foundation’ supported 100% by volunteers and sponsors. 100% of the Stone Crab Jam proceeds are donated to area non-profits, charitable organizations, scholarships and international projects. Over 8,000 attend every year!

Homosassa Seafood Festival  November 11-12, 2017

-Showcases art and creative crafts like watercolors, drawings photography, lithography, hand crafts, jewelry, bead work, leather, candles, shell craft, driftwood

-Unique foods such as conch, catfish, gator tail, grouper, shrimp, lobster 

-Live entertainment

-Proceeds supports charitable organizations such as children centers, schools, veterans organizations, boys and girls clubs and scholarships 

When I visit the area, my favorite place to stay is the Plantation on Crystal River and fish with the local guides.

 For fishing, some top notch local captains include Capt. Brandon Branch,   Capt. Clay Shidler and  Capt. William Toney 

For more activities and information about Citrus County, visit the Discover Crystal River website 

I had an awesome time at last night’s Tidal X Brooklyn benefit, hosted by Roc Nation and brought to you by Monster Products, Bacardi, Decode Cannabis and Jet Lux.

All net proceeds of the concert are donated to Natural Disaster Relief and Recovery Organizations.

I was there with Monster Products CEO Noel Lee.

What an incredible event, with performances by Jay-Z, Jennifer Lopez, DJ Khaled, Kaskade,Chris Brown, Stevie Wonder and more.

#MonsterCares 

Monster is donating $50 of every Blaster Speaker ($399.95) purchases to Natural Disaster Relief and Recovery!

Monster Blaster Boombox Wireless Speaker Features

-Powerful Drivers for Monster sound 

-NFC and Bluetooth for Quick Pairing 

-USB Charge Output

-Rechargeable battery for up to 12 hours of continuous listening

-Waterproof and Splashproof

-Rugged, integrated handle 

To purchase a Blaster and help relief efforts visit Monster Cares Campaign – Donating to Natural Disaster Relief and Recovery

See the Monster Blaster in action below 🙂

More tuna, less problems 😜 Caught 3 of these at the end of the day on live cigar minnows. Check out the boombox on the transom at the link in my bio @monsterproducts

A post shared by Peter Miller (@petermillerfishing) on May 17, 2017 at 6:55pm PDT

Nearly ten years in the making and unprecedented in scale and scope, Wonders of Wildlife is larger than the Smithsonian Museum of Natural History and an inspirational tribute to the adventurers, explorers, outdoorsmen and conservationists who helped discover, develop and preserve the nation we love.

With 35,000 live fish, mammals, reptiles, amphibians and birds, the 350,000-square-foot complex is a wonder in and of itself. It contains more than 1.5 miles of trails through authentic, immersive habitats and features 1.5 million gallons of freshwater and saltwater aquariums and immersive wildlife galleries. Signature galleries include a massive “open ocean” ring-shaped aquarium and the two-story Shipwreck Room where guests can touch stingrays on the ocean floor. Immersive wildlife galleries feature 4D dioramas that transport guests through sights, sounds, smells and climates to some of the wildest places on earth, including a trek across the African savannah, the Amazon rainforest, the Arctic and America’s National Parks and more in a multisensory celebration of conservation and craftsmanship. The all-new museum and aquarium is located next to Bass Pro Shops National Headquarters in Springfield, Missouri, one of many signature nature-based attractions in Missouri’s Ozark Mountains, a region emerging as America’s Conservation Capital.

“Wonders of Wildlife is an inspirational journey around the world that celebrates the role of hunters and anglers as America’s true conservation heroes,” said Johnny Morris. “We proudly invite families and sportsmen to come share the wonder with an unforgettable experience meant to inspire generations of future conservationists.” 

Wonders of Wildlife is a not-for-profit, proceeds benefit conservation and education.

 For additional information including admission, hours of operation and directions visit www.wondersofwildlife.org 

I had an incredible time at the Wonders of Wildlife grand opening, surrounded by the best in conservation. This museum beats any museum in the planet! Speakers included Presidents George W. Bush and Jimmy Carter, Kevin Costner and many more. Great seeing Roland Martin, Jimmy Houston, Bill Dance, JP and Johnny Morris. Great time with great friends Robert W. Christoph Jr., RT and Karl. 

Please see the following excerpt from The Billfish Foundation. To view the original article click here: http://www.billfish.org/news/noaa-fisheries-grants-longline-access-florida-closed-area/

Florida has more anglers than any other state in the nation, 2.4 million, and the related industry generates an economic impact of $7.6 billion dollars (2015/16) and supports 109,300 jobs! This is a slap in the face of all connected to recreational fishing in Florida especially after strong opposition was expressed by the industry and community participants. This decision could have a negative impact on Florida’s wide ranging marine tourism.

 

Ellen Peel, president of the Billfish Foundation stated:

“She was not surprised, though held out some hope, the NMFS would realize allowing longlines back into Florida’s east coast closed zone to land the conservation benefits accrued over 16 years of closure would be illogical. The NMFS has accommodated the one scientist at NOVA, who filed for the permit, project after project, regardless of prior results or inappropriateness of this project. The hypocrisy of the situation is blatant for the scientist, along with the owner of many of the longline boats that will fish in the zone, were part of a CNN interview in 2012 in which they made the argument that longlining was not a clean gear and should be replaced by buoy gear. Now that the scientist and boat owner can sell the conservation benefits their story has changed. The longlines will kill billfish, swordfish, sharks and sea turtles. Be prepared, the NMFS, HMS may issue more restraints on recreational fishing so there will be more fish for the “research longlines” to kill if illogical thinking continues. Keep in mind that the State of Florida’s Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission opposed the permit being issued.”

What I appreciate most about Florida is the diversity of outdoor activities available to visitors and residents alike. One such activity is scalloping. Scalloping is a blast…it’s  an easy and accessible pursuit and is perfect for families. It’s like an easter egg hunt, but the prize is tasty scallops. Here’s the lowdown on scalloping in Florida.

Scallops are widespread throughout their range, but  can be collected only in the designated harvest zone determined by the FWC (website with regulations and harvest sounds at the end of the article.)

Popular areas to go scalloping include Keaton, Steinhatchee, Crystal River and Homosassa. I recently had the opportunity to try scalloping in Steinhatchee, a town in Florida’s Nature Coast. You don’t need a big boat to partake, all you need is a mask and snorkel.

The concept is simple. You jump in the water and weed through the grassy seabed until you see your prize. Sometimes the scallops will show you they’re white, fan shaped underbelly. Our captain referred to these as “gimmes.”  Oftentimes the scallops are dark and olive colored, so they’re not easy to spot. Once you find a single scallop, look for groups in the area.. This i all about experience, once you determine patterns in the way the scallops appear on the seabed, you’ll be able to find more, filling your bucket quicker.

Some telltale patterns you need to look for:

• Sunny conditions are best. You will be able to see the scallops easier, and the scallops will gather on the top of the grass.
• Look for holes. The scallops will gather on the edge of potholes.
• Scallops have neon blue eyes. Oftentimes you can spot them by looking for their eyes.
• Put your head down and swim, while weeding through the eelgrass.

Here’s what you need to get in on the scallop action. Firstly, a dive mask and snorkel along. Fins are optional, but are a big help. You’ll need a mesh bag to carry scallops once you find them. Next, you’ll need a dive flag for the boat, this should be attached on the end of a PVC pole so that it’s visible. You’ll need a shucking knife… it’s best to put scallops on ice immediately after you harvest them. You will need a saltwater fishing license, nonresidents can purchase a short time license. The current FWC regulations dictate that you can harvest the following: 2 gallons whole bay scallops in shell, or 1 pint of bay scallop meat per person. Maximum of 10 gallons of whole bay scallops in shell, or 1/2 gallon bay scallop meat per vessel.

In Steinhatchee, I had the pleasure of heading out scalloping with Capt Tony Mathis from www.YKnotFish.com Uniquely to these areas that you can head out on a charter, targeting trout and redfish in the morning. When the weather heats up, you can head to the scalloping grounds to cool off. Another area that has great scalloping is Crystal River. I stay at the Plantation on Crystal River(www.plantationoncrystalriver.com) and head out with Capt. Clay Shidler  (http://www.fishingcharterscrystalriver.com.) 

Check the FWC site for the regulations and seasons, as this varies from county to county  and regulations: www.myfwc.com/fishing/saltwater/recreational/bay-scallops.

For more information about scalloping in Crystal River visit http://www.discovercrystalriverfl.com/play/scalloping/

Sautéed Bay scallops

• Olive Oil
• 1 pound of fresh bay scallops
• Lemon Juice to taste
• Chopped fresh parsley
• Ground black pepper

Heat olive oil and butter until nearly smoking in large sauce pan. Add the scallops t the sauce pan when the scallops are gently browned, either toss them or flip over with a spatula. When both sides are browned. Place scallops on a serving platter. In the same pan, heat up more butter, add in parsley and lemon juice. Pour the mixture over the scallops.