Full Day Cedar Key Inshore Fishing Adventure
Cedar Key's pristine inshore waters offer some of Florida's most productive fishing, and Captain Chad's full-day trip with Chums Guide Service puts you right in the heart of it all. This world-class 8-hour fishing adventure gives serious anglers the time they need to work multiple spots and target the area's most prized species. Whether you're after that trophy redfish or hoping to fill the cooler with speckled trout, Captain Chad knows exactly where to find them. The trip covers everything you need – gear, tackle, bait, and fishing licenses – so you can focus on what matters most: getting your line wet and making memories on the water.
What to Expect on the Water
Your day starts early with Captain Chad, who's been guiding these waters for years and knows every grass flat, oyster bar, and drop-off where fish love to hang out. The 8-hour timeframe is a game-changer because it allows you to hit multiple productive zones as conditions change throughout the day. Morning might find you working the grass flats for speckled trout, while the afternoon could see you sight-fishing for redfish in the shallows or targeting cobia around structure. The boat comfortably handles up to 6 anglers (starting rate covers 2, with additional guests at $100 each), giving everyone plenty of room to cast and fight fish without getting tangled up. Captain Chad provides top-rated gear and knows exactly which baits and lures are working best for each species. You'll want to bring your own drinks, snacks, and sun protection – trust me, you'll work up an appetite after hours of steady action.
Techniques and Tackle
Cedar Key's inshore fishing requires versatility, and Captain Chad comes prepared with the right gear for every situation. Depending on conditions and target species, you might be throwing topwater plugs at first light, working live shrimp under popping corks, or casting soft plastics along mangrove shorelines. The captain provides spinning and baitcasting setups rigged with everything from 15-pound test for trout to heavier tackle for bull redfish and cobia. Artificial lures like DOA shrimp, Gulp baits, and spoons are staples here, but live bait often steals the show – especially fresh shrimp, pinfish, and mullet. The shallow waters around Cedar Key mean you'll be sight-fishing quite a bit, watching for redfish tails, trout slicks, or the dark shadow of a cruising cobia. Captain Chad's local knowledge shines when it comes to reading water conditions, tides, and weather patterns that determine where fish will be holding on any given day.
Top Catches This Season
Redfish: These copper-colored bruisers are the crown jewel of Cedar Key inshore fishing. Redfish here range from slot-sized fish perfect for the dinner table to massive bull reds that'll test your drag system and your patience. Spring through fall offers the most consistent action, with fish feeding heavily in the grass flats and around oyster bars during moving tides. What makes redfish so exciting is their aggressive strike and bulldogging fight – they'll make long runs and use their broad sides to pull hard against the rod. Sight-fishing for reds in skinny water is pure adrenaline, especially when you watch a 30-inch fish track your lure before crushing it in two feet of water.
Speckled Trout: The bread and butter of Cedar Key fishing, speckled trout provide consistent action throughout the trip and make excellent table fare. These spotted beauties love the grass flats and can be targeted year-round, though spring and fall typically offer the best numbers and size. Trout in the 15-20 inch range are common, with occasional gator trout pushing 24+ inches showing up to make your day. They're suckers for live shrimp under a popping cork, but artificial baits like soft plastics and topwater plugs can trigger explosive strikes. What anglers love about trout fishing is the steady action – when you find a good school, you can often catch fish after fish until they move on or the tide changes.
Cobia: Cedar Key's structure and baitfish populations make it a renowned destination for cobia, especially during their spring and fall migrations. These brown sharks (as locals sometimes call them) can reach 40+ pounds and provide some of the most exciting fights in the inshore waters. Cobia are curious fish that often approach the boat, giving you shot after shot with live bait or large jigs. They're typically found around crab trap buoys, channel markers, and other structure where they ambush prey. The customer favorite technique here is sight-casting to cruising fish – there's nothing quite like watching a 30-pound cobia swim up to inspect your bait before deciding to eat it.
Snook: While more common in warmer months, snook around Cedar Key offer trophy potential and heart-stopping strikes. These ambush predators love mangrove shorelines, docks, and structure where they can surprise passing baitfish. Snook are notorious for their explosive strikes and acrobatic fights, often jumping multiple times and making sizzling runs toward cover. The best snook action typically happens during dawn and dusk periods, when these predators move into shallow water to feed. What makes snook fishing so addictive is their unpredictability – you never know when a slot fish or a true giant might inhale your lure along a mangrove bank.
Time to Book Your Spot
Captain Chad's full-day inshore fishing trip represents the best value for serious anglers who want to maximize their time on Cedar Key's productive waters. Eight hours gives you the flexibility to adapt to changing conditions, work different areas as tides shift, and really dial in on what's biting. The inclusive package – gear, tackle, bait, and licenses – means you