What would you recommend to anglers fishing in Crystal River, Florida for the first time?

Drink plenty of water! It's hot out there when there's no breeze! Let the captain do his job. He knows what and where to fish to help you have a successful day. Once that's accomplished, he'll take you to target other species you'd like to catch!

Yes I would, great way to experience the water, as we were down here for Christmas, there are better times to go for sure like most things, some fish species were out of season, the Captains honesty much appreciated, we had a blast my boys want to go again.

Captain Leo was fantastic! We had the best time and he put us on fish all day with tough fishing tides. I can't say enough about what a great day we had. I highly recommend him and we had so much fun! Great experience in every way!

Be prepared for the heat. We are Floridians and knew what to expect, but for those not familiar with the weather here in Florida it can really catch you by surprise. And if your guide supplies bottled water like ours did, take advantage of it as there is nothing worse than getting dehydrated. Also use sun protection, either by using clothing or sunscreen because nothing worse than becoming a lobster person.

What a great introduction to fishing in the flats on the Gulf. Captain Josh looked after all of us like we were family. Patiently showed us how to cast.Covered all concerns, bait, no see-end. Sunscreen & water. We all had opportunities to caught fish!! So many different fish to catch. So he’s wanting to let them all go, but we did come to fish. Perfect weather-captain and time. Go with Captain Josh. He knows his business.

It’s hot so be prepared for that! No shade on the water. Bring lots of drinking water and sunscreen and protective clothing. It helps if you know how to bait your own hook and cast your own fishing rod/reel. Know how to fish the fish in the area or get a guide to take you.

This was my first time, so I just showed up and relied on the captain. The captain had GPS coordinates for rock piles, which seemed to help for a quick cast/catch. The red fish were not numerous in the mangrove we targeted.

Get there early as parking is a bit limited but not horrible. The boat ramp is a bit crowded but really fun to watch some people trying to get their boat in with family members "helping" them....lol Once you are out and fishing don't be suprised by being on the fish right away.

Any day out on the water is a good day to me. But watch the weather. I think we would have done better if it was not so cold the day of our trip. It was in the 50's to 60's which I know is not usual for Florida fishing trip weather.

Redfish, snook, and speckled trout are thick in these waters this time of year as well many other species, get yourself hooked up with Captain James Floyd of Floyd Family Outfitters to put you on them and have a great trip!

Don't always go with the BEST RATINGS... Communicate A LOT with the Captain that you choose.. Tell them what you expect... give them information of your crew and come to an understanding so you can all have a great fishing experience !!!

As anywhere you fish, the time of year will dictate what kind of fish are biting. Read up on that in advance. Crystal River is a great fishery and you can catch all kinds of fish in the surrounding waters.

Book with Captain Bryan! Dress warm in the morning and a bring a light rain jacket--you will get wet from sea spray. The waters can be choppy on the boat ride to fishing site. But it is worth it to find the fish!

We went scalloping (not fishing). Come prepared for a strong swim. You may have to swim against the tide, chase fleeing shellfish, etc. If you catch a few and then don't see any for a while, don't get discouraged. Keep it up. Don't be affraid to try something new, but at the same time don't totally give up what brought you success to begin with.

The Crystal River can be really shallow, so make sure you're out with an experienced captain. Either use SPF 50 sunscreen or wear long shirt/pants. The sun is no joke. Even with a 50, one of us got really burned. Drink water!! When we were out, we had a descent breeze, but it's still really warm. Have fun and enjoy!!

Water was a bit warm for the fish, and we caught many that were too small for keeping, but we were busy fishing all day and had a great time!

I would definitely go earlier in the year for easier finding of scallops. However, we still had an amazing time and Taylor helped us find plenty of scallops

Scallops may or may not be numerous in July. We didn’t see many. We had trouble diving in 6’ of water but the captain rounded out our catch so we had enough for dinner.

Get there early to park at Pete’s Pier! It’s the usual buzz in the AM at the boat launch. Prepare to see dolphin and manatee. Ample fishing and scalloping.

Have to try scalloping is a lot of fun and pretty easy to do. Salty Day charter was the best for my family. Couldn't ask for a better captain and first mate.

There are many species you can fish for. Be willing to experiment with different types of fish. They all fight good, and most are good to eat.

Focus on in-shore fishing. The deep drop is a long boatride out to the fishing ground and you may be more successful spending your time fishing for speckled trout, redfish and snook in-shore.

We had a tough windy day. So, the fishing wasn't awesome. We did better than other captains that John talked to that day

100% would recommend! Friendly, funny & knew what he was talking about! Came down here on my honeymoon and had a blast!

Yes. Have fished area before and have always catch fish. Crystal River is a great place to stay and visit.

Sunscreen bug spray sunglasses and hats- and layered clothing - started out very cool and were in shorts and t-shirts midday! Captain Tony was super helpful in advising us what to take!

Make sure you book with a professional. It's alot of water and only a few experienced guides can put you on fish worthy of your time.

Bring multiple layers of clothing as it can get cold during the ride out and in but warm when stopped. Also the Noseeums biting bugs are a nuisance when in the river if there is no wind.

You can’t control the weather so if it turns bad out don’t blame the Captain he can only do so much. Our Captain Bobby went above and beyond to make our day a success

Bring a lunch you’re out there for a while! The weather cleared up for us but can be rainy or strong hot sun-that’s what we ended up with.