I arrived at the Levy County Park and Boat Ramp around 10am. There wasn’t a soul there. Only 1 truck and its empty boat trailer sat in the lot. I drove to the river’s edge and parked. I got out and stood on the bank and looked down river and saw no boats and no people. I looked up river and saw 1 boat about 17ft. long drifting down with the current, and inside the boat, tossing lures up to the bank and maneuvering them so as to attract a bass was Capt. Jimmy Keith. I didn’t realize it then but it was gonna be my lucky day.

I yelled hi . . . , and he yelled hi, and the next thing you know I’m sitting in his boat and we’re fishing. It wasn’t more than 10 minutes and we both had snatched a bass away from some old tree trunk sunk down by the bank. 

The day was a little cool earlier but the sun was out and the sky clear. On the river you get some protection from the wind so the water was smooth as glass. Capt. Jimmy has been fishing the Waccasassa since he was a little boy and knows how to get around and where the good fish habitat is. We zipped to a few of his favorite spots and turned up several undersized redfish and more bass and to my surprise, 2 snook. The snook were babies, about 17 to 18 inches so we released them quickly.

 I hadn’t figured on fishing that day so I was a little long on a casual schedule but I was glad I could go out with Capt. Jim.  His whole family takes folks fishing from Cedar Key and the river. There are 5 or 6 of them licensed and with their own boats. They are some of the best fishermen in the region.

The next day was Thanksgiving and we both had chores to do so we headed back to the ramp to get ‘em done. Here is a pic of the fish I took home. There’s a speckled trout at the top of the stack. 

Call me at 352-221-5463 and I’ll meet you at the dead end of Hwy 326 west. In Levy County head west on Hwy 326 and it ends right at the boat ramp. I’ll slide my 24ft. pontoon into the river and we’ll fish some of those special spots.

Thanks, Capt. Dan