| This morning I will be brushing off the cob-webs to go on a rare fishing trip. |
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Lately, I have been trying to hone my writing skills but to be perfectly honest, I think that would take longer to perfect than the years it has taken to be a top rated guide. Anyway, I had to borrow some things because of time constraints. |
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Visiting the Homosassa Springs Wildlife Park this time of year is a real treat because the main spring is literally full of fish. Jack Crevalle prevails as the most abundant in both size and number. Thousands swim in slow circles of the 55-foot deep hole along with an array of other salt water fish. |
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Snook, redfish, trout, snapper, sheepshead, jacks and mullet account for 95% of the species that abound in the spring-fed 72-degree water. An occasional tarpon finds it way through the shallow water entrance to the big main spring. |
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Over 40 species of fish have been identified including a milk shark. Once called the spring of 10,000 fish, millions of tourist has visited the park in decades past. |
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Walking underwater to view the species in their natural habitat accredits Homosassa as being dubbed as one of the 12 hottest destinations in North America by Sports and Field Magazine. Many fly-fishing tarpon world records have occurred because of the fresh water that empties into the Gulf of Mexico. |
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Homosassa Springs Wildlife State Park has been a tourist attraction since the early 1900's when trains stopped to let passengers rest at the spring. The train track ran on what is now Fishbowl Drive, which runs through the park. While passengers rested, the train loaded fish, crabs, cedar and spring water. The spring and headwaters of the Homosassa River, is the only known place in the world where thousands of freshwater and saltwater fish congregate. These fish are free to come and go to the Gulf of Mexico, nine miles away. |
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The 50-acre site, and 100 surrounding acres, was purchased in the 1940's and operated as a small attraction. In 1964, the Norris Development Company bought the property and expanded and promoted Homosassa Springs as "Nature's Own Attraction". From 1978 until 1984, the land exchanged hands under several private ownerships. In December 1984, the Citrus County Commission purchased the attraction to protect it as an environmentally-sensitive area. Today, Homosassa Springs Wildlife State Park is owned by the State of Florida and managed by the Department of Environmental Protection. |
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Many years ago before the manatee came to Homosassa in large numbers, private park employees would feed the fish every hour on the hour by tossing sardines. The race was on for every jack in the school of 10,000 fish. This attracted people to the park along with feeding the squirrels. It is funny how the State can feed the manatees, but they will not feed a hungy fish. Enough said. |
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The alligator show runs twice a day and there are three manatee programs. Even though you can’t see the fish being fed it is a bunch of fun watching them swim around the shallow clear waters that surround the main spring. |
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The park is open every day 365 days a year from 9:00 a.m. until 5:30 p.m. The ticket counter closes at 4:00 p.m. |
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About Capt. Locklear
Current
