Lake Picachos, The Amazon and Crystal River: January 2025
It was CATCH CATCH CATCH at the Anglers Inn destinations in January. Guests at our Lake Picachos Lodge were treated to non-stop bass action with many, many doubles and triples reported.
Lake Picachos anglers continued to favor the lures found productive at the end of 2024, namely Berkley Choppos, Berkley Warpigs, Berkley 10-inch PowerWorms, Senkos, chatterbaits and shallow/deep crankbaits. Added to the arsenal in January was the Umbrella (Alabama) Rig, responsible for many doubles and triples brought to the boat.
Peacock bass anglers on the Amazon Lord experienced the Rio Negro, along with its tributaries, lagoons and sloughs, by making great memories landing 20-pound plus trophies every day. The water levels fluctuated quite a bit during the month making the fishing challenging.
Even though the month was chilly at times, Crystal River snook, sea trout and redfish stayed hungry and active while the manatees cuddled close in the many 72-degree springs that feed Kings Bay.
Buzz Broughton, Bill Atterman, George Deckman and Steve Sirmans leaned on lizards and Pop R topwater baits for their catches.
Amazon Peacock Bass January Report
The 2025 peacock bass season for Anglers Inn has been phenomenal. The fishing maintained a constantly high rate of quality catches although numbers were slightly down. Our guests appreciate our yacht, the Amazon Lord, our custom fishing boats, our excellent guides, the beautiful scenery, our service and our gourmet-chef-prepared meals including outstanding shoreline lunches and dinners.
Crystal River – Cold Weather Bass
Crystal River is known as a mecca for herds of manatees and schools of saltwater game fish. Less known is our phenomenal bass fishing. Yes, nearby Lake Rousseau (just minutes from our Floating Suites) is home to huge Florida bass fishing that can be caught in winter, even when Florida bass elsewhere are known to shut down in the cold.
Florida lakes are notoriously shallow averaging just 9 feet deep. Water temperatures drop throughout the water column. But manmade Lake Rousseau, unlike the others, has deep water – 30 to 40 feet. In December through February, when temperatures can drop down to 45 degrees or less, most Florida bass anglers take time to play with gear. But Rousseau regulars seek out the holes and enjoy.
Joe Thomas, host of Stihl’s Reel in the Outdoors for the Outdoor Channel, sampled Lake Rousseau during a massive cold front this last winter. The fishing was on fire, and with Billy Henderson as his guide, the duo landed loads of fish–big fish.
Their secret: Fish deep, drop umbrella (Alabama) rigs into the school. Use a Humminbird Helix 12 MEGA Alive forward-facing sonar to find the bass, drop rigs to the fish, and simply hang on. Also, use a Minn Kota trolling motor with GPS anchor Spot-Lock to keep the boat in the right position.
Visitors to the Anglers Inn Floating Suites saw the return of the migrating manatees to join with the year-round residents. Snook, redfish, sea trout and largemouth bass action kept the anglers busy.
Amazon peacock bass
Call 1-800-GOTA-FISH now to book your trip for 2026. Stay tuned for exciting news about our planned eco tours.
Anglers Inn University
Industry expert George Large will take you through any of the six Anglers Inn University courses offered at our campus at Pete’s Pier. Go to https://anglersinn.com/locations/anglers-inn-university-crystal-river-campus to learn how to take your fishing experience to the next level. It’s a great way to introduce fishing to a friend, child or significant other.
Our sponsors
Anglers Inn is proud to be associated with the following manufacturers: Abu Garcia,Berkley, Fishing Tackle Retailer, Gray Taxidermy, Huk, Humminbird, MinnKota, Mossy Oak Fishing, Old Town, Penn, Plano and St. Croix Rods.
Fridays on anglersinn.com
Remember to check our anglersinn.com Stories section of our News tab for our archive of Friday 5s and Friday Flicks. These short narratives and videos give our readers one location to see the entire inventory as the Friday posts continue to grow in number and popularity. They also help our guests plan for their trips, guide them on packing needs and answer questions we typically receive.
Social Media
Make it your routine to check Facebook, Instagram and Twitter for updated posts on the happenings at the various Anglers Inn destinations and services. We typically post Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday.
On Fridays we feature either a Friday Flicks video or Friday 5s with things you need to know.