Author: Tommy Thompson
AlligatorFest at Florida’s O’Leno State Park, October 14-16, 2016
The United States’ Civil War came to Florida, as well as much of the eastern half of the country. However, much of the “action” came in the form of blockades of ports and the capture of important salt works, there were few actual “battles”. Before that bloody war, Florida experienced the removal of Native Americans …
Florida’s 2016/2017 Stone Crab Season Opens October 15th–Great Eating Ahead
The result of stone crabbers’ hard work–a plate of mighty fine eatin’ There’s nothing more tasty than a Florida stone crab. And some of the best come from the ports of Natural North Florida. Florida’s stone crab population is highly regulated by the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission (FWC). Not only do regulations apply …
Looking For Some Great Cycling? Download Our Ultimate North Florida Cycling Guide
The Visit Natural North Florida Biking Guide is online and ready to use. You can read it online, or download it as a PDF. It features 26 one-day cycling trips and 2 multi-day trips, all linked to the RIDE WITH GPS app that’s available for smartphones or certain Garmin GPS units. To use the …
Natural North Florida Ultimate Springs Guide Now ONLINE
Our Natural North Florida region has a greater concentration of freshwater springs than almost any area its size in the world. Ranging from smaller springs along the Suwannee, Withlacoochee and Santa Fe Rivers to major springs bubbling up in what looks like dry land, our springs provide incredible opportunities to snorkelers, swimmers and paddlers. And …
Fishing The Big Bend Marsh–The Closer You Get, The More Reds You’ll Catch!
In the fall, high tides flood, pushing water well into the creeks and marshes all along Levy, Dixie, Taylor, Jefferson and Wakulla Counties, on Florida’s Big Bend. We don’t have many mangroves, but we do have lots of spartina grass which offers comfort to redfish, or red drum. When the reds get back in the …
Smelly Baits–An Answer for Dark, Post-Rainy Day Big Bend Waters
When our fishing trips follow rainy days, waters drain from swamps and creeks into the Gulf, often producing dark water. Much of that coffee-like stain is due to tannic acid from the swamps, but if there’s wind, the water can also be cloudy. And, for the most part, you’ll find that fish have a more …
The Importance of Noise On Your Big Bend Fishing Adventure
Making noise while fishing can be good–or bad! With the arrival of fall and cooler temperatures, the waters along our Big Bend Natural North Florida Gulf coast have cleared. That clarity also makes big seatrout and redfish extremely spooky–wary of anglers and the loud noises they often make. But there are good noises, too. …
Fishing in October? Cooling Waters Heat Up The Big Bend Inshore Bite
I was pleasantly surprised last Sunday when Steinhatchee Capt. Rick Davidson told me he’d been reading water temperatures in the 70s all day. The day was cool and there were pods of bait everywhere, but I didn’t think that the temps had dropped that much in the past few weeks. That’s a good sign, and …
Warmer Water and Air Temperatures Drive Snook North Into Florida’s Nature Coast
Snook are one of Florida’s most popular gamefish Traditionally, in years past, West Florida’s snook population remained south of our Natural North Florida waters. That was largely due to cold winters, which either run snook into warm residential canals on the upper suncoast, or kill them outright. However, winters over the last ten or twelve …
Boat? What Boat? Try Wade-Fishing on Florida’s Taylor and Dixie County Coastlines
Redfish are a common catch for anglers wading the Big Bend I guess I’m guilty of assuming that everyone who fishes on the Big Bend has a boat. I’m hardly an elitist, but consider myself lucky to have had access to, or ownership of, a boat for the last 50 years. However, I’ve …