Fish Species
Cold Weather Means Big Seatrout at Steinhatchee
It’s December, and the cold-ish weather has brought cool water temperatures to the Gulf and River at Steinhatchee, in Taylor County. That mean lots of seatrout are schooling, and anglers returning to the Sea Hag Marina have been bringing in steady limits (5 fish, one can be over 20″, none under 15″). Many folks are …
Investigate the Inside of Cedar Key’s Islands and Find Seatrout and Redfish
All too often anglers spend lots of time circling the islands near Cedar Key, failing to realize that on higher tides that there’s enough water inside the islands to float small boats and paddlecraft. Two examples are Atsena Otie Key and Snake Key, located due south of the boat basin at the end of SR24. …
Poor Man’s Tarpon–Catch A Big Bend Ladyfish!
Fishing’s not always about eating and with the recent cool weather, the Big Bend has been overrun with hordes of fish that are fun to catch—and not necessarily good to eat. Of course, I’m referring to ladyfish—also known as “poor man’s tarpon”. These boys and girls have been fattening up all summer, gorging on white …
All About Spanish Mackerel and Bluefish–Fall Big Bend Favorites
From: The Saltwater Angler’s Guide to Florida’s Big Bend and Emerald Coast Spanish Mackerel and Bluefish You can either target Spanish mackerel and bluefish—or they can target you. During the warmer months, finding these species is as easy as finding seagulls wheeling over bait schools in bays, off beaches, or in passes. That’s seagulls–not pelicans. …
Common Sharks of Florida–Read All About Them!
Sharks are not necessarily bad, but it’s good to know your limits when you encounter them on our Gulf waters. Just in time for summer, Common Sharks of Florida, SGEF-203, offers illustrations and facts about the most common sharks encountered by beach goers and recreational anglers. Florida’s shark population is diverse and includes species that …
Florida’s Big Bend is Famous For Sheepshead
If you’re looking for sheepshead, the Big Bend is the place to be. Cold winter waters drive the spawning rituals of these tasty fish and the big females gather over reefs, rockpiles and other structures off the Levy, Dixie and Taylor county coastlines. The best bait for these great-tasting fish is either live shrimp or …
Fish The Wild, Wild Waters of Central Taylor County, Florida
The Taylor County Gulf shoreline is hardly “civilized”, but if you compare the area between Steinhatchee and Keaton Beach to that north of Keaton Beach, you’ll find a vast difference. Heading northwest from Keaton Beach, you’ll see a few homes and settlements at places like Dekle Beach and Adams Beach, but from there on, it’s …
“Pinks” and “Blacks”–Fun Fish to Catch; Great Fish to Eat!
Due to regulations, one of Florida’s most popular Gulf reef fish, gag grouper, is off limits until June. And when February gets here, expect a two-month closure of all other Gulf grouper species, especially tasty red grouper. However, in the meantime, there are excellent opportunities for feeding your family with offshore fish. Anglers leaving Big …
Lochloosa Harbor–An “Old Florida” Fish Camp and RV Park
Lochloosa Harbor Fish Camp and RV Park 15008 SE Hwy. 301 Hawthorne, FL 32640 (352) 481-2114 (352) 481-4822 lochloosaharbor@aol.com If you’re looking for some great freshwater angling action, good food and nice folks, head from Gainesville to the eastern boundary of Alachua County and Lochloosa Harbor. This is one of the few “real” fish camps …
Clear Cool Water Brings Redfish Close to Big Bend Shores
Now that fall’s here, the waters along our Big Bend and Natural North Florida shorelines have begun to clear. This past summer’s excessive rainfall kept our waters murky for months, but it’s now dry and the runoff from our swamps and creeks has slowed (Of course, runoff of water isn’t really a problem in our …