Fishing and Boating
Our Fishing and Boating expert, Capt. Tommy Thompson, will tell you where the best fishing spots are, what’s biting, and tips on making your fishing and boating trips an exciting adventure!
There’s Still One More Week to Catch A Winning Redfish in the 2016 CCA STAR Tournament
See this redfish? It’s one of 8 I helped release in Taylor and Dixie Counties at the beginning of the 2016 CCA Star Tournament. And until yesterday (8/27) none of those 8 had been caught. However, last night one was caught by an angler near Pepperfish Keys in Dixie County. Great news, huh? Yes, that’s …
Gainesville Coastal Conservation Association (CCA) Banquet, Sept. 29, 2016
One of the biggest fund-raising events among the outdoors crowd in Gainesville, FL is the annual Coastal Conservation Association-Florida’s Banquet. This year, the event will be held on September 29 at the Touchdown Terrace at Ben Hill Griffin Stadium on the University of Florida campus. Click here for tickets! While there will be plenty of …
Explore Econfina in Taylor County
It’s spelled E-C-O-N-F-I-N-A, but the locals in western Taylor County call this river and State Park on Florida’s Big Bend, “Eco-feeny”. But despite this confusion caused to visitors, the end of County Road 14 (off US98) offers lots of opportunities for folks wanting to see Florida “as it used to be”. Expect to see all …
Help Keep Our Big Bend Waters Clean and Clear–CCA Trash Tournament, September 27, 2016 at Steinhatchee
As the Big Bend of Florida moves into the last month of the annual bay scallop harvest, it’s time to pick up the trash! Unfortunately, even the best boaters and snorkelers leave a trail of debris, and the Coastal Conservation Association, Swamp Head Brewery and Sea Hag Marina have teamed up to hold this fun …
“Hooking Up With Heroes” Tournament, Horseshoe Beach–September 17, 2016
As we all know Horseshoe Beach is certainly enjoying a bountiful scalloping season this year and everybody shares in that enthusiasm. From Denis Buckley at Horseshoe Beach Marina” “We have planned a very special event for our Veterans who we could never do enough for us on September 17th 2016.”
2016 Bay Scallop Season Continues Despite Heavy Rains on the Big Bend
Yes, we’ve had plenty of rain this summer, but don’t think that our bumper crop of tasty bay scallops has dwindled. While the Gulf waters may be a bit more “brown” than usual, there’s still enough visibility to find scallops in 3 to 4 feet of water. When there’s no danger of lightning with frontal …
Anderson’s Outdoor Adventures–4 Locations on 2 Rivers in Natural North Florida
If you’re interested in exploring either the scenic Santa Fe River or the historic Suwannee River, in Natural North Florida, check out Anderson’s Outdoor Adventures. They offer rentals of canoes, kayaks, paddle boards and pontoon boats from their 4 locations. The Santa Fe location is located at the FL47 bridge. There, you can park and …
Redfish Turn Red in Tannic Creeks After Big Rains
If you’ve ever wondered why redfish (red drum) are red, head to a Gulf-facing coastal creek just after a big rainstorm. On Florida’s Big Bend, big summer storms often bring multiple inches of rain. It usually backs up into the swamps and filters through the coastal swamps to the Gulf, bringing significant amounts of tannin …
Our Seagrasses, And What They Mean To Big Bend Anglers (And Snorkelers!)
The largest natural preserve, our Big Bend Seagrasses Aquatic Preserve is huge–almost a million square acres. And it’s a big part of the reason that our Gulf coastal fishery is so good. It stretches from Waccasass Bay in Levy County to St. Marks in Wakulla County and serves as a nursery for small bait fish, …
Fishing Feature: Kayaking in Fishbone Creek
If you’re camping at Shired Island, staying at Horseshoe Beach or Cross City, or just making a day trip with your kayak to the Dixie County coast, don’t miss launching at the headwaters of Fishbone Creek and heading out to the bars in Horseshoe Cove. On higher tides, these backwaters flood well into the …