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!
25th Annual Perry Optimist Saltwater Fishing Tournament, Taylor County, FL—May 7, 2016
The Optimist Club of Perry’s 25th Annual Saltwater Fishing Tournament promises to be special! Anglers can fish from 7AM in the Gulf waters out of Steinhatchee, Keaton Beach and Econfina. There’s a $50 per angler entry fee, but the prizes to be won are huge. Largest seatrout, $3000 2nd Largest seatrout, $1000 3rd Largest seatrout, …
Too Windy To Fish The Gulf? Head Up A Big Bend Coastal Creek
Springtime often means that the winds howl on Natural North Florida’s Gulf Coast. It’s not unusual for winds to be light and variable, 3 to 7-knots, in the morning hours, but turn to a 20-knot westerly sea breeze by noon. The land heats up faster than the water, and that convection causes rough …
CCA-Florida’s STAR Tournament Begins May 28, 2016
Everyone needs a new truck, boat and trailer, or valuable outdoor-related prizes. And kids need scholarship money! The 2016 CCA-Florida STAR Tournament begins on May 28 and ends on September 5. Tagged, slot-sized redfish are being released all along Florida’s coastline, and winning is a simple matter of becoming a CCA Member and entering the …
A Beginner’s Guide to Bay Scallop Season: Catching, Cleaning & Cooking Fresh Gulf Scallops
Scalloping is the Natural North Florida’s alternative to South Florida’s lobster season. It’s a combination of complete madness at boat ramps and marinas, motels filled to capacity, family fun, and some of the best eating around. Here is our comprehensive guide to scalloping in Natural North Florida to prepare you for the upcoming season. Read …
A Taste of “Old Florida”: Bill’s Fish Camp at Suwannee
There are very few real “fish camps” left in Florida. Of those that disappeared, many were sold and their valuable (and strategically placed) real estate swallowed up by developers to build pricey condos and vacation homes. Some of that happened at Suwannee, Steinhatchee, Yankeetown and Cedar Key, but there are a few left. On our …
Fishing News: Redfish daily bag limit in Big Bend to change to 1 fish per person
On May 1, 2016, the individual bag limit for redfish (red drum) will drop from 2 fish to 1 fish on Florida’s Big Bend (Pasco County to the Alabama line). The FWC’s Northwest Zone is affected, as shown on the map below: Red drum, also called redfish, channel bass, spottail, red bass or reds, are …
Pit Stop: Headed Down Beach Road in Taylor County? Don’t Miss “Walter B’s”!
I’m sure if you plugged “15729 Beach Road, Keaton Beach, FL” into you GPS, it would take you to Walter B’s store. However, if you’re headed south from Perry down Beach Road (CR361) towards Keaton Beach, Adams Beach, Dekle Beach or Steinhatchee you’ll encounter this nice store, with gas, groceries, fishing tackle, kayak rentals–and even …
Fabulous, Feminine Fun at Steinhatchee’s Nauti-Girls Tournament, 6/11/16
NO BOYS ALLOWED! That’s the motto for the upcoming Steinhatchee Nauti Girls Fishing Tournament, scheduled for June 11th. Actually “boat boys”, mostly designated drivers, are allowed to chauffeur ladies’ teams around the local Steinhatchee waters. This is the 7th year of the event, and it just keeps getting more and more popular, attracting ladies from …
Shands 12th Annual Fishing For Kids Trout Tournament, Steinhatchee, FL–4/23/16
The 2016 Fishing For Kids Trout Tournament has a guaranteed $2500 payout, which isn’t bad for a $100 per boat entry fee. And there should be plenty of trout to be caught swarming the Taylor County flats off Steinhatchee. The tournament benefits UF Health Children’s Hospital and the Children’s Miracle Network Hospitals, so even if …
Gov. Scott and FWC Announce Saltwater and Freshwater License-Free Fishing Days
Governor Scott and the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission announced Floridians and visitors will be able to fish without a saltwater recreational fishing license on June 7 and 8 and freshwater recreational fishing license on June 14 and 15. Governor Scott said, “Florida is the Fishing Capital of the World, and fishing is an …