Trolling For Trout–A Favorite Big Bend Wintertime Fishing Technique

Many of the Gulf-facing creeks along our Big Bend coastline are as wide and deep as our smaller rivers.  Three good examples are Barnett and Dan May creeks, in Levy County near Suwannee, and Dallus Creek, in Taylor County.  And slow-trolling lures, especially MirrOlures, is a time-tested method used by local anglers to catch fat …

Warmer Winter Afternoons Make For Great Fishing in Dixie County’s Horseshoe Cove

Sometimes the best fishing is where it’s hard to go.  That’s especially true of Horseshoe Cove, south of the Horseshoe Beach community in Dixie County.  And when the day starts out cold and warms through the early afternoon, it’s worth a trip to Horseshoe Cove! Whether you’re launching your boat at Horseshoe Beach (there are …

If You Fish or Boat on Natural North Florida’s Big Bend– Know Your Weather!

Yes, Florida is warm.  And in winter months, it’s typically warmer than the rest of the country and most of Europe.  But there are times when cold fronts appear and the temperatures get to freezing or just a few degrees below.  For many of us “natives” 60-degrees F is cold! When it comes to boating …

Hungry For A Trout Dinner–Fish Suwannee’s Barnett and Dan May Creeks This Winter!

There are lots of deep holes in creeks and rivers all along our Natural North Florida Gulf coastline, but few are as easily accessed as Dan May and Barnett Creeks.  These creeks are big–as big as many of our coastal rivers–and hold swarms of fat spotted seatrout during cold winter days.   There are several excellent …

Taylor County’s Dallus Creek Is On Fire–With Spotted Seatrout, January 2016

Almost like clockwork, and on yearly basis, seatrout seem to head into Dallus Creek and the “trout holes” there.  It’s usually after the first few days of cold weather, and no one seems to understand the dynamics of this excellent fishing spot.  For the most part, Dallus Creek is shallow, but there are a couple …

3-Day Trip: Fish North Florida’s Hidden Coast

The shorelines of Florida’s northwest counties are known for more than their white, sandy beaches and quaint, coastal cities. Their waters are abundant with a wide variety of salt and freshwater fish, and each county offers an assortment of boating, scalloping and other water activities. From freshwater kayak fishing to deep-sea charters, Florida’s northern shores …

A Natural North Florida Winter Traditon– Trout in Suwannee’s Coastal Creeks

There are probably no two wintertime trout spots on Florida’s Big Bend more famous than Dan May and Barnett creeks, south of the Suwannee River.   These are not piddling little ditches draining small patches of coastline, but big creeks that rival some of Florida rivers in overall size and tidal flow. January‘s deepening winter usually …

Start Searching For Cedar KeySheepshead, Winter 2015/16

While opportunities abound for anglers to target many species in our Natural North Florida area in January, it’s the thought of big sheepshead that really gets local folks excited. Cold winter weather sparks the natural spawning cycle of sheepshead and the big females, some as large as ten pounds, school over and near artificial and …

Rum138: More Than A Paddling Destination in Southern Columbia County

Travelers to the springs areas of Natural North Florida near High Springs often ask me about Rum138.  Doug and Merrillee Jipson’s lovingly-presented creation is hard to explain.  There, you’ll find an excellent kayak and canoe outfitter, a first-rate art gallery–and you can even get your hair styled! Rum138 is definitely worth a visit, if for …

“Seenie Otey” Is Just A Short Paddle From Cedar Key

On the charts and maps of Cedar Key and Dixie County, Florida it’s named “Atsena Otie Key”.  But to locals, it’s simply “Seenie Otey”.  In any case, this island is just a short paddle from the beach and harbor at the south end of the town of Cedar Key.  There, you can launch your own …