st. marks
Interested in Oysters? Head to Ouzt’s Too in Newport, FL
I’m “old school” and only eat oysters in months whose spelling includes an “R”. Yes, I realize we now have cleaner waters flowing over oyster beds these days and have excellent refrigeration technology, but I’m still not a fan of oysters taken from warm water. Warmer conditions mean an increased danger of contamination, and oysters …
Boaters and Fishermen–Need Up-To-The-Minute Weather and Wind Data? GIve the GCOOS Site a Try!
The folks at the Gulf of Mexico Coastal Ocean Observing System in St. Petersburg have released a valuable tool for recreational boaters. The GCOOS Map site will give you current weather information as well as buoy data for the entire Gulf of Mexico, including sites along the Nature Coast. Take a look!
Don’t Have A Fishing Boat Or A Kayak? Rent One!
Not everyone’s lucky (or unlucky!) enough to own their own fishing boat or kayak. However, renting is an option at several ports in Natural North Florida. Whether you fish, scallop or just want to go for a boat ride, renting may be right for you. It’s always nice to return to the dock and simply …
Cool-Weather Seatrout Tactics for Florida’s Big Bend
There’s no doubt that the spotted seatrout is the most popular of all the game fish we catch along our Big Bend coast. These fish are plentiful, relatively easy to catch, and make fine table fare. With the season now open all year, a daily bag limit of 5 fish (all over 15-inches; one over …
Florida’s Big Bend Anglers to Benefit From New Rules for Spotted Seatrout
Essentially, what this means to our Gulf coastline (in Levy, Dixie, Taylor, Jefferson and Wakulla Counties) is that the February closure has been eliminated. Now, anglers fishing from Yankeetown, Waccasassa, Cedar Key, Suwannee, Horseshoe Beach, Steinhatchee, Keaton Beach, Econfina, Spring Warrior, St. Marks and Panacea have an extra month to fish. February has traditionally been …
Biking St. Marks
A town as scenic, laid-back and traffic-free as St. Marks just begs to be explored on two wheels. Biking allows you to hop off and explore the places you notice along your meandering route, and you’re far more likely to notice them when you’re traveling at a relaxed pace in the open air instead of …
San Marcos de Apalache: A Peaceful Spot with a Turbulent History
This park doesn’t look like much from outside: In fact, you could walk right past it without ever realizing the fascinating, turbulent, globe-sweeping history it contains. But step inside San Marcos de Apalache Historic State Park in St. Marks, and you’re swept up in a story that begins in 1528. That’s when Panfilo de Narvaez …
Shell Island Fish Camp in St. Marks: Not Just for Fishermen
For me, fishing is mainly an excuse to be around boats and water. Catching something is almost irrelevant. Nevertheless, I love staying at Shell Island Fish Camp when I visit St. Marks. You can’t beat toddling down to the marina’s store for a cup of coffee and enjoying it on the docks as the sun …
Gulf Seafood is the Perfect Choice For Big Bend Visitors!
Fresh Gulf seafood has had some bad press recently. However, since the April 2010 Gulf oil spill, inspection routines have been perfected to such a point that Gulf seafood is probably better inspected than ever before. If you’re headed out to our Gulf coast, particularly to St. Marks, Panacea, Steinhatchee, Horseshoe Beach, Suwannee or Cedar …
A Taste of Wakulla County’s Gulf of Mexico Coastline
As fishermen, we typically focus pretty tightly on the task at hand–catching fish. However, the fish we catch and take home (or photograph and release) are sometimes different from the species that we eat at local restaurants. If you’re in Panacea, St. Marks–or any other place in Wakulla County, you’ll likely be fishing in some …