Our family usually takes a week to 10 day vacation every summer somewhere in Florida. The Keys are our primary destination but we are trying to find a location a bit closer this year. The Weekie Wachee area on the west coast is another area we frequent but, summer inshore fishing there isn’t very good. Is there someplace on the east coast or panhandle area that offers good summer inshore or nearshore fishing? We have an 18’ CC so far offshore fishing isn’t really doable. A place where we could also take kayaks would be a bonus.
Anyway, any input for some places to consider would be appreciated.
Have you tried Steinhatchee? Lots of in/near shore fishing plus scalloping. Not a lot of night life or fancy restaurants but good eats cheap. The Sea Hag marina will even give you GPS numbers for near shore sites.
We went there 3 years ago and really enjoyed it. We were there in November and the weather was fairly good. You can use your boat outside the river and likely up to 20 miles out. I have a 17 foot flats boat so I stayed near the land but up to 10 miles away from the river mouth. On the map it looks like it’s the Gulf of Mexico but the area just outside the river is called Deadman’s Bay. It’s super shallow for a long ways out and the fishing is great. During scallop season it’s pretty crowded and the prices go up. There’s another tackle shop in addition to the Sea Hag called River Haven Marina. It’s smaller and the people are really nice. I’m still on Capt. Mike Farmer’s email list. He sends out fishing reports nearly every week. River Haven also rents yaks and will take you up the Steinhatchee River where you can put in and paddle back to town. The put in is at Steinhatchee falls - a 3 foot waterfall. We did that and it was a great paddle. Suggest timing it so you’re getting close to town near high tide. Otherwise, there are some shallows that you’ll have to drag through (we did). Tanksgt is right about the nightlife or lack there of. The nearest Walmart is 45 minutes away to give you an idea of the isolation. They have a few restaurants, at least one gas station and a small grocery store.
I lived in the panhandle area of Florida for many years and still go there about twice a year. Destin is booming - think Myrtle Beach but newer and nicer. Great fishing there too. Choctawhatchee Bay has great shallow water fishing and the off shore is also great. We’re looking to go there this May and are finding so many places to stay that it’s mind boggling.
Yeah, Weekie Wachee is just south of Steinhatchee. We’ve done the scalloping and enjoy it but, the inshore fishing in the summer is the pits. We’ve talked to locals and we have a friend down that way and they all say summer fishing is slow and tough.
Anyone know anything about the Jupiter Beach area? My oldest has shown me videos of guys catching blackfin tuna less than a mile off the beach.
“Apathy is the Glove into Which Evil Slips It’s Hand”, but really, who cares?
DF, might want to check out Destin, FL in the pan handle…it’s about an 8 hour drive from Columbia…although I haven’t been there YET (going in Sept), I understand the inshore bite is awesome…bull reds, trout, and cobia earlier in the year. The beaches are great and the whole focus of Destin is fishing…
Fishing is a prefectible art…in which nevertheless, no man is perfect – Gifford Pinchot
Thanks, despite all of the many locations in which to fish down there, with the exception of the Keys, I don’t know much about fishing down there and haven’t had much luck getting any firsthand info. Destin is one area we are considering. Thanks again.
“Apathy is the Glove into Which Evil Slips It’s Hand”, but really, who cares?
I have no idea what the fishing in summer is like, but I’ve always wanted to vacation in the Port St. Joe/Apalachicola/St.George Island area. I researched it a lot a few years ago, and it looks like a great place to kayak fish and head out further as well.
“You don’t have a soul. You are a soul. You have a body.” - C.S. Lewis
St. Joe Peninsula SP is a great place to stay, but it can get crowded. I like to go in the “cooler” months when bugs aren’t as bad. You’ve got the bay side which is perfect for kayaks or johnboats or you can surf fish in the Gulf.
Went to Cape San Blas FL which is south of Port st joe last May. We didn’t have any issues with it being to crowded. There is a nice st park at the end of the cape that you can do a lot of wade fishing in the bay. We caught a ton of sea trout and flounder. We took a charter trip out of port st joe marina with Perfect Cast Charters captain Dan Van Treese put us on the gator trout. Best food was found at Indian Pass raw bar simple menu and great atmosphere. I posted a fishing report that you can find in the inshore discussion section last year when we went. We are headed back down in a week to relax and fish! Here is a pic of the gator double
Yeah, Weekie Wachee is just south of Steinhatchee. We’ve done the scalloping and enjoy it but, the inshore fishing in the summer is the pits. We’ve talked to locals and we have a friend down that way and they all say summer fishing is slow and tough.
Anyone know anything about the Jupiter Beach area? My oldest has shown me videos of guys catching blackfin tuna less than a mile off the beach.
“Apathy is the Glove into Which Evil Slips It’s Hand”, but really, who cares?
If you do wind up considering the Jupiter area, let me know. I have a cousin that charters out of there and should be able to give a current report.
Try Gulf Shores Ala, down around Fort Morgan! Great fishing and a lot cheaper than Fla. Can rent a nice house on the gulf for about a thousand a week and fish the gulf and the bay. 1000 of gas rigs close. Ala has a snapper season to beat all states.
