Bull Reds on the OTHER Coast

Windknot · 11-09-99, 11:04 AM

With apologies to THE EG, this should be subtitled "Hooch/Flint Rivers Report"

My sister-in-law moved to Apalachicola, FL last month, and invited us down for a visit over the weekend while a Seafood Festival was held in town. Let's see - seafood, sun, surf and my sister-in-law's highly cultivated sense of taste in adult beverages - yeah, I'll be there!

Her fiance responded to a question about "flats" with directions to St. George Island, across the river from their house. I went into the State Park at the East end of the island, and drove as far as I could. Parking in the last lot, I stood in front of the road barricade, turned to ten o'clock and walked to the quiet water. That side (bay side) has miles of quiet, shallow water just waiting to be fished.

It pains me to admit fishing was secondary to the trip, but I left my conventional tackle in the truck, and took a 5/6-wt rod hurling chartreuse/white and brown/white clousers in size 4, plus some bass & bluegill poppers. There was enough wind to make this interesting, but I managed okay. I guess you can't take the bass fisherman's love of structure out of me, so I fished an area of sandbars radiating out from the shore like a large letter "W".

Saturday the tide was almost fully in when I started, and I watched mullet jumping all around me. As the water built up, I noticed fish as long as my leg slashing in grass beds on the down-current side of the bars. They were as close as ten feet from me at one point, and I could see their shapes and spots near the tails. Redfish, at or over the upper slot limit of 27". The brown/white clouser didn't do it for them, unfortunately.

Sunday, I thought about the normal baits used for redfish, and realized they use their noses, like bass, to help feed. I dug out the garlic-flavored oil and doused the chart/white clouser. As the tide came in I caught a flounder of about 14", which was like catching a brick with teeth. The wind from the day before was gone, and before full high tide I was fried, and wimped out before the big bruisers came in close to shore.

I will be back. It was beautiful, and was like being on the set of "Walkers Cay Chronicles." Area fishermen tend to go to the very end of the island and fish the surf, and I saw nobody except two hikers each day.

Florida 3-day license - $6.50-$7.00. State Park pass - $2.00 per day.

Tight lines,
Don

ALG · 11-16-99, 03:26 PM

I have fished the St. park at st. george for many summers in the past. Usually in June. Before the past couple of hurricanes came through, you could go all the way down to the end of the island ( with 4x4). This was the most amazing fishing I have ever done in my life. Crystal clear water and an assortment of fish unmatche anywhere. I was using bait and lures and caught everything from small grouper to hammerhead sharks. The most interesting and scary part of the whole time was when my cousin and I were fishing in 4 feet of water and a 5 foot shark charged the shore and grabbed a baby shark that someone had killed and thrown back in. It was unreal.
Glad you had fun on your trip. I have never fished in the bay from shore. ---ALG

11-16-99, 11:35 PM

Fall can also provide some pretty fast action with large schools of Spanish Mackrel moving through East Pass there at the State Park. I've never fished for them with a fly but I'd imagine that they'd hit anything with some flash. Although you need a boat, West Pass not to be confused with "the cut" can provide some little known northern-gulf Tarpon action in the spring. Anyone want to organize a trip?

Windknot, I is beautiful isn't it, Reds tailing in the clear north Florida waters! I have many a fond memory of catching Reds and Specks in those grass flats. I'm glad that you had a great time.

If anyone has any advice on catching Reds in the shallows on a fly I'd appreciate the info. I have a trip booked for the Millenum flyfishing the flats of SC for Spotails.

Thanks.

------------------
"There is value in any experience that exercises those ethical restraints collectively called sportsmanship."
- A. Leopold

Windknot · 11-17-99, 09:34 AM

Thank goodness I didn't see any sharks - when you're as short as I am, wading really deep isn't an option. I will list two (no, three) cautions:
- Sandspurs. Not the puny little things we get in Georgia - these things are industrial-strength. I still haven't gotten all the spikes out of my wading sandals.
- Sunscreen. When you hop in a tall truck, all sunscreen that you diligently spread on the backs of your legs before leaving home will be rubbed off by the time you hit the water.
- When the FL Park Service posts a speed limit, they mean it! I was lucky it was just a warning - FL law calls for $183 for exceeding the limit by 20 mph.

Other than that, it was fabulous. I'll be back (with a stripping basket, for sure!)

Don

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11-09-99, 11:04 AM	#1
Windknot Director, Hall of Fame Member Join Date: Feb 1999 Location: Dacula, GA Posts: 12,600	With apologies to THE EG, this should be subtitled "Hooch/Flint Rivers Report" My sister-in-law moved to Apalachicola, FL last month, and invited us down for a visit over the weekend while a Seafood Festival was held in town. Let's see - seafood, sun, surf and my sister-in-law's highly cultivated sense of taste in adult beverages - yeah, I'll be there! Her fiance responded to a question about "flats" with directions to St. George Island, across the river from their house. I went into the State Park at the East end of the island, and drove as far as I could. Parking in the last lot, I stood in front of the road barricade, turned to ten o'clock and walked to the quiet water. That side (bay side) has miles of quiet, shallow water just waiting to be fished. It pains me to admit fishing was secondary to the trip, but I left my conventional tackle in the truck, and took a 5/6-wt rod hurling chartreuse/white and brown/white clousers in size 4, plus some bass & bluegill poppers. There was enough wind to make this interesting, but I managed okay. I guess you can't take the bass fisherman's love of structure out of me, so I fished an area of sandbars radiating out from the shore like a large letter "W". Saturday the tide was almost fully in when I started, and I watched mullet jumping all around me. As the water built up, I noticed fish as long as my leg slashing in grass beds on the down-current side of the bars. They were as close as ten feet from me at one point, and I could see their shapes and spots near the tails. Redfish, at or over the upper slot limit of 27". The brown/white clouser didn't do it for them, unfortunately. Sunday, I thought about the normal baits used for redfish, and realized they use their noses, like bass, to help feed. I dug out the garlic-flavored oil and doused the chart/white clouser. As the tide came in I caught a flounder of about 14", which was like catching a brick with teeth. The wind from the day before was gone, and before full high tide I was fried, and wimped out before the big bruisers came in close to shore. I will be back. It was beautiful, and was like being on the set of "Walkers Cay Chronicles." Area fishermen tend to go to the very end of the island and fish the surf, and I saw nobody except two hikers each day. Florida 3-day license - $6.50-$7.00. State Park pass - $2.00 per day. Tight lines, Don

11-16-99, 03:26 PM	#2
ALG Native Join Date: Oct 1998 Location: Athens Posts: 299	I have fished the St. park at st. george for many summers in the past. Usually in June. Before the past couple of hurricanes came through, you could go all the way down to the end of the island ( with 4x4). This was the most amazing fishing I have ever done in my life. Crystal clear water and an assortment of fish unmatche anywhere. I was using bait and lures and caught everything from small grouper to hammerhead sharks. The most interesting and scary part of the whole time was when my cousin and I were fishing in 4 feet of water and a 5 foot shark charged the shore and grabbed a baby shark that someone had killed and thrown back in. It was unreal. Glad you had fun on your trip. I have never fished in the bay from shore. ---ALG

11-16-99, 11:35 PM	#3
Pecheur Guest Posts: n/a	Fall can also provide some pretty fast action with large schools of Spanish Mackrel moving through East Pass there at the State Park. I've never fished for them with a fly but I'd imagine that they'd hit anything with some flash. Although you need a boat, West Pass not to be confused with "the cut" can provide some little known northern-gulf Tarpon action in the spring. Anyone want to organize a trip? Windknot, I is beautiful isn't it, Reds tailing in the clear north Florida waters! I have many a fond memory of catching Reds and Specks in those grass flats. I'm glad that you had a great time. If anyone has any advice on catching Reds in the shallows on a fly I'd appreciate the info. I have a trip booked for the Millenum flyfishing the flats of SC for Spotails. Thanks. ------------------ "There is value in any experience that exercises those ethical restraints collectively called sportsmanship." - A. Leopold

11-17-99, 09:34 AM	#4
Windknot Director, Hall of Fame Member Join Date: Feb 1999 Location: Dacula, GA Posts: 12,600	Thank goodness I didn't see any sharks - when you're as short as I am, wading really deep isn't an option. I will list two (no, three) cautions: - Sandspurs. Not the puny little things we get in Georgia - these things are industrial-strength. I still haven't gotten all the spikes out of my wading sandals. - Sunscreen. When you hop in a tall truck, all sunscreen that you diligently spread on the backs of your legs before leaving home will be rubbed off by the time you hit the water. - When the FL Park Service posts a speed limit, they mean it! I was lucky it was just a warning - FL law calls for $183 for exceeding the limit by 20 mph. Other than that, it was fabulous. I'll be back (with a stripping basket, for sure!) Don