St George Island in March

Looking for a little advice. I am pretty familiar with SGI fishing in the spring/summer (mid-late April thru Sept). I have an invite to go down early March. Weather permitting, I will be bringing my 24' bay boat with me. What would y'all recommend that time of year...probably a little early for the pompano and cobia I suspect?

Thank you in advance!

I'm familiar with Cape San Blas and St. Joe Bay a bit to the west of St. George. Since nobody else has weighed in on St. George yet, I thought I would tell you what I know about this nearby area.

I'm on the Cape during the first week of March every year. It's like Spring training for me, as I'm warming up for the season. It's definitely early for Pompano. The magic water temperature for Pompano is 65 degrees, and that typically doesn't happen until late in the month. It is likely to come even later this year. It's 55 degrees right now. You will find whiting in the surf, though. I think it's too early for Cobia.

In the bay, I can generally find some trout coming up on the flats during the warmer part of the days. They tend to be infrequent, but larger than they are later in the year. I usually do better with reds than trout in early March. They're in close to shore if the tides are right.

I'm always back by the third week of April, and there's a world of difference by then. Fishing is hot. I still like going in March, though.

Sheepshead at the cut and at SGI bridge and any part of the old bridge structure you can find...

Early March will probably be slim pickings still. If things were to warm up early, you might start seeing a few pompano, but I have never ran into them real good on spring break's over the years. Whiting are usually in really good and you can fill a cooler quickly. You might get lucky and catch the beginning of the spanish run. The East End is a great place to take advantage of that bite if it is happening.

Thanks guy's for your replies and info! That's pretty much what I had thought...too early in the season for the typical Spring targets. I have fished sheepshead a few times and really enjoyed them!

I will bring my boat with me if the forecast isn't calling for continual blowing winds. Do you think the sea bass will be around the nearshore reefs, or do they migrate out during dead of winter? I also heard that red grouper come in to shallower reefs during the colder months...is that true?

Thanks again!

I've caught huge grunts and good sized (12-15 inches) seabass within 6 miles of SGI in every month of the year. They'll be there for sure. Never got on red grouper in that close though.

brriner said:

I've caught huge grunts and good sized (12-15 inches) seabass within 6 miles of SGI in every month of the year. They'll be there for sure. Never got on red grouper in that close though.

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Thanks bbriner that's encouraging info. on the bass. Do they relate more to structure/reefs opposed to live bottom or both. I've read they are abundant and aggressive to bite once found. Now if the weather will cooperate.

Raburn

Post some pictures if you catch anything. I will be on Burton the last weekend in March. Maybe I will see you up there?
Good Luck on your trip.

burtontrout said:

Post some pictures if you catch anything. I will be on Burton the last weekend in March. Maybe I will see you up there?
Good Luck on your trip.

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Thanks Burton. Sure will.... Hope we get something pic worthy. I was up last weekend. There were acres of small thread fin everywhere being picked off by sea gulls. We trolled on the pontoon for a few hrs...hooked up to one fish that spit the hook before getting a look at it. Was a decent fish that I believe was a trout. Caught him on a pointer 78 trolled on the surface. If I'm up I'll keep an eye out for
you.