1Kneefishing in St Mark's...

Nicodemus

The Recluse
Staff member
Bam!
End of a thread...
Cooked up about half of the fish fresh and froze the other half...and four other people went home with as much fish as I did.View attachment 963629
Couldn't even eat it all, left a couple or three large pieces for leftovers tomorrow.View attachment 963630

And WoW!
Could be the end of an era, also...
Looking back, it looks like I started fishing St Mark's with Browning Slayer two springs ago in '17. seems like a dozen trips or so later, I am looking back...
The inexpensive accommodations, old Florida lifestyle, and fishing with great friends have made this old fish camp kind of a second home to me. It seems like everybody knows everybody 'round here and is one big happy family...
But now I have set myself up with a travel trailer on property close to Pensacola Bay, and now have a free fish camp at my wife's kin folks' place. I will be fishing Pensacola area much more in the immediate future...
I still have nearly monthly plans through the summer here at St Mark's, but it is now time to take up primary saltwater ambitions in Pensacola...
And, I just have to acknowledge what a good friend Browning Slayer can make. I know he can be quite the pariah on the forum, but I can tell by my 2-year friendship with him and by the company of people that also call him friend, that he has what it takes to be one... Even my wife likes him!

P.S.- I also have to give a shout out to my wife, who cooks my fish and loves me.
At the end of this meal, she pushed her plate back and said, " Honey, you're going to have to go fishing more often!"
I love her!


You would have loved it back when we started fishing down there, when the limit on trout was 50 and I don`t even know if there was a limit on reds. Lot of folks considered them trash. The mullet fishermen could still net. Those really were the good ol days. And I miss them dearly.
 

dwhee87

GON Political Forum Scientific Studies Poster
Looks like the knee rehab's coming along. Keep it up 1eye, and you'll be dancin' a jig in no time.
 

killswitch

Senior Member
You would have loved it back when we started fishing down there, when the limit on trout was 50 and I don`t even know if there was a limit on reds. Lot of folks considered them trash. The mullet fishermen could still net. Those really were the good ol days. And I miss them dearly.

Remember those days as well !!
 

1eyefishing

...just joking, seriously.
Hopefully this fails then

https://www.floridaphoenix.com/2019...d-project-could-benefit-floridas-richest-man/

The thread does have me hopeful that my trip next week will be good fishing, hope the water temps come up some by then.
Good info, doomtrpr...
I guess this is how the rich get richer... I wonder what will happen to the general property values in that area. They'll have to go up, could be good to get in now. Looks like swamp hunter is going to be in the catbird seat!

I recall seeing the water temperature on my electronics at 63.9, but I forget if that was out on the flats or in the river mouth. The temperature is almost at that sweet spot! It seemed to be warming up a little faster a couple of weeks ago and now the blue shades have returned to the big bend on this website I use for water temps. Click on each thumbnail to get a more detailed view...
https://marine.rutgers.edu/cool/sat_data/?product=sst_comp&region=gulfmexico&nothumbs=0
 

Browning Slayer

Official Voice Of The Dawgs !
Bam!
End of a thread...
Cooked up about half of the fish fresh and froze the other half...and four other people went home with as much fish as I did.View attachment 963629
Couldn't even eat it all, left a couple or three large pieces for leftovers tomorrow.View attachment 963630

And WoW!
Could be the end of an era, also...
Looking back, it looks like I started fishing St Mark's with Browning Slayer two springs ago in '17. seems like a dozen trips or so later, I am looking back...
The inexpensive accommodations, old Florida lifestyle, and fishing with great friends have made this old fish camp kind of a second home to me. It seems like everybody knows everybody 'round here and is one big happy family...
But now I have set myself up with a travel trailer on property close to Pensacola Bay, and now have a free fish camp at my wife's kin folks' place. I will be fishing Pensacola area much more in the immediate future...
I still have nearly monthly plans through the summer here at St Mark's, but it is now time to take up primary saltwater ambitions in Pensacola...
And, I just have to acknowledge what a good friend Browning Slayer can make. I know he can be quite the pariah on the forum, but I can tell by my 2-year friendship with him and by the company of people that also call him friend, that he has what it takes to be one... Even my wife likes him!

P.S.- I also have to give a shout out to my wife, who cooks my fish and loves me.
At the end of this meal, she pushed her plate back and said, " Honey, you're going to have to go fishing more often!"
I love her!
You trying to make me "blush"? No chance!

This trip was no end of an era. You'll be back in Fish Camp before you know it. Not to mention, you'll swing by this fall and fish the Aucilla with me in the G3!

And we just loaded that Humminbird with all the good tracks in St Marks..

Not to mention, I'll be fishing Pensacola in the future! :wink:
 

4HAND

Cuffem & Stuffem Moderator
Staff member
You would have loved it back when we started fishing down there, when the limit on trout was 50 and I don`t even know if there was a limit on reds. Lot of folks considered them trash. The mullet fishermen could still net. Those really were the good ol days. And I miss them dearly.
Yes sir! I come from a long line of commercial fishermen.
 

NCHillbilly

Administrator
Staff member
Good stuff!
 

Nicodemus

The Recluse
Staff member
Yes sir! I come from a long line of commercial fishermen.


State did the mullet fisherman wrong. Put a lot of good folks out of business forever, and killed a way of life that went back a long time.
 

4HAND

Cuffem & Stuffem Moderator
Staff member
State did the mullet fisherman wrong. Put a lot of good folks out of business forever, and killed a way of life that went back a long time.
Yes sir.
Tough breed of folks though. Most figured out another occupation & survived, but it's a shame they were forced into changing their way of life, some of whom had only known that way of life for generations.
 

Browning Slayer

Official Voice Of The Dawgs !
State did the mullet fisherman wrong. Put a lot of good folks out of business forever, and killed a way of life that went back a long time.
Yes sir.
Tough breed of folks though. Most figured out another occupation & survived, but it's a shame they were forced into changing their way of life, some of whom had only known that way of life for generations.


They did the same thing with all of their restrictions on offshore recreational fishing and letting the commercial guys have the entire fishery all to themselves.
 

1eyefishing

...just joking, seriously.
*footnotes...
This WAS the first time my new boat had been cranked since my January 8th total knee replacement. I took delivery of it only 3 weeks before that...

The knee is still giving me HECK! Lots of pain during the day, still lots of throbbing at night. Still doing physical therapy and the doctor in the therapist say it is right where it should be. I just can't understand why it hurts so dang much! But I've told myself that I've had enough sitting on the couch, it's time to put the knee in a bucket and carry it with me wherever I go! Because it is surely time to go!

The era that is ending is the era of me having an aluminum tunnel hull boat with supreme skinny water capabilities. St Mark's is just the place for that type of boat. And It is so inexpensive that it was my preferred place... But now I have a larger boat capable of broader horizons. And a free place to stay that is even cheaper than St Marks.
I'm sure that the G3 and Browning Slayer will continue their mastery of the area with a little less company from me. But I will be back! I still want that picture of me standing on Black Rock with a fishing pole in hand, line in the water. Slayer's G3 is my only option for that to happen!

Always and still Looking Forward!
 

Browning Slayer

Official Voice Of The Dawgs !
Crab topped Flounder for dinner... St Marks Stone Crab topping with St Marks Flounder..
 

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MudDucker

Moderator
Staff member
You would have loved it back when we started fishing down there, when the limit on trout was 50 and I don`t even know if there was a limit on reds. Lot of folks considered them trash. The mullet fishermen could still net. Those really were the good ol days. And I miss them dearly.

My first trip to St Marks was about 55 years ago. We stayed at Shell Island and went out with a guide who used oars to hold the boat in position. No limit on numbers or size at that time. We loaded the boat.

Wish they hadn't built all of the modern stuff around the camp. I liked it best when it was just the old wooden buildings. Its one of the last remaining true old style fish camps.
 

MudDucker

Moderator
Staff member
State did the mullet fisherman wrong. Put a lot of good folks out of business forever, and killed a way of life that went back a long time.

Yea, but the netters started going crazy and targeting everything. When they only targeted mullet, they weren't a problem. Ol' man Crum is suing to have the net ban overturned. Who knows.
 
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