Indian Pass Florida

[notnksnemor]

Hi Guys,
Going to Indian Pass for a week in June.
First time there, I usually fish Steinhatchee.
Anybody have some tips on fishing there. I'm mainly set up for trout and redfish but have the gear for grouper and snapper.
I've got an 18' Aquasport center console. It has a high bow and deep vee and takes water pretty good.
I'm not afraid to go 15 miles out on the right day.
Any advice would be appreciated.

Thanks,

 

[Parker Phoenix]

Good fishing. Never grouper fished there before, but have fished for trout,redfish, and tripletail in the bay.

From the boat landing off to the left, across the bay there is an excellant oyster bar we caught nice reds off of using topwater, and some nice trout by chunking some 3 inch Gulp New Penny, also ride around the crab bouys and sight fish for tripletail.

One thing though, this place is the sail cat capital of the world, expect to catch a lot of them.

 

[notnksnemor]

Thanks Parker,
I should fit right in....I think I'm the sailcat king.
Not uncommon for me to catch 'em on artificials when everyone else is tearin' up the gator trout.

 

[MudDucker]

Yea, you need to rent my place at Cape San Blas and fish St. Joe Bay. Much better place for trout and reds. Indian Pass is good to launch to go offshore. Both are 10 minutes from my condo on the beach '-)

 

[notnksnemor]

Yea, you need to rent my place at Cape San Blas and fish St. Joe Bay. Much better place for trout and reds. Indian Pass is good to launch to go offshore. Both are 10 minutes from my condo on the beach '-)[/QUOTE

Appreciate the offer, we're taking the RV and staying at the campground at Indian Pass. Never been there, but it looks pretty convenient for the boat.
Any fishing tips you'd like to share on the area?????

 

[deadend]

If it is calm make the 18 mile run out to the Empire Mica for some AJ's, cuda, sharks, and whatever else is on it. If you have a decent bottom machine look around the area all the way out there and you will probably find some good hard bottom that will have some fish on it. There is alot of good grouper bottom in the area you just have to spend a few minutes looking for it.

Consult a local about how to run the pass out. You have to go back west until a certain spot then head straight out to miss the sandbar. We nearly got grounded there a few years ago.

 

[volguy]

fishing

another thing that no one has said much about is be careful anywhere there. not just going out the pass to head offshore. make sure and study your charts very well if you plan to stay inshore. the channel is very narrow inshore and in some places it is less than 50 yards wide between bars. not many folks fish there because it is a very dangerous place to fish. there are tons and tons of oyster bars in this area and if you don't watch your tides, you will tear your boat up.

also, the ramp is enclosed with concrete, but if you aren't careful, you will run your boat straight into the concrete if the tide is ripping. the pass is so narrow that the tides are big time strong coming in and going out.

 

[notnksnemor]

another thing that no one has said much about is be careful anywhere there. not just going out the pass to head offshore. make sure and study your charts very well if you plan to stay inshore. the channel is very narrow inshore and in some places it is less than 50 yards wide between bars. not many folks fish there because it is a very dangerous place to fish. there are tons and tons of oyster bars in this area and if you don't watch your tides, you will tear your boat up.

also, the ramp is enclosed with concrete, but if you aren't careful, you will run your boat straight into the concrete if the tide is ripping. the pass is so narrow that the tides are big time strong coming in and going out.

Thanks, that's good info to have.
Sounds kind of like the backwater around Venice/Nokomis.
Fished there last year and the channels get pretty narrow in places. Not so much oyster bar, but mud flat and mangroves. I'll definitely have charts a month or 2 before I go.
Keep the info coming, I'm getting more pumped with every reply.

 

[Parker Phoenix]

You will enjoy the campground. We stayed there for a week last summer. On one side is the bay, on the other a beach. There is a store,shower, and clothes washers if needed. You will have to have them pump your tanks as they have only one dump station. Still it ain't bad for $200 a week. You have to try the oyster bar right up the road, good oysters and stuffed shrimp. There is also a fish cleaning station which is screened in to keep the moquitos and no see-ums at bay.

 

[MudDucker]

another thing that no one has said much about is be careful anywhere there. not just going out the pass to head offshore. make sure and study your charts very well if you plan to stay inshore. the channel is very narrow inshore and in some places it is less than 50 yards wide between bars. not many folks fish there because it is a very dangerous place to fish. there are tons and tons of oyster bars in this area and if you don't watch your tides, you will tear your boat up.

also, the ramp is enclosed with concrete, but if you aren't careful, you will run your boat straight into the concrete if the tide is ripping. the pass is so narrow that the tides are big time strong coming in and going out.

Ditto. There are many bars to fish around Indian Pass. My success there has been spotty at best. The inlet can get pretty choppy going out, you need to study the wind. If you don't have enough success there, get back on 30A heading west and then launch in the Bay at Pressnels. Drift fish between Pressnels and Blacks Island. Best bait is to net LY's in the bay or use gulps on a jig. Just be careful, there is a lot of shallow water in this whole area. In the Bay, it is sandbars, in the Pass it is hard oyster bars. You might want to go look at the State Park at the end of Cape San Blas for a future trip. They have a really nice ramp and boat basin and good campsites. The beach and water on the gulf side down there is world renowned.

Have a great trip

 

[MudDucker]

Thanks, that's good info to have.
Sounds kind of like the backwater around Venice/Nokomis.
Fished there last year and the channels get pretty narrow in places. Not so much oyster bar, but mud flat and mangroves. I'll definitely have charts a month or 2 before I go.
Keep the info coming, I'm getting more pumped with every reply.

Been to Venice also...I'd rather run aground 10 times on a mudflat than an oyster bar. One is like hitting a sponge, the other is like hitting a brick wall.

 

[notnksnemor]

Been to Venice also...I'd rather run aground 10 times on a mudflat than an oyster bar. One is like hitting a sponge, the other is like hitting a brick wall.

I know what you mean.
Went last July....HOT... We got on a real good night bite for snook and mangrove snapper. Went through a livewell full of bait in 2 hours. Went to an offshore reef, can't remember the number right now, about 15 miles straight out the inlet, Cuda's all over. Had to rebuild 2 reels when I got back home. Did manage to get some decent triggerfish.

Thanks for the info....
I think i'm going to go sit in the boat for awhile..

 

[alligood729]

I was there about 3 years ago, a buddy and I and both families. We fished every morning til about lunch time, up the river, just off any oyster bar we could find. All we used was finger mullet we caught in the cast net. I have never caught a redfish til that week, and we couldn't have paid a guide to put us on more fish than we caught. Every day, redfish up to about 10lbs, 5-6lb average, sometimes 20 in a morning. It was unbelievable!! A good spec would show up every once in a while, the biggest was about 5lbs!!! It was one of the most memorable trips I have ever taken in salt water!!!