St. Mark's inshore variety pack...

[1eyefishing]

I like that mixed bag from day two. I'm curious about those mangos, did you catch those on the flats or oyster bars? I thought those were in deeper water?

I usually catch them as bycatch around structure. In the st marks area there's very little on the grass flats except for a few rock piles here and there that are shallow. I think the most qualified structure is the deep banks of an oyster bar. 9' deep water next to a bar covered by 6" of water qualifies as structure. I have a couple spots like that where I have caught everything under the sun. Flounder, drum, reds, trout, tarpon, snaps, sheepshead, and even pompano...

 

[1eyefishing]

I’m sure them boys appreciate your expertise! Are they atleast cooking dinner????

Tally for the trip was 3 restaurant dinners, all the bait, all the ice, and all the fuel paid for!

 

[bassboy1]

I like that mixed bag from day two. I'm curious about those mangos, did you catch those on the flats or oyster bars? I thought those were in deeper water?

Just about every dock will hold them. And they'll all be 9 3/4"...
Unless I'm in Alabama, in which case they grow to 11 1/2".

As far as I know, the juveniles stay inshore, they head offshore at a certain point.

 

[1eyefishing]

Just about every dock will hold them. And they'll all be 9 3/4"...
Unless I'm in Alabama, in which case they grow to 11 1/2".

As far as I know, the juveniles stay inshore, they head offshore at a certain point.

Yep, But ZERO docks to fish in St. Mark's.

 

[Browning Slayer]

Yep, But ZERO docks to fish in St. Mark's.

Once you get past the Fort, there's not a dock in sight.. except the one at the Lighthouse ramp.. And it's usually in 3 ft of water or less.. And the no see um's will take you off... I caught my keeper on our last trip off of a bar in the mouth of 4mile on a shrimp.

 

[Rabun]

We caught quite a few over wrecks this last week. They are much more shy than ARS...downsizing hook and flouro leader and using small livies was the ticket. Personally I prefer the meat of mangroves over ARS myself.

 

[slow motion]

Just got back yesterday. I fished St. Marks Friday and Saturday. Decent trout bite with bsb, sharks, ladyfish, and even a small cobia (22"). Along with the sharks, hardheads, and sailcats. Fished the Panacea area Sunday. Mostly reds and sharks and watched a guy catch a nice tarpon. Started to hit you up 1eyefishing but wasn't sure if you were still around the area.

 

[1eyefishing]

Just got back yesterday. I fished St. Marks Friday and Saturday. Decent trout bite with bsb, sharks, ladyfish, and even a small cobia (22"). Along with the sharks, hardheads, and sailcats. Fished the Panacea area Sunday. Mostly reds and sharks and watched a guy catch a nice tarpon. Started to hit you up 1eyefishing but wasn't sure if you were still around the area.

Busy busy, busy!
I got home early last week from my last trip (this thread).My weekend was spent with my wife who is off work. Drove to Pensacola yesterday and folded that fish camp up. Towed my big fluffy trailer to Saint mark's today and I'm spending the night here tonight and towing my little trailer home tomorrow.
Now that I've got the big one here, I'll be a lot more comfortable here and able to stay longer periods, plus very few trips from now on to Pensacola. Got one to Destin coming up, but I'll be here in St. Mark's a lot more than I I have been this Spring.
Our paths will cross…

 

[bassboy1]

Busy busy, busy!
I got home early last week from my last trip (this thread).My weekend was spent with my wife who is off work. Drove to Pensacola yesterday and folded that fish camp up. Towed my big fluffy trailer to Saint mark's today and I'm spending the night here tonight and towing my little trailer home tomorrow.
Now that I've got the big one here, I'll be a lot more comfortable here and able to stay longer periods, plus very few trips from now on to Pensacola. Got one to Destin coming up, but I'll be here in St. Mark's a lot more than I I have been this Spring.
Our paths will cross…

Why'd you get rid of P'cola?

 

[blood on the ground]

Nice!

 

[1eyefishing]

Why'd you get rid of P'cola?

Pcola...
- 25 mins from the bait store/ramp...
- no accommodations/ expensive accommodations for friends...
- RV lot in a sorry part of town...
- 1 of my two fishing campers needs re -dedicating to mtns/hunting...

St.Marks...
- Shell Island= boat on the dock; camper, truck and trailer, bait, ice and boat gas on site...
- Plenty of cheap accommodations on site for friends...
- Tiny town of 300 people were everybody knows everybody and trust everybody. Shell island hardly even uses keys for the rooms and cabins...
- Tired of paying for 3 RV lots....

 

[bassboy1]

Pcola...
- 25 mins from the bait store/ramp...
- no accommodations/ expensive accommodations for friends...
- RV lot in a sorry part of town...
- 1 of my two fishing campers needs re -dedicating to mtns/hunting...

St.Marks...
- Shell Island= boat on the dock; camper, truck and trailer, bait, ice and boat gas on site...
- Plenty of cheap accommodations on site for friends...
- Tiny town of 300 people were everybody knows everybody and trust everybody. Shell island hardly even uses keys for the rooms and cabins...
- Tired of paying for 3 RV lots....

Makes sense. Wife and I love the Pensacola area (planning to move down that way before long) and I think I prefer the fishing over there, so I was surprised to see you pick the big bend, but when you put it that way, it makes perfect sense.

 

[1eyefishing]

Makes sense. Wife and I love the Pensacola area (planning to move down that way before long) and I think I prefer the fishing over there, so I was surprised to see you pick the big bend, but when you put it that way, it makes perfect sense.

It was a tough decision for sure.
Two completely different fisheries/types of fishing. And I've caught a boatload of fish there. I'll miss the red snapper IN the bay and the miles of empty beaches for pompano and cobia fishing. Also schooling bull reds in the bay and good opportunities for night fishing...
I have a great fishing buddy there whose girlfriend just moved out of the house so I can stay with him in Gulf Breeze now. But he is considering moving back closer to family in North Carolina. We'll just have to see what happens.
My wife and I have been searching the panhandle for the right place for us also. She has a bunch of relatives around Pensacola and she is not too sure she wants to be that close to them...lol. My sweet spot would be between Apalachicola and Panama City Beach. I LOVE that clear, clean water from St. Joe over to Pcola...

 

[slow motion]

Tiny town of 300 people were everybody knows everybody and trust everybody.

One of the reasons I love Wakulla County. I've been to the 4th of July parade in Sopchoppy the last few years. Local politicians, old tractors, and always a few people with a prized chicken under their arm. It reminds me of my youth. I grew up with yard chickens and "coon" dogs in a house without A.C. and very little heat. As that great philosopher Mr. David Allen Coe put it "If that ain't country..." I think you all know the rest.

 

[bassboy1]

My wife and I have been searching the panhandle for the right place for us also. She has a bunch of relatives around Pensacola and she is not too sure she wants to be that close to them...lol. My sweet spot would be between Apalachicola and Panama City Beach. I LOVE that clear, clean water from St. Joe over to Pcola...

Port St. Joe area is about my favorite place on earth to visit, but we're both young and have quite a few working years left - that area isn't very conducive to that. I think we've pretty much settled on Baldwin County, Al (Foley area). We love P'cola, but Alabama has some advantages over Florida, and it's close enough to still get the benefit of P'cola bay.

I tried my hardest to get a property just outside Foley bought last week, but someone else beat me to it.

 

[1eyefishing]

That's a stud trout 1eye!

25 1/2".
I should have weighed it...

 

[1eyefishing]

24+"

 

[EastmanFireFighter]

Anybody catching any snapper outta St. Mark's?

 

[1eyefishing]

I saw that one dude keep his 26' Pathfinder with the 300 on it there come in with a heckuva box.

From 40 miles out.

 

[EastmanFireFighter]

You would think you could find some closer