# 1Kneefishing in St Mark's...



## 1eyefishing (Mar 22, 2019)

Rolled on down here to meet up with Browning Slayer and our buddy Michael for a weekend of fishing...
Travel day (Thursday) we hid from the wind and the fish hid from us!
Today the wind was a lot calmer in the morning but still hit us pretty hard in the afternoon. We brought in about six or seven keepers and lost several right at the boat!
Mirrodines, live shrimp on popping corks and jig heads where the baits of choice...
Today (Friday)



Slayer even hooked up with a nice mermaid at the Riverside Cafe Thursday night, but this morning she turned out to be a sea cow! We took her down by the river to let her loose but she hung around until Slayer promised her he would write...



The three of us will be back out had it tomorrow, and I am staying through Sunday to fish with another friend who will be down for the day...
We'll have to complete this report in a day or so!


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## NCHillbilly (Mar 22, 2019)

Looks like the good life to me!


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## bany (Mar 23, 2019)

Livin’ the life!


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## Limitless (Mar 23, 2019)

Beautiful!  Water looks good and the fish are cooperating.  If it stays calm enough this is a great time of year to hit some hard bottom out around the 24 Barge for some Black Sea Bass and trolling stretch 25s could get you one of those Gags.  Have a great time.


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## Cmp1 (Mar 23, 2019)

Nice catches guys,,,,


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## 1eyefishing (Mar 23, 2019)

Beautiful day, but a little slower today. I don't know how Slayer can make a (small but) keeper flounder look like a small sandwich!
At least he didn't catch the most and the biggest fish today!
Maybe he had his mind on that sea cow all day! I'm sure we will hear from him shortly...


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## Chap (Mar 24, 2019)

Looks like you guys have caught a nice mixed bag and seen some cool wildlife!


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## 1eyefishing (Mar 24, 2019)

Sunday morning with my other local buds was pretty good... Never had to leave the East River!
Yep, pompano on the oyster bars!
I wish I could have taken home some of that chicken of the sea for myself, but I got me this dinner table size red. 26 and 1/2 "! On a jig head and a white Gulp swimming mullet.


Now to get some meat home to Mama and cook'em up!


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## mizzippi jb (Mar 24, 2019)

Looks like a blast!


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## Nicodemus (Mar 24, 2019)

There`s some good magic along The Forgotten Coast. I`ve had a love affair with the area for a long time.


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## Browning Slayer (Mar 25, 2019)

Nicodemus said:


> There`s some good magic along The Forgotten Coast. I`ve had a love affair with the area for a long time.




You ain't kidding Nic! For a few days this was my view.


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## Browning Slayer (Mar 25, 2019)

Browning Slayer said:


> You ain't kidding Nic! For a few days this was my view.


And now I'm looking out of my office looking at my truck.. I'll take the Forgotten Coast any day over dang near anything. I'll be back in a few weeks.

Looking at the bright side.. I'm going to buy my 80lb Ulterra Today!!!


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## MudDucker (Mar 25, 2019)

Gettin' er done!  I'm ready to switch from fixing up after Michael to chasing dem fish really really bad.


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## Browning Slayer (Mar 25, 2019)

MudDucker said:


> Gettin' er done!  I'm ready to switch from fixing up after Michael to chasing dem fish really really bad.



The Devastation that happened to the Fish Camp almost pushed the end of it. They had to replace everything. In everything. Glad to see it back and running full strength! Made reservations for 3 more trips this year.


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## Dustin Pate (Mar 25, 2019)

Can't beat it!


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## Rabun (Mar 25, 2019)

Looking good down there guy's!  Can't wait to get back to the coast myself!  Making me jealous


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## 1eyefishing (Mar 27, 2019)

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.
Couldn't even eat it all, left a couple or three large pieces for leftovers tomorrow.

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!


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## swamp hunter (Mar 27, 2019)

I'll be 8 miles from Keaton Beach in 2 Months...for Life.
Oyster Bars just down the road...


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## bany (Mar 27, 2019)

Did I already say livin the life??


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## doomtrpr_z71 (Mar 27, 2019)

swamp hunter said:


> I'll be 8 miles from Keaton Beach in 2 Months...for Life.
> Oyster Bars just down the road...


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.


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## Nicodemus (Mar 27, 2019)

1eyefishing said:


> 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
> ...




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.


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## dwhee87 (Mar 28, 2019)

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


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## killswitch (Mar 28, 2019)

Nicodemus said:


> 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 !!


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## 1eyefishing (Mar 28, 2019)

doomtrpr_z71 said:


> 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


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## Browning Slayer (Mar 28, 2019)

1eyefishing said:


> 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
> ...


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!


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## 4HAND (Mar 28, 2019)

Nicodemus said:


> 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.


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## NCHillbilly (Mar 28, 2019)

Good stuff!


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## Nicodemus (Mar 28, 2019)

4HAND said:


> 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.


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## 4HAND (Mar 28, 2019)

Nicodemus said:


> 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.


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## Browning Slayer (Mar 28, 2019)

Nicodemus said:


> 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 said:


> 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.


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## Rabun (Mar 28, 2019)

Has been a pleasure reading this thread..cept making me long for the beach!


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## 1eyefishing (Mar 28, 2019)

*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!


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## Browning Slayer (Apr 3, 2019)

Crab topped Flounder for dinner... St Marks Stone Crab topping with St Marks Flounder..


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## MudDucker (Apr 4, 2019)

Nicodemus said:


> 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.


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## MudDucker (Apr 4, 2019)

Nicodemus said:


> 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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## Rabun (Apr 4, 2019)

That looks awfully good Browning!!


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