# Skinny Water Keaton and Surrounds



## swamp hunter (May 9, 2017)

Anybody fish around there that fishes Tight to the shoreline ?
Knee deep and them little Tidal creeks .
Sightfishing any good there , are Reds in the shore grasses.
Fixin to move there in a couple years and I Love to sightfish. Skinny water is my home.


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## 1eyefishing (May 9, 2017)

I've never fished there, but I'm sure the site fishing is good in the clear water. No large rivers entering the gulf there, so should be pretty clear. Definitely skinny.
I am not the experienced voice that you're looking for about the fishing there, but am interested in your transition from Naples. Coming from a large place like Naples with plenty of commercial areas, tourists and bustling economy to a small, quiet place on the Panhandle.
I think the four seasons on the Panhandle will be much more noticeable. They move the fish in and out of the rivers and off and on to the flats and from here to gone for the pelagics.
Panhandle has spring, summer, fall, and winter. Southwest Florida has almost summer, summer, still summer, and tourist season.
Good luck with your move and post-transition fishing.
I am also planning a transition, from the northern Atlanta burbs to the Panhandle fishing.
And St. Marks trip in less than 48 hours!


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## swamp hunter (May 9, 2017)

Luckily I live pretty far East of Naples in a 6 Thousand Acre Farm on a dirt road. Salt is just 15 minutes from my house and the Millionaire crowds are 30 minutes up the coast.
It's pretty quiet where I live...skeeters keep them Money folks away ...for now.
I love Sightfishing and it's only Fair here because of , as you said, we have lot's of Glades Rivers flowing thru and Tannins make the water look like Sweet Tea. Not the best for flats stalking.


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## Elkbane (May 12, 2017)

Pretty much the whole coast from Keaton Beach South to Steinhatchee can be good skinny water fishing for reds and trout. Particularly the area south of Hagans cove to just sout of Dallus creek. There is limited access to that area and almost no development south of Dark Island.  There is a small boat ramp at Dallus Creek that you access from within the WMA.

Behind grassy island, and around any of the creeks, there is a little isolated rock structure that holds fish. I'd fish it from a boat instead of wading (LOTS of stingrays), but you can catch reds and trout on both plugs and spoons.

Going North out of Keaton, there is another isolated stretch once you get past Dekle Beach. You'll need to learn this area, cause it has oyster bars close to shore, but it also doesn't get fished as hard. Decent fishing that way all the way to Spring Warrior.

Had a summer house on Cedar Island as a kid and learned a 20 mile stretch of coast pretty well.  You can see what I'm talking about on Google Earth.....

Elkbane


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## nickel back (May 12, 2017)

swamp hunter said:


> Luckily I live pretty far East of Naples in a 6 Thousand Acre Farm on a dirt road. Salt is just 15 minutes from my house and the Millionaire crowds are 30 minutes up the coast.
> It's pretty quiet where I live...skeeters keep them Money folks away ...for now.
> I love Sightfishing and it's only Fair here because of , as you said, we have lot's of Glades Rivers flowing thru and Tannins make the water look like Sweet Tea. Not the best for flats stalking.




why would you leave that


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## swamp hunter (May 12, 2017)

Cause our hunting is wiped out from Cats...Fishin is real good thou.
Thanks Elkbane..I've been studying the Google Earth real close.
Looks like I'll be launching just north of Keaton. Yates Creek ,Lot's of small creeks up there and I'm hoping they hold good water at low tide.
My boat draws 5 inches , but there ain't no fish unless it's a couple feet deep here and there.


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## Elkbane (May 15, 2017)

Yes, that's the stretch I mentioned with rock structure and oyster bars near the shore.  Yates creek is a dirt ramp, I think, so take that into account.  It can get shallow on the big tides around full moon.

The larger trout feed like redfish, sometimes with their backs almost out of the water. Think larger lures, like mid-sized zara spooks.

When the water gets thin, look for the swaths of the old creeks about a mile offshore - there's one that shows up on the 2017 photo about 1.5 west (a tad south) of the mouth of Yates creek. Before Google Earth, I found these old creek swaths on aerial photography left over from when Buckeye sold the coastal lands to the state. I had about 40 miles worth of coastal photography to use plotting the run of old creek channels aware from shore. They offer diversity of habitat for fish and are good places to target rather than just endless grass flats.

ELkbane


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## swamp hunter (May 15, 2017)

Endless Grass Flats are cool but I'm a shallow water Oyster bar fishin kinda guy. Let me see that slight current rip and I'm on it.
Mullet makin a Mud..I'm thinking Redfish on a bomber long A.
Cut bait soaking on a bend and a jig on the casting rod working any current.
I'm not impressed with trout to much but they work on a toasted  bun. Drifting the Flats is something you do when your waiting on a Tide..
Any good oysters to eat around them Bars ?. Always like shuckin a few when I have time.


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