# Planning a Steinhatchee Fishing Trip



## Poor Poor Fisherman (Feb 19, 2008)

Several of us are planning a trip to Steinhatchee to fish along the coast and up in the river.    We will be going in middle April or the first part of May.  

We have never been there before but we have heard a lot of great reports.   

What are your suggestions?  Baits, fishing techniques, tackle, etc.? 

Thanks for your help!!  

Poor Poor Fisherman


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## MudDucker (Feb 20, 2008)

Not much fishing in the river that time of the year, except for fresh water.  Get some jigs, some berkley gulps, follow the other boats to the flats and drift fish.   Be sure you are in an adequate boat with all required gear, including a paddle, an anchor with at least 50 foot of rope, flare kit, throwable cushion, wearable life jackets for everyone on the boat, and a VHF radio (radio not required by law, just by good sense).  Have a blast.


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## Limitless (Feb 20, 2008)

MudDucker gave you some good info and advice.  All along the upper gulf coast you'll have good Trout, Reds and Flounder on the flats. If you are in a boat big enough, off shore will provide grouper, sea (black) bass and maybe kings and spanish.  Check the the latest regs when you get down, though, because there are big changes coming for grouper including a possible closed season.  

Bait:  jigs, spoons, mirrorlures, top water - like zaraspooks, small live pin fish (net or trap), live shrimp, gulps, etc.  LYs and larger pins for off shore.

You should also look at St. Marks (Shellpoint Fish camp), Panacea, and Carrabelle (ST George Island) -- shorter drive and also great fishing.  If you go to C'belle, I have a 3 bedroom 3 bath condo at the Moorings Marina that comes with a free slip;  I give a discount on it for forum guys.


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## notnksnemor (Feb 20, 2008)

I'll be there April 18th, 19th and 20th.
Staying at Gulfstream Marina. If that's when you're going to be there you can follow me around some.

Rick


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## bukhuntr (Feb 20, 2008)

Gulfstream is great, I highly recommend them.  All the lures everyone is talking about will catch good numbers.  Cobia (about like striper fishing, with some getting 50 to 70 lbs) will probably be in by then, and you should have atleast a good heavy rod, with a strong flourocarbon leader.  Catch you about a four to six inch pinfish, put a good size circle hook in his lips and float him under a cajun thunder float.  The pin will pull it down for a few seconds at a time, but it will bounce up.  While you are drifting (Look for good grass on the bottom in 2 to 6' of water) Pitch that sucker out and let him follow the boat.  I usually let out about 100 feet of line.  When your cork stays under for a good while, slowly take in the slack and when you feel the fish, just reel down on him fast, don't set the hook.  With any luck you'll land just about the best tasting fish in the ocean.  Make sure he is legal and put him in the ice box.  I believe he has to be 33" to the fork.  We are going down the last week of March.  I love Steinhatchee and try to go as often as I can.  Since you've never been, I would not go south out of the river (Left)  Make darn sure you have all your safety gear and I recommend a good size anchor in case your motor dies (Or you pop an oyster bed or crab trap running wide open.  Stopping your drift out to sea can save your life.  I would just look for other boats and kind of fall in their with them, while keeping a good distance.  A live shrimp under a cajun thunder will work good as well as a gulp shrimp on a jib head under the same.  I know other things that work very well, but the info you've been given should be sufficient.


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## Parker Phoenix (Feb 20, 2008)

Watch out for rocks.
Watch low tides as off #4 going south there is a gradual rise that will peak out and get you stuck.
Look for grass with sand close by.
Be aware that going south there is also some big time sand bars. You should be able to see them very easily.
get a chart at the Marina and think about fishing around Pepperfish Island.


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## Gaducker (Feb 20, 2008)

When yall say big boat, how big you mean, I got a 18 ft G3 with 24 inch sides is that safe??


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## notnksnemor (Feb 21, 2008)

I would recommend a boat with a pretty good bow rise.
You see skiffs and flats boats there all the time but I feel more comfortable in something that will cut waves.

Like was mentioned before, be careful going south. best advice is to run the channel out to the #1 marker then head south to where you want to go and turn back east at slow speed. Takes a little more time, but a lot safer.


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## MudDucker (Feb 21, 2008)

Gaducker said:


> When yall say big boat, how big you mean, I got a 18 ft G3 with 24 inch sides is that safe??



Yep for inshore fishing when the weather is right.  I caught more fish out of my old 16 foot fisher with a 20 hp mercury than I would want to count or clean again


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## jimbo4116 (Feb 21, 2008)

You can also go north, around Dallus Creek and Big Grassy for Trout. Gulps retrieve slowing with intermittent jigging. Gulps 24" to 30" under Cajun Thunder.

 The rock beds just south of the channel are good for Reds, just be careful.  Your boat will be just right for poleing in and out.  Black and gold plugs like Redfins and BitaBait, try a spinner bait with a new penney gulp rigged on it, gold blade.


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## bukhuntr (Feb 21, 2008)

If you really want to go south, I would advise using a guide like "Casino Dave" for your first outing.  It will save you a bunch of headaches.   To many obstacles to the south, and there is excellant fishing to the north.


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## kingfish (Feb 21, 2008)

Get yourself a good map of Steinhatchee.  Run the river channel all the way out to the end before you turn north or south.  This will give you plenty of water to run in.  I pretty much fish south.  Just north of Rocky Creek are some of the prettiest flats you can ever fish.  Just south, find Bull Cove and fish those areas.  When you get shallow, you better be going slow because like everyone says there are rocks.  Your boat is fine for anything you want to do inshore.  Depending on the weather, things really start cranking up right when you'll be there.  Good luck and take pictures.  Kingfish


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## swamp hunter (Feb 21, 2008)

Hey I just got 5 acres up in Perry ,Never fished the area before ,Thanks Guy,s I just learned a bunch !


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## Hunting Teacher (Feb 23, 2008)

Gaducker said:


> When yall say big boat, how big you mean, I got a 18 ft G3 with 24 inch sides is that safe??



That's more than enough boat. Most likely by then the weather will be good. Usually the wind picks up every afternoon so it might be a little wet or bouncy running in but the chances of having any real problems with your boat due to weather is slim.
I fish a 17 flats boat that will absolutely hose you in a chop. Over many years of fishing the area I've finally learned how to sneak back inside close to shore to stay out of the wind. I would NOT recommend this until you have been there several times.


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## Slayer (Feb 23, 2008)

*here's my "go to" kit for reds and trout.....*

I fish out of Keaton Beach.......that time of year, STAY SHALLOW!!!!!!!

I use 4 and 5 foot to run from place to place,,,,but I will fish in 1 to 2 foot for the active feeding fish......

The doghead is a great place to drift for trout    check it out


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## Poor Poor Fisherman (Feb 23, 2008)

*Thanks for the Advice!!*

Guys,

Thanks for your advice.  Glad I asked!!    We are excited about this trip.  I have downloaded each of your comments and will send them to each guy in our group.

Wish us luck!!  

Poor Poor Fisherman


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## Georgiagator (Feb 25, 2008)

me and my dad go to Keatons often, He goes every Thursday and we usually fish cut bait with just a swivel and hook and he does very good


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## bross07 (Feb 26, 2008)

Get a map from the marina, dallus creek, fishermans rest, big grassy island, all areas around there hold fish. I would use Berkley GULPS in new penny color under cajun thunders. Try them with just a jig head too for bites. Fishermans rest has some oyster bars that hold good reds, be careful!!!


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## lewgardner (Feb 26, 2008)

Been there losts of time then switched to Keaton beach. At Keaton (30 min north) we didn't have to travel as far to fish and had luck inside one mile out.  Steinhatchee has all its motels/marinas bought up by lawyers that are putting up condos. 3 marinas are gone in the last 2-3 years. Fish there while you can . Soon it will be hard to. And expect to pay for Fla. fishing permits. They doubled or more in the last year or two.


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## LYNN (Mar 1, 2008)

Yep, I got caught dow at Pepperfish almost 30 years ago with a 16 semi V and an 18 horse Evinrude. We were throwing the steel to 'um when a storm rolled in between us and the river. The weather got real bad and the waves looked like steep hills. I would run up a wave at an angle, reach the top and and tach down the other side and do it again. When we got to the river, I caught a big wave and rode it through that 1 foot deep shortcut by the big Cedar. Our fish boxes busted open and filled the bottom  of the boat with fish. I never even got time to put on my life jacket because I was too busy trying to keep the boat from getting swamped. I can get scary. Now I have a radio with current weather. 
 That is not to scare any one but go prepared and I think money is well spent to hire a guide and learn the lay of the land a couple or 3 times before trying it solo. Tearing up a lower unit can pay for all that expense with a guide. Charts and GPS help too.


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## spotsndots (Mar 1, 2008)

There's plenty of great advice on this thread.  I would also encourage you to get a guide as well.  At least for one day.  Two years ago I located a rock while idleing about 3/4's of a mile off of the shore line and was lucky to have only spun a hub on the prop.  It takes a while to be towed from 8 miles south of the river channel. By the way, I now carry an extra hub assembly and a spare prop.  Another bit of advice, don't leave the river channel (north or south) until you pass Marker 7 to stay on the safe side.  A chart is highly recommended if you don't use a guide.  Good Luck!


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