# Keaton beach



## Jhud (Feb 22, 2012)

I Am from north Fl and after years of military service I have settled back down in central Georgia, just bought a bay boat and I can't wait to put it to use. My kids and I enjoy scalloping at KB and I have fished there, but not seriously in 15-20 years. Can anyone help with some tips/spots to catch pinfish? I also have cast net if I need it. Also any hints or places to start looking for black sea bass and sheepshead, these are great on the table and fun for the whole family. I will be down in a couple weeks and as often as work will allow after that. Thanks


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## grouper throat (Feb 22, 2012)

Catch your pinfish in 5-6 ft of water over the grassflats with small hooks and uncooked bacon, chicken livers, etc. The best bait is to just catch one and then cut it up into pieces. No cast net is needed then and it's easier to me to just catch them hook and line than chum and throw a net (and get wet for a long boat ride). 

Your sea bass are everywhere in rocky bottom from 12+ ft and your sheepshead will be on the Steinhatchee reef. The numbers are public but the better spots have structure that's been moved around by the storms (I can't tell you where). Use fiddler crabs (caught on the beach, Hagan's Cove, etc) for your best sheepshead bait. Up and down them tight-lined with the light bite they have. The bigger female sheepshead will be in soon also.

I forgot to tell you to watch the weather in a bay boat for the reef though. Goodluck!


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## Jhud (Feb 23, 2012)

Thanks for the info. I got some good advice from the marina also. Looking forward to getting back on the gulf


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## Parker Phoenix (Feb 23, 2012)

Makes 2 of us, wish we could get a couple good days. I love a mess of black sea bass for the freezer and they are thick as thieves......


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## Ga. Swamper (Feb 23, 2012)

To bad they (BSB) are endangered species in Georgia waters where they are thick as fleas.


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## Jhud (Feb 23, 2012)

Yes they are. I did make it down to Suwannee last month with my brother and managed to catch 20 or so for one good fish fry, the bad part is that only makes me want to go again... Soon as the weather and work cooperates i'm there.


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## grouper throat (Feb 24, 2012)

It's going to be a little choppy tomorrow or I would give you a real-time update. The sheepshead seem to bite well when the water is moving good though but it's harder to feel the bite. Maybe next weekend. 

From looking back at the log book the past few years, we've caught sheeps earlier as several weeks ago from the present day (feb 13, 2010- kept 18 big ones, caught 30+).

A little warning about Keaton's marina (and I don't mean this personally) they will sorta tell you what you want to hear sometimes.


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## Parker Phoenix (Feb 25, 2012)

Sheepies have been biting well if you have decent spots, but I'm still waiting for a break in  the weather for the BSB, sheepies are OK, but BSB are my preference,


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## Jhud (Feb 27, 2012)

Thanks Grouper, keep me posted if you get out and thanks for the heads up about the marina, but then again i haven't been to many marinas that tell you the fishing is terrible and you should stay home. 

Are folks catching sheepshead on the reef this early? 

I know down at suwannee in the winter months we catch sheepies in deep holes and around rocky bottom up in the river and creeks. Any places around Keaton to catch them before they move out to spawn?


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## Parker Phoenix (Feb 27, 2012)

They are spawning now.


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## Jhud (Feb 27, 2012)

I am planning on a trip this weekend. Depending on the weather.


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## Parker Phoenix (Feb 27, 2012)

I've been trying to get down for the last 6 weeks and the continual system of fronts coming through have kept me on the hill. Through Friday it's 2 to 4's so maybe next week maybe we can get a couple of days. Meanwhile the boat is fueled up and ready to go.


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## pottydoc (Feb 27, 2012)

Parker, we were heading down last Fri-Mon to try the bsb's but didn't go because of the weather. I'm shooting for the weekend after this one now, my freezer has no fish, I need to restock.


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## hotamighty (Feb 28, 2012)

We plan on going the weekend of the 10th. The people I am going with have caught some good sheephead there in the past. I have never caught a sheephead so Hopefully they will be there and hungry when we get there. If its too rough to go out for sheephead then we will stay in closer and try the trout and sea bass.


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## Parker Phoenix (Feb 28, 2012)

pottydoc said:


> Parker, we were heading down last Fri-Mon to try the bsb's but didn't go because of the weather. I'm shooting for the weekend after this one now, my freezer has no fish, I need to restock.



I've got a few grouper fillets left, but no black sea bass or grunts. To be honest ,I almost prefer the black sea bass over the grouper. Sheepies are OK, but I would rather have a grunt. 

This weekend looks like it's gonna be to rough, but I'm watching the weather. I'm afraid my boat may dry rot if it doesn't get some water soon.

Just 32 more days untill red grouper opens.


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## Jhud (Feb 28, 2012)

Yea it looks like the weather may keep my boat in the back yard this weekend too. 

My freezer also has an empty spot, venison shelves are full, now its time to fill the fish shelf. 

 I agree BSBs and grunts are hard to beat.


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## Slayer (Feb 29, 2012)

I hope to be down in Keaton on March 16/17/18.....time to do some trout and red snatch'n !!!!!!!!!!


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## grouper throat (Feb 29, 2012)

Parker Phoenix said:


> I've got a few grouper fillets left, but no black sea bass or grunts. To be honest ,I almost prefer the black sea bass over the grouper. Sheepies are OK, but I would rather have a grunt.
> 
> This weekend looks like it's gonna be to rough, but I'm watching the weather. I'm afraid my boat may dry rot if it doesn't get some water soon.
> 
> Just 32 more days untill red grouper opens.



We just give away all the sheepies. I don't like cleaning the smaller sized Bsb for the amount of filets you get so we normally don't keep them unless they're huge. Theyre probably one of the best tasting fish in the ocean though.


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## vanillagorilla (Mar 9, 2012)

headed down in the am do see if we can do any good. spoke with some guys that went last weekend during the windy storms and wore the trout out. hopefulle they left some!!!


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## Parker Phoenix (Mar 9, 2012)

Give us a report, some of us can't get away....


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## vanillagorilla (Mar 12, 2012)

tripped turned out good. it was windy 10-15mph with some strong gusts. come back with 20 trout 16"-18" and 2 spanish mackeral. caught most of them around the dekle beach bird rack. headed  back down friday.


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## biggabuck (Mar 12, 2012)

How woulda fella catch the black sea bass?


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## vanillagorilla (Mar 13, 2012)

we catch them on 3" gulp shrimp. the biggest i ever caught was last summer and it was 4.5lbs.


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## Jhud (Mar 13, 2012)

Sounds like a good trip. Did you hear any sheepshead reports? I will be down sat- sun weather permitting.


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## Parker Phoenix (Mar 13, 2012)

biggabuck said:


> How woulda fella catch the black sea bass?



I like to be in about 35' rig up a drop rig with two jigs at about 2 and 3 foot off the bottom, I then use an silver diamond jig as a weight, of course it has a treble hook on it. Sweeten the jigs with bits of Gulp. It's like a heavy duty sabiki rig. Catching 3 or even 4 fish at one time is not uncommon.


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## vanillagorilla (Mar 14, 2012)

i caught 1 sheephead about 8" long.  i did see 1 big'un swim by the boat but couldnt get him to bite


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## Jhud (Mar 19, 2012)

Took my son and went down yesterday. Decided to stay inshore. Went home with 3 trout, 2 mackerel, and a blue. Lots of short trout. Someone at the marina said they did better in 6-8 ft water, but lost lots of tackle to the mackerel. Had a great day, will be headin back in a couple weeks (apr 1-3). Hoping to get out a few miles and try to find some bsb's.


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## vanillagorilla (Mar 23, 2012)

we're headed back down this saturday for another go at it.  hopefully the weather holds out till late in the day.


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## Parker Phoenix (Mar 23, 2012)

http://weather.noaa.gov/cgi-bin/fmtbltn.pl?file=forecasts/marine/coastal/gm/gmz775.txt

Here is the NOAA weather link for Keaton Beach and surrounding areas. this includes wave heights and such. If you fish the area you  need this info.


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## Mac (Mar 23, 2012)

good info thanks


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## vanillagorilla (Mar 23, 2012)

appreciate the info!!!!!!


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## Jhud (Mar 30, 2012)

Heading down Sunday-Tuesday. Anybody heard a report in the last week? If not I hope to have one next week....


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## vanillagorilla (Mar 30, 2012)

keep us posted!!! taking this weekend off but we got about 5 boats headed down next weekend


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## Jhud (Apr 4, 2012)

Fished sun-monday at Keaton. Fishing was tough, but everyone had a great time. Wound up with 10 trout, 2 Spanish, 1 BSB. Also caught 2 small sharks and a bunch of short BSB and trout. 
Caught most on new penny gulp, not much on live bait, 4-6 feet water.
My family had a great time as always and we will be back in a few weeks.


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## B42 (Apr 4, 2012)

looks like its going to be a little rough


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## vanillagorilla (Apr 4, 2012)

going down sat with about 4-5 boats. weather looks good so far.


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