# Where to go in Florida for...?



## brantd (Jan 1, 2010)

AIGHT YALL , NEED A LITTLE HELP HERE , I AM PLANNING MY SUMMER VACATION AROUND THE 2ND WEEK OF JUNE , WHERE SHOULD I GO FOR THE BEST FISHING WITH MY BOAT..ITS A 18.5' SEA CHASER WITH A 90 HP MOTOR...SO I CANT GO REAL FAR OUT ..LOOKING FOR SOME AREAS SUCH AS PERDIDO KEY, ORANGE BEACH , PORT ST.JOE , MEXICO BEACH, DESTIN ->(LEAST INTERESTED),  PENSACOLA...? WHAT YALL THINK WOULD BE BEST GIVEN MY BOAT...?


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## brantd (Jan 1, 2010)

Forgot about appalachicola..with the bay ?


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## saltlife addicts (Jan 1, 2010)

depends on what kind of fishing you will be doing, but I know that on up the panhandle towards port st. joe and mexico beach the water can be a bit rough for a small boat like that. I 've seen smaller boats have a time just getting out past the jetties at mexico beach with the waves breaking. If you are just fishing inshore you shouldnt have any problems but If you are wanting to venture offshore a bit, I would suggest you might fish a little farther south as the water is usually calmer down towards the flats. You dont have the factor of waves breaking when you venture out onto the flats generally. just my opinion.


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## wharfrat (Jan 2, 2010)

Big bend area. Troll for grouper (30 ft.) when it lays down, and great trout fishing on the flats in 3-8 ft. of water. Trout are a guarantee.


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## deedly (Jan 2, 2010)

Florida Keys. There is a state park on Long Key, and one further down. Bahia Honda is its name. The first time I went all I had was a jon boat, and we would catch grouper, snapper and other fish right under the bridges. June is also a good month for tarpon,and snook under the bridges, but I am not sure of the dates for snook season. Water is crystal clear so snorkling is always fun. Some mornings the water is glass smooth and you can go out as far as you dare. The Fla. Keys are good for small boaters as you can fish gulf side or ocean side for just about anything that swims. It is a long drive to get there but the boat ride to catch fish is very short.


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## d-a (Jan 2, 2010)

brantd said:


> AIGHT YALL , NEED A LITTLE HELP HERE , I AM PLANNING MY SUMMER VACATION AROUND THE 2ND WEEK OF JUNE , WHERE SHOULD I GO FOR THE BEST FISHING WITH MY BOAT..ITS A 18.5' SEA CHASER WITH A 90 HP MOTOR...SO I CANT GO REAL FAR OUT ..LOOKING FOR SOME AREAS SUCH AS PERDIDO KEY, ORANGE BEACH , PORT ST.JOE , MEXICO BEACH, DESTIN ->(LEAST INTERESTED),  PENSACOLA...? WHAT YALL THINK WOULD BE BEST GIVEN MY BOAT...?



How a bout Ala? Dauphin Island is at the base of Mobile bay. Theirs plenty of inshore fishing to be had plus tons of near shore Spanish, kings and bonito's and on calm days you could run 15 miles out and catch red and black snapper plus grouper at any of the rigs. 

The oil rigs are a mecca for fish. And its a easier drive than going to orange beach, perdito and P'cola.

d-a


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## d-a (Jan 2, 2010)

deedly said:


> Florida Keys. There is a state park on Long Key, and one further down. Bahia Honda is its name. The first time I went all I had was a jon boat, and we would catch grouper, snapper and other fish right under the bridges. June is also a good month for tarpon,and snook under the bridges, but I am not sure of the dates for snook season. Water is crystal clear so snorkling is always fun. Some mornings the water is glass smooth and you can go out as far as you dare. The Fla. Keys are good for small boaters as you can fish gulf side or ocean side for just about anything that swims. It is a long drive to get there but the boat ride to catch fish is very short.



They keys are great, but its a long drive with a boat for just a week. Ive done it several times. Now I prefer going for a month at a time.

d-a


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## MR. SCOOTINN (Jan 2, 2010)

Ok here you go, it is hard to beat..My hometown jupiter fl..Great inshore fishing,,check out mark sosins web page..& the great part is you are in the gulf just 2-3 miles out...Dolphin,sails ,kings,wahoo...Just flat line on the top water..Put you couple down at the bottom..snappers,grouper..Just google jupiter fl fishing..Durring the sumer waters are flat..18.5 foot boat no problem..You have the light house to view,,some of the best restraunts..& then thier is peanut island if you like to party...Edited to Remove Profanity ----Edited to Remove Profanity ----Edited to Remove Profanity ----Edited to Remove Profanity ---- I am home sick..lol


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## brantd (Jan 2, 2010)

wow , all sounds great , yea I know the keys and flats are some awesome fishing , this is just the annual "family" vacation not really my fishing trip so just trying to  plan accordingly  ...I fished down around Boca Grande , Charlies Pass and Sanibel Island last summer and it was awesome especially out in Pine Island Sound ..caught some really nice speckled trout off the oyster reefs with live shrimp.. If I can get in some good trout,redfish, black sea bass and maybe catch a few v-liners, cobia, sheepshead , flounder that would be sweet...


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## brantd (Jan 2, 2010)

wonder if i could talk her in to just going to st.simons or jekyll ?..lol ..she loves orange beach though...i think mainly because of Foley...where those dang shopping outlets are...


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## Parker Phoenix (Jan 2, 2010)

Have you thought about Indian Pass?


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## XTREME HUNTER (Jan 2, 2010)

brantd said:


> wonder if i could talk her in to just going to st.simons or jekyll ?..lol ..she loves orange beach though...i think mainly because of Foley...where those dang shopping outlets are...



& home of the thrown rolls 
DA is right about Dauphin Island cool place and  not to far from Gulf Shores or Foley


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## Limitless (Jan 3, 2010)

St George.  Great beach, and fishing for Reds, Trout, Grouper, Kings, Spanish, Pompano, plus Scallops, Crabs, etc.  

Decent rentals on houses.  And you have drive access to Appalach, Panacea, St Joe, etc.


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## brantd (Jan 3, 2010)

Man ...those thrown rolls..lol.. Lamberts will put a hurting on you ! If youre not full when you leave its your own fault..lol ..this might come into play..  ..thinks its gonna be between Orange Beach , Gulf shores area and St.George.. Thanks for all the input guys..


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## Jeff Phillips (Jan 3, 2010)

I would go to GA, SC, NC, MS, or LA. Why support FL or AL?

They are not trying to steal our drinking water.


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## Lostoutlaw (Jan 3, 2010)

brantd said:


> wow , all sounds great , yea I know the keys and flats are some awesome fishing , this is just the annual "family" vacation not really my fishing trip so just trying to  plan accordingly  ...I fished down around Boca Grande , Charlies Pass and Sanibel Island last summer and it was awesome especially out in Pine Island Sound ..caught some really nice speckled trout off the oyster reefs with live shrimp.. If I can get in some good trout,redfish, black sea bass and maybe catch a few v-liners, cobia, sheepshead , flounder that would be sweet...



Where you thinking about going to geta mess of these???


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## PaulD (Jan 3, 2010)

Go to the mid lower indian river area or go out around ft. Myers. Plenty of action with snook and tarpon around either one plus kings and a few grouper hanging around. Forget driving all the way to the keys.


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## jamrens (Jan 3, 2010)

paul lets go...


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## Dustin Pate (Jan 3, 2010)

Limitless said:


> St George.  Great beach, and fishing for Reds, Trout, Grouper, Kings, Spanish, Pompano, plus Scallops, Crabs, etc.
> 
> Decent rentals on houses.  And you have drive access to Appalach, Panacea, St Joe, etc.



X2 on that one!


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## Swamprat (Jan 3, 2010)

SGI....Appalach....Port St. Joe.....Carrabelle....Indian Pass....Panacea.....Alligator Point.

All of those areas are within a short drive of one another and offer endless possibilities and different alternatives depending on the weather. 

If 4 drunk rednecks in a 12' jon boat with a 15hp kicker can make it to Dog Island for the White Trash Bash then your 18.5 Sea Chaser with a 90 will do just fine.


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## brantd (Jan 3, 2010)

lol...love it..I would like to have seen that one ! I fished the Ft.Meyers area last year and had a blast ! Just such a long drive and this year I will have a 6 month old in June so ..not the best combo..needs to be 4-5 hrs or so...Thanks for all the advice though !


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## PaulD (Jan 5, 2010)

Ceder Key. Just make sure you know where you're going. Didn't know about the drive restrictions. Also if you're willing to cross the state i would still say the Lower mid IRL area.


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## duckhunter2010 (Jan 5, 2010)

Keaton Beach.


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## Tide-Dancer (Jan 9, 2010)

Limitless said:


> St George.  Great beach, and fishing for Reds, Trout, Grouper, Kings, Spanish, Pompano, plus Scallops, Crabs, etc.
> 
> Decent rentals on houses.  And you have drive access to Appalach, Panacea, St Joe, etc.



Carrabelle is the place to vacation. Limitless has a great condo he rents out at the Moorings.


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## brantd (Jan 9, 2010)

Thats my next question in fact I posted it on here asking if anyone had something..


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## devildog83 (Jan 9, 2010)

Pensacola!!! Come on down the fish will be nice and thick by then. Let me know what you decide if you head this way I'll try to keep you in the loop of what is going on!


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## centerc (Jan 9, 2010)

panama city long beach resort will allow boats in their parking lot right across from walmart gulf front


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## satman32935 (Jan 15, 2010)

jupiter fl. is the place ya wanna go at times the gulf stream is only 1 mile offshore. gr888 sail fishing!


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## brantd (Jan 17, 2010)

Well we settled on Cape San Blas , just outside of port st.joe..the bay there of course is slam full of scallops and should also offer some nice speckled trout, reds and some flounders even...anybody know the waters down that way...I know about the stumphole as they call it there at the lighthouse is always a good spot..black tip sharks frequent there too..


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## Pineyrooter (Jan 17, 2010)

brantd said:


> Well we settled on Cape San Blas , just outside of port st.joe..the bay there of course is slam full of scallops and should also offer some nice speckled trout, reds and some flounders even...anybody know the waters down that way...I know about the stumphole as they call it there at the lighthouse is always a good spot..black tip sharks frequent there too..



Cant say thats a bad choice. Trout and Redfish should be a good option. Scallop season will be closed in June. Hope you have a great trip.


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## Cha5e (Jan 17, 2010)

If you are going to be down there for any amount of time, I would take a day trip to Apalachicola Bay. We have a house on St. George Island, and all I do down there is kayak fish. That time of year, you can catch your limit in reds and specs before noon on a moving tide. Send me a message if you want to know what places to fish, when, and where. Its an awesome time of year!!


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## jmwall79 (Jan 18, 2010)

Port st joe is a good choice, we go out of mexico beach and port st joe alot. On a calm day you should be able to catch kings and spanish in the bouy line all you need is a spoon, and a duster on a planer board with a cigar minnow. we caught kings up to 25 lbs in the bouy line. There are alot of artificial reefs about 8 miles out too. It is called the car body sight. you can catch snapper on them dont think they are in season till the 30th of june but they will stretch your string. Half hitch tackle is very helpful in port st. joe they will get you what you need and tell you what is biting.


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## Whipplejack (Jan 19, 2010)

*Keaton*



duckhunter2010 said:


> keaton beach.




x2!!


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## Mac (Jan 25, 2010)

Swamprat said:


> SGI....
> If 4 drunk rednecks in a 12' jon boat with a 15hp kicker can make it to Dog Island for the White Trash Bash then your 18.5 Sea Chaser with a 90 will do just fine.



Sounds like fun,  I don't want to miss that,

when is the White trash bash?


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## Swamprat (Jan 25, 2010)

Mac said:


> Sounds like fun,  I don't want to miss that,
> 
> when is the White trash bash?



I think it is in early Summer like May or June....some of the regulars down there can fill in the details. It does take place on Dog Island and there will be several hundred people with a few hundred boats.

You can read the FWC reports to see what people actually use to get out there. The one I mentioned was true...according to the FWC the boat was so loaded down it was basically one 4" wave from sinking.


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## fishinknots (Jan 26, 2010)

Pensacola, my favorite place.........


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## ROBD (Jan 26, 2010)

Try the east coast in June.  It is usually like a lake out on the ocean.
You need to try anywhere south of the Sebastian Inlet.  You will have no problems catching kings and dolphin offshore, and you can fish inshore for anything else.


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## grouper throat (Jan 26, 2010)

brantd said:


> Well we settled on Cape San Blas , just outside of port st.joe..the bay there of course is slam full of scallops and should also offer some nice speckled trout, reds and some flounders even...anybody know the waters down that way...I know about the stumphole as they call it there at the lighthouse is always a good spot..black tip sharks frequent there too..



You do realize that scallop season doesn't open until July, right? You made a good choice too. Don't go to Keaton Beach, the fishing will be average at best


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## brantd (Jan 28, 2010)

yeah I am not really into scalloping...its just the habitat they provide which is good for fishing was the only point..usually where there are scallops you can also find oysters here and there..just good fishing thats all..


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## cnewman (Jan 28, 2010)

Cha5e said:


> If you are going to be down there for any amount of time, I would take a day trip to Apalachicola Bay. We have a house on St. George Island, and all I do down there is kayak fish. That time of year, you can catch your limit in reds and specs before noon on a moving tide. Send me a message if you want to know what places to fish, when, and where. Its an awesome time of year!!



X2.

Any of the grass flats on the back side of SGI should be productive. Can't beat that time of year!


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## brantd (Feb 3, 2010)

Man chomping at the bit ! Ready to go...gonna have to get in a weekend trip to there or costal ga..before then too..got a weet deal at the bass pro in Macon today when I was over that way , the bass pro there sells seconds and reconditioned rods and reels , bought a 9 '6 surf rod with reel for like $ 35 bucks , its not a penn or anything but pretty good quality for the dirt cheap price ! Its a off shore angler rod and a captains choice ( bass pro brand ) spinner ..they had a pile or reels in the outlet section there..


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