# Need Panacea Info



## Rhodes (Mar 1, 2013)

Hey guys, I am a true green horn fisherman when it comes to the Panacea area. Me and a friend plan to start fishing this area and our first trip will be the 22nd & 23rd of March. We will be staying on Ochlocknee Bay just south of the bridge on the East side. We will be fishing out of a J16 Skiff. We've fished numerous times out of Steinhatchee and Keaton beach so we're familiar with fishing in the big bend but I understand the Panacea area will be somewhat different. What might we expect to catch in late March? Where might the best place be to launch and fish in the area? I'm just trying to mitigate the learning curve as much as possible before we ever get on the water. Any info and advice would be greatly appreciated....thanks


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## Mako22 (Mar 1, 2013)

I fish a few miles to the East of there (Shell Point to the Saint Marks Light house) but there is a guide named Vic Davis who owns Barefoot charters, who fishes out of Panacea and he is pretty knowledgeble. If you are flats fishing for Trout you will be about a week or two early as the trout will still be up in the creeks. You might try trolling jigs with grubs down the river for trout. I used to do that in January and February in the Saint Marks river 25 years ago so it might work in the big river as well. I know that some folks fish for black drum at the base of the bridge pillings but I have never tried it myself.


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## Mako22 (Mar 1, 2013)

Sounds like you will be staying at the Holiday Campground on the river. Be carefull in the river mouth as I have been told that the current there can be dangerous for a small boat at times.


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## Mako22 (Mar 1, 2013)

He's a nut but a lot of fun to fish with:
http://www.barefootcharters.org/

I've never paid him but before he became a guide I used to run the flats with him down there evey weekend.


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## Anvil Head (Mar 2, 2013)

Great place and good water, but you have to do a lot of hard looking to find the right spots. Nav charts are not much good in bay, so stay within markers on runs and go slow and flat otherwise.
There is a boat ramp just down from you toward the point. Tough on low tide but your skiff should slide through. Work your way in through the oyster bars accross from the ramp at the mouth of the bay. Good reds and trout if you're quiet. Live shrimp, minnows, fiddlers work well. Frozen shrimp ok. Look for rips on the out going
and fish light as possible as oysters will eat heavy sinkers.
For flounder run up the bay to the islands and river split. Fish the down current sides.....it is shallow espcially on spring tides so watch the drop. There are several river wallowed holes at points on each island, they change somewhat from year to year but will produce good fish if you are patient and QUIET. 
Have caught some nice bull reds and gator trout on flyrod when things are right. 
Alligator bay is also great for trout, clearer water and look for deep pockets....live shrimp or finger mullet (bigger trout), gold spoons or DOA's work well also. Lot of skinny water there so be cautious on runs.
Caught this one on imitation blueclaw/carpet fly inside edge of oysterbar in Ock.


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## GASeminole (Mar 2, 2013)

Make sure you eat dinner (at least) one night at Angelo's


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## Anvil Head (Mar 2, 2013)

Get a plate of throats and pitcher of beer.


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## florida boy (Mar 2, 2013)

GASeminole said:


> Make sure you eat dinner (at least) one night at Angelo's



you better take out a loan if you eat there......a grouper sandwich , fries,and a few beers will cost you over 50 bucks


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## Anvil Head (Mar 3, 2013)

Wow, guess they're letting the customers pay for the last rebuild!
Don't remember them being that high, of course they had a little competition from "The Oaks" back then. 
I kind of lean toward grilling slabs of cow while watching the sun set across the bay and saving a few select fish for Momma to have at home. 

Yeah.....that's a tub of stinky shrimp behind my right shoulder....my little brother never was good with a flyrod....real good at catching junk fish though and working the cooler.


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## MudDucker (Mar 3, 2013)

Heard Angelos is closed this month.  Go to Coastal Seafood and get a lot more for a lot less.  Just not fancy.  Its old fashioned fresh fried seafood.  With Angelos close, if you really want an interesting meal, go to Spring Creek Restaurant and get a plate of mullet.  Interesting place and great food.


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## saltwatercowboy (Mar 3, 2013)

Get you a nautical chart for the area.Get on google earth and make a mental overlay in your mind of the new area that you are going to fish.You will be suprised how much this can help when fishing a new area....


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## Anvil Head (Mar 3, 2013)

Unless they have recently updated the nauts for Och Bay, won't do you much good.....things have changed, especially back up toward the islands between Och. River and Sopchoppy River. It gets down right skinny where the old west channel used to be. Seen a lot of map readers sitting in mud hoping for an early high tide.


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## ebryant (Mar 5, 2013)

For eats try Poseys Dockside at Rock Landing Marina (Panacea). Good eats and not so pricey.


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## florida boy (Mar 5, 2013)

ebryant said:


> For eats try Poseys Dockside at Rock Landing Marina (Panacea). Good eats and not so pricey.



I will second this one ! I work about 5 miles down the road and never get tired of eating there


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## 56willysnut (Mar 5, 2013)

*panacea*

Go for Poseys' or head up into Crawfordville for some fine eating at great prices! 
 We flats fish off Bottoms rd just north of Panacea in Kayaks. East of the bridge on Oklocknee bay on the south side is a creek mouth that should be good this time of the year, also the oyster bars at the mouth of the bay aslo.  Just a short drive south to alligator harbor and the ramp off Sun and sand road can be a good sheltered fishing area with a north wind ( water can get pretty skinny there at low tide).  SHell point and St. Marks lighthouse  is good and has several ramps to launch from.  Most cost $3 to launch so bring some change and drop it in the box (county regs).


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## 56willysnut (Mar 5, 2013)

*panacea*

Doh


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