# st george island fla



## ch035 (Mar 12, 2008)

anyone ever fish st george? I just mainly like to sit on my butt and surf fish... any pointer or suggestions or hot spots? Where is the best place to catch some red fish and with what tackle?


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## Volman (Mar 13, 2008)

I've gone to St. George for vacation every year for the last six years. It's the only place I care to go. The fishing is great. Cast netting into little tidal pools on the bay side should get you some good bait fish, and we usually either use bait fish or squid. I usually just fish off the surf and you can catch a wide variety of stuff. I don't really know what to tell you to do to catch anything specific other than shark. The shark fishing is pretty good during the summer, and really intense during the fall from my experience. I've always gone in the summer time until this past year when my wife and I went in early November. Every evening when the sun was going down, there were plenty of sharks coming in close. I finally decided to go shark fishing one evening and had about four different sharks anywhere between four to six feet long come in within a 15 minute time span. Took a fish we'd caught earlier and cut it into three chunks...put one on the hook and tossed the other two out to "chum" the water. Took no time, but the one that I hooked snapped my line like it was nothing.

Most people will tell you to go to the Cut for the best fishing, and they're right for the most part, but I didn't find it to be significantly better. Just be careful casting into the Cut because the current is strong and the fish will take your bait and head straight for the rocks and hang you up.


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## Branchminnow (Mar 13, 2008)

Ive caught apile of catfish, several crab, a speck or two, and some angel fish.

All off of fresh shrimp that I buy from the guy on the corner as soon as you get on the island, shrimp HAVE to be fresh.


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## Volman (Mar 13, 2008)

Yeah, you can have good luck with shrimp but I've always been lazy and stuck to squid since I could catch three or four fish off the same piece.


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## Branchminnow (Mar 13, 2008)

Volman said:


> Yeah, you can have good luck with shrimp but I've always been lazy and stuck to squid since I could catch three or four fish off the same piece.



Im pretty lazy myself, I take a chair and let the wife bait my hook.


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## Volman (Mar 13, 2008)

Ha, that's a good set up. My wife will bait her own hook but guess who has to take the fish off......


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## ch035 (Mar 13, 2008)

lets hear the tricks on shark fishing down there... i caught i huge sting ray down there last time, everyone thought it was a shark by the way it fought...you aint seen a beach ever clear of people in your life than when that pole almost got yanked outta the sand spike


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## Volman (Mar 13, 2008)

I hate hooking into big sting rays. They just bury up in the sand and you've got to pluck on the line to make a high pitched sound to get them up and moving again. I usually just cut the line.


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## diamondback (Mar 13, 2008)

Fished every summer for about the last 20 years down there.Heres what I have learned about the surf fishing.First,dont wade out and try to get a farther cast.the best fishing is most times just past or in the breakers.Always get fresh shrimp and not the frozen stuff.if the whiting are biting good ,use a double hook rig and catch em 2 at a time.using shrimp plan on catching trout,and occasional red,losts of whiting,and a few popano,bluefish,and lady fish.Dont use a wire leader,50 # mono is better.If you want sharks from the surf,use either big chunks of lady fish or whiting.Use about a 3 oz paramid weight,wire leader, and wade out and throw it as for as you can.If you cant get past the bar try to get it right by it where it drops off.this year I have a kayak that I am gonna try to paddle baits out.When fishing the old bridge, shrimp is usually a waste of time unless you like the sail catfish or are trying to get bait.when the makeral are running a pompano jig works well and gotcha plugs.experiment with colors till you find what they want that day.Sometimes you will get a few trout or red off the bridge also.For shark ,I use 2 methods.One is bottom fishing and the other is using a big cork or ballon and drift the baits out.bigger baits mean bigger sharks.the bloodier the bait and the fresher the bait the more runs you get.hope this helps.


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## crappie man (Mar 13, 2008)

*shrimp*

i use shrimp i always go in may but this year i am going the second week in april ,,,when i go in may i catch alot of whiting trout spanish mack,,,red fish and when the sun goes down alot of shark,,i have been told fishing is realy good in april so i will see but i think shrimp is the best bait !!!!!!!!!!when i get back i will post how i did


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## Dustin Pate (Mar 13, 2008)

If you are surf fishing during the summer you can catch plenty of trout on Saltwater Assassin Sea Shad in Bone Diamond on 1/4 head. Fish the hour before dark. Most hits like the others have said are gonna be close. I also like a fluke in pearl color. Whiting are best on small pieces of salted shrimp...small hook...small weight...very easy. Always keep a Kastmaster spoon handy the ladyfish and spanish love to run the beaches and will ball bait up during the summer. You can catch fish until your arms are sore.

For the best bet at catching fish I would either go to the far east end (4x4 required). You can catch any thing you want and some you will never see. Sharks are a nuisance if fishing live or cut bait but are very fun to catch. Spanish can be very thick.

My favorite place to fish for reds and trout is the youth camp boat ramp in the state park. There is a channel 40 yards out that makes a turn and goes straight away from the ramp. You can wade to the small oyster bar to the right/front of you. Then cast out into the channel. I prefer live bait (finger mullet, pinfish, mudminnows). You can fish them on bottom or under a cajun thunder. A method I have been using lately is to put the live bait on a bare jig head and bounce it slowly back to you. At this location you can catch reds, trout, flounder, jacks, sharks, ladyfish, etc. Artificials also work good here sea shad, gulp shrimp, mirrolures, spoons.

Another location that is a good spot for trout, reds and flounder is off 6th street east. At the estuary research preserve. Walk to the bay and when you get to the water take a left and walk towards the church...when you get to grass on the shore stop and fish in front of that. There is a grass bed out about 30-40 yards that the trout love. Same methods as the place before.

Anything else just shoot me a pm.


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## ch035 (Mar 13, 2008)

how far out do you need to throw it for a big shark? i have a shark rig with a wire leader 3 feet long and a huge hook... the leader wont go through the eyelets in my rod so i cant cast it very far at all? do i really wanna go wading out into shark water to throw the bait out there?


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## one_shot (Mar 14, 2008)

Fish the east end of state park, you will have to have a 4 wheel drive to get there( cobia, spanish,drum & shark run the point . 
Stop by the bait shop ,the 1st road on right after crossing bridge, he will tell you whats running.

how far out do you need to throw it for a big shark?
 about 200 ft.
If no 4WD, fish beach anywhere or bridge.


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## seaweaver (Mar 14, 2008)

Trick to catch a shark?
got rope.hook and bait
how hard is that?
Ain't like you got to trick them. 
cw


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## sweet 16 (Mar 14, 2008)

I've fished behind the church in my kayak, locals do alot a wading. You can catch reds in the channel between shore and the oyster bar. Sure is expensive to stay on St. George. Last time I went I stayed in Appalachcola and drove over every morning. State park opens at 8.


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## hortonhunter22 (Mar 14, 2008)

if your fishing on the beach the sharks can be about anywhere.  we have seen some chase bait and beach themselves before.  you should be able to catch one anywhere from shore to the first sandbar out that you can see.  sharks are plentiful.  just have good line and plenty of it.


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## ch035 (Mar 14, 2008)

all this talk is making me not wanna swim...


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## ch035 (Mar 19, 2008)

just got back last night an all I have to say is the whiting fishing was off the charts... caught one in the surf prob every 3rd cast... I found something called " fishbites" for bait and they stay on your hook and really work better than shrimp... I caught 2 sharks and they were huge!!! atleast 15 or 16.............inches


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## Dustin Pate (Mar 19, 2008)

Hey man glad you had some luck. I have never had much luck with fishbites. Glad you found the key. The whiting can really get thick down there. Hope you make a return trip to catch some of the other fish the island has to offer.


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## JerkBait (Mar 19, 2008)

*I had to trick them*



seaweaver said:


> Ain't like you got to trick them.
> cw



well i dont know if the sharks i was tryin to catch were special but yes, i had to trick them. they did not eat like you would think they would. it was very difficult to get them to bite. they were big black tips in myrtle beach.


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## ch035 (Mar 19, 2008)

i caught a bonnet head too i forget about that one... kinda looked like a hammerhead and the locals made fun of me when i called it that...


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## pjohns (Mar 28, 2008)

I caught a Bonnet head last summer surf fishing off Edisto Island, SC. I thought it was a hammerhead too until I read your post and did a google search


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