# Best Flats fishing in South East



## willc2412 (Apr 12, 2017)

Where are the best places to go for fishing flats along the coast of GA, Fl, AL, MS, or LA.  Would want to rent a house with some sort of dock on the bay.  Will be bringing my flats boat down and would want to be able to dock it at the house.  I have been to St George Island a few times, but just read where there was a fire on the Island.  Haven't looked much into it, but also trying to find somewhere with fewer tourist now.  Thanks


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## doomtrpr_z71 (Apr 12, 2017)

Whats your budget? I know of a couple houses in steinhatchee with docks. The fishing should be awesome there soon. It was good Monday when I was down there.


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## flatsmaster (Apr 12, 2017)

I would have to ask what species are u targeting or just bent rods ?


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## willc2412 (Apr 12, 2017)

flatsmaster said:


> I would have to ask what species are u targeting or just bent rods ?


Hoping to get on some reds, but doesn't really matter.  Mainly looking for just a get a way from town one weekend to hopefully hook up on some fish.


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## Limitless (Apr 13, 2017)

If only a weekend, Steinhatchee, St Marks, etc. for Reds and Trout.  Even PCB (rent a place on the beach and put the boat in a transient slip at Treasure Island marina.

But, if you can do a week's vacation, Pine Island Sound west of Ft Myers rental in Bokeelia or St James -- Snook, Reds, Trout, Tarpon.  Or further south to Ten Thousand Islands out of Goodland on the north end or Everglades City or Chokoloskee in the middle.  For really hard core flats - the Keys!  Islamorada gives you access to FL Bay and a 30 minute run to Flamingo and East Cape Sable, plus in good weather you can run out to the reef on the Atlantic side for Yellowtail, Muttons, and more.


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## kevbo3333 (Apr 13, 2017)

Venice LA, if you consider that south east. Going to be hard pressed to find a better inshore fishery anywhere in the world.


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## rshunter (Apr 13, 2017)

If  you just want to catch fish and are not worried about a beach experience. Venice, LA is hands down the best spot on the gulf coast IMHO


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## flatsmaster (Apr 13, 2017)

We have a great fishery in Mosquito Lagoon and slay some reds but if reds are ur game then La is KING !!!! But it's fishing and eating and not much else ... on ur quick trip you'll have more time to just hit somewhere in the panhandle!!! Good luck


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## alphachief (Apr 20, 2017)

Pretty hard to beat Pine Island Sound for inshore fishing diversity.


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## pottydoc (Apr 23, 2017)

willc2412 said:


> Hoping to get on some reds, but doesn't really matter.  Mainly looking for just a get a way from town one weekend to hopefully hook up on some fish.


As already posted, if you are looking to catch reds, eat, and sleep, Venice La. is where you want to go. If you don't want to go,that far, keep the price reasonable, but still not looking for much than fishing, Steinhatchee would be my suggestion. You would likely be able to hook up.with fellow GON member there, too. There's somebody there pretty much every weekend in spring.


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## Dutch (Apr 23, 2017)

I can vouch for the area around Steinhatchee, Dad lives in Horseshoe Beach (about 10 miles south by water) alot of good Trout and Reds to be caught there.


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## teethdoc (Apr 24, 2017)

I've fished Steinhatchee all my life and it's one of my favorite places on the planet, but for sheer volume of reds, can't beat LA.  You can go to Hopedale or Delacroix and not have to go qute as far as Venice if you plan to just fish the marsh and near shore rigs.  For blue water, head to Venice.


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## akaGoldminer (Apr 24, 2017)

Anyone else fishing the tournament this weekend benefitting Children's Medical Network in Steinhatchee?


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## bowandgun (Apr 25, 2017)

venice la,


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## caughtinarut (May 4, 2017)

X 10 on LA


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## wellwood (May 7, 2017)

Venice LA. My favorite place to catch reds and trout. If you have a shallow boat you can't go wrong fishing in the wagon wheel. Plus you can keep 5 reds and 25 trout per man. Delacriox LA is good to. Check out Sweetwater Marina. Great fishing over there too.


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## state159 (May 7, 2017)

Dutch said:


> I can vouch for the area around Steinhatchee, Dad lives in Horseshoe Beach (about 10 miles south by water) alot of good Trout and Reds to be caught there.




x2. Simple and easy places to fish. Soak a live shrimp about 2-3 feet below a popping cork and go to catching. Almost anywhere on these flats can produce good catches.


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## wellwood (May 7, 2017)

Only problem with northwest FL is you can only keep 1 redfish and 5 trout.


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## 95g atl (May 7, 2017)

subscribed.....
Looking to go back to gulf (2nd time w/my boat).


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## pottydoc (May 8, 2017)

wellwood said:


> Only problem with northwest FL is you can only keep 1 redfish and 5 trout.


Per person. If you got three guys in the boat, three reds and 15 trout isn't shabby. Is it LA? Nope, but it's a dang site closer to home, and way less expensive. Pus, if I'm heading for Venice, I ain't chasing no red fish around.


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## wellwood (May 9, 2017)

Heck. If we are talking about catching fish closer to home. I can go to Savannah and catch 3 reds and 15 trout with the ole lady. Be there in a little under 4 hours.


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## redneck_billcollector (May 22, 2017)

What model boat are you taking with you. A flats boat means a lot of different things to different people. If you have a poling skiff, the Everglades or the Upper Keys...or any of the Keys for that matter. Or the Indian River Lagoon along with the south shore of Tampa Bay.  All great places with a poling skiff.  The reason I am saying a poling skiff, with the exception of the South shore of Tampa Bay, there are a lot of NMZs in the other areas...you can not even use a trolling motor.  And for places like Cockroach Bay and Little Cockroach Bay on the south shore of Tampa Bay, you wont get into a lot of the areas without a poling skiff.  All those places have trout, reds, snook and tarpon in varying numbers.  Throw in bonefish and permit in the Keys.  The big bend area has miles upon miles of flats, but that area also claims a lot of lower units from people's outboards if you are not paying attention.  From Apalachicola east to Panacea you have miles of protected inshore water behind all the islands that start with SGI and head east.  That is probably the easiest area to fish with a generic flats boat. I fish the Bay Systems around Panama City a lot, but you have to pay attention to the wind or else you can get caught in some rough water on those bays.  Not much in the way of flats north of St. Augustine, it is creeks and rivers....same fish, but not classical flats, same can be said for most of the rest of the Coast up to N.C. Fishing the GA coast you best pay attention to where you are and the tides, they have a huge swing compared to the GOM or the IRL.  Many people get stuck at low tide that are not keeping an eye on the clock.


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## redneck_billcollector (May 22, 2017)

I noticed a lot of people saying LA, that is a great place to fish, but if you have never fished there, it is not exactly the place you want to fish on your own boat with no local knowledge.  That river can be tough if you ain't careful.  I see everybody is also talking about limits...I am not taking any of that into account with my advice, I pretty much let my inshore fish go.  I fish with a fly rod inshore...and in another week or two will be targeting tarpon exclusively.  Or huge Jacks inshore....a 20lber of a fly rod is something to behold. This summer I might try black tip sharks on the fly rod once the tarpon die down.


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## blindhog (May 23, 2017)

redneck_billcollector said:


> I noticed a lot of people saying LA, that is a great place to fish, but if you have never fished there, it is not exactly the place you want to fish on your own boat with no local knowledge.  That river can be tough if you ain't careful.  I see everybody is also talking about limits...I am not taking any of that into account with my advice, I pretty much let my inshore fish go.  I fish with a fly rod inshore...and in another week or two will be targeting tarpon exclusively.  Or huge Jacks inshore....a 20lber of a fly rod is something to behold. This summer I might try black tip sharks on the fly rod once the tarpon die down.



Do you fish around Dog Island for the Tarpon?


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## redneck_billcollector (May 29, 2017)

blindhog said:


> Do you fish around Dog Island for the Tarpon?



I fish from Bay Co. to Wakulla Co. for those giant minnows.
Dog Island falls into that range...but most of the time east of there or west of there......though you can see Dog Island from one of my spots...but before long that spot is standing room only with a lot of guides from down south.


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## Nannyman (Jun 26, 2017)

La by far. Reds in most every pond. Trout in deeper areas. If you fish wagon wheel fish the north end. South end is normally too muddy. Myrtle Grove, Empire, Buras, Venice. All good places.


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