# Carrabelle River/St. George



## FishingAddict (Jun 25, 2017)

Hi Folks!

I just found out my company is giving us the 3rd off (as well as the 4th, which I knew) and I lost my mind and rented a house on a small outlet off of the Carrabelle river. This finger empties into the gulf. 

A couple questions if you will:

1. I'm bringing my 15.5 pro angler river hawk (like a Gheenoe Highsider with a casting deck). Would you feel comfortable taking this into the bay if the wind was under 10 and not coming straight out of the East? Or should I stick to the river and drag it over to St. George State Park if I want to do some bay fishing?

2. Any fish in the small creeks this time of year?  

I'd love to catch some tarpon. But this might not be feasible if I can't get in the bay.

I was planning on using lures over grass flats for trout most of the time, but I'm open to anything. 

Any tips appreciated. My son just turned 14 and it will be me and him fishing the whole time. He's at the critical age that he could fall out of love with fishing and I don't want that to happen!

Thanks!

Randy


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## lagrangedave (Jun 25, 2017)

What is your method of locomotion?


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## FishingAddict (Jun 25, 2017)

PS: Here is what the boat looks like 

https://boatselect.com/boat/forsale/river-hawk-b60-kingfish-102600437.html


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## FishingAddict (Jun 25, 2017)

lagrangedave said:


> What is your method of locomotion?



15 HP Yamaha, 55 # trolling motor.

Runs about 22 MPH with just me. With my son, prop protector, hydrofoil  it will be more like 16.


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## lagrangedave (Jun 25, 2017)

you should be fine in calm seas on the bay side. 15 hp will get that boat a long way in a hurry.


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## lagrangedave (Jun 25, 2017)

Are you experienced in salt water navigating?


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## FishingAddict (Jun 25, 2017)

lagrangedave said:


> Are you experienced in salt water navigating?



Creeks and channels and such. I'm a nervous nellie with it. I even added a 4,000 GPH bilge to it just in case I miss judge something. But I've never gotten water in it even over fairly big wakes- I just quarter them on slow plane.  The hydrofoil helps a lot is this regard- it doesn't bounce down into a trough- just plows through.


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## FishingAddict (Jun 25, 2017)

I have had it in the bay around St. George park.  I take is slow....the boat only drafts 3 inches, but I don't want an oyster bed across the hull. :-D


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## rospaw (Jun 25, 2017)

FishingAddict said:


> Hi Folks!
> 
> I just found out my company is giving us the 3rd off (as well as the 4th, which I knew) and I lost my mind and rented a house on a small outlet off of the Carrabelle river. This finger empties into the gulf.
> 
> ...



Randy, I haven't had much luck in the small creeks the 1/2 dozen times i've fished them. The bay on the other hand is LOTS of fish/fun. Ask the guy at the BP/bait shop in carrabelle. He will give you good inshore advise. Going out the river just pasted the coast guard post (same side) is a nice area/flat full of fish.
 Weather good i would fish the backside of dog island leaning more towards the St George cut. Look for the pockets with 2-3' depth change with dark bottoms closer to shore. try and keep your boat in dark bottom areas so not to spook the fish. Long casts is trick. While in that area take a few mins and search the bottom for any ship wreck items in the shallows. (it's all shallow but close to shore)  Get out of boat in 1' of water and wade/site fish. take a gig due to the flat fish are everywhere in that area.  
Good weather i would fish the wreck in the cut. (Cuts only a few 100 yards wide) so if weather comes up in a min you can be on either island until it blows over. Wreck holds all kinds of fish. Always see a 4-7' shark in the area. 
If you really knew weather was good..... I would fish the wreck in front of dog about 2 miles out. Go out cut, turn left, go about 3 miles (blue house on washed out cliff) then out two miles.  LOTS of fish and few local dog boats. 30' of water. Look on the way out due to some OTHER non marked man made fish att in 12-20' of water. If you see ANYTHING on finder stop and fish it!

Shark at night in the bay is a Blast on smaller tackle! Out to the first bay channel marker about 400 yards past CG post. Stay out of the channel due to it's narrow and dog taxis will be in and out alot that week even at night.


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## killswitch (Jun 25, 2017)

I would trailer over to SGI and fish the back side with that set up. Lots and lots of good fishing and you don't have to cross the bay. Bay can turn really ugly, very quickly. Also some good fishing around Lanark.


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## brriner (Jun 26, 2017)

I fished out of Carrabelle for years and MANY times coming back from offshore in my 25 ft Proline, the bay was rougher than the Gulf.  I agree with Killswitch that trailering to SGI would be the better, and safer, alternative.


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## FishingAddict (Jun 26, 2017)

Yeah,  I've seen the bay a mess before. Most of the week it will be under 10 mph winds- that doesn't get things rough, does it? 

I wouldn't go out to Dog unless I had an escort of a larger boat just in case things got bad. I'm the chicken if the sea. &#55357;&#56834;


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## FishingAddict (Jun 26, 2017)

The disadvantage of the park is that it opens too late for daylight fishing- the ramp at the bridge is always open, correct?


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## Dustin Pate (Jun 26, 2017)

FishingAddict said:


> The disadvantage of the park is that it opens too late for daylight fishing- the ramp at the bridge is always open, correct?



Yes, it is open all the time. I agree with all the others...I wouldn't want to be doing a lot of open bay running. 10 mph may not be bad going, but if a storm comes up and pins you, it isn't going to be fun.


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## MudDucker (Jun 26, 2017)

I have the same boat.  The only negative is it runs bow down, so it would not be great in much chop.  Lot of fresh water down there when I went Saturday, but your best bets would be behind the island, Lanark or St Joe bay depending upon the weather.  I would probably put in at St Joe bay's eagle landing (state park) or Presnells, depending upon the weather.


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## brriner (Jun 26, 2017)

If you decide to run back to Lanark, Carson at the store will point you in the right direction.  He's great.


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## FishingAddict (Jun 26, 2017)

Thanks y'all! Question: why would Lanark be better than the bay in front of Carrabelle? Wouldn't the chop be about the same?


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## 4HAND (Jun 26, 2017)

FishingAddict said:


> Yeah,  I've seen the bay a mess before. Most of the week it will be under 10 mph winds- that doesn't get things rough, does it?
> 
> I wouldn't go out to Dog unless I had an escort of a larger boat just in case things got bad. I'm the chicken if the sea. ��



You may call it "chicken", I call it being cautious.
Weather can turn ugly in a heartbeat. I always keep an eye on the horizon.

Man y'all are gonna have a blast!


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## brriner (Jun 26, 2017)

FishingAddict said:


> Thanks y'all! Question: why would Lanark be better than the bay in front of Carrabelle? Wouldn't the chop be about the same?



No, the chop is entirely different in most cases.

You've got the Lanark Reef (HUGE Oyster mounds/sandbar) out in front of Lanark.  See photo....







It knocks down a lot of the chop.  Unless you have a ketch from NE or SW all day long, it'll be fishable.  I've been able to fish my old 16 foot Tracker behind the reef in 15-20 mph winds.  Not ideal, but fishable nonetheless.  If you talk to Carson, tell him Brad says hi.


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## FishingAddict (Jun 26, 2017)

I love what I'm seeing!! Thank you! Will say hi to Carson for you if I see him


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## Rabun (Jun 27, 2017)

If you go to SGI try launching at the bridge ramp.  From there you are close to some very good fishing....search Dustin Pate on here...he has some very good info with maps.  You'll want to fish early in the am and late afternoon to dark.  I like a top water at first light for trout...skitter walk.  Target along grass lines during hi tide and falling tide and out over oyster bars.  As the sun gets higher, try a paddle tail on a small jig head and throw a dead shrimp or better live pinfish in the deeper holes/troughs for reds.  There is also flounder along the grass lines in the trough just in front of the grass.

Good luck...let us know how you make out.


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## FishingAddict (Jun 27, 2017)

Thanks Rabin!So what is y'all's favorite place to fish a falling tide? I've always heard fish the grass in a rising tide. What about falling?


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## Rabun (Jun 28, 2017)

I like fishing the grass edge during the beginning of a falling tide as bait fish and crabs will exit the grass as the water falls.


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## Dustin Pate (Jun 28, 2017)

FishingAddict said:


> Thanks Rabin!So what is y'all's favorite place to fish a falling tide? I've always heard fish the grass in a rising tide. What about falling?



Find an oyster bar that has water funneling around it. It will set up a perfect ambush on the backside of the point. There are some very good ones around the Youth Camp area.


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## FishingAddict (Jun 28, 2017)

Thanks Dustin. 

Randy M


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## brriner (Jun 29, 2017)

Here's the layout around the youth camp area. Arrows indicate the channel.  Dots are areas I've fished and have caught trout, reds, and flounder.


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## FishingAddict (Jun 29, 2017)

Love that area. One time I saw a- and I know I sound like I'm exaggerating- 48 inch redfish tailing in the middle of those oysters where your dotted line it. Threw all around it and even on its head and she wouldn't eat. Just laughter at me and told me she didn't get that big eating lures. Her tail was nearly the size of my head.


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## FishingAddict (Jul 5, 2017)

Thanks everyone! Fished one day in St George, one the creeks in Carrabelle, and one at Lanark. All great days and we caught flounder trout and redfish...and a ladyfish or 37.


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