Sopchoppy - St. George area.


tom

Looks like you guys had a good time. Seas lookes flat. Thats always a bonus. Capt Mack-erel looks like he is going on Safari. LOL. Either way, you guys caught some good eats.

Tom,
Just curious how far out and how deep you were fishing for the snapper, grouper, etc? I'm taking my boat down to SGI next week and plan on hitting some of the artificial reefs that are charted on the FWC.com site (7-12 miles out & 35 to 105 foot depth).
Any insight will be appreciated.
Schmitty

We started fishing at a depth of about 50 feet and worked our way out a few miles or so from there. Good luck.

tom

Thanks for the reply - here's to the Red Snappers hitting next Tuesday!

I go every year to a place called Shell Point. My wifes aunt has a beach house there and she has a pontoon boat parked over in the canal around the corner. I always go and get some live shrimp and go out into the flatts in the Apalachee Bay. I catch trout, cobia and all sorts of other things. I am going in a few weeks and wondering if you guys have any suggestions. I'm kinda lost on any good spots. You can see the St Marks light house from where were staying. Its a 24 ft pontoon so I dont usually leave the flatt in front of the house. Whats biting good now? Its usually Sept when we go.

I'm leaving Friday and plan to be out at least 5 days on my trip. We'll be hitting sikes cut and the mouth of the apalachicola bay as well as artificial reefs offshore (if the weather permits).

We'll be using live shrimp, any baitfish we can catch, stretch 25's, spoons, yo-zuri's, buckail jigs (thanks to Tom and Mack Farr's last post) and cut bait.

I'll post a full report when I get back.

Good luck & have a great time.

Striper sniper,

see the post with advice about that area from Lil' Bill one page back; he's talking about from the mouth of St Mark's river just about due west from the lighthouse. Shell point looks like it's the west side of the bay from St Marks river. That wide flat out there is where the action seems to be; I had to cancel my trip down this past weekend, but am hoping to make a trip this next month....

David, We usually have great success with the popping corks and about a 3 ft leader on the live shrimp. When you cast them out, jerk them making a popping sound which in return attracts the fish. I have also done well (if the water is calm) on a sammy. The mackeral will tear them up. The most important thing is the Gulp shrimp in new penny color. The Gulp really does well on the flats, you can put them under the float or even use a jig head and work it through the submerged grass.

I would also suggest trying to pick up some live pin fish. We would usually put them behind the boat about 100ft under a balloon. This will get you bigger fish and sometimes a nice size shark for a good fight.

Watch out for the freek'n catfish. I had one nail me in the hand last year, it swelled up and hurt for a month. After this incident I beat the hell out of about 10 of them.