Florida’s Big Bend is Famous For Sheepshead

If you’re looking for sheepshead, the Big Bend is the place to be.  Cold winter waters drive the spawning rituals of these tasty fish and the big females gather over reefs, rockpiles and other structures off the Levy, Dixie and Taylor county coastlines.  The best bait for these great-tasting fish is either live shrimp or …

Bill’s Fish Camp, Suwannee, FL–A Taste of Old Florida on The Suwannee River

If you’re headed towards Suwannee to do some fishing, consider staying at Bill’s Fish Camp and Motel near the end of CR349 in Levy County.  Located on a canal just off the main Suwannee River, you’ll have good access to some great saltwater and freshwater fishing. Here are some of the particulars: Rooms have a …

Fish The Wild, Wild Waters of Central Taylor County, Florida

The Taylor County Gulf shoreline is hardly “civilized”, but if you compare the area between Steinhatchee and Keaton Beach to that north of Keaton Beach, you’ll find a vast difference.  Heading northwest from Keaton Beach,  you’ll see a few homes and settlements at places like Dekle Beach and Adams Beach, but from there on, it’s …

Don’t Have a Boat? Try Shoreline Fishing.

Grab your rod & reel and head outdoors for some shoreline fishing! All you need as a Florida resident is a shoreline fishing license before fishing from the shore or a pier, bridge or jetty attached to the shore. If you are a member of a group that is exempted from the license requirements or …

“Pinks” and “Blacks”–Fun Fish to Catch; Great Fish to Eat!

Due to regulations, one of Florida’s most popular Gulf reef fish, gag grouper, is off limits until June.  And when February gets here, expect a two-month closure of all other Gulf grouper species, especially tasty red grouper.  However, in the meantime, there are excellent opportunities for feeding your family with offshore fish.  Anglers leaving Big …

Understanding Recreational Bag Limits–Tips from Florida FWC

Fishing can sometimes be famine, but on the days when it is feast, it’s important to know your bag limit, aka the number of fish you can keep and take home for dinner. These limits are a useful tool in helping protect many of our recreationally important species. There are several types of bag limits …

Tony’s Famous Cedar Key Clam Chowder Now Available in Cans!

It’s not that I miss the 50-mile drive from Gainesville to Cedar Key to have a bowl of Tony’s Award-Winning Clam Chowder, but that’s not something I want to do on a weekly basis.  After all, Cedar Key’s a great little coastal town, with some darn good fishing and some nice little shops to visit. …

Look For Redfish at Yankeetown and The Mouth of The Withlacoochee River

I suspect there are more redfish at Yankeetown, in southern Levy County, than people.  When the fishermen are at home, it’s a sleepy place with just two marinas (Yankeetown Marina and B’s) and one restaurant (Ike’s Old Florida). But when the fish are biting and it’s a pretty weekend, things here can get busy.  Well, …

Boaters and Fishermen–Need Up-To-The-Minute Weather and Wind Data? GIve the GCOOS Site a Try!

The folks at the Gulf of Mexico Coastal Ocean Observing System in St. Petersburg have released a valuable tool for recreational boaters.  The GCOOS Map site will give you current weather information as well as buoy data for the entire Gulf of Mexico, including sites along the Nature Coast.  Take a look!

Take a Boat Tour of the Withlacoochee River at Yankeetown with Osprey Guide Services

Long-time Yankeetown fishing guide and Captain Rick LeFiles has added a very nice pontoon boat to his fleet and is now offering tours of the lower Withlacoochee River on a regular basis. Osprey Tours operates a 1-1/2 hour trip from Ike’s Old Florida Kitchen (formerly the Isaak Walton Lodge) on Riverside Drive in Yankeetown.  The …