13th Annual Fiddler Crab Festival ~ February 12-14, 2021

Steinhatchee’s annual Fiddler Crab Festival has become the big event for this small coastal fishing community. From the very beginning, rain or shine, the event has attracted thousands of visitors to the riverside between Taylor and Dixie counties, in Natural North Florida. Steinhatchee is located in southern Taylor County, at the mouth of the Steinhatchee …

Cooler Weather = Hot Fishing on Florida’s Big Bend Gulf Coast

There’s something about cool weather fishing on Florida’s Nature Coast. Gulf of Mexico waters cool rapidly as cold fronts hit the coast on an almost-regular 3 day cycle. Air temperatures vary from the high 30’s to the 80’s as the Holiday season approaches, and water temperatures soon follow. In many cases, the Gulf water temperatures …

It’s All About Seafood….Florida’s Big Bend Shellfish Trail

Experience fresh, local seafood along Florida’s Big Bend Life on Florida’s Big Bend, especially in the coastal communities of Taylor, Dixie and Levy counties revolves around seafood, especially shellfish. Not only are oysters, clams, shrimp and crabs available at local eateries, they’re available at seafood retailers, often “fresh off the boat”. Certain species. like bay …

Florida’s Big Bend Recreational Bay Scallop Harvest Underway, June 2019

Tiny bay scallops “rule” the waters of Natural North Florida’s Big Bend during the summer months.  The harvest brings visitors from all over the state, as well as many internationals wishing to snorkel for these tasty treats.  Snorkeling for bay scallops isn’t about filling the freezer, but it’s about having fun one the water, followed …

Scallop Harvest Forecast Numbers Will Be Released At The 2018 Scallop Seminar at Steinhatchee, June 15, 7PM

The BIG summertime event on Natural North Florida’s Big Bend is the recreational bay scalloping harvest.   Our best waters are found between Horseshoe Beach in Dixie County and Steinhatchee in Taylor County.  Bay scalloping is also allowed in Wakulla County, near St. Marks and Panacea.  General information regarding the scallop harvest can be found at …

2017 Bay Scalloping On Florida’s Nature Coast–An Abundance of Tasty Bivalves!

It’s July, and Natural North Florida’s 2017 recreational bay scallop harvest is off to a roaring start.  The harvest began on June 16 for the waters from Suwannee (in Dixie County) to the Fenholloway River (in Taylor County) and ends on September 10.  The remainder of Taylor County, all of Levy County, Jefferson and Wakulla …

Hike, Bike or Drive on Dixie County’s Mainline Roads

“I’m often asked by visitors to recommend a drive, hike, or bike ride that best exemplifies the ‘Natural” in our Natural North Florida region.  In my opinion, there are two distinct, but actually interconnected, routes–Dixie County’s Bowlegs Mainline and Dixie Mainline” Tommy Thompson Dixie County‘s mainline roads were originally built to haul harvested timber from …

It’s Not Too Late To Prepare For the Big Bend’s 2017 Scallop Harvest

It’s June and there’s just another month until the fun begins! New dates apply for the 2017 Florida Recreational Bay Scallop Harvest, particularly in all of Dixie County and part of Taylor County.  Those two counties are the nexus of the harvest on our Natural North Florida Gulf coast. “The 2017 bay scallop season for …

Looking For Some Great Cycling? Download Our Ultimate North Florida Cycling Guide

The Visit Natural North Florida Biking Guide is online and ready to use. You can read it online, or download it as a PDF.   It features 26 one-day cycling trips and 2 multi-day trips, all linked to the RIDE WITH GPS app that’s available for smartphones or certain Garmin GPS units. To use the …

Fishing The Big Bend Marsh–The Closer You Get, The More Reds You’ll Catch!

In the fall, high tides flood, pushing water well into the creeks and marshes all along Levy, Dixie, Taylor, Jefferson and Wakulla Counties, on Florida’s Big Bend.  We don’t have many mangroves, but we do have lots of spartina grass which offers comfort to redfish, or red drum. When the reds get back in the …