Hungry For Spanish Mackerel? Fish Cedar Key’s Seahorse Reef and “The Hook”

There’s no doubt in my mind that the small islands that we now generally refer to as “Cedar Key” was once the upper end of a ridge of land that stretched well southwest into the Gulf of Mexico. But eons of time and moving water have worn down that peninsula, and it’s now mostly submerged, …

Southbound To Yankeetown (Florida, That Is!)

I remember my first encounter with the waters near the mouth of the Withlacoochee River. It was the mid-1980s and my Mom and Dad had just moved from St. Pete to Yankeetown. Our boat, a Boston Whaler Montauk, was well suited to drifting the flats off Pinellas Point or for trolling for Spanish mackerel near …

Looking For “Dallas Creek” in Taylor County? Try Spelling It, “Dallus”!

Don’t ask me, but Dallus Creek’s name is spelled with a “u” and not an “a”.  I’ve never seen it done that way, so I suspect someone went to Texas, had a bad time, and came home to “dis” the Texans! No matter, Dallus Creek is located between Steinhatchee and Keaton Beach, Fl.  It starts …

Florida’s 2015 Recreational Scallop Season to Close 9/24, But Don’t Despair!

In early June, the “buzz” along Florida’s Nature Coast is all about recreational scalloping.  The season usually opens the last Saturday in June, and folks at our Big Bend ports gear up for a busy season.  This year’s season was no exception, and limits of bay scallops just kept coming in, almost to the end …

Where’s The Beach?—at Horseshoe Beach!

If you’re heading to Horseshoe Beach, forget about swimming and sunbathing along sandy shores. But if you’ve got fall fishing on your mind, you’re heading in the right direction. This small fishing village is located at the dead end of CR351, about 25 miles southwest of Cross City and US19/98, on a small peninsula jutting …

Have An October Adventure On Taylor County, Florida’s Flats

Taylor County doesn’t have the “flats market” cornered. In fact, on the Big Bend we have just one huge grass flat along our Natural North Florida coast. .  Taylor County’s 40-mile stretch, from Steinhatchee north to mouth of the Aucilla River, is just a fraction of the available fishing territory. And, if I had to …

Summering in Simmering Suwannee Sound, Levy County Fishing At It’s Best!

Many anglers write off fishing our Big Bend waters in summer, simply giving in to the crowds of scallopers who invade our coastal ports, boat ramps, restaurants and motels. But we do have excellent summertime fishing opportunities in our less-busy darker waters. And Suwannee Sound, between the towns of Suwannee and Cedar Key, tops my …

Real Homemade Biscuits, EVERY DAY, at Lynn-Rich Restaurant in Steinhatchee, Florida

Yes, Steinhatchee, like the rest of Taylor County, is busy in the summer months.  That’s when hordes of eager snorkelers invade the small Gulf-side community in search of bay scallops.  Motels are full, boat ramps crowded, marinas busy and the waits at local restaurants can be long.  But despite the bustling tourist season, a hearty …

Boat Rentals at St. Marks and Steinhatchee on Florida’s Natural North Florida Gulf Coast

Not everyone has a boat (AKA a hole in the water in which to pour money!).  And not everyone needs to have a boat if they only use it a couple of times each year.  Florida’s recreational bay scallop season, running from June to September each year, is the perfect time to rent a boat …