Shired Island–Dixie County’s Hideaway-And A Great Spot To Fish Natural North Florida

What Florida’s Dixie County doesn’t have in the way of population or big cities (Cross City is the “big city”!), it makes up for in laid-back and remote coastal towns.  While Suwannee and Horseshoe Beach are the most prominent spots on the map (they have restaurants, marinas, condos to rent and  boat ramps), Shired Island …

Kate’s Fish Camp–Alachua County’s Newnans Lake Is Not Just For Fishin’

Whether you want to go fishing, cycling, canoeing, or camping, Kate’s Fish Camp is the place to be for outdoor fun for the whole family. Kate’s Fish Camp is conveniently located on State Road 20 near Prairie Creek, Newnan’s Lake, and the Gainesville-Hawthorne  State Trail so it is the perfect place for camping, canoeing, kayaking, fishing …

Big Grass Island–A Landmark For Steinhatchee and Keaton Beach Anglers

Taylor County’s Big Grass Island lies “slap dang” in the middle of the stretch of Gulf shoreline between Steinhatchee and Keaton Beach. And while the low island serves as a navigational landmark, it’s the shallow water near it that attracts the interest of inshore anglers. From a geographic and geologic perspective, Big Grass Island was …

Waccasassa Bay–Levy County’s Best Backwater! Redfish Await!

According to Dunnellon resident Buzz Phillips, who’s been fishing Waccasassa Bay his entire lifetime, the fishing’s not as good there as it was twenty or thirty years ago. That may be true, but the unspoiled waters reached by leaving the Waccasassa River are hard to beat when many other Big Bend ports are crowded with …

Want to Fish at Steinhatchee, But Don’t Have A Boat? Hire a Professional Fishing Guide!

Owning and operating a fishing boat can be a complicated (and expensive) venture, especially if you don’t use it much.  Gas goes bad, trailer bearings and tires wear out if not used, and outboard motors gum up if not run frequently.  If you’re only planning to fish a couple of times a year, hiring a …

Kayak (and fish!) Cedar Key’s Backwaters

I admit it. I’m guilty of telling anglers heading to Cedar Key to avoid these Big Bend backwaters. Of course, many of them are taking powerboats with them, and likely appreciate my advice after they see the structure there. While Cedar Key is the name of the town that actually sits on Cedar Key and …

Try Kayak Fishing in the Wakulla Backwaters

Last weekend I left my flats skiff behind in Steinhatchee and joined a couple of other outdoor writers in Wakulla County for a kayak-fishing adventure. Of course, over the years, I’ve made numerous trips out of St. Marks, Panacea and Spring Creek, but never had much chance to fish the shallow, close-in flats and inshore …

It’s Time To Head West Towards The New and Improved Horseshoe Beach Marina!

In the past few years, Horseshoe Beach hasn’t had lots of attention from outdoorsmen who live outside the Natural North Florida region. That’s bad, as it’s a great place to fish—and to relax! This small town, billed as “Florida’s Last Frontier”, is about 25-miles west of Cross City, at the end of CR351. There are …

Fishing Line Perilous for Pelicans

Fishing is an important part of the Florida lifestyle as well as its economy. In spite of the obvious benefits, this leisure-time activity, on occasion, can lead to problems for birds and other wildlife such as sea turtles and manatees. According to Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission (FWC) biologists, monofilament fishing line and fishing …

The Wacissa River–An Unspoiled Stretch of Fishy Water in Florida’s Jefferson County

The Wacissa River begins (where else?) but near the village of Wacissa, in southern Jefferson County.  As the crow flies, the headwaters are but 20 or so miles from urban Tallahassee, but in terms of time, it may represent centuries.  The headwaters are fed by numerous springs, including several with first magnitude flows.  Depending on …