gulf of mexico
Take Advantage of Natural North Florida’s Warm Winter Waters–Go Wade-Fishing!
It may be cold where you live, but we’re having a nice, comfortable winter here in Natural North Florida. Christmas and New Year’s saw daytime temperatures approaching 80-degrees F and Gulf of Mexico water temperatures in the mid-60’s. That’s “cool” for us, but it’s perfect for species like black drum and redfish. These cousins (redfish …
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 …
Put on a Sweater–and Paddle the Big Bend Saltwater Trail!
The weather’s cooling down, so it’s time to head to the coast and do some paddling. Sea kayakers have long known of the multi-day expedition possibilities along Florida’s Big Bend Gulf Coast. The area boasts one of the longest and wildest publicly-owned coastal wetlands in the United States, and a striking array of bird …
It’s Fall–And Those Big, Tasty Redfish Are Plentiful on Florida’s Big Bend!
Fall means that our Gulf waters are beginning to cool off, and the redfish are getting frisky and into a spawning mood. However, the big “bull” and “spawner” reds are over-slot and wouldn’t be great to eat anyway. Reds in the 18-27-inch slot are much better at the table. If you want to eat a …
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 …
Looking For Seafood In Your Area? Use the Gulf Coast Seafood Finder APP!
Looking for Gulf Seafood in your area? Check out the Gulf Coast Seafood Finder mobile APP developed by the Gulf Coast Seafood Marketing Coalition. From their website…“The Gulf Seafood Marketing Coalition (Coalition) was formed by The Gulf & South Atlantic Fisheries Foundation, Inc. as a result of a grant from the Gulf States Marine Fisheries …
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 …
Lionfish invasion: FWC moves forward with management changes, May 2016
Yes, there are lionfish all over the Gulf of Mexico, including some of the waters off Levy, Dixie, Taylor, Jefferson, and Wakulla Counties. They live in deep waters, but are invasive and should be considered so. Here’s a recent post from the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission: News Release Wednesday, April 16, 2014 Media …