levy county
3-Day Trip: Fish North Florida’s Hidden Coast
The shorelines of Florida’s northwest counties are known for more than their white, sandy beaches and quaint, coastal cities. Their waters are abundant with a wide variety of salt and freshwater fish, and each county offers an assortment of boating, scalloping and other water activities. From freshwater kayak fishing to deep-sea charters, Florida’s northern shores …
Start Searching For Cedar KeySheepshead, Winter 2015/16
While opportunities abound for anglers to target many species in our Natural North Florida area in January, it’s the thought of big sheepshead that really gets local folks excited. Cold winter weather sparks the natural spawning cycle of sheepshead and the big females, some as large as ten pounds, school over and near artificial and …
“Seenie Otey” Is Just A Short Paddle From Cedar Key
On the charts and maps of Cedar Key and Dixie County, Florida it’s named “Atsena Otie Key”. But to locals, it’s simply “Seenie Otey”. In any case, this island is just a short paddle from the beach and harbor at the south end of the town of Cedar Key. There, you can launch your own …
The Best Fishing at Suwannee—and Maybe At Cedar Key—Suwannee Sound
October’s cooling waters seem to have a positive effect on the fishing in Suwannee Sound, the stretch of rugged coastline between the mouth of the Suwannee River and Cedar Key. Keeper seatrout have moved off the deep flats. While not yet holed up in the rivers and creeks, they’re moving closer to shore, especially around …
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 …
Slow Down (Paddle!) Levy County’s Backwaters at Shell Mound
Whenever anyone asks me to recommend some Gulf fishing waters that are protected from early winter winds, the Shell Mound backwaters north of Cedar Key always seem to top my list. Located about 10 miles north of the town of Cedar Key and halfway to the town of Suwannee, Shell Mound offers visitors not only …
Natural North Florida’s Three “F’s” (Fall Flats Fishing)
The term, ‘flats’, means lots of things to lots of different anglers. Bonefishers love to sight fish over stretches of shin-deep, pure white sand or marl. Tarpon enthusiasts often find their prey on ‘flats’ that are six to eight feet deep, and everyone knows that redfish prefer shallows where the rough, rocky bottom holds crustaceans …
Snook On The Big Bend? You Bet–Provided We Have a Warm Winter!
Snook are probably the most fun and abundant gamefish in Florida. They run, they jump, and if you want to keep one for dinner during open season, they’re delicious to eat. However, they’re also highly susceptible to cold water temperatures and are some of the first fish to be found floating dead after a hard …
Heading To The Water? Use Florida Boat Ramp Finder For The Best Access
If you’re heading to the Gulf, the rivers or the lakes in our Natural North Florida region, be assured we have plenty of boat ramps with public access for your use. And the best way to find them is to use the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission’s Boat Ramp Finder. It’s a complete listing, …