tommy thompson
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 …
Explore Florida’s Lower Suwannee River by Houseboat
(Editor’s Note: With credit to my good friend, Bill Miller, Jr., I pass along the following narrative regarding houseboating on the Suwannee River. I couldn’t say it any better!) Miller’s Marina of Suwannee, Florida looks forward to meeting you and helping you plan your Suwannee Adventure. Cruising the Suwannee River aboard a 44 ft. Suwannee …
Visit Trenton, A Florida Town That’s All About Quilts and Murals!
Trenton, FL, the county seat of Gilchrist County, is just west of Gainesville and is home to an excellent quilting museum and has taken the art of quilting a step further by painting quilt designs on the exterior walls of some of the historic downtown buildings.
Take Your Time and Enjoy Some Home Cooking at The Cypress Inn, Cross City, FL
If you’re like me, you sometimes forget about the finer things in life. And in many cases, it means suffering through yet another fast food burger or breakfast when there’s a perfectly good opportunity right down the street that offers sit-down service, big smiles and some great food. The Cypress Inn in Cross City is …
Need Shrimp? They’re Right Off The Boat at Florida Cracker Shrimp in Horseshoe Beach!
You can’t miss Florida Cracker Shrimp and Bait Company. It’s alongside the canal on CR351 in “downtown” Horseshoe Beach, FL. If you’re looking for really fresh shrimp, take a leisurely drive to Horseshoe Beach, in Dixie County. It’s about a 24 miles trip from Cross City (via CR351), but it’s worth it. Tim runs a …
Paddle Natural North Florida . . . and go with the flow!
Paddling, whether solo or tandem, in a canoe or kayak, has become a popular sport nationwide. And there’s not place where it’s more evident than in our Natural North Florida region. We have rivers like the Withlacoochee, Waccasassa, Suwannee, Steinhatchee, Econfina, St. Marks, Wakulla and the Ochlockonee. We have lakes, like Newnans, Rousseau, Orange …
Delightfully Doughy Delicacies at Johnson’s Bakery, Perry, FL
Yes, many of our larger communities have Publix Supermarkets with excellent bakeries (Gainesville has at least 10!) but I’ve never heard anyone claim that they’re better than Johnson’s Bakery in downtown Perry, Florida. Downtown Perry, the county seat of Taylor County, is undergoing a growth spurt and remodeling, and the heart of the action and …
Cold Outside? Paddle Natural North Florida Springs–They’re “Warm” Year-Round
Most of us in North Florida are chickens! Not about getting outdoors, but about cold weather. Yes, we have a decidedly cooler climate in winter than our neighbors in the central and southern parts of the state, but we also have over 200 constant-temperature (72-degrees) springs that actually feel warm in winter. Several of our …
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 …
Learn How to Take Better Fishing (and Outdoor) Photographs–A Program by Capt. Tommy Thompson, May 24, 2011
Don’t miss my program at the May 2011 meeting of the Gainesville Offshore Fishing Club on the 24th. I’ll cover digital file types, file sizes for publication, good posing techniques, photo editing software, keeping your gear dry, underwater cameras– and how to win photo contests. There will also be a brief discussion of digital video …