Democrat Fishing Report 3/12

[Flats Rascal]

Apalachee Bay

The flats-fishing explosion has begun. Last weekend, limits of trout were caught from one end of Apalachee Bay to the other. Anglers fishing the recent Team Sea Trout tournament produced four 5-pounders. One successful pattern is a Bass Assassin jig fished under a Cajun Thunder in two feet of water. The Rock Garden in front of Stoney Bayou, the Aucilla Flats, and the area around the Econfina River are all producing good fish. Offshore, limits of grouper up to 29 inches have been taken on LY's. The water temperature briefly hit 70 on Sunday afternoon, and mackerel are ready to appear any day. Then the cobia will arrive. Then shallow-water grouper.

Apalachicola Bay

Fishing in the bay is starting to get right. Whiting are active in the surf hitting small pieces of shrimp on a #2 hook. Redfish are off the East End of St. George; try around the deep edges of oyster bars with a gold spoon. Reds are also around the dry bars at high tide and hitting dark purple lures. Hybrids are being taken from the mouth of the river; use live shrimp under a cork weighted just enough to keep the bait below the surface. Sheepshead are being taken at the Cut and around the bridges. There are persistent but uncorroborated reports of mackerel off East End.


Lanark Village/Carrabelle

Lots of wind wasn't enough to keep anglers from heading offshore, where they had good catches of grouper and amberjack. Look for grouper over "live bottom" at about 40-foot depths, and amberjack around any artificial reefs. Last weekend the first trout of the season were taken at Lanark reef. Redfish are being caught around the bay. Cool nights will lower some of the water temperature gained during warm days, but seasonal warm weather is coming soon.


St. Joe Bay

Both sea trout and flounder are being taken on 4-inch gold, glitter grubs. Pompano are showing up at Cape San Blas. Whiting continue to be plentiful along the beaches and are hitting bits of shrimp. Anglers are anticipating the imminent arrival of Spanish mackerel and are casting for them using tandem speckled perch rigs fished out behind the St. Joe Marina. Recent warm weather has anglers thinking spring.

[Chalk]

Do you have any numbers you could share with us too

Thanks for the report....