Wade Fishing

[IMA SHOOTER]

Recently, I have become interested in wade fishing. I was planning to try wading at Wakulla Beach this weekend. I have fished the flats extensively out of a boat. However, I have never tried wading. Is there any advice any of you can give? Suggestions at WB.........other areas that may be productive?

I have enjoyed reading this forum in the past and I look forward to participating more in the future.

Thanks for the help.

[captkeyser]

Wakulla beach has extremely muddy bottom. In most places you can sink up to your knees. There is a spot to the right (if your facing the water) that you can fish "mud free". Follow the shorline to the point and then you will see a trail that heads back to the West. This trail leads to a long oyster bar, at the tip of this bar is a good channel. I learned to fish for trout and reds, before I had a boat, on this bar.(wear shoes)

Another good spot to wade fish is Bald Point in Ocklocknee bay. There are numerous oyster bars (wear shoes) that hold good fish year round.

There are some areas that you can also fish off of 98 headed towards Lanark. You can simply pull off of the side of the road and wade the grass flats.

All of these areas should be good, I personally would stay away from Wakulla beach though. The fishing isn't what it used to be..... Good luck!

[IMA SHOOTER]

Thanks for the advice......................you kept me from being up to my waist in muck! Anything else you can tell me about the Bald Point area?

I have plenty experience at Lanark but it's all from a boat. Are you talking about wading in just west of the FSU Marine Lab?

[jsuber]

Alligator Harbor is a good p[lace to wade and catch fish.

[captkeyser]

Bald Point, as you probably already know is on the east end of Alligator Point. My only advice would be to fish on top of the bars first thing in the morning. There is a large high around 5am, and the fish will be hugging if not on top of each bar. There is also a large flat just south of the point that should hold good fish also. Topwater, topwater, topwater would be my choice.

Yes, I was referring to the area just West of the lab and Summer Camp. I know of folks who have caught some monster trout there recently.

Both places should hold fish. Good luck.

[IMA SHOOTER]

Thanks for the advice I will try that out and see what happens.............Any other advice on fishing the Baldpoint..........Alligator Point area.

[captkeyser]

Look for Mullet. Where are schools of mullet, there are trout and reds. Cast into the schools.

[SHOWBOAT]

All of these areas should be good, I personally would stay away from Wakulla beach though. The fishing isn't what it used to be..... Good luck!

True....any ideas why? maybe the "muck" a couple years ago, or increased pressure?

[captkeyser]

All of these areas should be good, I personally would stay away from Wakulla beach though. The fishing isn't what it used to be..... Good luck!

True....any ideas why? maybe the "muck" a couple years ago, or increased pressure?

We had a small hurricane come through a couple of years back (can't remember the name) and it ripped up all of the grass in between Patty's Island and the Goose Creek. The grass never came back.... The water is not nearly as clear as it used to be (no grass=no filtration) and the fishing has gone down hill since.... There was also a point a couple of years back when they found high levels of fecal matter in WB. I don't know if this played a part.

WB used to be my favorite spot to fish. I caught numerous trout that went 6lbs, the reds were guaranteed on the bars and life was just plain out good ................ now ,,,,,, there's only mullet.

[Charles]

I have waded Wakulla Beach, but only from the parking area as far back as the dyke.

Out front it's reasonably firm bottom with some rocky areas.

Get around the point where the long bar is that captkeyser mentions and it becomes muddy and difficult, but not impassibly so. A walking stick about as tall as your shoulder is helpful. Wade fishing the east bank of the creek is worth the trouble.

As you head north up the east bank you will come to a small, bare oyster bar, then a slightly longer grass covered oyster bar. Fish both these bars from the bank before wading out on them. I have caught nice trout and reds on both these bars between the marsh and the bar. I have also caught nice fish casting from the outer ends of these bars.

As you continue on around, you will come to a sandy point. Much easier walking here. If you are standing on the point facing west there will be three oyster bars and a sandbar on your left. It's deeper between you and these bars, shallow around the bars. It's also deep in front of you and to your right almost all the way up to where the creek curves to the left. You can access this point without having to go all the way around, by the trail that cuts through the marsh. From the parking area skirt the west end of the woods around to the right and you should be able to see the trail on your left when you come to it.

Continuing on up the creek, the natural channel on your left becomes shallower developing into a small, sandy flat area. The edge of the marsh angles away from the channel and the wading becomes muddy again. If I see 'gators, they're usually from here on up. They don't like to be stepped on, even though they are firmer footing than the muddy bottom they tend to move around a lot.

As the creek curves to your left, a long, deeper hole starts here. There will be two oyster bars on your left. Don't throw a castnet here unless it's a net you really don't like, or you just want to practice diving a castnet up out of a rocky hole. Beyond this you will come to a section where you will be back up in the marsh, the hole is a vertical drop off from the bank. Beyond here a bag with 5 trout and a redfish in it gets pretty dang heavy before you get back to the car.

Moving on up from here it gets sandy again. A little deeper toward the bank, shallow sand, then the upper end of this hole which peters out into shallow sand shortly.

Following this sandy area it gets muddy again and the bank curves back to the right. There is a relatively large oyster bar, or a clump of small bars depending on how you look at it, on the left. All along this stretch between you and the dyke is a deeper hole. On foot, I've never been further up than this.

Carry drinking water with you. Walking this can be considered a workout for the day.

Watch for stingrays. There's a bunch of them in this creek and they don't like to be stepped on any more than the 'gators.

A walking stick will give you something to probe ahead with and move the critters out of your way in water too murky and deep to see the bottom.

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