Need some fishing advice and help

[tallygazzda]

Hi my son and I are needing some help on fishing in the st marks area,we try every now and then and just hang around the lighthouse, we have a 19 foot center and would like to find someone who was from the area to show us one day some tricks about the area.We would furnace everything including some money for help . we just wanna start fishing local tired of driving 2 hours to go fishing,thanks

[Jumptrout51]

I can show you where the fish stay. It is up to you to catch them.

[tallygazzda]

Well thanks jumptrout51 that would be great..im just looking for inshore stuff we went as far as what they call the st marks reef ..if it is one..lol

[Rhettley]

Are you wanting to fish inshore for trout, reds, flounder, etc. or go out for offshore species like cobia, grouper, snapper, mackeral, black sea bass, grunts, etc.?
Edit- noticed you said inshore. If we are talking about the same St Marks reef that is in nearly 20 feet of water right? Trout will be found from about 12 feet all the way in to the shore, usually between 2 to 7 feet deep unless it's really hot or cold. The problem right now I assume is seeing the bottom to tell if you are over grass. You want to stay over grass or at least grassy patches surrounded by open patches. When you find a couple of trout drift back through the area again. You are liable to find the trout anywhere on the flats. Drift and fish, marking areas you find fish in. Don't make a lot of noise and make long casts. As the water cools and hopefully clears the fishing will get much better.

[tallygazzda]

Thanks for the info Rhettley, yes inshore is what we are looking for you are correct on the 20 foot reef of st marks yeah we drift in front of lighthouse every now and then get something other then a catfish.lol yeah we were gonna head out tomm but the water is just so dark and dirty it just doesn't seem worth it . Thanks for the info thou

[Rhettley]

Try going out to the end of the channel and turning back left (east). Run a couple of miles east then turn in towards the shore. Be careful of the rocks. Anything 5 feet and shallower you probably want to idle in. Go into about 5 feet of water and drift. Throw a top water plug or gulps on 1/8 ounce jig heads worked just above the grass, try some fresh shrimp if you have them under a cajun thunder, or some small live pinfish. Try different baits and colors as you drift. Natural shrimp colors, bright greens and yellows like electric chicken, or plain white. You can get up shallow around oysters and creek mouths for reds and trout. Just watch your tide and don't get stuck up in the shallows waiting on the tide to come back in.
Measure your fish carefully and make sure you have all the safety items. They will check you and ticket you.

[tallygazzda]

thanks again Rhettley yeah i always wanted to explore a little more but when we try it gets a little scary with the rocks they seem to be in areas that make no sense ...my son is young 12 years old so its more of a one man show when we go out but i think we are gonna try what u say next time were up there.

[Jollyman]

The best advice for fishing St. Marks is go to the Econfina river. Many folks catch a mess of fish out of St. Marks and Many folks do not. The problem with that statement is 2 Many folks. I realize it is a further drive but you will be much more likely to catch more keeper fish than in St. Marks. St. Marks is littered with 14.5" trout. Not to mention you have folks coming out of Sheilds, Shell Island, The fort, and the lighthouse in search of the same fish. There are more rocks over that way so slow down a little or follow somebody else out. Good luck.

[guthooked]

Keaton is also a good choice but it is even farther than Econfina, which by the way, scares the crap out of me. Most of the time I am fishing with my 9 year old son and really don't like the idea of being stranded with 2/3 of an outboard hanging off the transom. Jollyman is dead on though about the 14.5 inch trout at St Marks.

[tallygazzda]

Jollyman and Guthooked thanks so much for the reply's,to be honest that's why i have been keeping away from those areas i have never been so rocks seem to be in places where they don't belong i have heard.Thats why in my post i was asking for some help with the area but if anybody is still interested let me know even on there boat ill pay for gas and bait thanks....

[big bend gyrene]

Thanks for the info Rhettley, yes inshore is what we are looking for you are correct on the 20 foot reef of st marks yeah we drift in front of lighthouse every now and then get something other then a catfish.lol yeah we were gonna head out tomm but the water is just so dark and dirty it just doesn't seem worth it . Thanks for the info thou

Far worse places to be than St. Marks reef this time of year if you have a calm enough day to make it that deep again. Resident cobia are here most of the year but with fall temps now reaching perfect levels, you'll have migrating cobia mixing in as they head around the bend to start their trek to warmer southern winter waters. Probably get a few grouper hits this time of year at the reef too, though can't keep them right now in our local state waters.

Only thing with cobia is it's often a game of patience, and when the random bites come acting quick to get the cobia off the reef structure before getting cut off. If you like steady bites, fishing gulp or shrimp inshore on light tackle is a better bet, but if you don't mind sitting for hours between INTENSE excitement of big fish hits, then you can anchor up over structure, sink live pinfish to bottom using a fish finder rig (like the pic -- with about 3 feet of 60lb fluorocarbon as leader, a #6 or #7 circle hook versus J-hook, and a 1 or 1 1/2 ounce egg sinker above your swivel), pull the bait back up at least 2 or 3 feet off the actual bottom, and patiently wait until one of your rods doubles over.



You can also tie on silver spoons to a light action rods and cast at the reef bait schools to pick up schooling spanish macks/jacks/bluefish if they look like they're there and you want the boy to have fun catching fish while waiting for bottom hits.

[Jollyman]

There are markers for a lot of the rocks in the river that even helen Keller could pick out. I would recommend you go down and check it out with yourself and a buddy to get the lay of the land at high tide fish until low tide and come in real slow you will be able to see the areas of concern. I also believe Jerry's bait and tackle has some stuff on the web. I would gladly take you in my rig but it is far from fancy and I am getting ready to start deer hunting. Hit me on pm and we will see if we can set something up by taking a day off or half a day if we can get the tides right. The aucilla is the real dangerous one for big boats. Good luck.


Jm

[tallygazzda]

Big Bend gyrene thanks for the reply yeah we have set on that st marks reef and did get a few nice flounders to eat our pinfish until a very pretty and large shark comes around..lol but hopefully weather and seas permitting my son still get green anchored up with ruff water ,,,but thanks once again on the cobia info