Any info on the flats?

[Triedandfailed]

I'm making my 2015 return to salt water this weekend. I'd like to make it a good trip. Anyone know where the trout are at right now? Still too chilly for the flats?

[brotherinlaw]

They were on the flats in 4 ft last weekend

[kenfly]

I'll be hitting it this weekend as well, hope we have a good trip as well


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[JohnPaul]

Took my 6 yr old grandson fishing/camping sun, mon. tues. and am wed. Fished the oyster beds on low tide at the lighthouse area, caught his first trout early mon. a.m. early. 5 fish total, all 16 inches long. Had to keep them for him to eat so I know it was not the same fish. Camped at county rv park. Nice place but lots of noise at night from all the trucks going up and down highway. Take a lot of bug spray. Nothing like 4 days with your grandson.

[procraftwes]

Went today fished the flats back up to mid river. Decent incoming tide.

Nada.

Water is clearing up and I forgot to check my finder for the temp.

I fished from 2-4' on the flats and around the oyster bars. Not much in the way of action either(no fish hitting).

I've been skunked 3x the month(other 2 times were half hearted) but this time it was about fishing.

[FishingPadre]

I fished Panacea area from 3:30pm-6:00 on a falling tide. I caught one 13in flounder and hooked a stingray in the wing somehow. That was all. My yellow kayak buddy was out there and didn't have much to show for either (and he normally does). My temp was reading 67 degrees in shallow water...and 65 in deeper areas. 68 was the magic number back in Panama City....so we are on the cusp. Water definitely had that feel....fishing should be turning on real soon!

[Blue spinner]

i went out this after noon out of Econfina river fished in 5' to 6' caught a bunch of short trout most were 14 to 15 in fish i did caught 4 keeper fish over 16"
water temp was 68 to 70

[lordsfisher]

hello, i went out with my 16 year old daughter today on the flats. Nothing in the creeks for us. Flats were productive in 3-5 of water. We caught about a dozen total mostly trout and a couple spanish mackerel. The water temp was 69 to 73 F. The water was stained but could see a lure down to 4'. Hope this helps plan your trip.

[randymullaly]

I ran out for a couple of hours yesterday and threw some gulp "swimming mullet" under a popping cork all up the west side of the long bar in front of the light house. Got bit twice (not counting the bugs) but didn't hook up on either strike. Tide was wrong but I just wanted to get out there. Going back out today and will fish the incoming out on the grass flats. Hopefully will have some better news.

[homboyfsu]

When out Tuesday and didn't get a bit. Did not see and fish. going out next week.

[Triedandfailed]

Thanks for all the replies, y'all. Seems like some scattered results. Then plan is to hit grass flats in 3-5' of water and hunt for water temps in the 68-72 degree range.

[TopDog]

Fished out of Steinhatchee yesterday afternoon and this morning. Water temp yesterday afternoon ranged from 71-73 on the flats and up to 75 nearshore over dark bottom. Mainly fished gulp but did throw some suspending lures and top water. Ended up with 3 redfish up to 23" around oyster bars and hard bottom. Fished grass from 2.5' to 6' and ended up with one 17" trout caught on a pinfish under a cork. Pinfish are back on the flats and some white bait schools are showing up. Spanish should be here soon.
Picked up some live shrimp this morning. Water temp was 66 and up to 69 by noon. Fished grass/spotty bottom from 2.5' to 5.5' for two hours and not a single trout. We were beginning to feel like we had a voodoo curse so we Decided to go back to an oyster bar where we picked up two Reds yesterday. The tide was incoming about 45 minutes past dead low with barely enough water to get where I wanted to be. I Decided to anchor up and wait them out. Ten minutes after setting up, fish on. Fifteen minutes and 4 more redfish the wind decides to change from an east wind to a south wind. So we pull anchor and reset trying not to spook the fish. After the reset, we started catching again and the wind changes once more now blowing from the southwest. After the second reset the final tally was 25 reds up to 24", one flounder and one rogue sheepshead. Turned out to be a great morning! Reports from the hill were that the trout bite has been slow but fish are beginning to show up on the flats. Talked with a couple guys who were targeting sheepshead and they both had poor reports. One guy managed two fish yesterday and the other gentleman was skunked. With the water temps improving and the amount of bait showing up, the switch is going to flip any day now.

[randymullaly]

Went yesterday. On the water at 11:30 with an in coming tide. Put in at the light house. Fished the long bar, then ran out to the grass flats, back up to the east river then back to the long bar. Never got a bite. Where are these trout??????

[procraftwes]

Went yesterday. On the water at 11:30 with an in coming tide. Put in at the light house. Fished the long bar, then ran out to the grass flats, back up to the east river then back to the long bar. Never got a bite. Where are these trout??????

I'm starting to think they haven't made their way to St Marks yet.

I know I'll have a hard time catching trout if I can't get a pinfish bite on the bottom.... Nada when I wen't.

Too much work for me right now I'm going to hold off until I start hearing something favorable.

[bpac]

Hit st. Marks today. It was pretty slow, but worked hard for three trout.