A unique website dedicated to fishing information from Florida's Northern Big Bend. This includes the area from the Econfina River west to the Apalachicola River
Use this area to post inshore fishing reports from the area. Please try to include relevant information such as:
Location, date, time, water conditions, weather conditions, baits, techniques, species caught, etc.
Had a conference in Crystal River this week and headed down there a couple days early to get a day of fishing in. I fished with a fellow that I work with from Ocala and he rented two Wilderness Systems Tarpons from Brasingtons in Ocala and we launched at Fort Island boat ramp on Monday morning around 7:15. This was my first real attempt at kayak fishing from a sit-on-top. I've fished a fair bit from sit-in touring boats and from canoes though. I had a Tarpon 140 and it was a great boat. It had lots of options for fishing (I made a milkcrate with rod holders and a net holder out of some spare PVC in a bout 20 mins. and it really complemented the boat). The stability was amazing - I had waves breaking over the sides and it never felt like it was going to tip. We launched in a good breeze and a light chop and fished around a couple of islands, some oyster bars and over some grassy bays. The wind kicked up strong in the afternoon, and by the time we were returning it was whitecaps and a good 15 kt. 'breeze'. The fishing was great but the catching was slow. Tom faired a couple of catfish on gulp, I got a couple of sea bass, a snot cat, a lizard fish (a first for me) and a nice size trout. All on jigs. I'd love to return and fish on a non-windy day, it was a beautiful area with plenty of places to explore.
"The charm of fishing is that it is the pursuit of what is elusive but attainable, a perpetual series of occasions for hope." - John Buchan
It was a good conference too. I was there and went for a little kayak trip on Wednesday evening - wished I had a rig or two - that looks like a fishy place. All I saw was some manatees doin' the wild thang!
Tom faired a couple of catfish on gulp, I got a couple of sea bass, a snot cat, a lizard fish (a first for me) and a nice size trout. All on jigs. I'd love to return and fish on a non-windy day, it was a beautiful area with plenty of places to explore. 
