St George State Park
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BuggMann222
- Posts: 31
- Joined: August 29th, 2005, 12:13 am
- Location: Moultrie, Ga.
St George State Park
Does anyone know what kind of shape the state park and it's facilities are in. I'm hoping they have recovered from the storm damage. Thought I might take the wife down for some beach time while I spike a few poles and wait for a freight train to hit. Thanks guys.
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Jumptrout51
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Browning Slayer
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- Location: Jackson County, GA
Some one posted this back in November of 2006. Not sure who I just copied and saved it. Hope this helps.. 
It's time to go fishing off St. George Island again
Community outdoors column by Rick Farren
DEMOCRAT CORRESPONDENT
Have you seen the commercial on CNN announcing the reopening of St. George Island State Park? It contains an assortment of beautiful scenic pictures of the park and beach, but it doesn't mention fishing. For many of us, that's the park's most important attraction.
The state park's structures were severely damaged by the storm surge from Hurricane Dennis in July 2005. Large sections of the road were washed out, the bathrooms were destroyed and sand from the dunes was pushed all the way into the bay in some places, covering parking areas and the main boat ramp.
But all of that has been repaired or replaced - so to all you saltwater anglers out there, the fish are waiting.
Starting with the surf, you'll find miles of beautiful beaches just right for a sand spike, a chair and a cooler. There are pullouts for easy access to remote areas, or you can use one of the two main parking lots, which also have covered picnic facilities and bathrooms.
Currently, whiting are the best bet for surf anglers. The tasty little fish are plentiful and always quick to take a piece of bait. Use small, dime-sized pieces of fresh shrimp, a small hook and just enough weight to get it to the bottom under the current surf conditions.
When choosing a spot, look for areas of darker water, which reveal a trough of slightly deeper water running close to shore. If you don't catch anything after soaking a bait for a few minutes, move 25 yards down the beach and try again.
A common mistake when fishing for whiting is casting too far offshore. Some anglers actually wade into the water so they can throw their bait a maximum distance. They often end up standing where they should be fishing. The better way to locate the fish is to make a good cast and drag the bait back toward shore a few feet at a time. You'll be surprised at how close the whiting will be to the water's edge - sometimes only 20 or 30 feet out.
Boaters will be happy to know that the East Slough boat ramp is again open and has a newly designed parking lot. The ramp provides access to a world of fishing opportunities on the bay side of the park.
For starters, the shallow, narrow East Slough, where the ramp is located, runs east to a dead end in a small marsh about a mile from the ramp. If your boat is small enough, or has a shallow draft, it's a good place to look for redfish this time of year.
To the west of the ramp is Goose Island, which is surrounded by redfish-friendly oyster bars. One pattern that local anglers rely on is fishing the long set of bars on the north side of the island during a rising tide. If redfish are going to show up, it's usually about halfway into the rising tide, when the current is strongest. Use gold spoons or grubs at the beginning of the tide, and shift to heavier lures as the current picks up.
East of Goose Island, beginning at about the tree line in the park, are scattered grass beds that extend all the way past Marsh Island. The grass grows where the water is shallow near shore. It's getting a little late for seatrout on these flats, but there is a cool weather pattern where the trout move just offshore into deeper water and hold there. Lately, an inside source tells me there's also been a school of redfish roaming the shoreline just off the park's campground.
Marsh Island, which is located immediately next to shore about seven miles east of Goose Island, is a good central reference point. The island is surrounded by spotty beds of seagrass, and there's a distinctive drop-off at the edge of the flats where you might look for seatrout as the temperatures fall. Redfish prefer the sandy troughs near the shore and behind the island.
That leaves East End, one of the most popular and best places to fish along the Big Bend coast. The sandy cape is located literally at the eastern end of St. George Island and makes up the western side of East Pass. Currently, however, the 4-wheel-drive road to East End is still closed until further notice because of damage from Hurricane Dennis.
For boaters, though, a combination of water flowing in and out of East Pass, along with sandbars and steep drop-offs, makes the area one big fish attractor. The famous spring and fall runs of Spanish mackerel and pompano can be spectacular. Although there are still a few reports of both species coming in, the season is mostly over. But it's still a great time of year for redfish. Try drifting a live bait or a chunk of fresh mullet across the sandbars with the falling tide.
Reds gathering in the pass for their fall spawning run often will line up on the down-current side of a sandbar or drop-off to take advantage of the natural food delivery system. I've seen times where every bait meant a battle with a 10-pound redfish. Strong tides and fast currents present the best opportunities.
The state park entrance fee is $5 a day, or you can purchase an annual Family Pass for $84.80 that allows after-hours entrance if you want to fish early or stay late. Normal hours are 8 a.m. to sunset.
For more information on the park, or updates on the reopening of East End, go to http://www.floridastateparks.org, choose St. George Island State Park and check the “Manager's Message.â€
It's time to go fishing off St. George Island again
Community outdoors column by Rick Farren
DEMOCRAT CORRESPONDENT
Have you seen the commercial on CNN announcing the reopening of St. George Island State Park? It contains an assortment of beautiful scenic pictures of the park and beach, but it doesn't mention fishing. For many of us, that's the park's most important attraction.
The state park's structures were severely damaged by the storm surge from Hurricane Dennis in July 2005. Large sections of the road were washed out, the bathrooms were destroyed and sand from the dunes was pushed all the way into the bay in some places, covering parking areas and the main boat ramp.
But all of that has been repaired or replaced - so to all you saltwater anglers out there, the fish are waiting.
Starting with the surf, you'll find miles of beautiful beaches just right for a sand spike, a chair and a cooler. There are pullouts for easy access to remote areas, or you can use one of the two main parking lots, which also have covered picnic facilities and bathrooms.
Currently, whiting are the best bet for surf anglers. The tasty little fish are plentiful and always quick to take a piece of bait. Use small, dime-sized pieces of fresh shrimp, a small hook and just enough weight to get it to the bottom under the current surf conditions.
When choosing a spot, look for areas of darker water, which reveal a trough of slightly deeper water running close to shore. If you don't catch anything after soaking a bait for a few minutes, move 25 yards down the beach and try again.
A common mistake when fishing for whiting is casting too far offshore. Some anglers actually wade into the water so they can throw their bait a maximum distance. They often end up standing where they should be fishing. The better way to locate the fish is to make a good cast and drag the bait back toward shore a few feet at a time. You'll be surprised at how close the whiting will be to the water's edge - sometimes only 20 or 30 feet out.
Boaters will be happy to know that the East Slough boat ramp is again open and has a newly designed parking lot. The ramp provides access to a world of fishing opportunities on the bay side of the park.
For starters, the shallow, narrow East Slough, where the ramp is located, runs east to a dead end in a small marsh about a mile from the ramp. If your boat is small enough, or has a shallow draft, it's a good place to look for redfish this time of year.
To the west of the ramp is Goose Island, which is surrounded by redfish-friendly oyster bars. One pattern that local anglers rely on is fishing the long set of bars on the north side of the island during a rising tide. If redfish are going to show up, it's usually about halfway into the rising tide, when the current is strongest. Use gold spoons or grubs at the beginning of the tide, and shift to heavier lures as the current picks up.
East of Goose Island, beginning at about the tree line in the park, are scattered grass beds that extend all the way past Marsh Island. The grass grows where the water is shallow near shore. It's getting a little late for seatrout on these flats, but there is a cool weather pattern where the trout move just offshore into deeper water and hold there. Lately, an inside source tells me there's also been a school of redfish roaming the shoreline just off the park's campground.
Marsh Island, which is located immediately next to shore about seven miles east of Goose Island, is a good central reference point. The island is surrounded by spotty beds of seagrass, and there's a distinctive drop-off at the edge of the flats where you might look for seatrout as the temperatures fall. Redfish prefer the sandy troughs near the shore and behind the island.
That leaves East End, one of the most popular and best places to fish along the Big Bend coast. The sandy cape is located literally at the eastern end of St. George Island and makes up the western side of East Pass. Currently, however, the 4-wheel-drive road to East End is still closed until further notice because of damage from Hurricane Dennis.
For boaters, though, a combination of water flowing in and out of East Pass, along with sandbars and steep drop-offs, makes the area one big fish attractor. The famous spring and fall runs of Spanish mackerel and pompano can be spectacular. Although there are still a few reports of both species coming in, the season is mostly over. But it's still a great time of year for redfish. Try drifting a live bait or a chunk of fresh mullet across the sandbars with the falling tide.
Reds gathering in the pass for their fall spawning run often will line up on the down-current side of a sandbar or drop-off to take advantage of the natural food delivery system. I've seen times where every bait meant a battle with a 10-pound redfish. Strong tides and fast currents present the best opportunities.
The state park entrance fee is $5 a day, or you can purchase an annual Family Pass for $84.80 that allows after-hours entrance if you want to fish early or stay late. Normal hours are 8 a.m. to sunset.
For more information on the park, or updates on the reopening of East End, go to http://www.floridastateparks.org, choose St. George Island State Park and check the “Manager's Message.â€
If there's not a life after fishing, I don't want to live it.....
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BuggMann222
- Posts: 31
- Joined: August 29th, 2005, 12:13 am
- Location: Moultrie, Ga.
Thanks for the info. It's good to know the bathrooms are functional, makes a big difference to the wife. It will be nice to see the East End open again. Had planned to take the wife this weekend but the sandblasting we would take might be a hard sell. I've fished St George State Park for years. It's always been one of our favorite places. Thanks again.