BigBendFishing.Net

Needing a fishing fix, I loaded the gear and went to St. Teresa Beach. I am not one of the fortunate people that can view tide, weather, solar tables, etc. when planning a fishing outing. I have to view my schedule and put fishing into its slot. Unfortunatley, I have to fish with the conditions that nature provides in that time slot. Therefore, my plan was to be on the water as the sun was coming up and hope for a couple hours of quality fishing.

St. Teresa Beach is one of the best places to wade fish I have found for the simple varity of the area. It is very easy to access as I like to park on 98 and walk out toward the point. You find a vast area of healthy grass with many sandy pot holes throughout. I like to wok out towards the chanel where the depth drops off and fish along the edge. I alway see fish chasing the vast varities of bait fish and it creates illusions of fishing grandeur. I did say illusions.

Sunday I was on the road by 5:15AM and on the water with the rising sun. I arrived to find a moderate chop which was disapointing as I was hoping to work my top water stuff on a smooth surface. I am just not skilled enough or enjoy top water on wavie conditions. I changed over to a new penny gulp and a weedless setup. My intentions were to bounce it off the bottom and see what happened. Nothing! I than rigged the gulp under a popping cork and found the best results I had working that method. What I noticed most in my fishing outing was the length of the grass. I was wading in 3.5 of water and the grass was probably 2.5 feet high. (Does flats grass grow like our lawns in the summer and can someone please bush hog it down to a more manageable hight! ) I was also expecting an outgoing tide as I thought I read the low tide was to be at 10:30AM, but I saw very little change in water level. The wind did lay down a little bit, but never smoothed out. The sky was cloudy so the sun was not a factor, but I never found the fish. I fished for four hours and I cought a couple small trout, one small flounder and several catfish but nothing else. I don't know if this is typical for this time of year, but this summer seems very slow to me. My outing at this time last year were much more successful. Regardless, I love to be on the water and the soaking is good for the soul. I am traveling to Tennessee this coming weekend so I will try my luck soaking on the Hiwassee River looking for some nice rainbows.

No sharks ate you and you weren't crikeyed by a sting ray, so it could be worse. Summertime can be rough. Good luck in TN.

Wade St. Teresa in the winter. The grass is lower and easier to fish. Also, stick with a 1/4 ounce gold Johnson Sprite. Best overall bait.

I enjoy wading with a float ring, but I usually start at Leonard's Landing on
Alligator harbor and it's a long haul wading to wilson or St. Teresa beach. Is there a safe place to park up 98 or just take your chances on the side of the road

If you continue to travel on 98 past LL you will see several paths cut through the trees at different locations. Simply park on the side of the road. I like to walk out the very last path before you hit the housing driveways. It is easy to find as the ground is chewed up from the excessive parking. I prefer that as it puts me closer to the point and I can easly work either direction. For my money, it is one of the best places to wade as the fishing is usually good most of the year. It provides good protection from the wind which keeps the water calmer and you don't have a great deal of boat traffic. I actually went out this sunday and waded the area. The fishing was a bit slower that I had hoped, but I was able to listen to my drag screem on several occasions. I took home one 22 inch trout, but had better luck with the ladies and cats. Hopefully, as the water cools, the trout and reds will find there way back into the harbor and will wade out and get me some more. Hope to see you out there. I need to get me one of them there float rings. I still use a stringer!

I found one on line a Cabellas. Foam ring with deep net for catch. It has two rod holders buckled on either side of the ring, and two small plastic tackle holders strapped on top of both sides of the ring, and about a five foot leash. The best $20 value I ever found. If the weathers rough, you can always pull it up to the shore grass or add more leash if it gets in the way. I don't know if they still have them but I bet Crumps has something like that.
Thanks for the info, I know where you're talking about, I think, that sand looks like a good place to get stuck. Do you park on the water side or across the highway? Let the drag sing!

Will the rod holders provide enough support to rig a rod from? When I'm in a boat, I like to float live bait under a cork while I work a seperate rod with a lure. I wouldn't want a big red fish to hit the bait and drag the rig and all it's contents under. That type of thing happens to me when I fish. It would be just my luck to have a couple nice fish in the ring, have a monster fish hit my floating rig, drag everthing under and I loose my dinner. Come to think of it, that sounds like fun, I think I will get one and try it. Thanks for the info.

Parking: I just park in front or behind the sand pit.