Cape San Blas area

[zach124]

My family and I are heading to Cape San Blas this Saturday for a week. This is our first time to this area. We will have Kayaks but also plan to rent a pontoon boat for one day to hopefully get in some fishing and scalloping. Based on this if you had 6 or 8 hours of being on St Joe Bay would you fish early or first then scallop? If we rent from Seahorse Safari other than flats fishing are there any passes or inlets close or maybe some structure.
We appreciate any help.
We are from the Jacksonville area so if anyone ever has any questions about this side let us know.

Thanks

[onefishtwofish]

Fish early, then scallop. Easier to see them after the sun gets up anyways.

[RedMann]

I think the main thing you need to do is an anti-rain dance. But seriously, I will also be down there next week but I'm still learning the bay and hope that someone more knowledgeable can give you some tips that might work. If not, the Seahorse folks can give you some good information on where to fish and find scallops. Good luck and enjoy.

[leesburgga]

Couple of thoughts if you want to get some catching and releasing in. About halfway between Blacks Island and Eagle Harbor, there are two channels that come together. You will see them on any map of the bay. Not sure if the rena boats have a depth finder or not. Fish the shelfs around the y in the channels- lady fish, maybe some Spanish, etc. Also, ask any locals about the shark hole. It is a hole that is about 35-38 feet deep just off the the tip of cape. Drop some cut bait in that hole and almost a guaranteed shark. I fish offshore there so will have to let someone else chime in about keeper inshore fish. Good luck and enjoy!

[SS-342]

Check the tide and scallop around low tide. Fishing is good early in the morning, so fish then and late in the evening. Low tide should be near the middle of the day so it will be a perfect set up.

Good luck and give us an exciting post.

[zach124]

Thank's everyone. I sure would like to put one of my boys 16 and 12 on a shark. Is it me or does the weather look less rainy next week????
Anyone know of any Mangrove Snappers in this area??

Bob

[Rhettley]

The mangrove can sometimes be found out on some of the artificial reefs. Chumming can bring them up. You'd probably need a little better boat than the pontoon rental though.

For sharks. the area around the end of the Cape where the 25 to 30 foot water comes in really close is great. Pretty much anywhere in the bay where the flats make that drop from 10 feet to 20 feet or deeper is a decent area to drift some dead baits like chunks of lady fish. The pier at Mexico Beach at night is a great spot for black tips and the Indian Pass area from the boat ramp out to the open water is full of sharks, catfish, and tarpon.