BigBendFishing.Net

It's official got reservations at the Driftwood Inn for july. OK so how and where? Where's good to do the above plus snorkle and surf/pier fish some too? What restaurants do you not want to miss(Seafood of course). I want to show the family a good time so if the weather isn't good we'll surf fish or just play on the beach. Any neat things to see and do in the area that aren't fishing related. I think the Inn would frown upon fish/scallop cleaning, so where can I do that? Any help greatly apprieciated.

Look south of Blacks Island for scallops. Or better yet just look for all the boats. Use Presnells boat ramp and you can clean your catch there. Mexico Beach/St. Joe are really lacking for good eating establishments. There'll be some that disagree, but I've never been impressed.

Look here for helpful info:
http://www.thedailydredge.com/phpBB2/in ... a95e65f0e4

Chew can eat at Toucan's, The Marina at Port St. Joe is okay....What's the name of that place you ate at on the Cape Tom Keels?...Head over to PC and eat at Rodeo's just past Tyndall air base on the left past the bridge, good steak and seafood....

I ate at Toucan's just a couple of weeks ago. I said I would never go back. I think their food is terrible and way overpriced, but I went because the kids like it. I won't be going back.

birddog wrote:I won't be going back.

You know what crow tastes like... ....What's the boss think about that

I know the taste of crow well. But the boss is on my side on this one.

What's a good spot to catch a mess of whiting, shore or from a boat?

birddog wrote:Mexico Beach/St. Joe are really lacking for good eating establishments. There'll be some that disagree, but I've never been impressed.

Yup, sorry food. Exception is the mexican place on Reid Ave downtown.

Man, ya'll are a tough crowd.

The Sunset Grill on 98 in Port St. Joe is a really good resturant. Peppers Mexican downtown is really good. The resturant at the marina was taken over recently by the folks who have the Loggerhead Grill on the Cape. I've eaten at the Grill and the food was excellent. Overpriced and underportioned, but tasted excellent. I hear they have improved the portions. I ate lunch there Saturday and their po boy grouper sandwich was excellent! Drive 20 minutes to Apalachicola and you have some more great choices. Chief Eddie's Magnolia Grill is as good as you will find anywhere. Not cheap, but really excellent food. The Apalachicola Grill on the corner has very good fried fresh seafood. Boss Oyster has good oysters on the river. The Owl has good Italian type dishes.

I agree, Toucans is not worth visiting.

I am no newspaper food critic, but I have 50 years of resturant experience under my not too small belt.

We've got the food part covered, now about the where to fish part. Help me out I have never fished there. I want to put my five year old on some fun fast action.

The bay constantly changes. Ask ole Cap't Gary Goodrich. He knows as much as anyone I know.

If you can't get him, then take a cast net. Hunt the LY's. Go behind Black's island, anchor so you can throw to points of grass and hang on.

My .02 cents. Launch at Presnell's marina, great folks there. Run to the South West side of Black's Island, and find 4 to 5 feet of grass flats. Catch bait with a sibiki rig rigged with chicken gizzards. Put tha small pinfish on a size one Owner circle hook below a baitmate Cajun thunder. Give this method some time in this area, if nothing, move and continue this method. Most of the time this works for me.Hope this helps.
Billy

Anybody willing to do a #'s swap? St Joe #'s for Ecofina #'s I extrapolated a few from a FS chart but proven spots would be much better.

MudDucker wrote:The bay constantly changes...take a cast net. Hunt the LY's. Go behind Black's island, anchor so you can throw to points of grass and hang on.

That really is an excellent strategy in St Joe. Numbers are not really relevant unless you're leaving the bay. LY's, as they're commonly called, (or green backs, Pilchards or Scaled Sardines) are common and prime baits in St Joe. I find a quick place to get them is off the wall at the oil docks down town. It's close to the city pier so getting there and working out logistics isn't too tough. They are all over the bay but I find them easier to net quick at the docks. By the way, we assume you throw a cast net.

I forget the name of the place but its right before you get to the big curve on the cape on the left. Best food I've ever had. Get the she crab soup.