If you like to fish, you have found the right spot. Whether you hire a charter boat, fish right off the bridge or from your kayak, St. George Island and Apalachicola Bay offer some of the best fishing in Florida.
The Apalachicola Bay is home to more than 100 species of fish which reside among the grassy flats, channels, oyster bars, sand bars, and small islands, while the Gulf provides surf and offshore fishing along 25 miles of beautiful un-congested white sand beach.
Apalachicola Bay fishing offers speckled trout, redfish, flounder, sheepshead and black drum year-round, with Spanish mackerel, pompano, tripletail, bluefish, ladyfish and sharks abundant between March and November. Surf fishing provides whiting, flounder and redfish year-round; speckled trout, pompano, bluefish, Spanish mackerel and sharks when the water is 70 degrees Fahrenheit or warmer. Red snapper, grouper, amberjack, cobia, jack crevalle, kingfish, mahi-mahi and more can be caught offshore. June, July and August are tarpon times.
Local bait and tackle shops have whatever you need to start fishing, including licenses, nautical charts and rental boats. Expert local guides are available for hire by the half day or full day for all types of fishing. Charters include the required licenses, rods, reels, bait and tackle. Many welcome children and some are for children only!
On the north side of St. George Island, a fishing pier juts out 600 feet into the water, affording easy access (with no fee) to all Apalachicola Bay species. And kayak fishing on the Apalachicola Bay is a special treat! Bring your own kayak or rent one, then shove off and cast a lure. A big redfish may take you for a memorable Forgotten Coast sleigh ride!
If you catch enough for dinner and want to cook it yourself, a bait and tackle shop may agree to clean your haul. If you prefer it prepared for you, some local restaurants will cook your catch.
This is the Florida fishing you’ve heard and read about. It doesn’t get any better than this.
