St George Island Information

St. George Island State Park is located in the state of Florida, between the Gulf of Mexico and Apalachicola Bay. The park is encompassed within 1,962 acres of land at the bottom of a narrow barrier island. The park’s landscape includes dunes, sandy coves, salt marshes, shady pines, oak forests and undeveloped beaches.

The island has been in existence for 5,000 years. During most of this time, no one had seized it to use for habitable living. The military used the area for training exercises that were conducted in the dunes portion of the island. The state of Florida acquired the land for the park in 1963 and the causeway was completed was completed in 1965. After the causeway was built, more people flocked to the beaches. Park construction was completed in 1980 and opened to the public.

In addition to the long beaches and dunes, the park also features live oak hammock and rows of slash pines. There is an ocean nearby that caters to marine life. Even though the climate in the area is dry, there are some small freshwater ponds and sloughs that cater to a limited aquatic lifestyle. At the opening of the Apalachicola River, the oyster industry is prevalent there. Commercial and sport fisheries abound there, also.

Because of the dryness in the area mixed in with the island park itself, there is limited animal life dwelling here. You may see osprey fishing in the water and their habitat nests a located on tops of pine trees in the park. They nestle on pine trees that are thriving or unresponsive. You may also spot raccoons, ghost crabs, diamondback terrapin and marsh snakes. These creatures make their dwelling in the marsh and bay water area. In the shores of sand and grass flat areas, you can find different species of birds, such as the black skimmer, least tern and the snowy plover. Birds move from one place to another during the fall and spring seasons. They usually end up along the Gulf Coast’s barrier islands for what are called rest stops. After the cold fronts have come and gone, you have a better chance of seeing them.

If you’re looking for recreational things to do at the park, you have your choice of hiking trails, boardwalks and observation platforms. Gap Point is a campsite that also has a nature trail that spans 2.5 miles. The campground area is in the vicinity of the pine forests. You can either camp out on the bay side or in the primitive campsite areas.

Swimming and sunbathing is allowed along the white sandy beaches and the Gulf waters. You are taking a chance because there are no lifeguards available in this area. So you are basically swimming at your own risk. If you want to fish, you can do surf and bay fishing. During your excursion, you may catch a variety of Spanish mackerel, whiting, pompano, redfish, sea trout, or flounder. You are only allowed to fish here if you have a valid saltwater fishing license.

If you do drive on the park roads, the speed limit is 25 miles per hour. Driving is prohibited in the dune areas. You are not allowed to hunt, use the grass or land to feed animals, or removing trees and related items from the park. For the animal’s safety as well as yours, you are prohibited from feeding them. If you bring a pet, they are restricted from most of the park area. They are not allowed on the campgrounds, beaches (including bathing beaches), concession areas and other areas that are designated off limits. The only exception to this is service dogs (seeing-eye dogs for the visually impaired).

The park is open from 8 A.M. until sundown and operates every day of the year, including holidays.

St. George Island, Florida, is located about 75 miles from Tallahassee. You can get here by driving on the bridge and the causeway from U.S. 98. U.S. 98 is considered the scenic route to get there. This route runs along the panhandle coast. The island is only 29 miles long and at any point, the width is no greater than a mile. The island is well known for fishing, swimming and it has some of the most serene and uncrowded beaches for miles. The waters of the Gulf of Mexico surround it on the south and Apalachicola Bay surrounds it on the north. Apalachicola Bay is known for having a thriving oyster industry, along with commercial and sport fisheries.

Between the 10^th and 15^th centuries, the Creek Indians were the first inhabitants to settle on St. George Island. In the late 1700s, the European colonists came trying to get control of the island from the Creek Indians. The Creek Indians surrender a large piece of land that included St. George Island, to a trader, John Forbes in 1803. This area that was given to him was called “Forbes Grant”. During World War II, St. George Island was used for military training exercises.

Little St. George Island, which neighbors St. George Island to the west, is known for its history of lighthouses. In 1833, the first lighthouse was built on Cape St. George. Thirteen years later in 1846, the light, which was 65 feet tall, was destroyed due to numerous storms in the area. Two years after that, in 1848, another light was built and it was ten feet taller than the previous one. Three years later, in 1851, a hurricane destroyed and flattened the second one. The hurricane also got rid of two other lighthouses, the Cape San Bias and the Dog Island.

The next year, in 1852, a third lighthouse was built. This lasted the longest of all of them, 153 years. In October 2005, a mixture of hurricanes, wars and erosion caused this lighthouse to fall apart. Devastated about what happened, the St. George Lighthouse Association was formed in 2004. The group, along with the Florida Department of Environmental Protection, was able to find the pieces of the destroyed light. They also refurbished over 20,000 of the original bricks to use in rebuilding the lighthouse. In 2007, the association received state funds in the form of a grant to use for the tower reconstruction. This project is scheduled to be completed in 2008. The county park was renamed St. George Lighthouse Park. This landmark will continue to be a part of St. George Island’s maritime history of the Florida Panhandle.

Since St. George Island is known as being environmentally friendly, the State of Florida purchased the bayside of the island and the entire Little St. George Island. In addition to that, you will not see a bunch of subdivisions or homes popping up everywhere. The beauty of the land is protected by low density zoning regulations. There are also building codes in place that have certain square footages you can use and there is a height restriction for building. No high rises are allowed to be built here. These rules and restrictions are put in place to preserve the island’s natural beauty and integrity.

St. George only has about 1,000 permanent residents and never has to concern itself about crowding. Even when the summer months are at their peak, you don’t find people jammed up together. There is something to do for everyone, whether it’s swimming, sunbathing, seashell hunting, bird watching, fishing, or just watching the sunrise and sunset. If you’re looking for tranquil vacation you can enjoy, St. George Island is the place to be.

The Cape St. George Lighthouse was first built in 1833. It was located on Little St. George Island in the Gulf of Mexico. It’s located in the Florida Panhandle, about 8 miles from the shore of Apalachicola. The first lighthouse lasted about 13 or 14 years before it was destroyed. The presence of multiple storms removed the 65-foot light from its existence.

In 1846, rebuilding of the light was in motion at the southern tip of the island. It was completed in 1848 and the light was made 10 feet taller than the previous one. The rebuilding included materials from the first lighthouse. This one lasted only three years. This time its demise was caused by a hurricane. In addition to this one being destroyed, the hurricane also destroyed the Cape San Blas and Dog Island lighthouses.

In 1852, the third light was rebuilt again. This one was placed 500 yards inland from before. During the Civil War, the light was inactive as to divert the Yankee ships from coming that way. In 1865, the lighthouse keeper at that time, James Reilly, activated the light. Even though they tried to protect the area from Yankee ships, the light lens had been damaged, so it was replaced in 1888. The Coast Guard came on board in 1949 and placed an automatic light in the lighthouse, so by the 1950s there was no use for lighthouse keepers. Despite that, the keeper’s dwelling and oil house stayed there along with the lighthouse.

Once again, in 1992, the emergence of more storms and erosion caused the lighthouse to start deteriorating. When Hurricane Andrew came ashore that same year, most of the beach portion around the lighthouse was pulled back into the Gulf. To prevent anything further from happening, the Coast Guard turned off the light in 1994. Before the area could get back to normal, Hurricane Opal visited the area in 1995 and its strong winds forced the lighthouse from its foundation. The hurricane also ripped the iron staircase from the walls ad the tower was leaning. Also included in the damage were the oil house and the lightkeeper’s house. These residences received major damage.

That same year in 1995, a group got together and called themselves The Cape St. George Lighthouse Society. They were passionate about having the lighthouse rebuilt again. Funds were raised for the project and they also received grants from the state of Florida. By 1999, the group had raised over $200,000. Three years later, the society disbanded the group and the lighthouse had been restored once again.

This was not to be outdone by the storms and erosion that caused the lighthouse to sit 20 feet out into the water. In October 2005, the lighthouse totally gave way and disintegrated into the Gulf of Mexico. At least it had withstood over 140 years this last time. The St. George Lighthouse Association came on board to salvage the broken light pieces. The pieces were then placed in storage for rebuilding once again. They are working to get the light and the lighthouse back up again with donations from others and help from volunteers. This light and lighthouse have proven to be an important part of the island’s history and will continue to be for years to come.

John Collins first went to St. George Island, Florida in 1959. He ended up purchasing a home site for $500. After he married Alice in 1960, they went back to the island together and spent their honeymoon there. They visited the island many more times after that. They liked it so much they ended up moving there.

Alice Collins was already working in commercial real estate in Tallahassee prior to her and her husband moving to St. George Island. In 1973, she decided to open up a real estate office there. At that time, the island only had 20 people living there full-time. Her office specialized in selling and renting out residential properties on the island. As her business grew, she became more involved with the island community and environmental issues.

In 1992, Collins Realty went under the Century 21 umbrella and the business was renamed Century 21 Collins Realty, Inc. Since then, her company has blossomed from a one-person running the business part time to a 24-person full time real estate staff and agents and two part time employees. Her company is well known is the St. George Island area and has been dubbed “St. George Island’s Real Estate Specialist”.

The real estate agents at Century 21 Collins Realty have been around for a long time and know just about everything that’s going on in the real estate market for the island. They will help you in any way they can to make your real estate transaction flow smoothly from start to finish. They know how to market their properties so that people will be running to purchase them.

They specialize in promoting St. George Island by letting people know that it’s a destination you’ll want to at least consider. Since the island has been touted for being secluded, never crowded and the beaches filled with white sugar sand and sparkling water, how could you refuse to come here? If you are environmentalists, the island takes nature seriously. The island received a grant from the State of Florida to rebuild the lighthouse that was destroyed a few years ago. The environment rules are so strict that they don’t allow high rises to be built here. This is put in place to keep the environment safe and free from pollutants and other anti-environmental issues.

St. George Island has single family homes from 1,000 to 8,000 square feet. Their residential sites are from one-third to one acre. Property owners that have island homes use them as rental property for vacation rentals or as another home. Even though there are a few full-time residents on the island, they do enjoy being a close-knit community amongst themselves.

The realty company also specializes in vacation rentals. They know that the island is a great place to stay for a vacation away from the everyday hustle and bustle. It helps that they have so much to offer, such as kayaking, fishing, swimming or just watching the sunrise or sunset. These are just a few of the things available to do on the island. There is so much to do, you would never get bored. The vacation rentals can range from condos, duplexes, a multi-bedroom luxury homes that you can rent for a week or more. You can get one that has palm trees or you can rent one that has boat access in front of your door.

Century 21 Collins Realty can make your vacation dreams a reality. They have a top-notch quality staff that can’t be beat.

If you are into the wildlife scene, St. Vincent National Wildlife Refuge is a nice place to visit. It is located in Franklin County, Florida, off of the opening of the Apalachicola River, in the Gulf of Mexico. Since St. Vincent is a barrier island, you can only get to the wildlife refuge by boat. The Apalachicola Chamber of Commerce can provide a list of boat transportation vendors that can assist with this.

The wildlife’s natural environmental atmosphere includes plants and animals. Also dwelling there are tidal marsh, freshwater lakes and streams, dune, scrub oaks, cabbage palm and different types of slash pine communities. Birds that migrate make a stop here and it is also home to endangered species, such as sea turtles, bald eagles, indigo snakes and gopher tortoises. Wood storks come and stay for awhile and then leave. Endangered red wolves breed their offspring here as well. There used to be plenty of red wolves in number, but plans were put in place to control the population and eliminate them, they became less in number.

You are allowed to fish here, but only in refuge lakes. During the nesting season, the lakes are close to preserve the bald eagles. Prior to fishing, check regulations to see if you can fish. Surf fishing is allowed all year round, with the exception of where the birds are. You can hunt white-tailed deer in parts of the refuge. You can also hunt for feral pig and sambar deer. You must have a valid hunting permit to do so. You can check to see what the requirements are.

Refuge roads allow for hiking and wildlife observation. The roads are marked by letters and numbers. The North-South roads are marked by numbers; the East-West roads are marked by letters. On the Gulf Beaches, you are allowed to do shelling. At the Visitor Center, there are exhibits and in October and May, interpretative tours are offered. There are also educational programs available for schools, colleges, universities, clubs and other groups. You can contact the refuge for additional information.

During the different seasons, different animals are nesting and producing their offspring. This process consists of three month intervals, including each of the four seasons.

In the spring season, which is from March to May, soft-shell turtles produce eggs in the sand roads; ospreys use the dead snags in freshwater lakes to do their nesting; The nest boxes are where the wood ducks can be found; dropping antlers are what white-tailed deer bucks are doing during this time; and young eagles are learning how to fly.

In the summer season, which is from June to August, velvet is in for white-tailed bucks; strolling through as wood storks, the beaches have company in the form of American oystercatchers and snowy plovers, in the marshes; the female alligators are the protectors of their nests; and loggerhead sea turtles are producing their offspring on the beaches.

In the fall season, which is from September to November, you may spot some peregrine falcons; polishing their antlers are white-tailed bucks getting sexually charged; and migrating time has approached fro waterfowl, songbirds and shorebirds.

In the winter season, which is from December to February, you can find alligators soaking in the sun, provided it’s warm weather; the nesting period begins for great homed owls and bald eagles; and its peak season for the increase of waterfowl.

The wildlife refuge is open every day from sunrise to sunset. The only exception to this is during the hunting, wildfire or burning season. The wildlife refuge takes pride in the environment, conservation and the preserving of wildlife animals.

The Buccaneer Inn is the only motel on St. George Island. If you’re looking for a quiet getaway from everything and everybody, this is the place to be. The inn is centrally located on the island and its prices are comparative to other lodging nearby. The Inn is encompassed within a white sandy beach along the Gulf of Mexico. The rooms are near the Gulf and the pool.

The Inn has a total of 100 rooms within its facility. The regular rooms consist of gulf front rooms with queen size beds. The park side and pools side rooms have two double beds or two queen beds or one king bed. The kitchenettes consist of gulf front kitchenettes with two queen size beds, park side and pool side kitchenettes with two double beds, two queen beds or one king beds. The kitchenettes are also supplied with a stove that is an efficiency size, fridge and oven. It also includes utensils, a coffee pot and a toaster.

There are two suites that have one queen size bed. The suites compliment the courtyard, swimming pool, the Gulf Of Mexico and surrounding waters. The suites have separate bedrooms, living room, breakfast bar, full-size kitchen, coffee pot, toaster, Jacuzzi tub and private balcony. It also includes heating/air conditioning with cable television.

The Buccaneer Inn also has deluxe gulf front rooms with either queen or king size beds. These rooms have heating/air conditioner, a private balcony and some of the rooms have a Jacuzzi tub and the remaining rooms have showers. You can see the sundeck and Gulf from these rooms.

There is also a conference facility that leads to the courtyard and swimming pool. The conference room can hold 75 or more people and has a fridge and a sink. You can view the courtyard from any one of the suites. The swimming pool is open all year long for your convenience.

The Gibson Inn is located in Apalachicola, Florida, which is very close to the St. George Island area. It is a Victorian Inn and it is part of the National Historic Register of Historic Places. In 1985, restoration work was done on the facility. The Inn only has 30 guest rooms, which means it is a small lodging place. Television, cable, phone service and wireless internet are available in all of the rooms. This Inn also has a bar and a restaurant where you can have a banquet. Along the cotton and lumber wharfs are boutiques and restaurants.

The Inn also features a “murder mystery weekend”, where you will enjoy pieces and clues to a mystery play all weekend. This special weekend includes cocktails, breakfast and dinner. You have all weekend to solve the mystery. After dinner is finished, a winner is chosen for the mystery weekend. On Sunday, you will be able to enjoy a scrumptious breakfast.

You can choose from a room with two twin beds, a king or queen bed, a queen bed with a day bed, a king bed with a day bed, a king bedroom with a claw foot tub and glassed in shower or a king suite with a living room and french doors that lead to the veranda. The Inn also offers discounts to AAA members, AARP members and military personnel.

If you’re looking to get away from the monotonous routine and enjoy some mystery entertainment, check out The Gibson Inn.

Putt-N-Fuss Fun Park is located in Eastpointe, Florida. Eastpoint is in close proximity to St. George Island. In fact the park is only a few miles from the island. This is a family-friendly park with lots of activities and attractions. There is an 18-hole miniature golf course that is fun for all, from toddlers to senior citizens. The golf course is lighted for nighttime fun. There is a game room that has air hockey, video games and three pool tables with cues.

The bumper boats are great if you’re looking for wet fun. The closer you get to the 20 foot high waterfall, the more chance you’ll get water splashed on you. There is an inflatable UFO with a big green alien to play laser tag with. The Flying High Bungee Jump is daring and challenging for toddlers to senior citizens. As far as being hungry is concerned, you wouldn’t run out of things to eat. You can choose from pizza, hot dogs, chicken, hamburgers, french fries, ice cream and sundaes.

The park is open year round, but the hours differ in the March through October season and the November through February season.

Even though this park is about an hour drive away from St. George Island, it’s as close as you’ll get to a real waterpark. Shipwreck Island Waterpark is located in Panama City Beach. It is a tropical theme waterpark filled with plenty attractions for young and old. The twenty-acre park

opened in 1983. Their attractions include:

· Tree Top Drop – two slides, in which one is a tube that drops on a free fall slide and transfers the riders to a drop slide. The other one is an enclosed twisting tube slide, called the Tree Top Drop.

· White Knuckle River – this ride is a tube that winds and has other tubes for the family to slide down on.

· The Rapid River Run – this ride has over 300 feet of inner tube rafting. It is considered by a lot of park guests to be one of the best tube slides you can find in any park. Also included with this ride is the 50-foot splash.

· Skull Island – family-friendly activity pool that has waterfalls, a slide for children and water cannons. This ride makes for a good family time.

· The Great Shipwreck – this ride resembles a sailing ship from the 17^th century. Guests to the park swing on a cable from the ship and drop into a lagoon pool.

There is plenty to whet your appetite as far as food is concerned. You can choose from burgers, salads, pizza, barbeque wraps, funnel cakes and ice cream. During the 2007 season, the park is scheduled to open a small Chick-Fil-A restaurant. There are some parks that you go to where you have to pay for parking as well as the tickets. At Shipwreck Island Waterpark, the parking is free. To avoid the lines when you get there, you can purchase tickets online without incurring extra fees. There are different ticket prices for children, adults and people who are at a certain height. There is also a special price for senior citizens as well as a VIP pass for regular hours during the season.

With all the attractions and things to do at Shipwreck Island, you are getting more than your money’s worth.

If you are looking to find some great art work on St. George Island, check out Sea Oats Art Gallery. This place thrives on the art and craft work of the local people on the island. Their work is an example of their livelihood on the Florida coast. The gallery has a website that showcases some of the artist’s works, which includes about 80 or more artists. You will get a taste of what they have to offer on the website, but it’s not like seeing their work in person.

In 1996, Sea Oats Art Gallery opened as a side project of Joyce Estes. She already had the Bayside Gallery in East Point Florida as her main facility. When she opened Sea Oats, she had already been involved in art for almost 25 years. Joyce had started her career painting when her children became of school-age. To learn more about artwork and painting, she enrolled in Pensacola Junior College where she took art classes. She would paint artwork for her home, using original oils. As her interest grew, she continued to take more classes and enter art shows. Her interest in air painting led to her studying with five people from the International Society of Marine Painters.

Joyce moved to the St. George Island area in 1976. Shortly after her arrival, her first gallery, Bayside, was opened. She filled her gallery with original oils, watercolors and original prints. In 1995, she advanced using French dyes to paint silk. Since she liked this so much, she continued to work with silk and is considered a silk master designer. Joyce has also had the opportunity to work with other silk designers. She has been in one-person shows and her work has been praised among corporate and private art collectors all over the world. Joyce’s work is available for showing and purchase at her East Point and St. George Island galleries. She is also the author of a cookbook “Seafood The Apalachicola Way” and has written narrative for two other books about the Apalachicola Basin’s history and fragility. She still makes herself available to help others with their art through workshops and other art formats.

In addition to her workshops, she decided to open her doors to those artists who were looking for a place to showcase their work. She has over 80 artists in her gallery that have their artwork and fine crafts displayed for purchase. There are always artists coming by to drop off their newest art creation for showing. The atmosphere at the gallery is laid back and free from a stuffy attitude. If you go to visit, you may be greeted with a smile and a fresh cup of coffee. During the evening, you may encounter a glass of wine.

If you don’t go anywhere else, you should check out Sea Oats Art Gallery to get a taste of quality art on this Northwest Florida area. Their art is also the largest collection you will find on St. George Island.

On St. George Island, there is an array of vacation rentals to choose from. Most, if not all of these homes belong to property owners. When looking to rent a vacation home, be sure to familiarize yourself with all the rules and regulations and abide by them. Here are some places to consider for your next vacation on the island:

St. George Plantation

St. George Plantation is located on the island’s west end. It is a gated community that is environmentally friendly. There is a private beach that stretches for five miles. This area includes wooded winding roads, and elevated walkways that lead to the dunes. The Plantation is also a haven for birds. To keep it safe, residents and guests are to abide by strict building rules, and they also have round the clock security. The homes in this private community are unique in design and structure. If you are a guest on this property, you must fill out a rental agreement and provide names of all the people staying with you, including any visitors. The gulf beach is easy made available to everyone because easements have a lot of space.

The Bluffs

The Bluffs is an exclusive community amongst a Gulf front neighborhood. The homes are connected to two cul-de-sacs, which each home being distinct in design. The way the homes are situated, you are able to see spectacular views of the Gulf of Mexico and Apalachicola Bay. They are also set up that way in order to maintain being isolated and private. Surrounding The Bluffs are beachfront and inland dunes that are more than 25 feet long above the shore. You can find deer moss, palmettos, rosemary and cedars and oaks that are 150 years old or more. The cedars and oaks are turned into small bonsai forests by the sea winds. This community is also environmentally friendly, with strict rules to abide by. To enhance the environmental culture, there is plenty of green space surrounding the area. There are many amenities here, including a semi-private swimming pool, dune walkovers and much more.

Sunset Beach

Sunset Beach’s private community is located on the Gulf of Mexico. The cluster of single family homes is bordered by the Julian G. Bruce State Park. The homes are comprised of Mediterranean villas made of terracotta and stucco. This community in the East End will always feel secure with restricted access to security gates. Amenities include a tennis court, swimming pool and a cabana facility. The sand colored stucco outlines the home exterior and the terracotta color enhances the roofs. The homes have a white and aqua landscape backdrop, which makes for a perfect beach setting.

Gulf Beaches

Its claim to fame was being the first plotted subdivision on St. George Island. The length Gulf Beaches stretches for four miles in the center of St. George. The commercial and business districts are located in its center, which spans a six block radius. Old-fashioned cottages adorn themselves on the sand, and widow walked homes are supported by stilts. The beach in this area is accessible thanks to 8 foot public easements. This area in the East End was lengthened for two more miles between Gulf Beaches and the Julian G. Bruce State Park. On the eastern part of the island, there is a walking beach, which a lot of people enjoy.

300 Ocean Mile

300 Ocean Mile is a beachfront townhome community located on the East End of St. George Island. It is also in close proximity to the State Park entrance. This beachfront community has one, two and three townhomes available. You can choose from poolside, side view or a beachfront location. There are two large swimming pools for guests and sun decks provided with lounge chairs and covering in the form of umbrellas. In this community, there are boardwalks that lead you to the beach. In most units, pets are allowed.

There are plenty of amenities that have not been listed here. You should check with the rental property representative to get more information. Also, be sure to read through the contract and make sure you understand everything before you sign.

St. George Island has a fish habitat that encompasses fifty miles. You can find it in the grass underwater fields, the bayside changing surf, oyster bars and the tide-swept areas of the island. Fishing is available every day with the ever growing population. There is also fishing available in Apalachicola Bay. This area is surrounded by the waters of St. George Sound and St. Vincent Sound and allows a wonderful atmosphere for oysters. The area where the tide flows in is wide and shallow. When the tide is low, the average is about six to nine feet deep. This area is consumed by the Apalachicola River. This river supplies fresh water and nutrients to the Bay’s productivity.

It takes less than two years for the oysters to grow to a size where they can be sold. Some of the most quality seafood comes from Apalachicola Bay. The State Department of Environmental Protection is responsible for checking this area to make sure the oyster beds are healthy and constantly producing.

In addition to oysters and other seafood, this river and bay offer other fishing advantages for people who like to catch fresh and salt water fish. In addition to being on land to fish, you can also get the fishing experience by sailboat, riverboat, canoeing or kayaking.

During the spring season (February – May), the water temperature is about 68 degrees. In the surf, the migrating fish, such as cobia, mackerel, jack crevalle, and pompano, come around. Leaving the surf and going back to the bays and inlets are flounder heads, sea trout, and resident redfish. It’s better to fish during the daylight hours. In the evenings the temperature cools causing the fish to be scarce.

During the summer season (June – September), there are more fish during this time than any other season. The thing about this is you will only find a lot of active fish in the early morning hours or late evening hours. Fish species like trout, flounder, redfish, mackerel, bluefish, ladyfish and cobia do not like to endure a lot of heat during the day. They will seek comfort else where until it cools off at a comfortable temperature. The only ones that will give the heat a chance is tarpon and silver kings. You can find them in the East Pass, East Bay and West Pass. Give then plugs, flies and live bait and they’ll be your friend for life.

During the fall season (October – mid December), this is the best time to fish in the middle of the day. When the water temperature cools, redfish, trout and flounder get hungry and whet their appetites. This time of the year is good for speckled trout.

During the winter season (end of December – January), the migrating fish have left. The cold temperatures have forced them to the warmer Gulf area. Redfish and trout like the Apalachicola and East Rivers during this time. Sheepshead fishing is very popular and is very limited in selection.

So, you have your choice of when you want to fish and what you want to fish for in this area. However, the big draws in Franklin County are the oysters, blue crab, shrimp and finfish. These species bring in lots of money to the tune over $11 million worth every year. It looks like fishing in this area is a magnet for bringing in the big bucks year after year.