You Won’t Go Wrong Fishing on St. George Island
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.