Mexico beach area april surf pier
cajun1971
Posts: 17 Greenhorn
Will be in Mexico beach first week of April and will be landlocked.I like the looks of jetty park in Port St Joe,bridge piers at St George island,as well as pier and canal at Mexico beach and crooked island east.What areas would you recommend and what species will be around.Im thinking pompano,Spanish etc?Also good area to shark fish(big ones).Do I need a permit for crooked island east as I see mixed replies on this.Fírst time fishing Florida, usually at n.c. beaches and lakes.Lastly any places to avoid.Thanks in advance for any and all advice!!
Replies
Fished at the State park on St. George island a couple of years ago in late April. You can by a pass at the park that will allow you to drive out to the end of the island and fish the pass. Sharks were caught there as well as Spanish, pompano and a few redfish. On the beach we picked up a couple of small sharks and pompano. Gotcha plugs
jigs and shrimp should work well. If out of state, you will need a Florida Saltwater license to fish from shore.
Good luck and lets us know how you make out.
April should be a good time to fish the Stumphole at St Joseph's Peninsula State Park for Pompano and whiting in early April. If the water is still cool enough ( < 68 deg F ), Sheepshead and flounder should still be around the seawalls near the George Tapper Bridge. Spanish should be all over St Joe Bay. It may be worth renting a boat at the St Joe Marina or Presnell's Fish Camp for a day. The only way you can access Crooked Island is by vessel. Crooked Island Sound is shark central, pretty much year round. Later in the spring and early summer, Big ( really big ) Tigers and Hammerheads are caught off the beach at night using kayaks to swim out big bonito and stingray baits on heavy tackle. Hope this helps and good luck.
Thanks for replying.Sounds like many species will be around.Will check out presnells and the marina.I believe I have heard of the stumphole and will try to find it's location.Thanks again and tight lines!!!
The "stump-hole" is actually outside the State Park.
It's quite a ways before you get to the park gates.
Headed out Cape San Blas Rd. ( rt. 30E ), there's a parking area on the Left.
It's just before the road takes a hard Right at Lighthouse Bayou.
It shows clearly on Google Maps ... .
Take one of the paths down to the beach.
If the tide is low, or the water is clear, you'll see the stumps.
Thanks for the advice guys.Are there any places between Port St Joe and shell island that rent skiffs for a reasonable price.Most places I'm seeing get $400-450 a day.I can see $200-250 plus cost of fuel,but not more than that.
Might be down there the first week of April. If I am, I'll take you and your son out for a day on the bay. I'll keep checking here to see if you figure something out by then.
Thank you Resinhead.If we wind up going out I'll pay for the fuel and bait and help clean up your boat afterwards.How far out do you typically fish and what do you target primarily? We just enjoy catching most anything.
I have a 21' bayboat down at the Cape. Fuel will already be in the boat and we'll catch bait. No worries. Depending on conditions" is usually the call. The bay is always navigable but outside is different. If it's blowing, there's plenty of areas to fish the bay. If the gulf is good, I have spots out to 22 miles.
Bay fishing is usually good for trout, reds, flounder, sea bass and maybe a few others. Spanish get thick but usually a little later.
Gulf is grouper, red snappa, aj's, peanut mahi, who knows.
Tarpon are usually around but again usually later.
I used to bank fish under the Apalach bridge on the Magnolia Bluff side. It's usually pretty good fishing, trout, redfish, sheephead, black drum gafftop catfish (good to eat). You have to get there early though. I would try to be there about an hour before daylight.
Sounds great, will stay in touch.I don't get to fish the sea very often.I bass fish upstate s.c. and Western n.c.,close to home.I know what you mean weather wise.Thank you Resinhead and have a great day.
Got to watch those **** feral cats though.
I have caught plent of freshwater cats and been hit by many.Are the saltwater cat stings really worse?
That's the hard heads cats that hurt. People don't eat them much.
I read that they weren't much good.I didn't figure stings from saltwater cats were much if any worse than freshwater,but not sure.Had a big blue put a spine completely through my hand once, into my palm and out the top.Sore and swelled for a few days.Little more careful with them now
I know that hurt. I had a hard head get me right in the calf muscle all the way in. Put me on my knees, had to pull it out.
I got hit on my left hand ring finger right where my band would have been. 6 months the thing felt like it was on fire and to this day is still marked. That was 2 summers ago. I hate em.
Ouch.Sounds like they might leave a bit nastier wound.Im careful with them and I took the advice of an old guide on Santee Cooper,if I'm keeping them I cut the spines off with cutting pliers before they go in the cooler.Only times I was hit was when filleting and they go crazy
A friend got hit in the heel with a hard head last year. 2 days later he was th the hospital. 2 surgeries and 2 weeks in the hospital. Clean those wounds
A little tobacco spit will draw it out.
Thanks for the map locations ferris.stc, thanks for the advice.Speaking of spiny critters have any of you guys caught or seen anyone catch lionfish from piers or surf in the area and do cottonmouths frequent riprap or jettys
The myriad of bacteria that thrive in saltwater bays and estuaries like St Joe Bay make any puncture by any marine critter a source of concern. The fish slime on a hardhead is not much different than that of a Spanish Mackerel. I got stuck by squirrel fish I was using to grouper fish. The next day, I had red streaks running down the length of my right arm from the wound to my armpit. 4 days in the hospital in Destin being treated with the strongest IV antibiotics possible. Horrible way to spend a vacation. Take no chances if you are uncomfortable handling your catch.
Use bleach spray (home cleaner kind) to clean hands after handling fish that fin you. Makes a big difference the next day.
A Hardhead sting is a singular experience.
It's one that you're not likely to forget, ever.
One nailed me while I tried to unhook it on S. Padre Island.
Felt like being plugged into a wall socket ... electric.
The first thing I thought was: "Hope it's the hook in my finger".
No such luck. Those suckers inject poison like snakes.
Went straight to the ER ... got an armful of Antibiotics.
Was told that the slime on the spine is loaded with pathogens.
It hurt like heck for two days, and was swollen for two weeks.
Don't get near them now without a long pair of pliers.
Thanks for sharing your experiences. Got another few questions. Been looking at Google earth satellite map of area and reading a lot of articles. That said, if I am landlocked even a day, the seawall at jetty Park in Port st joe looks very interesting and from what I read it holds some good fish year round. Also like the looks of the jetty and pier at the park just east of jetty park. You guys ever fish them, thoughts? Seawall supposedly hold a lot of sea bass, mangrove snapper, sheepshead, and flounder. Also watched a video of fellow catching a nice red there. What say you?