Reports for Panhandle-St. Joe/Apalach?

[chasmo]

I am heading down there in a couple of weeks and was wondering if anyone out there has been trying the reds or trout on the flats or Pomps at the East End of St. George. Any help is appreciated and I will post reports when I get there.

Thank you,
Chasmo in KY

[chasmo]

Wind has been keeping the boat dry so far. If it would lay some I could get out to the east end and catch some trout, pomps and macks. Have been catching trout in the surf which is a nice change but not much else-other than 10-15 ladyfish every time i head down to the beach. Going to East Bay today to try to stay out of the W wind and find some trout and flounder and maybe a cruising tarpon.

[JD7.62]

For trout and reds early in the morning use a popping cork and shrimp over scattered grass. Look for "potholes" in the grass flats and work your bait over it, the trout and reds use them for ambush points. When the morning bite shuts down find deeper 10-12ft holes adjacent to the grass flats and drag live bait (shrimp, bull minnows or finger mullet) on a carolina rig.

For some fun, drift the pass with cut up lady fish for sharks, there are plenty out that way. Unfortunately scallop season isnt open. Still snorkeling the grass flats around blacks island is a blast.

[chasmo]

JD-Thanks for the info, have done that for years! Scallop season is opening a week early this year for St. Joe Bay, this saturday! Will do that for sure. Got out on the flats behind St. George in Apalach Bay last three days and got into some gator trout Friday on topwater before sun got up-26", 24 1/2" and a 24" all within 15 minutes! Then lost same topwater (115 gunfish) to a 100lb + tarpon! Great morning. Then went around to gulf side and got into pompano on nylure jigs at eastern most point of the Island. Then stumbled onto a school of spooky reds but got hooked up and caught two, releasing the 19" and keeping the 26" for dinner! While heading in, bait was getting was slashed and we threw spoons and small minnow lures but couldn't get hooked up on the macks we saw jumping everywhere! Saturday was more of the same as we got only one gator trout on top then switched to jigs (rootbeer of course) and got into a lot of small trout mixed with 4 keepers. Then again went around island and cruised the beach and found a cobia that wouldn't play but soon found some pompano and blues that would. Saw an 8 foot plus hammerhead cruising the sand bar which was a great site to see, then we got hit by the ladyfish on every cast. Saw many tarpon but none would come and play with us. Got too hot by noon and headed in.

Monday going to go to St. Joe Bay with the wind shifting to the SE and will concentrate around Blacks Island in the potholes then as the tide is high will head back into the shallows to look for cruising reds.

Going back to work next will really ****!!!!

[JD7.62]

Man Im jealous! Tell me how big the scallops are, might make the 3hr drive if they are good size. Fresh bay scallops are PHENOMENAL!

What were you catching the pompano on? What did you throw at the ling?

[chasmo]

Was very cloudy/with some rain today so scalloping was tough to say the least. They are pretty small for the most part. If I were you, I would wait a couple of weeks for them to get larger. Got only three that were just smaller than my palm, most were MUCH smaller. On the other hand, the trout were hitting great on the edges of the flats around Blacks Island. Got my limit in an hour and a half!! Most on rootbeer jigs fished SLOWLY on the bottom. Got a 23" and three 20" with very few undersized ones. Also got some flounder is same spot.

As for St. George flats-things have slowed tremendously- mostly undersized trout mixed with some 5# bluefish cruising through. Around the surf side, some more pompano on Nylure Jigs (yellow 1/2 oz.) tipped with small sand fleas always got hit soon, but still got a couple without sand fleas. Redfish have been extremely spooky and tough to catch with many follows and not many strikes. And did I mention, ladyfish everywhere?? Fun, but become a pain after four or five of them in a row! My 8 year old daughter has been having a ton of fun in the surf with the whiting and even caught a nice trout on a small piece of shrimp in the waves. The surf has been very calm the last few days.

Heading back to KY tomorrow so it will **** again dealing with smallmouths in the streams whenever i have the chance and, oh yeah-workl.

[RobG]

Great reports Chasmo. New to the forum but have been down to SGI/Apalach/Carabelle for past 12 yrs. or so now. Good to know something's goin on down there. I'm headed down in a couple of weeks. Looks like the reds are still finicky and pretty hard to find. Have to try running around the end of the island. Haven't tried that yet but sounds like it could be good fun. I'll post reports while I'm down there (hopefully successful ones).