# Cape San Blas ?'s



## outdoorkid (Jan 6, 2010)

I have a vacation planned in the first week of June in Cape San Blas And was wondering if anyone has any advice on where and what to fish for. I am dragging my 14 foot skiff with a 15hp tiller motor with trolling motor. I am an avid fisherman I am just in new territory. any advice will help thank you.


----------



## SHunter (Jun 19, 2009)

Too bad that you are not going July 1st at the open of scallop season. You can catch most fish that you catch in this area. I haven't fished in a while there but I do go in the area Port St Joe and over to Alligator Pt. to scallop. I remember catching some specs when I camped one year. I really like the area. Have fun.


----------



## Fisherdad1 (Oct 4, 2007)

I've fished a little there in the summer when scalloping with my scout troop. One problem is LOTS of floating grass. We were land locked - no boat. The wind always seemed to be blowing in the direction of our campsite - pushing the grass our way. The surface was covered with endless bands of floating grass. Trying to work a topwater or subsurface hard bait (Rapala, Mirrolure, etc.) was pretty difficult because you would work it 5 feet and it would be covered with grass. Next year I am going to try the DOA deadly combo, Johnson Spoon, soft jerk baits, etc. The other option is go to the side of the bay the wind is coming from and there will not be as much grass from what the locals told me.

If you have luck let me know how what was succesful please. I'll be back there in August with the scouts.
- Fisherdad1


----------



## outdoorkid (Jan 6, 2010)

I will give a report as soon as I get back. Thanks for the info.


----------



## finfan (Dec 4, 2007)

Find presnells fish camp and fish the flats in front of there. Plenty of grass and pockets. We have always done well there.
Good Luck!


----------



## Tennessee Trey (Feb 3, 2011)

Drift the flats in the bay out behind the state park. Lot's of grass with sand pockets in 4-6 ft of water. We would fish pinfish under popping corks for big trout. I got a 7 pounder that way a few years back.


----------



## Bonehead-GA (Nov 16, 2010)

Just as Tennessee Trey said find grass flats and look for sandy spots within the grass. Jig head with a gulp shrimp is one of the best go to lures on the flats. one good place to look is around Black's Island. Hope this helps.


----------



## jspooney (Oct 2, 2007)

Just curious, why the sand flats by the grass? Are the fish in the sand, grass, or on the edge?


----------



## Bonehead-GA (Nov 16, 2010)

The fish use the edges of the grass and the pot holes for ambushing prey.


----------



## Tennessee Trey (Feb 3, 2011)

Scattered sand holes in the grass is a good sign. If it's solid grass I would drift on until you are seeing some. I have not had nearly as much luck in solid grass covered flats. The trout will lay right in even the smallest sand hole waiting for prey. Some of my best days were with very clear water and a pair of good polarized sun glasses. You can actually see the fish sitting in the hole and target them.


----------



## Bobc5269 (Feb 10, 2011)

*What a Blas*

My family has been going to the Cape since my youngest, now 31, was three years old. What a place! We scallop, fish, scallop then fish. Every nite we'd get in about 8:30, cook scallops, crab, shark, speck, red...... We have only missed maybe 4 years out of all this time. We made some of the best memories of our lives there. My adult kids now take their kids. The beauty of the PSJ area is the variety of marine life you don't see as much of here in beautiful Pensacola; horseshoe crab, scallops in abundance, leopard rays. On and on I could go. 

For scallop, Black's Island area is most productive and produces best quality. In good years, the flats mentioned above behind the State Park Cabins also provides a great experience especially for young kids to scallop. You can find a shallow bar to anchor on surounded by grass where they can play and scallop while digging up countless starfish with their toes. It's easy to get to in a very short time and if a thunder storm comes up you can get back quickly with little ones.

When fishing over the grass, be aware that you are probably going to lose a few plugs. A lot of things with very big teeth will just cut you off. I have watched the Tarpon jump not 30 feet behind me while fishing over the grass in 5 feet of water. If you want a "heavy fish" experience for yourself or a young one, simply toss your bait net off the dock at State Park launch and you'll get all the bait you need very quickly. Go straight out the channel until the water turns a dark green, hang a finger mullet or pinfish down and get ready to hook a shark. They are abundant and lots of fun.
Anyway, I'd move there tomorrow if I could; it's a paradise in driving distance.....................<


----------



## Tennessee Trey (Feb 3, 2011)

I have also caught lots of good fish casting jigs in the surf at the state park as well. The key seemed to be having good clear water. Reds, trout pomps black drum are in abundance during the right conditions. If there are glass minnows in the surf then there will be Ladyfish. Work a jig real fast through the balls of minnows and hang on.
I got a trip planned for August to St George island which is 30 miles or so east of there. Another wonderful place with great fishing. Well worth a drive to check out if you have a little extra time. Half the 17 mile long island is a state park and pristine. Excellent fishing. Especially the east point!


----------



## outdoorkid (Jan 6, 2010)

I appreciate everybodys knowledge of the area, and i am looking forward to putting it to use. I promise everyone of you that i will post my reports after my trip. Thanks again .


----------



## Capt. Redbeard (May 19, 2010)

Good question and answers, I am planing a kayak fishing trip there. All very good input thanks..


----------



## Razzorduck (Oct 22, 2007)

Don't overlook the gulf side. We kayaked along the CSB gulf side last June and hooked 5 tarpon just slow trolling live baits. We could see the tarpon schools swimming by and under our yaks. Should be Kings there as well as the usual suspects like spanish. We also caught alot of atlantic sharpnose sharks as well. Decent launch by the lighthouse.


----------



## rgoldberg (Jul 6, 2010)

*Csb*



Bobc5269 said:


> My family has been going to the Cape since my youngest, now 31, was three years old. What a place! We scallop, fish, scallop then fish. Every nite we'd get in about 8:30, cook scallops, crab, shark, speck, red...... We have only missed maybe 4 years out of all this time. We made some of the best memories of our lives there. My adult kids now take their kids. The beauty of the PSJ area is the variety of marine life you don't see as much of here in beautiful Pensacola; horseshoe crab, scallops in abundance, leopard rays. On and on I could go.
> 
> For scallop, Black's Island area is most productive and produces best quality. In good years, the flats mentioned above behind the State Park Cabins also provides a great experience especially for young kids to scallop. You can find a shallow bar to anchor on surounded by grass where they can play and scallop while digging up countless starfish with their toes. It's easy to get to in a very short time and if a thunder storm comes up you can get back quickly with little ones.
> 
> ...


 
Sounds like we need a weekend away... :thumbup:


----------



## outdoorkid (Jan 6, 2010)

Well wrapping up my week here we caught a 3 man limit of trout each day and also caught six 4ft sharks. One day we caught a cobia around 20inches. The fishing here is unreal, we caught a big trout around 22 inches everyday.


----------



## Scoutmaster (Oct 18, 2007)

*Details please*



outdoorkid said:


> Well wrapping up my week here we caught a 3 man limit of trout each day and also caught six 4ft sharks. One day we caught a cobia around 20inches. The fishing here is unreal, we caught a big trout around 22 inches everyday.


 
How about some details? What areas did you find productive?


----------



## outdoorkid (Jan 6, 2010)

We launched in Eagle Harbor and fished in 6-8 ft of water around grass beds outside of the harbor. All of our fish were caught on popping corks and live shrimp or pinfish. The Sharks were caught on cut ladyfish drifting while we were catching trout. The cobia was caught out of pure luck on a rattle trap. I hope this helps, good luck out there.


----------



## Scoutmaster (Oct 18, 2007)

I know the area well. I'm heading down in July for the scallop season. By this time the pinfish are plentiful but live shrimp are tough to come by. I hope I have your luck in the speck department! :thumbup:


----------



## NICHOLAS (Oct 18, 2007)

Where is there a good place to stay in the area? Everything I find looks like you have to book months in advance.


----------



## Scoutmaster (Oct 18, 2007)

Try Mainstay hotel, dixie inn or st Joe inn. Rental homes and state park are nice, but may require advanced booking. Governors inn in Mexico beach is also an option.


----------



## Bobc5269 (Feb 10, 2011)

*Dixie Bell*

We once stayed at a little, and I mean little, place on 98 just before PSJ called the Dixie Bell Motel; not even sure if it's still there. You could flick a booger from one side of the room to the other. It was a place to sleep, not much more than a 10' x 10' room with two singles, a window unit, and a bathroom. It's old, block, and you could have eaten off the floor. I don't mind old, but I do mind dirty. This little room was immaculatly clean and the people were really accomodating.

If you're just wanting as place to sleep until it's time to get back fishing, give them a try. Here it is.........

http://www.tripadvisor.com/Hotel_Re...Dixie_Belle_Motel-Port_Saint_Joe_Florida.html


----------



## amberjack (Jan 11, 2009)

the dixie bell is still there


----------



## Stoopler (Jul 31, 2013)

Hey does anyone know when Scallop season ends? My friends and I have a trip planned to CSB aug 17-24. We've never been to the area and I enjoy eating Scallops more than most people... Any advice is much appreciated!
Also, any good bars or restaurants for our us (in our late 20's) to hang out and drink a few dozen cold drinks??
Thanks!


----------



## MrPhoShiz (Sep 22, 2010)

sept 24


----------



## Stoopler (Jul 31, 2013)

the nipple?

Sounds like a bar? or a gentlemens club? both? lol


----------



## MrPhoShiz (Sep 22, 2010)

no thats just my sig. someone posted it and i saved it


----------



## Stoopler (Jul 31, 2013)

oh gotchya. Thanks


----------



## Stoopler (Jul 31, 2013)

Do we need a guide or boat to scallop? We've got a beach house rented, but could make the walk over to the bayside and try our luck scalloping, right? Anything I should know before giving it a shot?


----------



## MrPhoShiz (Sep 22, 2010)

you dont need a guide, you just need a dive flag and some scallop bags and a shuck knife. If your on the cape side you are better off IMO because we found our scallops over there. We launched at seahorse marina behind winn dixie and took our pontoon boats across the bay to cape san blas. specifically Pigs Island/Pig Bayou, just north of there are a bunch of scattered grass flats. We found them to be in 1 to 3ft of water in the grass. i found alot around the dock pilings. Lots of people said they found some next to Presnells Marina in the grass but as long as you see grass and there are little to no sea urchins then you will have a good chance of finding them.


----------



## tailfisher1979 (Jan 24, 2012)

East side of Blacks Island in the bomb craters. Two of us limited out in an hour. Literally dive down, grab as many as your breath will allow and come up to repeat. I surfaced several times with 5-6 scallops in my hands at a time. As for night life-Toucans in Mexico Beach should quench your thirst.


----------

