"The four barrier islands in the Bay are the main attraction for Apalachicola fishing."
Apalachicola fishing is enjoyed chiefly among barrier islands that offer up a wide variety of fishing to be explored.
The fishing is enjoyable, whether it's upstream on the Apalachicola River, or in the waters of Apalachicola Bay, it's known as some of the finest in Northwest Florida.
The Apalachicola River is Florida's largest river. It empties into the Gulf of Mexico, creating Apalachicola Bay. This mix of fresh and salt waters, or estuary, is home to an amazing 10 percent of the United State's oyster harvest. Young grouper and snapper thrive in the wetlands and marshes of the Apalachicola River basin, before moving on out to the deeper waters of the Atlantic for their adult life. Other fish who spend their juvenile stages in these waters inlude striped mullet, spotted seatrout, red drum, flounders, and sharks.
Some popular Apalachicola fishing spots are found around the oyster bars; barrier islands; sand flats; and seagrasses. The oyster bars are not always available for fishing and have seasonal closures due to oyster harvesting regulations, but many larger fish are attracted to the smaller fish that live there.
There are four barrier islands in Apalachicola Bay; St. Vincent, St. George, Little St. George, and Dog Island. These barrier islands form natural protection for the mainland from damaging wind and waves, and are constantly changing. You'll find a wide variety of habitats for fish and other aquatic life at these islands. In fact, the barrier islands are home to many migratory birds and endangeredspecies such as the green seaturtle, manatee, and bald eagle. Be sure to keep an eye out for these animals! The barrier islands are the main attraction for Apalachicola fishing.
Sand flats are shallow water areas that naturally occur during low tide times. Large fish seek these flat, sandy places during high tide for a later, easy meal of the many small crabs, worms, and other animals that live in these areas, and remain at low tide.
Apalachicola fishing relies heavily on the seagrasses, which are an important part of the ecosystems of the Bay area. These flowering plants are found growing in and under shallow water. The seagrasses play an important role by providing shelter for fish, and also improve water clarity by trapping sediments.
Apalachicola fishing vacations: The Fish!
Apalachicola fishing has a wide variety of fish, habitats, and styles of fishing to choose from. Listed below are just a few species of fish common to these waters, where you can find them and how to catch them:
Spotted seatrout: Live inshore and nearshore, preferring muddy or sandy bottoms, as well as grassy bottoms. During seasonal extremes of temperature, you'll find them deep. Live shrimp work well for bait, as well as baitfish. Fish the near bottom by using a popping bobber, or free lining . Alternatively, you can try a soft-bodied jig or a topwater plug that you cast as you drift.
Flounder: These fish can be caught on sandy bottoms of channel edges, also near tidal passes and docks. Catch them by gigging while wading in shallow water, or bottom fish using live shrimp.
Cobia: During the late spring and the beginnings of summer, you'll find them along beaches. Other times, they are found inshore and nearshore around buoys, wrecks, and pilings. If you spot an individual cobia, try using a live pinfish. Otherwise, fish with a trolled or cast lures, or cobia jigs.
Sheepshead: Florida sheepshead fishing is best done using live shrimp, sand fleas, or fiddler crabs on small hooks. You'll find these popular fish inshore around oyster bars, bridges and pilings, and nearshore over bottom structure and artificial reefs in the winter and early spring months.
Redfish: Also known as red drum, these guys live in the estuary until about 4 years of age. Juveniles are found inshore by grass beds; by docks and pilings; and by oyster bars. More mature fish live in the deeper waters during the summer and winter months. Pinfish and live shrimp are best used to fish either on the bottom or you can try to free-line; jigs that are soft-bodied also are good, bounced slowly across the bottom.
Spanish mackerel: Found inshore, nearshore, and offshore, particularly over deep grass beds as well as reefs. These are schooling fish that migrate to southerly waters when the northern water temperatures fall below roughly 70 degrees F. Live cigar minnow or other baitfish work well fished near the surface; otherwise, shiny spoons cast or trolled.
Many more species are found in the waters of Apalachicola! Some Florida fishing varieties include Pompano, Speckled Trout, Triple Tail, Black Drum, Whiting, Bluefish, Largemouth Bass, Grouper, Jack Crevalle, Striped Bass, Snapper, Amberjack, King Mackerel, and Tarpon.
Carrabelle fishing:
Just a few miles east, the Carabelle River empties into St. George's Sound. The shallow waters and sea grasses in those waters make Carrabelle Florida fishing best done with canoe or kayak. The many streams and small rivers associated with the Apalachicola and Carabelle rivers are great for exploring with canoe and kayak. You may also enjoy the surf fishing found at the Carrabelle Public Beach.
A Note About Florida Conservation
If you're bringing your own boat, be aware that Florida takes its stewardship of these waters and habitats very seriously. Watch out for manatees. Know how far to go in the seagrass areas. Damage to both manatees and seagrasses are very real problems caused by power boats.
Please help conserve the area. How? Wear polarized sunglasses to help you spot both manatees near the surface, and also to spot and steer clear of seagrass beds.
To navigate your way safely through the Apalachicola Bay fishing waters, get some good nautical charts. National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, or NOAA, regularly publish nautical charts for just about anywhere you want to go. The NOAA Charts for Apalachicola Bay area fishing are 11402, 11404, and 11405.
Remember, Apalachicola fishing doesn't have to be done from a boat. You can also just fish from the bridges spanning the waters of the Apalachicola Bay Aquatic Preserve. The John Gorrie Memorial Bridge connects Apalachicola to Eastpoint; the Bryant Patton Bridge runs from Eastpoint to St. George Island, where the sport fishing is excellent at the St. George Island State Park.
Fishing is also excellent from the fishing piers in the northwest Florida region.
The Florida Panhandle's Apalachicola Bay fishing will provide enough fishing variety to satisfy!
Spectacular Apalachicola fishing vacations can be found about 80 miles southwest of Tallahassee, or 60 miles east of Panama City, Florida, and may be reached by commercial air from either city.
Tight lines, and Happy landings!
More Florida Fishing...
The fishing in Northwest Florida is great, no doubt! While you're visiting, don't forget to find out what the fishing is like in northeast Florida - Learn about the fishing in Northeast Florida.
Need accommodations for your fishing vacations? Please see our Apalachicola Florida hotels review page for more information on lodgings in the Apalachicola Bay area.
Surf fishing on St George Island's white-sand Plantation Beach is just one reason many anglers choose vacation home rentals instead of hotels.
Our Apalachicola Bay top recommendation from Bass Pro Shops
Apalachicola Saltwater Fishing Chart: (Indian Pass to East Pass) Referred to as the forgotten coast, the highly productive waters surrounding Florida's panhandle offer anglers loads of fishing opportunities. In summer, look for king mackerel, snapper and grouper to move inshore to reefs and wrecks. As fall and winter months approach, look for spotted trout and red drum to join with the other species of fish that inhabit the inshore flats.
From precise fishing locations with GPS coordinates, to accurate depth contours and structure definition, these charts redefine the standard on the water. Each chart contains GPS fishing locations, compass headings, structure definitions, depth and contour intervals, marina services, fishing tips and techniques, artificial reef coordinates, seasonality charts, and quick-reference fish ID feature. Charts are printed on waterproof, tear-resistant paper that allows you to make notes right on the chart. 24" x 36" unfolded; folds to a compact, convenient 6" x 9".
