Winter Too Cold? Try The Forgotten Coast Of Florida
By Dick Henske
Being an old “cogger” I try to get to this area each winter. The Forgotten Coast runs from east of Panama City through Mexico Beach, Port St. Joe, Apalachicola, St. George Island, to Alligator Point.
This area is the Panhandle of Florida; not as warm and not as developed as the lower part of the state. What a treat this area is-no high rises, so Spring breakers, no stop lights ,no traffic and it has beautiful sugar sand beaches.
There are many places to rent; we rent on S. George Island. Camping is often booked, but Port St. Joe State Park and park on St. George Island are right on the beautiful beaches.
Now the great part! Fishing from the beaches and jetties can be great. You can fish sheepshead all winter off the rocks at the jetties. Red fish and sea trout get active in the shallows as soon as the cold water moves off with the tides. They soak up heat and feed on the oysters and mud flats in the bays.
Whiting,great eating, are always available along the beaches using shrimp pieces and “fish bites.”
My wife and I have two small kayaks which work great to cast for redfish and sea trout in the bays and flats.
As the water warms in March and April the Spanish mackerel , pompano and blues run with the tides and are a blast to catch. Oysters are available in the bays; you are allowed 2 five gallon buckets daily. They are easy to find once you learn the area.All you need to” hog” them is a salt water fishing license.
What else can I tell you! Come on down and explore the area.
Stop sending the cold weather down here.