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Anyone been over to where the Canal enters St. Joe Bay where the bridge crosses US 98?

I'll probably just get to hit it one day on my way north but I may also stop there for a couple of days on my way back after about a week up in Kentucky.

I'm not taking a yak with me, that's why I want to try that spot. I've fished that spot since I was 9 years old.

Neil, I'll be hiking in the mountains for a week returning on the 5th.
PM or call me and maybe we can hook up!

10-4 Jeff. I might be able to catch you on the drive back down.



NEIL

Wow Neil, I didn't know you were a one time panhandle boy! I grew up in PCB. Just wondering.....the canal....are you talking about the canal by the old paper mill?

I also lived in Tally for 9 years, so I used to fish 98 all the way from south Talllahasse to PCB. I've gotten good reports from friends saying just going out to the state park on the cape, parking and wade fishing the bay has been phenomenal! I'm trying to plan a trip up that way in Oct/Nov.....I'll let you know when if you're interested in doing some fishing.

Oop, forgot to mention, don't come back here without a MANDATORY visit to the Indian Pass Raw Bar....good god I miss Apalachicola oysters....although this time of year, I highly recommend getting them steamed....and a pound of steamed "scrimps" along with 'em....

Neil sounds kind of funny when he talks but he doesn't sound Pt. St. Joe funny. If he makes the claim of being a panhandle boy, I call BS.

I also lived in Tally for 9 years

Were you a Tally Wacker?

Yes, the canal by the paper mill... (deep breath: Mmmmmm!)

Didn't grow up there or even live there but we spent 3 weeks of every summer at Panama City Beach. We went on offshore boats about once a week and fished the dock out at Shell Island (Captain Ford Cavanaugh who still pilots the Shell Island boat from Anderson's is a family friend) and also fished off the Old Hathaway Bridge before they reefed it. The old Pier 99; The City Pier; The County Pier; And then we discovered that spot at Port St. Joe. We made a lot of trips over to PSJ once we found that spot.

I'll be there tomorrow and Wednesday morning. Anyone going to be in the area?

finals week, otherwise I would be there. Did the cowboy spend 9 years in college?

"Lots of people spend 9 years in college"

"Yeah, they're called doctors"

Well, I'm not a doctor but I did work for the FSU College of Medicine for 5 years.

I graduate on saturday at just about the 5 year mark, but I did take one off for residency purposes.

I'd still be there but hotels were tough to find because of scallop season.

I did OK up there but didn't have the tides I wanted. The first evening I was there I caught the last part of the "good tide" and I got into some action. I got about a 15 pound tarpon hooked up on ultralight. About 7 reds that were 15 to 20 inches.

Last night I had a large black drum on medium spinning tackle but lost him when he realized "hey, why don't I just swim with the current?"

One very large trout. The flounder I got were small.

Some bluefish and ladyfish.

As you're likely aware, tarpon that size are pretty unusual on that stretch of coast.

I do miss scalloping at that place, and I particularly miss eating them. Through all the places I've fished, St. Joe Bay is still my favorite.

LivelyBaits wrote:I got about a 15 pound tarpon hooked up on ultralight.

Congrats...that's not something you see frequently up this far north. As much fishing and paddling as I've done on the Big Bend coast, I don't think I've ever seen/hooked/caught one less than ~30-40lbs. Most are 70lbs+.

When I was about ten years old (and the swing bridge was there) my brother and I got into a frenzy of tiny tarpon at that bridge. They were the REALLY little guys, about 18 to 20 inches long.

I think he had a heck of a time hooking up. I'm not sure whose idea it was to get Dad's whetstone and sharpen our cheap hooks but that turned the trick. What acrobats!

The one I hooked Tuesday night went berserk. There were a couple of guys dip netting crabs to the west of me and then final jump before it got off was right in front of them. On the little 4 lb. outfit I was using, I didn't have any control of that fish.

I watched a 30lb tarpon roll at that bridge on Tuesday and then starting gorging on bait. I grabbed a redfish set up and made a few casts and then got on the road home.