Gag grouper season starts fast

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Following a long closure in gulf waters, a special two-month gag grouper season opened last Friday in the Gulf of Mexico for recreational anglers.

After the long separation from their deep-water favorite, the opening-day crowd arrived at nearly every gulf port. And Friday turned out to be the best day, wind-wise, of the special season’s first weekend.

At daylight, Tommy Hines of Newberry, Sidney Hazen of Lacrosse and Richard Shellnut of Archer left from the Cedar Key ramp on their way to secret, rocky-bottomed spots in water 60-feet deep. After anchoring, they dropped frozen Spanish sardines to the bottom. Right away, hungry grouper slammed the offerings. As Hazen put it, “It was Johnny-Get-Your-Gun.”

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Steinhatchee public boat ramp is now open for business.

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The boat ramp is now open. It has been a long wait, but well worth it. Great job to everyone who made it happen.

For those that don't know, the ramp is located at the old Ideal Marina location. Here is a link to Google maps showuing the exact location: http://maps.google.com/maps/place?q=steinhatchee+public+boat+ramp&hl=en&cid=15350700235981898259

Scalloping season under way in a big way around state

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Pretty much every fan of outdoor sports in North Florida knows that scallop season is underway in the gulf, and that this year's crop of shellfish is an exceptional one. But young Chaeli Norwood of Sea Hag Marina in Steinhatchee can help shellfish seekers zero in on a batch of unusually-large early season bivalves. “The big ones,” she offered, “are north of the river — but not too far north — a mile or two south of The Birdrack. And the very biggest ones are out in water eight-to-10 feet deep.”
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