Hi Cubsfan, I live near you over in Navarre. I obviously love to fish but do not have a boat over here. I would like to offer you a deal: You take me fishing sometime and I will help pay for your fuel and/or food. Later I will take you over to my hometown, Chiefland which is near Cedar Key, for some airboat fishing at the mouth of the Suwannee River for reds, trout, flounder etc. My son and I own a very nice airboat and we have cast nets, etc. for a fun day on the water. Who knows, we might even throw in a deer, turkey or hog hunt in as a bonus.

Let me know if you would like to talk about such an outing.

stephenhogan1313@gmail.com or

352-221-2346

Michael, I will be emailing you soon. My name is Steve Hogan and my email is:
stephenhogan1313@gmail.com

Michael, I will be emailing you soon. My name is Steve Hogan and my email is:
stephenhogan1313@gmail.com

Michael, I will be emailing you soon. My name is Steve Hogan and my email is:
stephenhogan1313@gmail.com

I enjoy catching and eating specs and most other fish, both salt water and fresh. As I told you earlier, I live near you in Navarre and would enjoy meeting you and discussing fishing, maybe even wetting a line together, even if we have to maintain a rod's length of distance between us.

Let me know if you would like to meet and discuss our love of the outdoors.

Take care and be safe,

Steve

Hi Mike and Welcome aboard, my name is Steve and I live near you in Navarre. I obviously enjoy fishing and all Mother Nature offers. If you would like to get in touch with me maybe we could swap info and stories. My son lives about 5 hours South of here on the Suwannee River. He and I own an airboat and we do a lot of fishing for reds, trout, sheepshead, flounder, etc in the skinny water in and around the marshes located at the mouth of the Suwannee.

Let's chat and see if we can work out something here or over in the Chiefland area.

Take care, be safe, enjoy life, and tight lines to you.

Thanks for the update and insight about Levy County Florida. Mr. Campbellclan are you related to any of these Campbells: Earl, Grinell, Bonnie Faye, there are several others in this large family I cannot remember their names. I went to high school with these folks and ate many delicious meals at their drive-in restaurant located in South Chiefland.

Hey Flyguy, Why do you have such an attitude about Levy County Florida? Chiefland, located in Levy County Florida, is my hometown and this area of Florida has some of the best hunting and fishing in the world.

Strongly agree, we must be sportsmen first and foremost and fishermen second. It's always a shame to waste any of our natural resources. I haven't seen many fish sacrificed by the fisherman not making that final check before departing, but I have over the years seen hundreds of "ghost" crab traps. These are crab traps that were left to rot away in the water, both with and without bait and crabs in them. These ghosts are particularly dangerous at low tide when they can really damage an outboard, a boat, or both. There are sportsmen clubs and groups that make the removal of these ghost traps their purpose in life. Theses are good people doing good work!

Hi Bottomcoon, I enjoyed your reply to my input about trot lines and bush hook fishing. Like everything else, things are called by different names in different parts of our beautiful country.

I think I wet in my waders when I read your story about the jack rabbit and the trot line. I bet that fellow is still scratching his head and wondering what the heck is going on. The best part is the fact he couldnt share the story with anyone because they would have put him in the nut house. Love the humorous stories, ease keep 'em coming.

Hi Bottomcoon, I enjoyed your reply to my input about trot lines and bush hook fishing. Like everything else, things are called by different names in different parts of our beautiful country.

I think I wet in my waders when I read your story about the jack rabbit and the trot line. I bet that fellow is still scratching his head and wondering what the heck is going on. The best part is the fact he couldnt share the story with anyone because they would have put him in the nut house. Love the humorous stories, ease keep 'em coming.

First things first, I assume you are speaking of the Escambia River in Northwest Florida. I also assume (yes, I know all about making assumptions) you are speaking of a "southern" trot line. I will attempt to explain what that is to my fellow fishermen that obviously do not know. A trot line is a strong line or twine that varies in LEGAL length and LEGAL number of hooks. The trot line is composed of "drop" lines attached by a swivel to the main line. These drop lines are spaced approximately 3 feet apart for the entire length of the line. At the end of the line and wherever required down the length of the trot line are secured anchors (often cement blocks, etc) to ensure the trot lines remain on or near the bottom.

The trot line is tied to a tree, post, etc on the bank of the water being fished. As the trot line is being deployed (usually from a boat) the fisherman baits each individual hook as it slides over the boat rail into the water. Eventually all of the hooks have been baited and deployed and the last anchor is eased into the water.

After suitable time has gone by (usually about an hour) the fisherman goes out in his boat and "pulls" the trot line up and removes any caught fish, rebaits the hooks, and lowers the trot line back into the water. This process is repeated until you have enough fish or are too tired to continue.
CAUTION: The fisherman/men may be seriously hurt handling frontlines, hooks, etc., especially if the current or tide causes the boat to "move around" during deployment. Be sure to check for laws governing frontline length, sizes, numbers of hooks, baits, etc.

Finally, a bush hook is a rather primitive way to catch fish. The fisherman ties his line with applicable sinker, hook, and bait to an overhanging tree/bush limb. When a fish takes the bait the limb gives and takes the fish pulling and serves as the rod. The fisherman merely runs his "trap line" and removes fish and rebaits as necessary. CAUTION: This method of fishing may require special permits, stamps, licenses in order to be LEGAL. Also, in the South bushes and tree limbs may contain moccasins or other critters that can ruin your day, not to mention your underwear. I have heard and read stories about snakes falling into a boat which resulted in holes being shot into the boat. The fisherman needto remain very cautious when handling snapping turtles, etc from both trot lines and bush hooks.

I wish you great luck in your adventures. Hope this helps.

Hi Plumbob, Thank you for that warm welcome, I appreciate it.

So, you spent some time around here at Hurlburt AFB. There are some mighty fine American heroes there we are all indebted to for our freedoms. I get to see lots of Airmen and I hear them daily dropping their weapons and firing those Gatlin guns that sound like the popcorn popper at the movies. What did that Ol' Loggie say, "I love the sound and smell of bombs and fuel every morning." I was in the Navy and rode the boats (submarines) for my career. When I got out in '67 I went into the defense/aerospace industry and finally retired in 2013 off of Eglin AFB as a contractor. I might as well have stayed in the Navy because my job took us all over and we lived in 19 different states and the Marshall Islands out in the middle of the Pacific. I loved every minute of it and dont regret a minute of my life.

I have fished and hunted all of my life. My father was one of the early game wardens here in Florida and he taught me most of what I know about both of these wonderful sports and addictions.

Like I said earlier, I look forward to sharing stories and lies with all of you. Maybe some day we can share an adventure and make the grease smoke up that favorite skillet we use for everything.

I look forward to talking with you again and to hearing from your friend that lives in these parts. I will do my best to post some photos of this beautiful area and who knows, maybe a few keepers that committed suicide.

Tight lines, fair winds, and following seas.

Greetings to All, I am a new member of your forum and I look forward to learning and maybe contributing a little tid-bit from time to time.

My name is G8r and I live in the Panhandle region of Florida approximately 20 miles East of Pensacola in Florida's Best Kept Secret, Navarre, the home of the most beautiful water and beaches on Earth.

My son lives over in my hometown, Chiefland, FL. He and I co-own an airboat and we primarily fish the mouth of the Suwannee for redfish, specks, flounder, snook, and what ever comes swimming by our area.

I look forward to learning and sharing with you folks and to a long and mutually rewarding fellowship.

My son and I co-own an airboat and regularly fish for Reds, Speckled Trout, Flounder, etc in the shallow marsh areas located at the mouth of the Suwannee River in northwest Florida. It has been our experience that Reds, and the other species mentioned above are much easier to locate and catch in the cooler weather of Fall and Winter. During the heat of the Summer most game fish "vanish" and head out into the Gulf of Mexico for cooler surroundings.
Over the years we have determined it's easier to fish rivers and lakes and skip feeding all those worthless hard-headed cats that move inland when the "skinny" waters heat up.