# Steinhatchee redfish



## jimsmicro

The tides are mega low in the winter. Depending on the area they may drop pretty far back to stay in decent water. I was out a couple weeks ago and I bet I could have walked 3 miles offshore and not been in water deeper than my knees.


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## Big Fish

3-5 miles "offshore" is shallow out there depending on the tide. I have seen it dry miles out from the bank before. Crazy different than the east coast. Not even comparable.


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## TroutNreds12

Thanks just trying to figure these things out over there...I’ve just heard so many mixed reviews and the 5-6 times I’ve fished there I can’t seem to figure out a pattern... I’ve seen them in creeks on dead low and way offshore on dead low.. super high tides I’ve seen groups out in 5-6 ft of water and still some singles up on shores. Jacksonville there predictable and in the Indian River there isn’t much tide so they tend to stay in certain areas depending on time of year bait etc.. just can’t seem to get a good grasp on hatchee


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## Big Fish

TroutNreds12 said:


> Thanks just trying to figure these things out over there...I’ve just heard so many mixed reviews and the 5-6 times I’ve fished there I can’t seem to figure out a pattern... I’ve seen them in creeks on dead low and way offshore on dead low.. super high tides I’ve seen groups out in 5-6 ft of water and still some singles up on shores. Jacksonville there predictable and in the Indian River there isn’t much tide so they tend to stay in certain areas depending on time of year bait etc.. just can’t seem to get a good grasp on hatchee


I live and fish in Jville so I appreciate the differences you are talking about. If you want to fish for unpredictable fish here in the 904 start concentrating some on river reds, true nomads that live in deep water. Its a fun challenge!


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## TroutNreds12

I appreciate it and love the challenge just need more time there is all..just haven’t seen a pattern per say over there.. jvill the fish move a lot with tides so it makes them easier to understand


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## Monty

I fished Steinhatchee yesterday. ZERO. Actually caught one snake fish. Perfect day. Light wind, low tide was 11:30 which sucked. The flats are still "winter dead." No baitfish, nothing breaking the surface. The grass is 4 inches tall. Water was crystal clear. I think we need a few more weeks. I was in the micro skiff so I stayed within 4 miles or so of land. I saw a lot of boats fishing farther out. I bet the sheephead, black sea bass and grunts are doing well for those that can get out to 20 ft. of water.


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## windblows

I know a controversial topic around here, but Monty, the IFA just held a tournament in Steinhatchee last weekend and the redfish results were ridiculous. Highest weights I've seen in a Florida tournament. Not only that but well over the normal average weighed fish. We saw hundreds of reds, but some areas were completely devoid. Then a seemingly similar flat would have 10-20 fish on it. Most every one we saw was by itself except early in the morning we saw a few small schools. It also seemed that people were catching fish shallow as well as in some of the deeper areas.


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## jimsmicro

The day of the tournament was wild. I was out fishing out of a kayak but stayed away from the Hatch for obvious reasons. At the boat ramp I watched half a dozen boats unload the boat only to be stuck and not able to leave the channel and load right back up and leave. We straight up wrecked the redfish though. There was no water which kinda narrows down where to fish. On the way back in I had to get out of the kayak and drag it about a mile across the flat, it was too skinny to paddle.


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## Monty

windblows said:


> I know a controversial topic around here, but Monty, the IFA just held a tournament in Steinhatchee last weekend and the redfish results were ridiculous. Highest weights I've seen in a Florida tournament. Not only that but well over the normal average weighed fish. We saw hundreds of reds, but some areas were completely devoid. Then a seemingly similar flat would have 10-20 fish on it. Most every one we saw was by itself except early in the morning we saw a few small schools. It also seemed that people were catching fish shallow as well as in some of the deeper areas.


Oh, OK. What am I supposed to say? I fished south. Put in at Rocky Creek and fished to Bowlegs Point. I drifted the flats like even out to 4 miles off of land for trout or Spanish Mackeral. I hung around the boat ramp and smoked a cigar and at least 4 other boats came in, most were skunked, except one boat with one guy had one redfish. I didn't fish for reds, I never do. Thanks appreciate it, I'll just shut up now.


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## windblows

No, I wasn't directing this negatively toward you. Just saying how it can change that quickly. I've seen it


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