Marsh Island
You can get close to Marsh Island by land through the state park and it requires a four-wheel-drive. This is a great place to wade fish, to fish from Kayaks or from powerboats. Marsh Island, as the map shows, is the highest part of a large sand reef that runs hundreds of yards out into the bay, dropping off sharply at its edges. Out about a hundred yards from the shore, or less, start the grass beds that are the basis for the ecology of this productive formation.
This area is most productive from May through September when the grass is high enough to shelter bait fish, shrimp, crabs and other food for the redfish, speckled trout, spanish mackerel, bluefish, ladyfish, cobia, jack crevalle, and tarpon that feed here.
Trout are the easiest game fish to target on these grass flats. Usually the trout are drawn up onto the grass flats in one to three feet of water with an incoming tide and will feed aggressively. Use 1/4 ounce lead heads with green or black-and-gold grub tails, sinking MirrOlures or gold spoons. Live shrimp fished under a popping cork will draw consistent action.
Always keep a heavy rod close at hand and rigged with hundred-pound-test leader and a large spoon or plug. Monster cobia, jack crevalle and tarpon are targets of opportunity on these flats.
As the weather gets hot, the best action on these flats will be early or late rising tides. During the day look for the trout in the deeper water at sharp drop-offs. Fish grubs or bass worms on the bottom very slowly.
Click here to find the nearest boat launch site.
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