Apalachicola River Fishing Info
The Apalachicola River begins at Lake Seminole and flows about 112 miles to the west of Tallahassee draining into the Gulf of Mexico. This scenic and undeveloped river is a great fishing destination for bass, in particular, among numerous other fish species.
The best spots for fishing on the Apalachicola River are in the lower section near Apalachicola Bay and the upper section just outside of Lake Seminole. Some of the fish species you can find on this river include largemouth bass, sunshine bass, striped bass, white bass, spotted bass, bluegill, flathead catfish, blue catfish, and shellcracker.
If you want bluegill or shellcracker, consider targeting fallen or submerged treetops. The sloughs off the river are also abundant with these species. The most effective baits include crickets, oak worms, earthworms, and catalpa worms.
If you are looking for bass, consider fishing current breaks such as creeks and creeks mouths, whether in the lower or upper river. The best baits for bass fishing would be crankbaits and plastic worms. However, live shad, spoons, and jigs usually deliver the best results for white bass and sunshine bass.
For speckled perch fishing, you also stand the best chance of success fishing around fallen treetops. Live minnow would deliver the most catch for this species. If you are interested in shrimps, crabs, or oysters, the Apalachicola Bay would be your ideal fishing spot.
Generally, it is advisable to target the tidal reaches, when the fish are very predictable. In fact, the first and last hours of the tidal cycles are generally promising. You can even get a decent catch during slack tide or when strong winds minimize tidal flow.
There are at least ten boat ramps along Apalachicola River, including Abercrombie, Bristol, Clyde Hopkins Park, Estiffanulga, Gardeners Landing Boat Ramp, Gaskin Park, and Jackson County boat ramp.
License Infomation
To fish in Apalachicola River, all anglers of at least 16 years of age must have a valid Florida freshwater fishing license. You can purchase your license online at Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission’s (FFWCC) website, over the phone, or from a local agent. You can find more information on fishing licensing and regulations on the FFWCC website.
Fishing Tip
This freshwater river has a lot of hidden structure. When fishing landbased, try a castable/wireless fish finder to assist in finding fish.
view our fish finder reviewsSeason Information
Apalachicola River is one of the least-pressured fishing destinations in Florida. There is no bad time to fish as fish numbers remain sufficient for a good catch throughout the year. However, the best fishing times on this river occur during spring and summer.
That’s the time when water temperatures are favorable for fish. You may not get impressive results during the winter. If you need some good quality bass on Apalachicola River, you would want to go fishing in the spring and summer.
You will find a great mix of aggressive pre-spawn and spawning bass in February through March. If you want to catch most speckled perch in the shortest time, January to March would be the best time to go fishing, especially if you focus around fallen tree tops. Shellcracker and bluegill are best fished in the spring, also near fallen or submerged tree tops.
Hook & Weight Restrictions
Recommend Fishing Gear
TRUSCEND Swimbaits Glide Baits for Bass Fishing
ReelSonar Wireless Bluetooth Smart Fish Finder
The Complete Book of Striped Bass Fishing
- 🎣Life-like Lures: These fishing lures feature a precisely engineered shape, stereo 3D fisheye and lifelike scale patterns making the fish look more vivid and realistic, like a living fish in the water. Due to its genuine plating, the fishing spoons shows a brilliant flash in the water, and more reflective surfaces attract fish and make them strike. A perfect fishing bait that easily cheats the target fishes.
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- 🎣Fishing Lures Set: Fishing lures set with a tackle box contains nearly all accessories including: crankbaits 1pcs, VIB 1pcs, topwater Lures 1pcs, plastic worms 33pcs, jigs 5pcs, fish-shaped soft bait 2pcs, simulation of shrimp 2pcs. And the other 32 accessories also realistic and swim well. A wide range of fishing accessories from common fishing baits to accessories, this fishing lures set can be a complete assortment for any angler for any season in any water.
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- 🎣Portable Tackle Box: The plastic fishing tackle box is free for you, size is about 17.5cmx9.5cmx3cm. All fishing tackles are packed in a compact box which is easy to carry, and convenient to get the exact fishing lures kit you need at anywhere, anytime.
- Fox Chapel Publishing
- Rousseau, Rich (Author)
- English (Publication Language)
- 176 Pages - 02/24/2010 (Publication Date) - Fox Chapel Publishing (Publisher)
