About Saint Joseph Bay, FL

St. Joseph Bay is a sizeable body of water on the Gulf Coast of Florida situated within Port St. Joe. It is approximately 17 miles long and 6 miles wide. 

The shores of Saint Joseph Bay are recorded in history as the location where the town of St. Joseph was located in 1835. Due to a yellow fever outbreak in 1841, most locals fled St. Joseph, leaving the town abandoned. When the Apalachicola Northern Railroad constructed a branch leading to Saint Joseph Bay in 1910, a new town was established just a few miles away from St. Joseph, then named Port St. Joe. 

Today, Port St. Joe and the other towns in its proximity, such as Cape San Blas, cater to the high volumes of tourists and locals looking to enjoy the white sand and clear waters that Saint Joseph Bay has to offer. With the influx of tourists all year, the bay is now populated with commercial establishments offering water activities and fishing charters catering to anglers that want to grab a piece of Saint Joseph Bay’s abundant fish habitats.

All About Fishing in Saint Joseph Bay, FL

Saint Joseph Bay features a 73,000-acre fishing habitat that offers an excellent and diverse range of fish species. The extensive amount of seagrass that covers most of Saint Joseph Bay’s sea bed allows these fish species to thrive as it is their primary food source, affording both locals and tourists significant recreational and commercial fishing opportunities. Common fish species caught in Saint Joseph Bay include redfish, red snapper, sea trout, bull shark, blacktip shark, Florida pompano, southern flounder, and tarpon. 

As fish is excessively abundant in Saint Joseph Bay, anglers are able to use a variety of fishing techniques depending on which side of the bay there are on. Surf casting is typically used by anglers wanting to relax by the shore in admiration of the beautiful Saint Joseph Bay shoreline. Shark species, Florida pompano, and redfish are best caught using this technique. Saint Joseph Bay also features several shallow spots ideal for anglers who like to wade or fish from a kayak or any small floatation device. These shallow areas are typically covered by seagrass and are known hotspots for jigging sea trout. Baitcasting and spinning techniques are more commonly used in the deeper areas of the bay as fish in these areas tend to be larger and more aggressive, which is why more experienced anglers mostly frequent deeper regions of the bay. 

Fishing Seasonality

Redfish and trout are generally abundant all year round, including the colder months. Fishing inshore is best during spring and fall as water temperatures are more stable and sea trout seems to be more abundant during these seasons. Summer season in Saint Joseph Bay is exciting as it’s typically the peak season for gamefish such as tarpon. However, anglers must anticipate that tourists more densely populate the bay during this season as it is also the peak season for scallops. During the winter season, more sharks are spotted around the bay.  

Fishing Seasonality

Redfish and trout are generally abundant all year round, including the colder months. Fishing inshore is best during spring and fall as water temperatures are more stable and sea trout seems to be more abundant during these seasons. Summer season in Saint Joseph Bay is exciting as it’s typically the peak season for gamefish such as tarpon. However, anglers must anticipate that tourists more densely populate the bay during this season as it is also the peak season for scallops. During the winter season, more sharks are spotted around the bay.  

All About Fishing in Saint Joseph Bay, FL

Saint Joseph Bay features a 73,000-acre fishing habitat that offers an excellent and diverse range of fish species. The extensive amount of seagrass that covers most of Saint Joseph Bay’s sea bed allows these fish species to thrive as it is their primary food source, affording both locals and tourists significant recreational and commercial fishing opportunities. Common fish species caught in Saint Joseph Bay include redfish, red snapper, sea trout, bull shark, blacktip shark, Florida pompano, southern flounder, and tarpon. 

As fish is excessively abundant in Saint Joseph Bay, anglers are able to use a variety of fishing techniques depending on which side of the bay there are on. Surf casting is typically used by anglers wanting to relax by the shore in admiration of the beautiful Saint Joseph Bay shoreline. Shark species, Florida pompano, and redfish are best caught using this technique. Saint Joseph Bay also features several shallow spots ideal for anglers who like to wade or fish from a kayak or any small floatation device. These shallow areas are typically covered by seagrass and are known hotspots for jigging sea trout. Baitcasting and spinning techniques are more commonly used in the deeper areas of the bay as fish in these areas tend to be larger and more aggressive, which is why more experienced anglers mostly frequent deeper regions of the bay.