anyone goes there in the winter, looking for a place to go in April or May, for a couple weeks, would like to be close or on the gulf

I have gone down there several times turkey hunting about that time of year Roy. My favorite place to stay is a small village called Cedar Key on the gulf coast. No beach and nothing much to do but fish and eat some great seafood. Also, a good fruit and vegetable stand on the edge of town. Lots of marsh and shore birds. Quiet, but I like it.

Shucks Roy your following the late Herb Lenons late winter schedule!

Turkey hunting, fishing, and eating great sea food. Sounds like a piece of paradise to me!

St George Island, little busy but still nice, miles of white sand shoreline with very few people, Shore fishing and camping.

thanks guys, any places to rent ?

TD,
The Gulf Coast (Big Bend area) has populated towns with all the modern amenities and very rural fishing towns that have very little in the way of modern amenities.

All depends on what you are looking for and looking to do. Modern motel, restaurants = larger towns. Fish camp/cottage & one or two restaurant options = fishing village.

Beaches are rare along the Big Bend panhandle coast except in certain areas. But access to the marshy areas is readily accessible along tidal creeks amd a few rivers.

The panhandle gulf coast is referred to as the "flats" as the water is very shallows for several miles offshore. At low tide you can wade knee deep for a mile from the shoreline.

There are many charter fishing businesses there and public access to good fishing at the many tidal creeks and rivers. You'll have to do a search to find what you're looking to do.

The coast from about Cedar Key north to above/west of Keaton Beach took a bad hit from Hurricane Helene about a year ago and many former businesses in those small coastal communities are gone. But the area is slowly rebuilding.

My wife's father lived in Lillian, Alabama, 10 miles from Pensacola

I surf fished Johnson beech many a time

It's nice, fisherman friendly in the early hours

The gate will be backed up some at 5 am and dark

All surf guys and no fees to get in

Fish till the tourist arrive and go home to wherever

A great place to surf fish for 4 or 5 hours

I like to surf fish or pier fish, Kim wants to lay on a sandy beach and walk and pick shells