Fishing, Herpetology, kayaking, springs, etc.

You have some good plans. The caverns and local springs are great in the heat of the summer. Keep the power boat out of Western Lake - lots of stumps and sandbars. Only a few oldtimers can safely navigate and most are smart enough to rip it up in the bay instead. Kayak fishing is fun in the lakes or the bay and bayous. Ask a few locals about trout and redfish tips.

If you want to see a rattlesnake you might consider getting out of the woods and poke around any of the dormant subdivisions here. They love to sun themselves on the asphault. If you really want to get after it start flipping over fallen logs in the woods...you will find your snakes soon enough!

Yes, let's talk about your snake photos. I'm not really a big scaredy cat when it comes to snakes, but your photos flipped me out!!!! Please tell me that you went looking for them, and did not just have surprise encounters with all of those venomous snakes - especially not in one hiking session! Eeek! :shock:

The Diamond Backs are here, big time, but they are more rarely found in the developed areas. I had a huge fat grand daddy of a Diamond Back across the street from me a couple of years ago. Scared the ba-geezers out of me as my dogs started to go after it. I was able to get them back and we let it stay on its path to wherever it was going.

As far as the springs I've visited them all over this wondrous state. Near here, Cypress Springs in Vernon, now closed but still accessible by water, was a stand-out. Several above Panama City on Econfina were also great. And thanks for the warning about the obstructions in the Western lake.

But yes, regarding the snakes, I go looking for them. Although I'm finding the pygmy in my yard and driveway too. A couple days ago I got lost inside this one empty swamp in the forest. The entrance was small, and once inside, it was nearly impossible to see the exit unless you were at the perfect angle-I wasn't. I walked around and around, coming across huge open fanged moccasin all around me, making every limb on the ground that much scarier and every leaping lizard or flying cricket a close encounter with a heart attack. "Elizabeth, I'm comin' to join ya." The mosquito population had its fill of me in that swamp too. I see why early explorers thought people they encountered had leprocy with the big welts.

But the Eastern Diamondback has eluded me. One thing though is that I'm noticing that on return trips to certain areas I'm seeing some of the same snakes, meaning that to this point they still aren't traveling a lot. With the Diamondbacks, I'm just not willing to trek into the real thick stuff. I like to see where my feet are I know most people kill these snakes on site and that the Diamondback is not as prevelent as these others, but I may try out some abandoned type areas. Right now though, I'm beat. It took over four hours of trudging through the swamp and woods to find my way home two days ago and yesterday I went on another expedition-glutton for punishment. No really, I love it.

And as far as Caverns state park, I've been there a few times, but never really went deep into and away from the trail that encircles the caves. The rock formations and fauna just look so appealing there. I've wanted to visit it in this cooler time period and hike in deep, and even though its relatively close, gas prices suck!

Thanks for all your input.

I came into some bigger bass today but can't say where. I have to protect my sources Regarding the dune lakes though, close to home, I was told by a local that a 12 pound bass came out of one of them. Can anybody validate that there are in fact bass even remotely approaching that size in some of the dune lakes, and if so, which are the best for size?

No snakes today. A few ants in my kayak, but no snakes.

I came into some bigger bass today but can't say where. I have to protect my sources Regarding the dune lakes though, close to home, I was told by a local that a 12 pound bass came out of one of them. Can anybody validate that there are in fact bass even remotely approaching that size in some of the dune lakes, and if so, which are the best for size?

No snakes today. A few ants in my kayak, but no snakes.

I could post some pics of some 4-5#ers, but I'd get in trouble, as you could probably get enough hints to tell where they were caught.

All good things in time. When it is time for you to find a Diamond Back, you won't have to go searching for it. It will simply appear before you. I believe that Aussie Croc Hunter shot some footage of the World's Most Deadly Snakes from Eglin AFB, featuring the Diamond Back. They aren't just hiding in the thick woods. You will likely find them along the edge of a small rabbit or deer trail, as they wait for prey to walk down the trail.

I found my first (and only so far) Diamond Back in a nice patch of berries. We were picking berries, and it was waiting for some berry pickers. I think it was hoping for something smaller than us though.

I actually have some pics of a hognose snake spreading its neck out looking exactly like a cobra. It was hissing at me like a cobra, or like my ex-wife, but that's another thread. Out of curiosity, are there any access points to Draper lake? I'd like to eventually kayak in all the dune lakes here just to paddle and 'feel' them from the inside. Smilin Joe, I had on a bass four plus yesterday, but those little trebles didn't hold it. It's different in a kayak when the fish is meandering all over and the angles and leverage points are more challenging. I love it!

mca, I checked out the reviews of your book on Amazon and you have three perfect 5's! I'll put it on my must read list. Congrats!

Go see YellowFin Sports -- they can hook you up with the foot paddle (I think it is called the "Dolphin" system) kayaks, which are probably just what you need with both hands full.

Regarding access to Draper, the only way to legally access it as far as I know is from the beach. The rest of the Lake is surrounded by private development. You might also be able to do a bridge drop from 30A, but I don't recommend it.

I ran into a local today who told me how to get to Draper by the beach. Thanks. I fished in Western Lake today. I caught a number of bass and one huge and unexpected red fish. I saw a little gator. Yesterday there was a fair sized gator in another dune lake I visited. In Louisiana I never had a problem with gators, even swimming around them. After starting to wonder about my kids and I swimming in the bayou, I googled alligator attacks and there were a number of them. But upon closer inspection, they were all here in Florida. In Louisiana, we trap alligators to a much higher degree. To my recollection, Louisiana might issue 35,000 or so tags a year whereas Florida might issue 5,000. So I assume the rate of attack is much higher in Florida because the big ones are not weeded out as much. It doesn't seem to be a worry in these dune lakes though as I've only seen the smaller variety. Guys, I have to tell you, I love Louisiana, but this is paradise. The woods, the dune lakes, the beautiful beaches and gulf waters, the wonderful homes and communitties-I hope that everyone realizes that this is Heaven on Earth. I guess my sins have been forgiven, because somehow I'm here
As an aside, many docks in Western lake were under water and I noticed a trench being dug on the beach, I assume to get the process of suction started and get some of the water flushed out. Interesting.

used to be good bass fishing on the lakes of Defuniak,but you can always take a couple of days and head for the Gainsville,Ocala area and trash that artificial bait and pickup some good shiners.

Speaking of the Ocala area, I love the Ocala National Forest over there. Numerous springs exist within the park boundaries and I actually swam with some Manatee there. With gas prices, I doubt I'll be traveling much, espcially since my kids are in the other direction, but you're right, excellent fisihing over there. I caught some bass along the Sante Fe River there off of Ginnie Springs too. I love the intimate nature of that type of water. That's what appeals to me about the dune lakes here or a beautiful cypress swamp type of setting. I may check out Deer Point more toward Panama City soon. I got a little burned today in that sun so I'll have to watch out for that. I can't let that sun get the best of me and my youthful skin

mike, be careful about those two baby gators in Western Lake. They are not scared of people at all, and will willfully come right up to you, in hopes of getting a free lunch. It is really sad that people don't understand that feeding them, will only get them killed. I've stated before, that those two gators will be trouble in another couple of years when they are large enough to do some real damage and make the family pets or small toddlers disappear. You may as well go ahead and "relocate" them. Watch out for their mama. I've seen her a few times, and Jdarg swears that she saw their grandpa. They must be much more timid than the juveniles, as they rarely make an appearance.

Eastern Lake residents had a 9ft Alligator "relocated" a couple of years ago. They seem to always be relocating one, but that is the largest I've heard in that lake, being recently caught. There were a couple of larger ones in the canals in Daughette S/D, one of which was "relocated" after going after my friend's dogs in her back yard.

I grew up swimming and skiing in a lake, filled with plenty of gators, and later worked at the Wildlife Refuge, waist-deep with Gators occasionally popping up 10 ft away. Never had a problem with them. However, those on the Refuge were not being fed by people. I'm a little concerned when people begin to interact with these dinosaurs. Want to see a monster gator pulled out of the Refuge where I used to work, look back through my photo album, and look for a photo with a yellow back hoe, holding up a big one. I cannot recall exactly, but I seem to recall it being about 14 ft in length. A trapper also caught one about 12-14ft, with part of its tail missing, in the marina across from my dad's house.

How big was your Redfish? I saw a man catch the largest Redfish I've ever seen, a couple of years ago, while fishing at the boat ramp in Grayton (Western Lake). It was HUGE, and the man's Chihuahua, was in the water trying to help retrieve the fish. It was rather funny. I think the fish could have swallowed the dog.

Found that photo --

Yes, it is a problem when people feed them. Just like people feeding the bear and coyote in Yellowstone drawing them close to the roads. Anyway, in Louisiana the smaller gators would always approach my kayak and hang around me, but yes, the really big ones were far more reclusive. This may sound difficult to believe, but last spring when they were on the banks I took my kayak out and stopped counting at 126 alligators. My grandfather was a biologist and often went into Okefenokee in Georgia and believes I'm exaggerating, but I assure you, they were there. They would scare the heck out of me when they'd pop up a couple feet from my kayak and be all around me, but the 12 plus feet gators would slither into the water and not be seen again. I saw plenty gators in my bass boat, but they would hear me upon my approach so I never saw as many. But in my kayak I came up on them in stealth. I have great pics of some real giants. I saw one that stretched half way across I bayou that I estimated at 15 feet. One died last year in Okefenoke that was estimated at 100 years old, 14 feet and 1000 pounds.

The unexpected read fish I caught was maybe 28 inches. Pretty, pretty though. I throw back all my fish but the best eating size red is far below 20 inches, I'm sure an illegal size here too. But I'm not set up for cleaning and desposing of the fish. Don't wanta mess with it. Although it would probably help out to have some of those smaller bass removed from the lakes to help get some size in there.

I may go fishing today, but I need to resolve an insurance issue. AIG is charging me for switching away from them. Every time I do what I was told to do to clear up the issue, they come up with another reason why I owe them money. It is pure scam. I've never been associated with a collection agency and don't know what to do. I hate to pay for two insurances at once, but I don't want my credit messed up. Anyway, fish on!

I fished Draper lake today. Dragging my kayak there was arduous. The water in the lake had an extremely high salinity level, much higher than that of the other dune lakes I've visited. No bites. Someone recommended I fish Tresca Lake, which they said was around the corner from Eastern Lake, but I can't find it when I google. Also, where would be the best entry point if I wanted to investigate the bayous or river system out of Choctawhatchee Bay? Thanks. My adventures are tiring but fun I really should be writing in my next romance novel but with the outdoor adventures beckoning me, what is a Tom Sawer wanta-be suppose to do?

I'm not sure what lake you are comparing the salinity with, but Draper Lake, much like Big Redfish Lake, and a few others, has very low salinity levels right now. There isn't much of a push of the Gulf water into many of these lakes. Big Redfish recently lost about a foot of water after a big rain, but that exchange of the Gulf water coming back in, never really happened. Near the surface, the salinity is slightly less than 1%, and on the southern end, at the bottom, the salinity is a touch higher, around 1.1%.

Mike - here is a map of beach, bayou, bay accesses - http://beachesofsouthwalton.com/BSWAccessMap062007.pdf

You might start with Tucker Bayou at the north end of Hwy 395 and Hogtown Bayou at Cessna Park on north Hwy 393.

Hey Mike...what's the next book about?

Hey, Smiling Joe. I was comparing the salinity level to Eastern, Western and Alligator lakes, all which purely by taste were more fresh than salt. Draper, to me, just tasted silimliar to the gulf. I lived south of New Orleans about an hour and I am use to fishing brackish water areas where I checked the levels by just touching my finger to it. No scientific of course, but those are the other dune lakes I was comparing Draper to.

And Kurt, thanks a bunch for that information. Let me point out something I've noticed about the naming of teh dune lakes. It seems that Little and Big Red Fish lakes are separated by Alligator Lake in the maps, but that confuses me because when I pass the lakes on the road, Alligator lake has a sign up by the road and as I'm passing and counting, I don't know, it just doesn't add up. Maybe it's my Louisiana public school thing going on again
There was an article in the most recent 'Emerald Coast' magazine about the Sand Hill Lakes (pg 33) that has me curious. But I'm not through with my investigation and adventure along and around here. Thanks for all of your input.

I often use my pinky toe thermometer to check temps, so I know what you mean by non-scientific measurements. Typically, the salinity in all of our lakes has recently been very low, due to last year's lack of rainfall (no opening and exchanging of water). We've had several openings this year, but mostly, it is the flow out from the Lakes, and not the in-flow from the Gulf.

Little Redfish is between Alligator and Big Redfish. I saw the TDC had it wrong on another map, too.

Next Book

Hey Mike...what's the next book about?

I wish that question was easy to answer. I'm writing here and there in about 6 books right now. But with my adventures discussed in this thread, my writing has taken a back seat to fishin' fun.

One is a sequel to 'My Space Her Space'. Another is an interesting look at a supernatural kind of thing that has been occuring in my life, something that has brought me here, and something that I'm writing about regarding it's relation to finding love. Another is a book of three short stories, two from the female perspective. Wow, that is fun and different to write

I also have a series of Children's books that I've written but never published. I originally wrote the books just for my kids, because I could not find enough written from the dad's perspective showing dad spending time with the kiddies. I also have another completed book about a man 'finding himself' in a soul searching expedition. But I feel like I need to concentrate on one genre' which happens to be Romance. Erotic Romance btw.

You know, Kitty, I'm kinda living a dream right now, living in paradise and having a book out that I, along with my readers, think is amazing. But I also have this nagging reality of the book business. If you just figure making a few dollars a book, an Author needs to sell 'plenty' books just to break even, much less make a living. I've thought of getting a little job around here, but a long work day tends to zap my creative energy and my desire to write. I quit my job in Louisiana in order to finish 'My Space Her Space'. Selling my house has given me the means to do what I'm doing now, but... well, need I explain further

Thanks for asking about my upcoming projects. I think my future projects depend largely on how my current book does. I am overwhelmed and flattered by the reponses from my readers and the reveiws that I've gotten on amazon, but I simply need to find a way to market my book to more people. Based solely on the reaction to the book though, I am confident. We'll see. You can look more into it at www.MyspaceHerspace.com

I often use my pinky toe thermometer to check temps, so I know what you mean by non-scientific measurements. Typically, the salinity in all of our lakes has recently been very low, due to last year's lack of rainfall (no opening and exchanging of water). We've had several openings this year, but mostly, it is the flow out from the Lakes, and not the in-flow from the Gulf.

Little Redfish is between Alligator and Big Redfish. I saw the TDC had it wrong on another map, too.

Lake names aren't on the access map that Kurt linked, do you know which one you saw it on?

Who is your reader base for the erotic book? I cannot see guys reading that book. Is your audience all female?