Along Florida's Forgotten Coast Is A Sparse Community With Unspoiled Beaches And Popular Fishing Spots

A quiet corner of Florida's Forgotten Coast is a watery wonderland where anglers can stalk the still-water grass flats for redfish and speckled trout. Or they can chase bass, catfish, and panfish in one of four nearby freshwater rivers that flow into the Gulf. And the best part? The calm waters of Apalachee Bay offer plenty of access, so a visit to Wakulla Beach offers anglers a rare opportunity to revel in wonderful solitude while they navigate the many backcountry waters of this off-the-beaten-path, unassuming destination in the crook of Florida's northwest coastline. 

While a quiet retreat into the coastal wilds is a big attraction to anglers, paddlers, and boaters, a more typical Florida vacation is totally achievable in the area. A visit to Florida's Forgotten Coast is a breathtaking tropical getaway teeming with wildlife, but visitors can also revel in the clear waters at nearby Wakulla Springs State Park, home to one of the deepest freshwater springs in the world.

Just 25 miles south of the state capital, Tallahassee, Wakulla Beach lies surrounded by a gloriously undeveloped Florida waterscape, where spring creeks flow quietly into the Gulf, and where hidden hammocks, scores of oyster bars, and quiet grottos make for some of the best inshore fishing in the Sunshine State. But the salt and brackish-water fishing is only part of the angling equation in Wakulla. Four major rivers — the Wakulla, the St. Marks, the Ochlockonee, and the Sopchoppy — flow into Apalachee Bay, and each one offers fine fishing for adventurous anglers to paddle a kayak or steer a jon boat into the remote coastal backcountry.

While there certainly is a small, wild beach at Wakulla Beach, it's not the sort most might think of. It's not that perfectly sandy and wavy Florida beach that's ripe for swimming and body surfing. Wakulla Beach is protected from the wind and the surf by Apalachee and Goose Creek Bays. The protected waters are more suited to adventurous paddlers and anglers interested in exploring the many hidden creeks and oyster bars. Here, mullet fishers, crabbers, and commercial oyster operations are more prominent than sunscreened visitors toting beach towels and umbrellas for a day spent sitting in the sand.

Wakulla Beach and the area around it are seemingly made for people who not only want to see the water but also immerse themselves in it. Much of the area is part of the St. Marks National Wildlife Refuge, overseen by the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service. Development is minimal (save for the iconic and historic St. Marks Lighthouse), and the refuge is open all year long.

For bankside and wading anglers, the sand and grass flats and the many berms and dikes that protect refuge waters from the Gulf are open all year long, and fishing can be very good. Boaters should check before launching their craft, as the impoundments in the refuge along Lighthouse Road are closed to watercraft between October 15 and March 15 every year. Much like another Florida fishing destination, where the best fishing spots are hidden in a secret city surrounded by scenic lakes, the fishing around Wakulla Beach is understated and underrated.

St. Marks National Wildlife Refuge encompasses about 86,000 acres of coastal marsh, creek inlets, flats, and oyster bars. Not only is it home to quality fishing all year long, it's also home to a bevy of Florida wildlife. Visitors can see what Florida was like before European explorers arrived and started the long slog toward eventual development. 

For birders, the refuge is a veritable paradise. It's home to ospreys, red cockaded woodpeckers, ibis, wood storks, and bald eagles. Wildlife enthusiasts, particularly those willing to venture into the backcountry via kayak or canoe, or on foot on one of the many trails and footpaths across the refuge, will very likely see one of the thousands of American alligators that call the refuge home. Adventurous hikers might catch a glimpse of black bears, river otters, or wild pigs. The Florida National Scenic Trail stretches 56 miles across the refuge, so there is no shortage of opportunity for hikers interested in exploring this wild patch of Old Florida.

A visit to Wakulla Beach offers just a taste of Florida's Forgotten Coast. No, it's not a traditional beach getaway, and it'll never make the list of Florida's five best breathtaking beaches. Visitors in search of a pristine sandy beach that boasts clear Gulf waters and gentle surf ideal for swimming have plenty of choices. Wakulla Beach and the area around it are for a completely different type of Florida explorer. It's for the nomadic fly fisher or the kayak angler in search of trophy redfish. It's for the solitude-seeking birder or the roaming wildlife enthusiast with the zoom lens and a sense of adventure. It's for the wanderer in all of us.