Boating

Bring your boat. It's easy to put in the river at one of the boat ramps. Also many Marinas offer boat rentals. There are all kind of boats in Steinhatchee. The entire river is a no wake zone so a pontoon boat or a small fishing boat are fine. The river channel is well marked and adventuring into the ocean is quite an experience. There's nothing like heading out to sea with the salt water spray cooling you and your passengers.




Flats Fishing

Anyone with a small boat can reach the flats just outside of the river's mouth. Even a mile from the shoreline, the water is only 3 to 6 feet deep, depending on the tide. Here you'll catch Spotted Sea Trout, Redfish, Flounder, Spanish Mackerel, Black Sea Bass, and many others.




Offshore Fishing

Grouper, Snapper, Amberjack, King Mackerel, and Black Sea Bass are prime targets offshore. Plenty of guides and charter boats work out of Steinhatchee marinas. If you don't get a chance to go, at least visit the marinas late in the day to watch them unload.




River Fishing

Canoe or Kayaking

There are many paddling spots in and around Steinhatchee. The tannin stained waters mirror the lush tropical vegetation on the river banks. During the warm months you can follow rolling Tarpon or Manatee heading up the river. Its a short drive to Steinhatchee Falls where you can navigate your way back to town on an out going tide. Haden's Cove is also a short ride where you can explore the shallow waters of the Gulf of Mexico.




Scalloping

Steinhatchee is the number one spot in the United States for catching bay scallops. They are easy to catch and delicious to eat. All you need is a mask, snorkel, and a dive flag. The season opens in July and closes in September. Just follow The Steinhatchee River into The Gulf of Mexico and look for the other boats, that's where you'll find the action. Scallops will be in shallow water hiding in the sea grass. They seem to prefer the thin, round bladed type of sea grass over the flat, broad bladed sea grass. It's like an Easter egg hunt the whole family can enjoy.




Exploring

Nature lovers will adore Hagen's Cove. Your likely to see wild boar, deer, birds, crabs, rays, and fish. It is protected by the State. You can wade out into the Ocean for about a mile without getting your knees wet. There's an observation tower and hiking trails. Be sure to catch a sunset from the "road to nowhere" here you'll see miles and miles of salt marsh where the road ends into a completely undeveloped area of Florida's coast.




Hunting

Florida's Wildlife Management Area (WMA) system is managed by the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission (FWC) to sustain the widest possible range of native wildlife in their natural habitats. Four Florida WMAs are located just outside of Steinhatchee.

Game Day

Two of Florida's major Universities are a short driving distance from Steinhatchee, The University of Florida located in Gainesville and Florida State University located in Tallahassee. Stay in Steinhatchee and visit the campus for the game. Game on Saturday and fish on Sunday.