West Pass question

[saltwater1]

I will be in Appalachicola July 19 for about a week and have a small boat. I hope to go a little offshore if there is calm weather but if not will fish in the bay. My question and concern is the west pass. Seems I would be entering Gulf through that channel ( unless the west gap on St. George's is a better alternative). Are there precautions I should be aware of at West Pass due to shoals.
I have not fished this area before. Any help where to try would be appreciated. I would only go a few miles offshore since my boat is not so big and I'm by myself. Would such a small run be worth it? Also would it be worth to target tarpon at west pass or Indian Pass?
By the way I would welcome someone to go with me who knows the area.
Thanks

[Dubble Trubble]

Much quicker to deep water through the government cut. If you go through the west pass, DO NOT turn south as soon as you get out. You have to go a few miles westward before going south. There is a long shallow bar out there running from the cut to the southwest.

Beware though, the gov. cut can be a little rough at times.


Dubble

[Capt Ron]

What kind of boat do you have and what is your experience level in open water? West Pass is a good area to target tarpon. There is a deep hole between Sand Island and St. Vincent that typically holds fish this time of the year, also a lot of big sharks. You can see the hole on any chart. You can also access the gulf easily as you come around Sand Island ( west end of LSGI), stay a hundred ft off the the beach and into the gulf. You do have to beware of the bar hat DT referenced, but there is a gap that you can run. Unless you have some numbers to go to out of west pass I wouldn't recommend running out of there, but then we're back to question #1.

[saltwater1]

Been mainly inshore fishing. Very little offshore in my own boat but have gone out with others. My boat is 15' dory with 40 Yamaha. Been as much as 7 miles out at Gulf Shores but fish mainly 1-2 miles just offshore. I plan to stay within 3 miles and only go out if weather conditions look good. Saw some GPS "reef" locations I thought might hold a few grouper and snapper. Be nice to hook into kings,Spanish and if lucky cobia.
I don't have a lot of opportunity to fish the Gulf so when I do I like to make the best of my time. I plan to fish all I can. If weather is rough can fish bay for specks.
Any advice is surely appreciated.
Are there navigational markers in the pass?

[Ifishtoo]

I will be in Appalachicola July 19 for about a week and have a small boat. I hope to go a little offshore if there is calm weather but if not will fish in the bay. My question and concern is the west pass. Seems I would be entering Gulf through that channel ( unless the west gap on St. George's is a better alternative). Are there precautions I should be aware of at West Pass due to shoals.
I have not fished this area before. Any help where to try would be appreciated. I would only go a few miles offshore since my boat is not so big and I'm by myself. Would such a small run be worth it? Also would it be worth to target tarpon at west pass or Indian Pass?
By the way I would welcome someone to go with me who knows the area.
Thanks

Are you using Navionics Web App? it's paints nice pictures & it's free. It also has a measuring stick

[saltwater1]

I am trying to understand it now. does this mean I can do away with my hummingbird and chart routes on my cellphone? I am tired of buying new transducers that i ruin.

[Pirate]

SW1, It's quite a ways from any ramp to the West Pass, plus, as several mentioned, it is a little tricky to follow the bar down a ways before you cut out. Sikes cut is your best bet. If its rough in the cut you probably don't need to be offshore anyway. If you use Sikes cut when you get past the end of the jetties cut out behind them and get out of the current. There aren't many close offshore reefs out from St George, so plan a run. You may find some birds and action from that. I don't go toward Carrabelle much but there is good bottom much closer in down there. BE careful in a smaller boat as this time of year. EXPECT some bad weather and it can be a long run to a ramp.

[saltwater1]

SW1, It's quite a ways from any ramp to the West Pass, plus, as several mentioned, it is a little tricky to follow the bar down a ways before you cut out. Sikes cut is your best bet. If its rough in the cut you probably don't need to be offshore anyway. If you use Sikes cut when you get past the end of the jetties cut out behind them and get out of the current. There aren't many close offshore reefs out from St George, so plan a run. You may find some birds and action from that. I don't go toward Carrabelle much but there is good bottom much closer in down there. BE careful in a smaller boat as this time of year. EXPECT some bad weather and it can be a long run to a ramp.

Yes,I see from the Navionics Web App that it is 8 miles to West Pass and 7 miles to government cut. I would need some time and good weather with no adverse weather in sight to go offshore. I am not going to be full gunning my boat anywhere fast the first time in an area unfamiliar.

I also have a hobie pro angler kayak. Perhaps I'll bring that along and put in at different locations. Any kayak fishermen out there that know the area and some worthwhile areas to stalk reds and specks?

[dogdayz]

SW1, It's quite a ways from any ramp to the West Pass, plus, as several mentioned, it is a little tricky to follow the bar down a ways before you cut out. Sikes cut is your best bet. If its rough in the cut you probably don't need to be offshore anyway. If you use Sikes cut when you get past the end of the jetties cut out behind them and get out of the current. There aren't many close offshore reefs out from St George, so plan a run. You may find some birds and action from that. I don't go toward Carrabelle much but there is good bottom much closer in down there. BE careful in a smaller boat as this time of year. EXPECT some bad weather and it can be a long run to a ramp.

Yes,I see from the Navionics Web App that it is 8 miles to West Pass and 7 miles to government cut. I would need some time and good weather with no adverse weather in sight to go offshore. I am not going to be full gunning my boat anywhere fast the first time in an area unfamiliar.

I also have a hobie pro angler kayak. Perhaps I'll bring that along and put in at different locations. Any kayak fishermen out there that know the area and some worthwhile areas to stalk reds and specks?

Nick's Hole near the airport....Goose island and at the beginning of the state park and Rattlesnake Cove just before the park. Both areas that are not too far of a paddle near put-ins and usually hold lots of fish. Hard to get a boat into those areas.

[saltwater1]

Thanks DogsDayz,
I have been waiting to check out this part of Florida for years. Are there other areas I wouldn't want to miss. Like the rivers. I image these rivers are an experience with a kayak. The pictures I've seen show some wild looking sections. I wouldn't want to go so deep in as to get out of the speck catching range.