Econfina report?

[strawhat]

Anyone fished Econfina recently? Hope to go Thursday.

Thanks for info.

[Steve Stinson]

I fished Aucilla Saturday from sun up to about noon. Water is stained about the color of tea. Lots of dirty freshwater still coming down both Aucilla and Pinhook rivers, so much that the gators and gars were out on the flats. I stayed near the shore trying to get a redfish, but never did get a keeper. As the tide fell out, I backed off the shore and found some rock grass patches that were holding trout. Did okay on the trout.

My advice would be try to find rock grass patches, look for bait schools on the surface if the water is calm when you go, and try to find the cleanest water you can. There may be more clean water and fish further off shore, but I did not go out in anything over about 3 feet deep.

Good luck.

[trout fisher]

Did you see any mullet Steve?

[Steve Stinson]

Not any sizeable schools of them. I saw a few jumping around the mouth of Sulphur Bayou and again just East of Big Redfish Pt.

[trout fisher]

10/4. Thanks!

[DixieReb]

Steve, what are you calling rock grass? Is it the tall, bushy stuff that usually flows with the tide and is close to creeks?

[silverking]

Rock grass is a form of sargassum that is found in local waters. The roots affix to limestone rocks and substrate. It can be found year-round in the tidal creeks or out on the flats, but really flourishes in the late summer/early fall before dying back down. It typically grows in large patches and the long wavy "fronds" often reach the surface or appear as mats on the low tides. It is excellent habitat for baitfish and the game fish use it for ambushing prey.

Here are some shots I took for the Flats Pro Seminar slide show. These were all taken east of the St. Marks Lighthouse.

[DixieReb]

That's the stuff I thought it was. Dad used to call them Christmas trees because they looked like cedar limbs in the water. They are great to catch trout in, I didn't know they had already started showing up on the flats. Thanks.

[strawhat]

Thanks for the help fellas. Was at St. Marks Saturday but you could not cast without
hitting another boat. Econfina is usually less populated and much more enjoyable
to fish.