Anyone else try to go out St. Marks Saturday morning? (8/19)

[Ted in Tallahassee]

As of 5:00 am yesterday morning weather report said I think 30% to 40% chance of T-storms from 8 to 2, winds 5-10 north, switching to SW in the afternoon. Radar showed nothing ominous. Based on the past few days' radar, and from personal experience with that kind of summer forecast in that area, I figure there'd be the usual isolated T-storms that would form up & blow out here & there, ones you could avoid if necessary or just sit out.

MAN WAS I WRONG.

We left the Fort ramp at about 7:00 am. Looked beautiful. Just a little dark out to the south & southeast. Looked like it might be all blowing to the south. So we decided to hang back before heading out to the flats, & fish some of the bars on the way, before the East River, then we were going to hit some East River bars, then head out past the lighthouse & head east & out to the flats, then maybe some creeks. The usual basic plan.

The darkness to the south kinda stayed there. As usual on a Saturday morning, we saw a good many boats (some small) headed out. We fished and fished on the same inner-bars, and that darkness never left. Then, there was sort of a low-cloud "ring" that was approaching, the edge of which slowly came closer & closer. There was no rain coming from it, and we had as yet heard no thunder whatsoever.

Then, after that edge of that ring had passed over, the wind hit. This was maybe 7:45 am. A very stiff SE wind, maybe 15 mph at first, then 20+. And it did not stop. We eventually threw out the anchor behind the (wave) shelter of a barely submerged oyster bar and the waves got so big within minutes that the anchor dragged constantly and we were soaked from spray coming over the bow. We ran in a little--biggest waves I've ever seen in the river--and tried to wait it out. It never got better, the wind never let up. Finally, at about 8:30, I called it and we headed back to the Fort, loaded up, and went to Savannah's and got the breakfast bar.

I hate to think of what anyone out on the flats experienced yesterday morning, even if they were in a 25' bay or deep V boat. I can tell you that if I were out there in my 15' jonboat, it would have probably been beyond "hairy" and into the outright "dangerous" category.

Anyone here get caught in that yesterday morning anywhere past the lighthouse?

[big bend gyrene]

Went out of Ecky. Wouldn't likely have gone but had company from South FL up visiting for the sole purpose of fishing.

Had closely followed radar so knew that there was a nasty single cell sitting off shore 20 miles or so that stubbornly wasn't moving much. Though nasty looking (good bit of red color in it on the radar AND we could see it throwing distant lightning as we drove down in the dark to launch), I knew it was just a matter of time before it moved on.

Got out of the mouth around 7:30am. We tried fishing for bait for maybe 15 minutes before the wind and chop made it too tough to get our sabikis down. Slowly but surely the cell started moving but as you noted the movement saw it move inland and over us. We were the last of about 6 boats to give up on hanging on the flats and to run to the Ecky launch area for cover.

Good news is that it did eventually move on and we were even able to get bait and then get offshore before midday and had a good trip. Not sure if you have a radar app for your phone, but if not they're a God send. I likely would have given up and headed for home if not for being able to see that the storm was relatively isolated with the knowledge we just had to wait it out.

[rockyg]

Ted I think we were having "second breakfast" at the same time Saturday morning. I rode out to the lighthouse ramp about 8:00 and it was HOWLING. I mean solid whitecaps and wind driven chop. Definitely not the time to put my Gheenoe in the water.

However, by 11:00 it was beautiful. Thanks to a tip from a friend I wore out the Reds on topwater. I fished until about 2:30 when the sun came back out and my hair threatened to catch fire.

[Apalachee Inshore]

We could have used some wind today at Keaton. It was glass all morning.

[reelbad]

We could have used some wind today at Keaton. It was glass all morning.

Fish ?

[Apalachee Inshore]

It was slow, had two people they boated six keepers in 4 hours. My best days this summer have been borderline rough. Slick and hot haven't been great.

On the ride in I noticed something big pushing water and went to investigate. It was a 30+ pound cobia in about 3 foot of water. I slipped a pinfish on, handed the rod to my client and motored to head the fish off. He put a great cast right in front of the wake and the cork disappeared. He got a little excited and tried to set the hook immediately and snatched it away from fish, we didn't get another opportunity after that. It happens and was my fault for not telling him to wait, but was something you don't see often and a little excitement to end the trip.

[geofish]

We launched around 7 am at the lighthouse thinking we'd just have to dodge a few showers. After a bit, the dark clouds were slipping by, but man when that wind came up, the channel turned sloppy. We took a bunch of spray over the bow, and tucked upriver into one of the creeks to wait it out. Caught a ton of little catfish, but one nice red made it into the fishbox. Weather cleared, and we worked hard for a few more fish (spanish mackeral and a legal BSB). Radar app is great if you get a signal out there, but T-mobile is not the carrier for that!