Aucilla/Econfina Big Boat Access

Post by **Chalk** » September 8th, 2003, 6:20 pm

Light Chop..I'm not an ol' Timer, but I pour the coal to it after the last no wake zone, unless its dead low tide or negative......Just stay in the middle until the last bend, then its a lil right and lil left

..Once I get to the tripod my nads

are up to my throat cause theres three good hazards past that...though generally marked...still nut wrenching to say te least.....If the tides negative.....well one skeg later

Post by **CSMarine** » September 9th, 2003, 7:49 am

It is a shame. I know that river better than any on earth, but I'm the last person that needs to be on the Aucilla.

Post by **GoneGator** » September 9th, 2003, 8:13 am

Thanks for all the great responses, after reading posts for the last year, it's great to join, think I may putter down to Econfina for a visit soon.

lightchop · Post by **lightchop** » September 9th, 2003, 7:09 pm

Chalk, you're living the legend. When you get about 50 and still do the Ickky, you will be zipping in and out of the river like the old timers (you'll be one of them) and during the process over the years, you will have found every rock there and left a propeller blade here, a whole propeller there, skegs all about and maybe a lower-unit or two here and there.
I've always been a lot more cautious, because after 3 props and 2 skegs, I didn't care to spend any more down-time waiting for parts or lining-up heli-ark welders. I wish you luck at skimming over the tops of those bumps on the tops of those monster limestone slabs. Being a geologist at one time, when I got to Tallahassee and later started to fish the Big Bend area, I spent a little time at Stozier Library at FSU and checked-out the local underlying geologic structure. The general area from about St. Marks to way past the Suwannee is an area of some of the finest-grained limestone in the world. Fine grain means, hard, for limestone. Of course, almost all of the land area is overburdened with sandy soil, but underneath it at various thicknesses is that killer limestone which the streams in the area usually expose. Aucilla and Econfina are the two prime examples of, "bust yo mota" fine-grained limestone outcrops in the area. This limestone is not loose, stream rolled rocks or even stream rolled bolders, they are vast layers of fairly thick limestone ledges with varying bumps and peaks and even big cracks that erode very slowly even under the constant impact of propellers, skegs and lower-units on outboard motors and even boat hulls on occasion! I prefer to gently move among that stuff and try to get along with it. Wave at me as you go scoot by and I'll wave back at ya!

Post by **Chalk** » September 9th, 2003, 8:58 pm

If your in the middle I will have to stop cause my arse

ain't straying from the middle...But you have to realize that I have a wanna be boat that some wouldn't even consider a boat

.....Once we were scooting along at about 25 mph and some jack leg in a bass boat thought we were holding him up....So he peeled off to the left of us (we are at the last leg heading out)..His rooster tail went from white to brown and his prop went from spinning to not (sheared a pin)..I smiled and said what a dumb arse

.....I think we need to find an airboat to go out in about December or January..Pick a good negative tide

Post by **seatrout99** » September 9th, 2003, 11:41 pm

Two words for you - Go--Devil.

Post by **CSMarine** » September 10th, 2003, 7:29 am

No ST, three words. GO SOMEWHERE ELSE.

Post by **seatrout99** » September 10th, 2003, 7:51 am

If you do that, you'll miss some of the best fall/winter trout fishing you will ever see.

Post by **Steve Hendley** » September 10th, 2003, 1:32 pm

Back years ago I fished out of Enconfina with a friend of mine in his boat, I believe he had to replace a prop and have his scag welded during the 2 years I fished with him. 2 year ago I drove down to Enconfina one March afternoon with the intent of lunching my boat there, as I watched the incoming boats taking out I noticed one boat with one of the blades of his prop broken off. My mind was made up Keaton Beach it is.
But I will agree it was great fun catching gator trout in the Little Pin Hook and Aucilla Rivers on those cool November days.
Oh by the way my boat has a 24" draft so Im very picky where I go, it will never see Enconfina, Aucilla, Spring Warior, on any place like them just to much to risk.

SH.

lightchop · Post by **lightchop** » September 10th, 2003, 7:58 pm

Steve, you can do it in the Econfina, just go and come in at high tide +/- 2 hours, tilt motor up almost 45 deg. and go slow. No Problem! Just don't do like Chalk, he's working on becoming an old timer, river rat!

Post by **Chalk** » September 10th, 2003, 8:17 pm

Old Timer, River rat.....Sheet, I'm just becoming one with my tool

lightchop · Post by **lightchop** » September 10th, 2003, 9:18 pm

Chalk, What is your tool -- a P-winker ratchet? You're not that maniac up around mid-Georgia who's been going around giving lap dancers an internal maintenance check with a gut wrench are you? You need to fish more. What kinda finned critters you been hooking lately. Any word from Cap. Ran? You and the Aucilla Gorilla been slinking around in that thick water around Rocks-R-Us River? I need more cool weather to make it bearable to get out there and get my KW ready -- dad gummit, I forgot to order tires for my trailer today! Anyway, maybe we should try to fishy da Ickky one of these days. My KW does OK with 3 and we might hook-up with A. Gorilla if he's up to it!