Rock Garden question

Post by **Redbelly** » December 9th, 2007, 9:47 pm

How far out do you swing around to get in there? I am wondering if I could run the shoeline in my tunnelhull to shorten the ride? Can anyone give me a clue? I want to try it soon.

Thanks

Post by **birddog** » December 9th, 2007, 9:53 pm

I've seen people run the shoreline. I've seen Steve and Butch Taylor run the shoreline. I've also heard how many lower units they've replaced.

I don't run the shoreline esp. in the wintertime.

A tunnel hull doesn't make much of a difference.

Good luck

Post by **Eerman** » December 9th, 2007, 10:27 pm

I run close to or even outside the stake line; but, I'm chicken &#$*. A little bit of extra time is better than a hole lot of extra $$. If you need to get there sooner, leave earlier.

Post by **mjsigns** » December 9th, 2007, 10:44 pm

Before you rip the lower unit off your motor, you might want to be fully insured on the water (colision & towing). I've drifted through there and seen soo many roicks, the idea of throttling through there gives me the willies

Post by **tin can** » December 10th, 2007, 8:40 am

Don't do it.

Post by **Reel Cowboy** » December 10th, 2007, 12:27 pm

tin can wrote:Don't do it.

Listen to the wish words of our elders

Post by **silverking** » December 10th, 2007, 2:39 pm

Go ahead and run that shoreline, RB. Outboard mechanics have to eat, too.

Post by **Jumptrout51** » December 10th, 2007, 3:16 pm

The shoreline is fine up to a point. After that you have to have a specific route.
Coming from the lighthouse you have nothing to avoid until you get to the Rock Garden,except ghost traps and too low water.
If you draw a line from the west boundary of Stony Bayou creek mouth,then due South,that would be the west side starting point of the rock garden. It should be safe to run from West to East to get there.

The lower unit problems came from discovering New Rocks in Old places.

Post by **birddog** » December 10th, 2007, 8:57 pm

Jumptrout51 wrote: The lower unit problems came from discovering New Rocks in Old places.

This is the part that should worry you.

Post by **Redbelly** » December 10th, 2007, 10:15 pm

Y'all have done got me plum skeered!

But JT51 actually told me what i was looking for, where to run to and coast from there.

I will prolly take it reel slow first trip on a lower tide so I can really talk myself out of the idea.

Maybe a hovercraft or airboat is needed.

Post by **Redfish Jim** » December 10th, 2007, 10:33 pm

I used to run that shoreline on a high tide all the time when I had a smaller boat. Seems like you could run for a couple miles to the east without rocks. When you get close to Slough Island, slow way down for the next 10+ miles because you're liable to hit something. Thanks goodness those little 4 horse Evinrudes had pretty tough lower units.

Post by **silverking** » December 10th, 2007, 11:09 pm

JT and some of the others here must make a lot more money than I do or have a bigger repair budget. There are a few serious rock piles just west of the mouth of Stoney that would love to eat lower units in water that I consider close to the shore (less than 25 yards in places). But the more skegs that get busted off, the less boat traffic to the east. As for me, I'll keep idling along with my Skegguard intact and my fingers crossed, working my spots. If you fish in eastern Apalachee Bay, sooner or later you'll have to pay the price of admission.

RB, another drawback to running the shoreline is disrupting normal patterns. If they get buzzed too often, the fish are going to find new places to hang out.

Post by RD » December 11th, 2007, 9:15 am

silverking wrote:JT and some of the others here must make a lot more money than I do or have a bigger repair budget. There are a few serious rock piles just west of the mouth of Stoney that would love to eat lower units in water that I consider close to the shore (less than 25 yards in places). But the more skegs that get busted off, the less boat traffic to the east. As for me, I'll keep idling along with my Skegguard intact and my fingers crossed, working my spots. If you fish in eastern Apalachee Bay, sooner or later you'll have to pay the price of admission.

RB, another drawback to running the shoreline is disrupting normal patterns. If they get buzzed too often, the fish are going to find new places to hang out.

In this part of the world there are rocks everywhere including some a few hundred yrds east of the lighthouse,if you go when the water is skinny you will probably have to pay the price sooner or later with a outboard.

The normal patterns have already been disrupted for 12 or 15 years now,most of y'all never got to see what used to be down there,acres wide schools of trout,redfish that one bunch might have 5 to 7000 fish in it and pompano on every big sand pile.

Post by **silverking** » December 11th, 2007, 6:48 pm

RD,
I've been fishing the East Flats since 1992, so yes, I do remember the good old days fondly. Just because patterns aren't what they used to be doesn't mean we all shouldn't practice proper flats etiquette now. Sure, there are times when you can run at will. But buzzing the shoreline does eventually disturb habitat. Besides, we all know those rocks get up and move around in the middle of the night. :wink:

Post by RD » December 12th, 2007, 7:27 am

silverking wrote:RD,
I've been fishing the East Flats since 1992, so yes, I do remember the good old days fondly. Just because patterns aren't what they used to be doesn't mean we all shouldn't practice proper flats etiquette now. Sure, there are times when you can run at will. But buzzing the shoreline does eventually disturb habitat. Besides, we all know those rocks get up and move around in the middle of the night.

I think I hit them so hard that they move sometimes,