Where to fish saltwater with a smaller boat?

[procraftwes]

I have a new to me 1988 18' procraft fish n ski with a 150hp mariner its shallow hull is not really cut out for offshore.i love to fish and refuse to limit to bass fishing.. my saltwater experience comes mostly from dock fishing and fishing snook lights behind condo's in naples fl(miss it ) and tarpon fishing in marco island..

so with my smaller boat are there any protected areas for me to fish? i went to st marks fort launch and went down the river till it opens up and just got beat up out there so i headed back up river and caught some monster sailcats(4-7lbs) on dead spanish sardines and called it quits after a few 40+' boats throwing monster wakes convinced me that i didnt want to get swamped(was funny to watch my g/f get soaked in the bow though)..

on another note under stupid human tricks i was storing the bait in my livewell and forgot about it for a few days..cleaning the boat and livewells out was not fun yesturday lol.. any recomendations on where to fish?

[GAJOEY]

I take my 18 ft procraft fish n ski out of econfina. I have been 8 or 9 miles out on semi calm days and had a ball catching trout and other inshore fish ...Talk to Wevans he takes his souped up jon boat out 20 miles offhsore and IMO he is a soon to be legend. I am gonna get the nerve to ask him if I can follow him out one day .

[wevans]

I take my 18 ft procraft fish n ski out of econfina. I have been 8 or 9 miles out on semi calm days and had a ball catching trout and other inshore fish ...Talk to Wevans he takes his souped up jon boat out 20 miles offhsore and IMO he is a soon to be legend. I am gonna get the nerve to ask him if I can follow him out one day .

Legends are DEAD I don't intend ta join them any time soon

Take the learning experience slow with your boat and you will be offshore with it in no time You will learn that an incoming tide with a North wind will beat the heck outta ya till you get to deeper water "and visa-versa"You will learn that you can't run WOT every where ya go unless you plan on sinking yer boat and you will learn that no matter how much you learn about the sea, she can take you whenever she wants ya "but you can use yer knowledge to prolong the inevitable" The most important thing to learn is that you never quit learning and you MUST respect the lady of the sea

PS: I would take your boat into any and every Bay in the area but there would be times that I wouldn't even dip it in the water either

[FUTCHCAIRO]

JUST TAKE YOUR BOAT DOWN TO THE LIGHTHOUSE LAUNCH RAMP, GO OUT THE CANAL TO THE CHANAL AND GO EAST TO THE FIRST RED FLOATING NAVIGATIONAL BOUY, JUST BEYOUN THAT TAKE A LEFT AND KEEP ABOUT 200 YARDS OFF THE COAST AND YOU CAN GO AS LONG AS YOU WANT. ABOUT A MILE S.E. OF THE LIGHTHOUSE ISA BIRDS ROOST, IF YOU GO STRAIGHT EAST YOU WILL SEE SOME LARGE POLES , THESE ARE THE STAKE LINE, ANYWHERE BETWEEN THE STAKE LINE AND SHORE IS GOOD FISHING MOST OF THE TIME. DUE NORTH OF THE FIRST STAKE IS A PLACE CALLED STONEY BYOU, BY ITS NAME SHOULD GIVE YOU AN IDEA WHATS JUST BELOW THE SURFACE OF THE WATER, MUCHO, MUCHO ROCKS. JUST TAKE IT EASY AND FISH IN AND AROUND THOSE ROCKS AND YOU WILL CATCH FISH. YOU CAN ALSO GO STRAIGHT OUT OF THE CANAL TO THE WEST FLATS, THEY ALSO HAVE A STAKE LINE, THEY ARE LOCATED ON THE WEST SIDE OF THE RIVER CHANEL AND ON HIGH TIDE THERE IS GOOD FISHING THERE TOO. BE CAREFUL ON THE WEST FLATS, THEY ARE MORE SHALLOW ON LOW TIDE THAN THE EAST FLATS.
HOPE THAT MAY HELP YA, YOUR BOAT WILL DO JUST FINE FISHING ALMOST ANY PLACE ON APPALACH. BAY.
PA THE OLD MAN OF THE SEA

[procraftwes]

i appreciate all the advice guys ill take as much i as i can..although i doubt ill be taking my boat offshore any time soon flats fishing is more what im looking for..unfortunately i spend my time around Tallahassee so i was thinking where to go in panacea or st marks.. the way gas is i dont think ill be making the trip to the bay...

[GAJOEY]

Wevens ... I was not writing you off ....I guess I should have worded it a little different .Something to the same effect as "THE LIVING LEGEND ". I done told you you are my hero lol

[tin can]

i went to st marks fort launch and went down the river till it opens up and just got beat up out there

Lately, the wind has been blowing hard out of the south. Under these conditions, the lower part of the river is the worst place in the area to run. Once you get past the mouth of the river and head either direction it's not as rough. It might not be calm, but not as rough as the river.

I'm quite familiar with your boat. An 18' ProCraft is more than enough boat to fish any inshore water in this area. As Wevans said (can't believe I'm agreeing with Wevans ) take your time, learn the area and your boat. You'll be fine.

GAJOEY, Wevans is already A LEGEND IN HIS OWN MIND.

[Pinocchio]

. . .
GAJOEY, Wevans is already A LEGEND IN HIS OWN MIND.

You can say that again! On "Board Index" under "Legend" 'vans is NOT listed! It's obvious he's "All boat and NO fish!" You will quickly join the huge crowd who say "What's he do out there?"

[wevans]

Yep, y'all done ferreted me out I gots so much money, I just sit on the flats and wait for an offshore boat ta come by and buy me a few Grouper from em fer show I simply aspire ta be half as good as TC someday

[boggob]

I went fishing with some fellows 8 miles out or so in a J-16 Carolina Skiff and a 25 HP Yammi. I followed them out in my boat and there were no issues. I thought they were crazy for going out that far in that boat but... You just have to become a better meterologist than the people on TV. Depending on wind direction, Alligator Point is protected as well as Ochlockonee Bay.

St Marks isn't bad except for the channel. It always seems to be rough in the channel. You can launch from the Lighthouse and spend less time in the channel. I've been out there in a Gheenoe.

You got plenty of boat to go whever you want and no one is going to want to go in gail winds anyway. Just know that there will be times where you get wet. It happens.

Be careful at Econfina and Aucilla. Lots of underwater hazards. Watch the tides, especially, in the winter.

[procraftwes]

im going fishing in alligator harbor sunday near st teresa sunday any advice when fishing in alligator harbor? ill be staying on the north end very near a freinds vacation house on the beach..but just in case i decide to explore?

[BAD BEHAVIOR]

I have a new to me 1988 18' procraft fish n ski with a 150hp mariner its shallow hull is not really cut out for offshore.i love to fish and refuse to limit to bass fishing.. my saltwater experience comes mostly from dock fishing and fishing snook lights behind condo's in naples fl(miss it ) and tarpon fishing in marco island..

so with my smaller boat are there any protected areas for me to fish? i went to st marks fort launch and went down the river till it opens up and just got beat up out there so i headed back up river and caught some monster sailcats(4-7lbs) on dead spanish sardines and called it quits after a few 40+' boats throwing monster wakes convinced me that i didnt want to get swamped(was funny to watch my g/f get soaked in the bow though)..

on another note under stupid human tricks i was storing the bait in my livewell and forgot about it for a few days..cleaning the boat and livewells out was not fun yesturday lol.. any recomendations on where to fish?

We need pics of wet girlfriend and we'll cooperate

[procraftwes]

lol

[What a mess]

With a hood ornement like that who cares if you catch fish or not.

Try all the usuall suspects Jigs, plugs and spoons, shrimp and pinfish don't hirt either.

Brim pole with tiny hooks and slivers of chicken gizzards will catch them pins.

Other than Mullet they all eat pinfish, if they are huge cut them into peices that will work too!

If you ain't cathing change baits and keep on the move till you find them. Anything that will catch bass or crappie will work.

Grass beds with spoty bottom are the ticket so are rocks and oyster bars moving water.