St. Marks ramp -- Spanish Fort -- What's up with that?

[Hula Popper]

I thought (from what I read on this forum) that the new ramp at the Spanish Fort was to be completed May 30.

I went there Sunday and -- heck -- nothing looked different from when I was there the first of April.

September 30 might be a more realistic completion date, judging by the lack of progress.

Anyone have inside info on this project?

It seems clear that we need more ramps in this area -- more and more people are learning that Apalachee Bay has great fishing and is a beautiful place to experience on the water.

[Pinocchio]

I thought (from what I read on this forum) that the new ramp at the Spanish Fort was to be completed May 30.

I went there Sunday and -- heck -- nothing looked different from when I was there the first of April.

September 30 might be a more realistic completion date, judging by the lack of progress.

Anyone have inside info on this project?

It seems clear that we need more ramps in this area -- more and more people are learning that Apalachee Bay has great fishing and is a beautiful place to experience on the water.

Maybe the crew is too busy making off with trailers to "Giter Done!" 'At place always seems to come up with some kinda fighting over fishing stuff.

Hula Popper -- now that's one outa my past! Along with Hawaiian Wiggler, Flutter Fuss (or somethin' like 'at) and Hula Dancer! Ole Fred Arbogast -- I caught tons of bass on his lures as a kid! He liked anything in a skirt and so did bass!

[Hula Popper]

Fred Arbogast -- His was a revered name among the folks I knew.

We all fished for bass -- but only with flyrods. No Zebco. No Ugly Stik. Just flyrods.

Fred Arbogast's Hula Popper was the preferred lure, by a long shot.

We would all take serious interest in new versions of it. I still remember the time the guy down the street pulled out a Hula Popper in pearl paint. Yeah, that was sexy -- fish porn -- and it caught fish, too.

I'm still recovering from that "flyrod and flyrod only" upbringing. I don't know what I'm doing when I get in salt water!

[Pinocchio]

Fred Arbogast -- His was a revered name among the folks I knew.

We all fished for bass -- but only with flyrods. No Zebco. No Ugly Stik. Just flyrods.

Fred Arbogast's Hula Popper was the preferred lure, by a long shot.

We would all take serious interest in new versions of it. I still remember the time the guy down the street pulled out a Hula Popper in pearl paint. Yeah, that was sexy -- fish porn -- and it caught fish, too.

I'm still recovering from that "flyrod and flyrod only" upbringing. I don't know what I'm doing when I get in salt water!

I fished Fred's bait casting lures for bass (Pflueger and Shakespeare bait casters and a little with the first Zebcos). I had friends that fished panfish on flyrods with me at first then we went to bass fishing with cork poppers. I vaguely remember maybe a flyrod Hula Popper but never fished it on flyrod. After highschool I gave up fishing and began to hone my skills on chasing women and drinking beer and digging jazz! All wasted and scarred up (on the former) I've gone back to fishing!

[saltycrab]

I figured it would be done by now. I haven't been to the fort since last year, and plan on going Saturday, just want to make sure that the old ramp was still open.

Thanks

[Olebiker]

I took my grandson down there yesterday. It doesn't look like it will be done any time soon. The old ramp is blocked, the new ramp isn't done, and the paking lot is torn up.

It did make for a good place for a two year old to throw rocks in the water.

[saltycrab]

Any ideas on where I can launch besides the lighthouse. The marina has a ramp right, you just have to pay?

[Eerman]

$5 at Shields...get there early on the weekend.

[mjsigns]

Use the Ramp at the lighthouse, Annual Pass $15, ramp is in good shape and can take two boats at once, but the canal to the gulf is a little skinny on a low tide (especially in the winter). It's worth the drive.

[ropeman]

I just went by the St Marks Fort ramp Saturday and it looked like bothe ramps were being used. That doesn't they are finished, but they seemed to be inuse. I like the Shields ramp except for the crowd of people always there and lack of parking.