Fishing out of Econfina Questions

[HewesMan]

So I have been looking on here for quite some time now and I just got a new to me '96 Hewes Bayfisher. I would really like to start fishing the Econfina area but based on all of the posts that I have read I am a little worried about that area. I don't mind fishing the areas from St Marks all the way over to PSJ but east of St Marks I am not familiar with.

I do not want any tips on how to fish the area at all. I think that I can figure that out. My concern has to do with rocks. If I go out of that area am I really almost guaranteed to hit a rock and ruin my lower unit at some point? Or is there a way if I go out of there that I can avoid most of the rock damage if I stay above a certain depth? I got a list of a bunch of rocks that was in an earlier post. I know that I should go slow until I learn the channel, but once out of the channel should I be OK until I get within a certain depth of distance from land?

[FUTCHCAIRO]

THE BEST WAY TO GO OOUT OF ECONFINA IS ABOUT 5 MPH AFTER YOU GET OUT OF THE RIVER. I TRY TO GET OUT OF THE MOUTH OF THE RIVER ABOUT 2 HRS. BEFORE AND GET BACK IN 2 HRS HIGH TIDE. I HAVE HAD TO REPLACE THE LOWER UNIT 1 TIME AND SKEG 2 TIMES GOING OUT AT THESE TIMES. THERE ARE ROCKS ALL OVER THE PLACE, I LOST THE LOWER UNIT 3 MILES OFF SHORE OUT NEXT TO THE BIRD ROOST, I THINK THE ROCK DOWN THERE MOVE AROUND AT NIGHT, I HAVE MARKED A ROUTE ON THE GPS AND TRY TO FOLLOW IT BUT STILL HIT A ROCK EVERY NOW AND THEN.
PA
SEMPER
FI

[Dubble Trubble]

If the tide drops below 1.5 ft, you are playing with fire if you do not know the area. I have gone out the river at .5, but I know the area and still say a prayer at that tide depth.

Dubble

[WolfeMan]

Big Bend Gyro-Sandwich knows that area real well - he'll be along soon I'd imagine to give you some navigational advice.

[big bend gyrene]

Dubble's pretty much got you covered with the 1.5' advice.

Would add that if there's a strong wind out of the north, you need to realize that the tide predictions will be off with less water in the mouth. More than one board member has been stuck out on the flats because they waited just a bit late to come in early when winds pushed water out.

Watch out for the rock near the middle of the channel AFTER the no-wake shack area when heading out -- it gets many folks, as do rocks on the edges of the loading area. Fished Econ heavy since 2002 and just a few bumps thus far, but think I've been very lucky too. If you don't want to deal with the pucker factor, Econ to Aucilla's not the place to fish... when the water is clear like it is now I actually feel a TON more scared than when I can't see how skinny I'm running/all the rocks beneath me.

As for not hitting anything, did sweat over a depth chart years ago to pick deepest running lanes in, out and around the area. Limits the exact spots I fish, but again, so far so good (knock on wood).

[DEMON]

Once you clear the mouth (and don't go straight out of the mouth---rocks!) veering right towards Aucilla or left toward Rock Island, just stay in 4'-6' of water (4' if its low tide and 6' if high tide) & you'll be far enough out to avoid the rocks. When you get to the area that you want fish, come off plane and move inshore at a speed that you figure will only damage the skeg & not rip off the lower unit. After a few trips you'll get the feel for the area and become comfortable with where to run and where to go slow. Look for rock weed and mark those spots. It is good indicator of rocks and also a good fishing spot. The 4' depth is always a good place to start your drift anyways and it allows you to look for & mark any rocks you see while you are fishing. If you get as far west as Aucilla, and want to go farther, stay to the south of the stake line to avoid the Rock Garden.

In my opinion, the best time to learn the area is in the winter when the tides are at their lowest and the rocks are sticking above the water.

If you are one of those guys that has to be on plane and running wide open all the time, this ain't the area for you. But for a cautious man, it ain't so bad.

Here's a link for a route out of the mouth: viewtopic.php?f=4&t=876
The water is actually deeper thru this area than it is going straight out the mouth.

[big bend gyrene]

HewesMan, DEMON's giving you great scoop on that old post... here's the complete hyperlink. http://www.bigbendfishing.net/phpBB3/vi ... ?f=4&t=876

I use Tom's route going out, then run to about 4' to 5' depths, and parallel the shore until I reach spots I want to fish inshore and then slow motor into them as Demon recommends. That shared I only fish to the east, and never flirt with the Aucilla direction. Know that there is great fishing that way, but the rocks get bigger and move around more.

[big bend gyrene]

If you're leaning to NOT going out of Econfina, this post will probably make that decision firm! http://www.bigbendfishing.net/phpBB3/vi ... =4&t=24204

[HewesMan]

Thanks for all of the great posts guys.

It all helps out a lot. I am not a guy that has to go wide open everywhere. I like to run 3200 RPM which is about 20-23 MPH. I burn less gas that way.

Just from what I have heard I know that there are a lot of rocks there but I also know that it should be a great place to fish. I mainly like the idea about 4-6' of water and that should be doable. I am sure that I will rely heavily on the Navionics charts to get me started in the right depths. I will definitely stay deep and then come down off plane and idle into the spots that I want to try and fish. Then use the TM.

[Seachaser]

Actually, it is better to be on plane than not. I personally would not run it without a jackplate and the 1.5 is good advice. There is a huge rock about a mile out to the right of the tripod that claims a bunch of motors each year. Everyone thinks they are safe by the time they are out that far.