BigBendFishing.Net

I did buy the Porter rock gaurd and the motor has sustained no damadge in the last year.

WAM, you can follow me anywhere from Keaton to St. Joe and be safe.
A lot of it may be at idle speed,some will be WOT.

Blackshear, Get the Riptide trolling motor and Sea Tow.

Ain't you the guy I told you would never get out yesterday and you went anyway and couldn't get out?

Jumptrout51 wrote:WAM, you can follow me anywhere from Keaton to St. Joe and be safe.
A lot of it may be at idle speed,some will be WOT.

redbelly7 wrote:Blackshear, Get the Riptide trolling motor and Sea Tow.

My Riptide was used at Econfina more than my big motor. I always wished I had a 24 volt for that reason.

Blackshear, few words of advice...

1) The kayak and/or a canoe are good for the Econfina area not just due to lower costs but also because they're darn good for scouting on low tides to know where to fish, where you've got dangers to avoid, and where you got the deepest water to run.

2) The low winter tides aren't ideal times to test a boat on a first trip out. Kayak scouting, maybe, running a boat around wot... not a great idea.

3) Do searches through past posts and you'll find a number of key rocks to avoid. Couple in the Econ river going out that will bite you if you don't have plenty of water.

4) KNOCKING ON WOOD, in 7 years making trips out I've never done more than bump a couple of rocks and scuff my prop but don't run back towards Aucilla, know a few key rocks to avoid, and DO stick to deepest run out that I've marked repeatedly, and ALWAYS aim to have at least 1.5' of positive tide when inshore. Some of the most experienced BBF members will run with less water but they've been at it far longer than most.

5) This last one will sound crazy, but I almost prefer the water being dark (usually is) as the times we've had drought conditions long enough to get the water crystal clear, I see how many rocks I'm running by and know how much luck still plays a part in running damage free despite the confidence I have in my routes...

The ideal boat for the area is a metal tunnel hull, with no trim and tilt on the motor.. You want a rock guard, with this set up if you hit a rock, the motor will pop up and the rock guard will hopefully guard from damage.

Or a longtail mudmotor.

I fish from Shell Point to Carrabelle, where there are no rocks still got the same foot and same prop as 7 1/2 years ago

Wevans there are those of us who must bodly go into the danger zone!!

I have heard you do pretty good too and if I lived elsewhere I might fish another area. I am 80 miles from Spring Warrior and tried Keaton but I would run north most of the time anyway. I have learned it and have fair success. I will fish Keaton and Steinhatchee on occasion but the drive to all those places your talking about for me means more fuel & windshield time & less bait in the water time.

http://www.bigbendfishing.net/phpBB3/vi ... lit=tripod

Is a safe route out....it can cause harm if your sloppy following it. From that point on its all up to you and luck. Best advice is to take your time and look for things. If your worried about hitting things drive a few more minutes to Keaton or St. Marks and launch....but once again when your out of the channel anywhere from Ocklocknee river to Keaton its a game of chance with you and the lime stone monsters beneath you.

well said chalk but then again rocks hold fish big fish

I launch at Econfina 90% of the time when i fish. My advice would to find someone who knows the area and follow them out and stay off the shore line 1/2 mile while running and idle in.This is not the best time of year to launch there due to low tides.DO NOT FOLLOW JT anywhere in a boat , he's crazy .

Jumptrout51 wrote:Buy a yak from TideDancer. He has a good deal going.

That one is gone JT.