Anybody familiar with Snipe Island?

[hookedonred]

Is there any source out there that provides a map of where those boundaries(DEP Conservation land) extend to?

[gldearman]

Is there any source out there that provides a map of where those boundaries(DEP Conservation land) extend to?

Property appraisers' maps are not guaranteed, but are usually very accurate.

[gldearman]

the Pinhook is not what most would consider navigable until it reaches the bridge on the main east/west Refuge road (105) unless you consider crawling/slithering thru knee/waist deep mud as being navigable.

You mean the bridge over the Florida Trail? So, likely the only two ways to get a boat onto the Pinhook are to come in from Apalachee Bay or to haul the boat 1.6 miles, minimum, overland?

[GaryDroze]

Flintrock: I visited http://www.floridastateparks.org and downloaded the Econfina River State Park Multi-use Trails map. From that, one can tell that Snipe Island Grade runs in and out of the park boundary. While the last .7mi of the grade goes back out of the boundary, if you look past the end of the grade, you can see that the coastal marsh beyond the end of the grade (Snipe Island, mouth of Snipe Creek, Bowden Creek) is within the park's boundary. Curiously, the northern portion of Snipe Creek - but NOT the adjacent Bowden Creek - is excluded from the boundary. Lots of zigzagging boundary lines there. Weird!

This is turning into a Holy Grail search for me. When I finally get there, I'll probably find the county's highest concentration of longnose gar and ladyfish.

[cotton]

Pinhook is not what most would consider navigable until it reaches the bridge on the main east/west Refuge road (105)

That bridge was our goal that day. I'm sure I broke the rules as I drove thru one of the WMA until I reached a chain across the road. Paddling from the bridge down to the mouth would have been nice. I'm sure it would be very popular with others.

I settled for Hickory mounds that day.

[GaryDroze]

GETTING CLOSER: Report from Sunday, Feb 23

Rainstorms were just setting in as I arrived at Econfina River State Park this dismal morning. Almost gave up, but suddenly recalled a dream from last night (does this ever happen to you?). In it, I turned a corner and ran into my best friend, the awesome George Cobb, who in real life died in a stupid motorcycle accident 5 years ago. He told me the afterlife was not bad, so don't hold back while I'm putting in time on Earth.

So, what the hey. Parked by the fire station just outside the park & pedaled through mud, rain and thunder on the Park's Big Pine Loop. After 2.2 soggy miles...BINGO! The trail intersected the skinny far upper reach of Bowden Creek. Five minutes past that, I found an unofficial spur off from marker #6 of the loop. It went straight west, and dead-ended very close to the end of Snipe Island Grade. NO LOCKED GATES! This verifies that you can legally get close to both of those creek ends, starting at Econfina SP & humping on a mountain bike for 15-20 minutes (the trails demand full attention, with puddles, rocks, wild hogs, and fallen timber). With two encouraging findings, I happily raced the storm back to my car.

NEXT: plan is to bike trailer a kayak to the Bowden Creek terminus, and paddle a big clockwise circle from Bowden Creek to the flats, then to the mouth of Snipe Creek & then back into the park. Will report on how fishy those creeks look. Perhaps Capt Mike will lend me his GoPro.

To quote the Pointer Sisters: "I'm so excited I just can't hide it."

[GaryDroze]

Finally got to fish the area today. Took the "adventure fishing" approach. One of my hardcore runners and his marathoner dad joined me. We biked 2.2 miles on a rough Econfina River SP trail, then waded for 30 minutes down tiny Bowden Creek terminus. Tide was VERY low. Almost within sight of the flats, we found a 200 yard long, 5 foot deep channel in the creek, and tossed mudminnows into it. My young runner (Jake Mazziotta) took top honors with a 24" trout (4.14 lbs). We got 2 more over 20" and 5 at 18-20" A killer "tourney" stringer. No reds. It was a really tough hike to get to the area, but worth the trek. Next outing, I hope to bike a bit further north and find/report on the possibilities for adjacent stretch of Snipe Creek.

[SS-342]

You are adventurous ! Thanks for sharing your adventures. Opening up new territory.

[red_yakker]

Is there any source out there that provides a map of where those boundaries(DEP Conservation land) extend to?

Property appraisers' maps are not guaranteed, but are usually very accurate.

I work for the Taylor County Property Appraiser, I'd be happy to e-mail or post you a map of who owns what. Only problem is, I can tell you who owns the land, but we don't always know what portions are open to the public. TIITF (Trustees of the Internal Improvement Trust Fund, Under the DEP) owns the land, and FWC manages it. Most of the time, a gated road means no vehicle traffic, but you are still allowed to access it on foot. If you're unsure, I'd recommend contacting the local FWC. Lt. Scott Lee is in charge of the Taylor County FWC, and is a pretty reasonable guy.

[GaryDroze]

The way I got to Bowden Creek Sunday (see a few posts back) was totally legal, but took some work. Biking/hiking off CR 14 above the fire station was a mile or so more legwork than if I had trespassed through the last mile of Snipe Island Grade to Snipe Creek. I can live with that. The way I went was a lot less muddy and flooded than Snipe Island Grade & nearby trails anyway. I don't know how to put pix up here, but email me at gdroze@maclay.org and I'll show you what size trout are willing to probe skinny, remote water for a meal.

[silverking]

Posting this shot of Gary and his student/angler with their Bowden Creek bounty...

[Last One]

How about getting in there by boat,19' Bay is this at all possible?

[GaryDroze]

You'll need high tide to get a bay boat to where we caught those trout. We waded in mostly calf-deep creeks to get to the ditch that gave them up.