BigBendFishing.Net

Chalk wrote:We ain't talking about going out the mouth Cletus, try to follow along closer...everyone knows that at the last bend you need to be on it if your gonna clear the tripod on a fall tide

Actually Chalk, the mouth is precisely where I was refering to . Thats the only place in the entire river where there is a problem with coming off plane. This is where people tend to anchor down and fish , especially on a fresh incoming tide. I can only guess that they are trying to catch fish on the 4 ft hole off the 1 ft bar when the tide pushes bait back into the mouth. As for my boat being too big, I ve been fishing at Ecky since the late eighties. I started fishing down there with a john boat and a 9.9. Ive fished down there on my dixon boat with a 31 hp go devil and have dug that bar coming in @ low tide. Yes my boat is bigger than some but not bigger than others. Ecky is my favorite place to fish and I try and practice proper boating etiquette every where. Most times the people on my boat tell me Im crazy for slowing down for the smaller boats but Ive been there and I know how it feels to get blown off the water. Youre more than welcome to fish on my boat anytime I can get you to come and you'll see that even though my boat is bigger, I can fish about anywhere you do in your boat. The only difference is I need @ least 2.2 ft to take off where you can probably take off shallower. Thats something I m comfortable with because if Im out past the bird racks in a 20 knot wind, Im dry when i get to the truck. I realize a slower moving boat causes a larger wake because of more drag, thus being the reason, I always let out well before the upcoming vessel, so that my wake has time to dissipate before it gets to them. I dont pretend to know everything about the water, this being the reason I enjoy this forum, because I can pick folks brains and hopefully learn from their experiences and apply it to my navigational experiences. As far as there not being a wide berth @ Ecky, I couldnt agree more, precisely my reason for writing this original thread , the fact that theres really not room at the mouth of the Econfina for boats anchored and fishing. In my previous reply , I meant wide berth as being as far out of the "main run" as possible. Anyone who fishes there knows the "run" of the river, where to go and where not to go. Just my personal opinion and not intended to leak anyone off. Again, I stand by my statement that its everyones water and I just like to do everything possible to make it safe and enjoyable for everyone!!

By the way Chalk, just wondering, what boat would you suggest for Ecky? I looked at and test drove many boats including Express, G3, Pathfinder, Sailfish, Hewes, Skeeter, Ranger, Kenner, and Alumacraft. I chose the Triton because of the way it handles and the shallow run when on plane. I have had it in 1.2 ft @ WOT(by accident) and never skidded onthe bottom. This was with my Jack plate @ about three inches. Im all about finding a better rig for my fishing practices so I d really appreciate your honest opinion. Even though I ve never met most of you, I appreciate and respect your opinions, even if they differ from mine!!

Not trying to be a smart arse here, but to me fishing in the mouth at the tripod is like a farmer trying to plant corn in the median of a superhighway running through his 10,000 acre farm......

Just a little greedy with all that other water out there.....

I mean, we all DO have to have a way to get in and out of the river.

Also, if I WERE to fish in the river (Yes, I have in a 14 ft johnboat), I fully expect to put up with wakes from boats going in and out of the river. If they keep on plane, the wake is not bad at all.

The ones that want to complain about wakes need to go to the ditch between PC and destin, and pass a 50 foot SeaRay headon....you will see what a wake is

Dubble

If your boat has 15 degrees of dead rise and drafts 13" as the triton website says, I can assure you that you can't fish where I do. If I loved to fish Econfina and that's where I spent the majority of my time...I would surely look at what all the locally known legands drive....The likes of Junior Dice, Steve Taylor, Randy Peart, etc and then decide where and what type of fishing I like to do and make a decision based off those variables.

But back on topic...I have told you my stance on your gripe and you have stated yours...seems that I can't sway your opinion and any further debate would be a mute point.

Slowing down for boats cost me 2 hours last winter but it was either that or rub rails with both boats as I went between them. Mark that old tripod with pvc or jugs and don't tell the world that you did it,I just marked it as a waypoint on my GPS and now it shows on my chart.

Best thread in a long time!

No one has mentioned airboats...guess they get a pass to go where
they wish regardless of traffic.

The great equalizer is when low water
grounds 15-30 boats at/near the mouth for several hours.

RHTFISH wrote:Best thread in a long time!

No one has mentioned airboats...guess they get a pass to go where
they wish regardless of traffic.

The great equalizer is when low water
grounds 15-30 boats at/near the mouth for several hours.

I have always wanted to take the jetski out there just before a real negative tide, let it ground, then just walk around and look. I have never really seen the river with a like -1.5 ft tide....

I may not want to......

Dubble

It's an awesome sight when the mouth of the river is completely dry.

Grounded folks can just get out and walk around and visit, etc.

Add a N-NE wind and hunker down!

Chalk wrote:If your boat has 15 degrees of dead rise and drafts 13" as the triton website says, I can assure you that you can't fish where I do. If I loved to fish Econfina and that's where I spent the majority of my time...I would surely look at what all the locally known legands drive....The likes of Junior Dice, Steve Taylor, Randy Peart, etc and then decide where and what type of fishing I like to do and make a decision based off those variables.

But back on topic...I have told you my stance on your gripe and you have stated yours...seems that I can't sway your opinion and any further debate would be a mute point.

About the boat, you may be pleasantly surprised and youre welcome on her anytime, my treat. About the debate, I appreciate and respect your opinion so heres a to ya!! Lets go fishing!!

WOW 36x36 1/8" alum. powder coated sign Coast guard approvd " Submerged obstruction" $200.

24"x24" plastic KEEP OUT sign from Lowes $1.98.

Chalk wrote:If your boat has 15 degrees of dead rise and drafts 13" as the triton website says, I can assure you that you can't fish where I do. If I loved to fish Econfina and that's where I spent the majority of my time...I would surely look at what all the locally known legands drive....The likes of Junior Dice, Steve Taylor, Randy Peart, etc and then decide where and what type of fishing I like to do and make a decision based off those variables.

But back on topic...I have told you my stance on your gripe and you have stated yours...seems that I can't sway your opinion and any further debate would be a mute point.

You still have to haul a$$ in the boats we run to get in/out of Econfina/Aucilla/Fenholloway/Spring Warrior.
The SeaArk needs little water. Keels got out of the boat the other day to retrieve a lure hung in the grass. As he got out he said "the boat won't make it thru there". Once back in the boat it drifted right over where his lure had been in about 3" of water.
Otherwise,take your own advice and get MUTE

Slumptrout does the term Foxtrot Oscar & Delta mean anything to you ?