BigBendFishing.Net

My daughter, Jennifer and SIL met me at the house at 8 a.m. Low tide was 9:30 this morning.
Off we went to Econfina. A quick stop to gas the car, then to Jerrys Bait and Tackle for some beer,drinks and GULPS.
Next stop...Econfina ramp.

When we crossed over St. Marks River then Aucilla River I knew we would have to wait for water.
Sure enough...no water in the Ecky.

Two nice fishing fellows backed down the ramp with confidence. I warned them of the dropoff.
They launched perfectly. The trailer axle however grabbed the end of the ramp.
They backed up and hauled ass. WHAM!!! again and again and again.
After 3-4 tries the one guy gets out of the boat and tells the other guy to get out of the car.
WHAM...WHAM...WHAM...!!!

By then 6 of us are on the catwalk watching. I tell him of a procedure Butch and I use in that situation. He did not believe it would work.(it works).

He then enters the water up to his knees at the fender on the trailer. Picks the lightweight trailer up and tells his buddy to go. The buddy drops it in gear, tires spinning and hauls ass. WHAM!!!

I suggest he get behind the trailer and pick all of it up slightly.
He takes one more step towards the rear of the trailer and goes up to his neck in ECKY FECKY water.

He then decides to try the other side of the trailer. At waist deep he picks up the trailer and they get out.

Next nice fishing folks back down the ramp. As they back down I notice NO drain plug in the boat. They had witnessed the 2 guys before them and intended to do everything right.
They got the trailer just barely on the edge of the dropoff and stopped. Got on the trailer and pushed the boat off.
After advising the 2 before them about not launching and then how to retrieve the trailer and was rebuffed, I decided not to mention the absence of a drain plug.
As they went around the first bend down river you could see the transom slowly going down.

About 30 minutes later we had enough water to launch.
Fished the river about 30 minutes with 3 shorts to show for it. Went on down river and passed 25 boats fishing the river. Idling past everyone said no fish or only shorts.

I decided to run to a offshore bar down east. First 3 casts we put 2 18 inch trout in the boat. Anchor up on the bar and get 4 more 19-22 trout and a 25 inch red.
A couple short reds at 18-19 released. We move in to a creek I like and picked up 3 at 19-20 trout.
Move to another offshore bar and catch 14-16 inchers on every cast for an hour.

Run back towards the river to another offshore bar and pick up some more 18-19 inchers.
Total kept was 13 trout and 1 red.
Released 25 or more keeper trout and an untold number of barely short trout.

Like I said, what a fun day.

Ha, I imagine you could sit at that ramp and laugh all day! Especially at us GA boys huh? I have had my fair share of bad experiences that I certainly have learned from.

How did you know they were from Georgia?

Sounds like a fun day JT

Great day!

That do sound like a fun and funny day that trick with the trailer wouldn't be using the anchor and boat ta pick up the rear of the trailer, now would it I've used that method several times now lots of good eatin y'all got

Wevans, at least you understand without having to be told.
Some folks just don't get it.

Yea, Steve I appreciate the phone call and invite. Great day!

Entertaining report. Sounds like the fish moved out with the warm front. You left us hanging at the end of the ramp.... what was your secret that they didn't want to try? Inquiring minds want to know.

I can't speak for JT but what I do is drop the anchor down and snag the back of the trailer, lift up "it's pretty light with them ballons on either side" and let the person in the truck ease forward till the tires are back on the ramp, give slack and the anchor usually just falls loose "if it don't, the driver can pull forward till the trailer clears the water and then release the anchor without getting wet" a bit of a pain with a mushroom anchor, but can still be done

lordsfisher wrote: You left us hanging at the end of the ramp.... what was your secret that they didn't want to try? Inquiring minds want to know.

Wevans knows the answer. Works everytime.

Sorry BB. It was a turkey and tequilla decision.

Now that's thinking!! Good trick for the tips and tricks. I hope I never have to use it!

Jumptrout51 wrote:How did you know they were from Georgia?

Because after driving that far we are going to fish no matter what. You local guys can wait stuff out.

That story could be told a hundred times this weekend by a hundred different people at a hundred different ramps. Good day JT

Sounds like an eventful day by any standards.
Glad you got there.