BigBendFishing.Net

Hey, just wanted to see if I could get some info from locals. I'm pretty new to the area and haven't explored much outside of the area out in front of the lighthouse. I've been considering going further to the east and west, but concerned about the rocks I've heard and read about as you go east. What is the best way to approach those areas for the first time? Are there better tides or paths than others to explore for the first time. I didn't know how noticeable they are, just trying to find some new areas to get into a few more fish.

Slowly

Some of the rocks will be marked on your gps. Personally when I get to the first set of rocks going east (marked by 2 white pvc's) Then take it very slow. I have been out there with people that know the area and still will hit a rock occasionally.

I WOULD PUT IN AT THE LIGHTHOUSE, GO OUT TO THE CHANEL AND GO OUT TO THE TRI-POD BIRDS ROOST, CUT BACK IN TOWARD SHORE AND FOLLOW THE NORTH SIDE OF THE BAR THAT RUNS FROM THE BIRDS ROOST DOWN TO STAKE # 1, IF YOU GO PAST #1 STAKE EAST TAKE IT EASY UNTILL YOU KNOW THE AREA. GENERALLY BETWEEN STAKE #1 AND THE BIRDS ROOST FROM THE BAR TO SHORE IS FAIRLY CLEAN OF ROCKS, ALL OF THE AREA IS GOOD FOR TROUT, BLUES, FLOUNDER, SPANISH, SNOT CATS, AND REDFISH.
GENERALLY I CROSS THE JETTI AT THE CANAL AND START FISHING RIGHT IN FRONT OF THE LIGHTHOUSE, FISH IN WATER FROM 1 FT. ON OUT TO THE BAR BETWEEN THE BIRDS ROOST AND #1. OR YOU CAN GO STRAIGHT OUT OF THE CANAL OVER TO THE WEST FLATS, MAIN THING YOU HAVE TO WATCH FOR ON THE WEST FLATS WOULD BE OYSTER BARS. WHEN YOU GO STRAIGHT OUT OF THE CANAL ACROSS THE RIVER CHANEL YOU WILL COME TO A STAKE, THIS IS FIRST STAKE, IF YOU LOOK SOUTH YOU CAN SEE STAKE #2 ALL OF THE AREA BETWEEN THE WEST STAKE LINE AND THE RIVER CHANEL IS FAIRLY GOOD FOR TROUT, BLUES, SPANISH AND REDS. JUST TAKE IT EASY THE FIRST SEVERAL TIMES OUT AND YOU WILL BE O.K.

PA THE OLD MAN

Start out about a mile from the shoreline, and go in slowly. Have a dependable partner keep a lookout for obstructions, while you navigate. Try to set up a drift with your prop up as you get in close and then get eyes on the waters and catch some fish.

I've found that by checking out the GIS maps on your local County Property Appraiser's website, you can spot most of the rocks and oysters from the aerial photos. If you're lucky, you can get the coordinates from the map and just plug them into your GPS unit. Obviously, you won't be able to see everything clearly, and you may mark a sandy spot as an oyster bar or vice versa, but it's a good place to start. Google Earth would work for that too, if their sattelite imagery extended a litlle farther from shore (in some places, it does).

I did this before taking my new boat out a few months ago. I was going along at about 20 mph over a mile from shore when all of a sudden, WHAM! Little oyster bar out in the middle of nowhere. I marked it on my GPS and sure enough, when I checked the property appraiser's maps, there it was. Wish I had looked closer the first time......

Thanks for all of the tips

If you put in at the St. Marks Lighthouse the only obstruction is the long oyster bar marked by 4 posts. Once you pass that bar it is smooth sailing for about 1.5miles. As the other folks said, line your bow up with the first big pole that you see on the horrizon, once you reach that pole then line up with the 2nd pole that will be to your East. You can run wide open up to the second pole. From there you will want to stay just off plain and head to the shoreline, decreasing speed as you get into about 3ft of water. At this point I suggest that you put someone on the bow and slowly ease on in. You will see a large grey rock if you head NE from Pole 2. That is Grey Mare rock, that whole area holds good fish this time of year. DO NOT RUN IN LESS THAN 3ft of water if you want to explore further East. Until you learn the area, I suggest not running at all for that matter. It is a beautiful area, just takes some time and a few lower units to learn it.