MATANZAS INLET PALM COAST FLA QUESTIONS

[What a mess]

Will be over there for a few days was wanting input info ideas?
Does JT have holes over there?
How much do they cost?
Any how to, where to, what to, when to, tide to, & don't do would be appreciated.
I will have my skiff & two grandaughters.
I am bringing my Pin fish trap they have a crab trap.
I figured I can get livies right at my dock in the canal.
1st 2 of the rise & 1st two of the fall should work.

Any thoughts this will be my 1st t ime in the area?

WAM OUT

[Rainman]

I was over at St. Augustine Beach last year and I was able to catch reds in the middle of the day. If your headed to the beach try and go at low tide, you can drive the beach and look for the wash outs and that's where the reds will be. You can fish then or remember the spot and come back later. I netted some mullet in the wash out and then cut it up and threw right back out. You can fish, kids play in sand, etc...

[What a mess]

I will be in a boat and am really unable to through a cast net unless God shows up & gives me the talent, I do own one but it isn't my gift at all.
I will be trying to get out front if calm early to try the Tarpon but am told & warned the it is considered to be un-navagable by boat by most.

[CROCKER]

JUST NORTH OF ST AUGUSTINE, VELONO BEACH - ROCK JETY NEAR POINT - TARPON ARE CRUISING THAT AREA AND BASHING THE BAIT ON A REGULAR BASIS. FISH LIVE FINGER MULLET , NO WEIGHTS AND HOLD ON.

[What a mess]

JUST NORTH OF ST AUGUSTINE, VELONO BEACH - ROCK JETY NEAR POINT - TARPON ARE CRUISING THAT AREA AND BASHING THE BAIT ON A REGULAR BASIS. FISH LIVE FINGER MULLET , NO WEIGHTS AND HOLD ON.

That is a great idea but would require me to re-trailer the boat its just to long a run in my skiff it will be tied to a dock in a canal behind the house.
Shouldn't they be on the bait pods on the beach I am not gonna be to far south from there.
Would a small crab 1/4 crab or free lined pin do the deal without having to do the travel?

[flounderpounder]

Were will you be putting your boat in? I was born and raised around the Matanzas inlet area.

[What a mess]

Not really sure. I will know more in a minute. Any ideas? Where can I park my trailer I can't keep it at the house?
I would love to pick your brain awhile. I am sending a pm with my #

[troper]

If you have never run Matanzas Inlet and have two kids in the boat I would NOT try it. The sandbars change and the tide runs fast thru there.

[FUTCHCAIRO]

HEY WAM, JUST GET YA ABOUT 1/2 DOZ. MIRRO-LURE 52 M 24 LURES AND FISH THE INTRACOASTAL CANAL, WE HAVE A CONDO OVER AT PALM COAST AND I DO NOT EVEN TAKE MY BOAT. JUST WALK UP AND DOWN THE CANAL AND CAST OUT TO THE MIDDLE. THERE ARE A LOT OF TROUT IN THE CANAL THAT RUN FROM 3-5 # AND THEY HAVE ALWAYS BEEN HUNGRY EVERY TIME WE HAVE BEEN THERE. THERE ARE ALSO QUITE A FEW MANATEES, THAT IS THE REASON YOU WILL NEED SO MANY LURES, YOU WILL HANG ONE EVERY NOW AND THEN. THE LAAST TIME WE WERE THERE FOR 4 DAYS WE HAD BAR B-Q TROUT, FRIED TROUT , BROILED TROUT, AND TROUT GUMBO , HAD TROUT 2 TIMES A DAY FOR ALL 4 DAYS.
GOOD LUCK.
PA THE OLD MAN OF THE SEA SEMPER FI

[What a mess]

If you have never run Matanzas Inlet and have two kids in the boat I would NOT try it. The sandbars change and the tide runs fast thru there.

Never ran it feel like I would not try unless following another boat most likely wouldn't take kids 1st try. I run Spring Warrior many won't and many have wrecked doing it.


Pa any special color tactics location?????

WAM OUT

[Parrothead]

I WAS OVER THERE LAST WEEK,AND I AGREE WITH TROPER THE ONLY TIME YOU CAN GET OUT OF THE CANAL IS AT HIGH TIDE. PUT IN AND KEEP YOUR BOAT AT DEVILS ELBOW. ALTHOUGH WE DID CATCH REDFISH AT THE DOCK ALSO SAW A MANATEE

[FUTCHCAIRO]

WAM THEY LIKE THE BLUE BACK AND THE LIGHT GREEN BACK, THESE ARE THE ONLY ONES I HAVE USED. I KNOW THE RED HEAD SILVER BODY WORKS JUST ABOUT ANYWHERE YOU MIGHT USE THEM.
PA THE OLD MAN OF THE SEA SEMPER FI

[MudDucker]

Spring Creek is a party compared to the Mantanza inlet. Mantanza ain't got no oyster bars, but Spring Creek ain't got no breakers. Breakers win.

I have run it several times. Largest was a 26 foot boat. I was young and dumb, but on every occassion, but one, the breakers were down to 1 to 2 feet at a full or near full tide. The one time at mid tide with 6 foot breakers made the rear end tighten up considerably. When a 6' breaker rolls into your side in the narrow twisting channel and you look down and see sand barely covered with water, you too will pucker.

Velano Beach is a much better fishing area with a super ramp.

[MudDucker]

dang double post

[What a mess]

Velano would be great but the place I will be at has a dock for my boat and no room for my trailer so it will be in a storage lot. That would mean a hour or longer run each way in a wet boat even when its not raining. My boat really isn't the one for that kind of run. So I will be fishing in the area I am in around Palm Coast, Matanzas or the Devils Elbow area. I don't have to set any records but I am sure the girls would like a tug on the line.