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Hey everyone! Newbie here! I have never been out of the Aucilla RIver and was thinking of trying it soon. i usually go out of St. Marks but want to try a new area. Where can I put in and I have heard stories of the rocks in the river can make navigation tricky. Any info or tips on getting to the gulf without becoming friendly with the rocks would be greatly appreciated. Hey while I am asking any super secret fishing spots would be great too!!! Ok maybe too much to ask! Thank you and I look forward to being a part of big bend fishing family!

Seriously, the rocks are everywhere. Everywhere. Seriously. The river at high tide is pretty safe until you get just about to the mouth. There is a bar across the river, just before the mouth opens-it is fine at a real high tide, but gets pretty shallow on a rising or falling tide. Once out of the mouth, there are rocks everywhere. Hugging the east side as you go out is best, but there are still rocks. I have lost one prop and one lower unit to the Aucilla (see my recent post on the boating section). My best advice is to head out at a 0 tide, creep down the river and take note of where everything is. I have retired my Ranger from the Aucilla and will now just use my duck boat to fish it. Did I mention there are a lot of rocks?

Oh yeah, welcome aboard!

Some say the rocks move around at Aucilla. Just go sssslllloooowwww.

So your saying there are a lot of ROCKS! How far from the landing is it to the gulf? Going slow how long would it take to get out! Thank you for taking the time to reply!

Not real long. I'd say 2.5 miles as the cormorant flies.

easier place to put in without as much worry for rocks would be econfina. You could just follow someone out also, not too much to worry about as long as you have +1.0-1.5 or better tides without regard to the wind and your boat does not draft too much.

kirt123 wrote:easier place to put in without as much worry for rocks would be econfina. You could just follow someone out also, not too much to worry about as long as you have +1.0-1.5 or better tides without regard to the wind and your boat does not draft too much.

That's the first time I've ever heard somebody recommend going to Econfina to stay away from rocks.
But it really ain't that bad, once you get past the VW bus sized rock at the no wake zone.

YA DIDN'T MENTION THE ROCK STRAIGHT OUT FROM THE LAUNCH PAD, DO NOT BACK ALL THE WAY TO THE OTHER SIDE WITH THE BOAT.

I would rather go to Fenholloway at the second ramp, the ramp sucks but you dont have to worry about too many rocks in the river unless its a really low tide. As long you have a decent tide at econfina there isnt too much to worry about outside the no wake zones, just slow down before you get to them and idle past them a ways before getting on plane. The one by the last houses has a big table rock just past the zone going out. I usually bypass the no wake zone going out and coming in through the little creek on the northwest side of the no wake zone, tide permitting.

FYI, once you are out of the river you still have to contend with rocks and bars on the flats. I wonder if anyone has ever dove the Aucilla and took a count of how many outboard lower units are sitting on the bottom.

rocket wrote:FYI, once you are out of the river you still have to contend with rocks and bars on the flats. I wonder if anyone has ever dove the Aucilla and took a count of how many outboard lower units are sitting on the bottom.

Probably could make some money on stainless props that way...

kirt123 wrote:

rocket wrote:FYI, once you are out of the river you still have to contend with rocks and bars on the flats. I wonder if anyone has ever dove the Aucilla and took a count of how many outboard lower units are sitting on the bottom.

Probably could make some money on stainless props that way...

Can you sell stainless for scrap?

Might be some of those rocks are really lower units scattered about. I know of a couple in the rock garden that were left there!

This thread is hillarious. Guy is concerned with rocks and conversation switches between Aucilla, Econfina and Fenholloway.

If you want new area without rocks, then look at Keaton or Lanark. Spring Warrior to Aucilla is chalked full of rocks, both in rivers and on flats. They hold fish occassionally though

SHOWBOAT wrote:They hold fish occassionally though

geez Showboat, everybody knows ain't no fish around there. This time of year they're all in Tarpon Springs or Mobile Bay.

But yeah, there be dragons everywhere.