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I have no experience wade/kayak fishing Dickerson Bay to Oyster Bay, but plan to try it next month, when the water warms a bit. Satellite maps show some potential west of Piney Island (Bottoms Road vicinity). Anybody have advice or experience in this area? I've never even driven Bottoms Road; assuming it is accessible.

I fish out of Panacea/RockLanding a lot from a boat...
There is a ramp at the end of Bottoms Road but to get to the areas I like you'd have to paddle a long way.

There is a hand launch about half way down Bottoms but its private and they recently put up no trespassing signs.
There is a hand launch at the end of Skipper Bay Road- the next road off 98 to the east, puts you right by a lot of oyster bars.
Or follow Levy Bay road to then end and there is a public ramp there.

I see from the google photos that they have the Skipper Bay Rd. bridge fixed now do you still need a 4 wheel drive to get down to the end? It's been years since I went down there "tried back when the bridge was out". If I was putting in a kayak, I would prefer to do it right there! LOTS of good fishing in every direction

I was wondering about Skipper Bay Road. Figured if the road was too rough I'd break out the mountain bike for the final leg to water. Will do a test drive down there this weekend and report findings.

Gary -

The ramp at the end of Bottoms Road is fine for kayaks or smaller boats. I have fished the West side of Piney Island launching from that location with my kayak and done well. The last time I fished there was a good while ago, and since then I've heard rumors of vehicles being broken into at the ramp.

- Steve Stinson

Thanks for the tip, Steve. Hoping to try Bottoms Road soon. Rather than my wife's nice Subaru, I'll drive my '96 Escort wagon with deer dents, sagging headliner, and coackroach infestation. I usually park it with the windows down and come back to find donations on the dashboard.

Confession: Too cold/windy this weekend to explore Piney Island, so I went for the safe bet on a sheltered St Marks Refuge creek. Stumbled into a 22" redfish convention. Kept first 2 of about a dozen of exactly the same size, plus a 21" trout that forgot the shallow creeks are too cold right now. PM me and I'll tell you where to go that boats can't access on a blown-out low tide.

Go for Skipper Bay Road. I used to fish down there when I was in school. It will get you closer to some "good stuff" than Bottoms Road if you're wading.

I thought it was closed since Dennis but I saw someone get on it a few weeks ago. Guess its back in business. I used to take a Jeep Wrangler back there but I never had to throw it in 4WD

PM me when the water is 68* and I'll go wade it with you.

It's a deal, Atticus. I'll bring the cast net. Come on, Mr. Sunshine!

Gary

Thinking about wading tomorrow morning from bottoms road. Any advice?

I wouldn't wade at Bottoms... you really need a yak or small boat to get to fishy areas.
Try Ball Point side instead.

Gary, I wouldn't take your car down skipper bay road, especially if its been raining. I went a few weeks ago and I most certainly had to use my 4wd, and was pretty worried in a couple of spots. You could get back there for sure on your bike.

I went to bottoms today with the kayak and fished the entire shore of piney island facing the ramp and some of the gulf side. Beautiful water there and lots of fishy areas, but I only caught 2 short trout all day.
I went to skipper bay a few times last year.....caught some good reds in the creeks. Never got to go out into the open water there as it was gale force winds everytime I went. Its tough to get down to the end, I locked in the Cherokee the second time I went. There's a little launch before the mudholes though that launches into a very productive creek. So I just started fishing there.

~~Dave