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Birdrack photos

Posted: April 6th, 2004, 7:28 am
by Tidedancer
Well folks. Being a newbie to saltwater fishing and this area (Big Bend) I have heard a lot of talk about the Birdracks.
Does any one have photos of these Birdracks and GPS cords. on where they are?
I believe there are "Birdracks" in other areas of the Big Bend area besides Keaton Beach. Thanks for the help I know I will receive.

Posted: April 6th, 2004, 9:42 am
by Sir reel
Morning Tidedancer. That's a real good question and your right..... you do hear a lot of references to "bird racks" around here and they can be different depending on whose doing the talk'n and what area they are referring to. I would suggest you start with the "area charts" on the big bend fishing net home page. That will give you the numbers for various bird rack's out of the Econfina, Saint Marks, etc. based on the county where they are located. I've always referred to the big tripod nav out of Saint Marks as a bird rack when I'm over there. But when fishing out of Econfina... someone could refer to the tripod at the river mouth as a bird rack .... or they could refer to one of the "platforms" further out as a bird rack. Doubt if this clears up much but hope it helps some. Someone else may have a better way of answering your guestion. By the way... want to say "good job" on your participation last weekend :thumbup:

Posted: April 6th, 2004, 10:05 am
by Chalk
The Bird Racks are the platforms located at least a mile or further from shore. A tripod is a tripod. Back in the day when I was young there were three poles out from econfina, those are now known as the old bird racks, but there not there anymore so how do you find them? lol

Posted: April 6th, 2004, 9:12 pm
by Tidedancer
Thanks folks. I just want to know what a birdrack is and where they are. Your information is very helpfull. Also thanks for the kuto's :-D

Posted: April 6th, 2004, 9:18 pm
by CAPTAIN CHARLIE
There used to be platforms, two of them, just south east of the Light House. I don't know who built them but they were always loaded with all kinds of birds.

They were a goos place to spot cobia and shhep head. They eventually fell apart after many years, and I guess the hurricanes and perhaps people removed the rest.

Rumor had it that they were built with the intention of the bird poop attracting fish. Yuck!

Posted: April 7th, 2004, 7:39 am
by CSMarine
My grandaddy told me when I was a boy and asked about the birdracks, that many years ago they were used to harvest bird crap for fertlizer. He said they had machines that would scrape the stuff off. Don't know if thats the truth or not, but he knew everything about the Gulf, I tend to believe it. :thumbup:

Stakeline?

Posted: April 8th, 2004, 6:28 pm
by Aucilla
I think this is cool on this topic: What about the "stakeline?"

I know or believe this is an old marking line off the St. Marks Wildlife Preserve, east of the St. Marks River. I gather there used to be a line of stakes showing a boundary. What do the remainder stakes look like? The other day I was out there and saw a pole that looked almost a big as a telephone pole. Could this be one of the stakes? How many are left? Can you see line of 'em like a stake line?

Thanks y'all!

Posted: April 8th, 2004, 8:45 pm
by dbplug
Nolester, that pole is part of the stakeline. They run east to the Aucilla. And Beyond? Ususally a good indication of how far out you are and where to run back inshore to avoid 'death rock'.

Some poles are still there, others broken under the surface somewhere. Take a look at your chart if you have one.

Posted: April 8th, 2004, 8:54 pm
by Tidedancer
dbplug wrote:Nolester, that pole is part of the stakeline. They run east to the Aucilla. And Beyond? Ususally a good indication of how far out you are and where to run back inshore to avoid 'death rock'.

Some poles are still there, others broken under the surface somewhere. Take a look at your chart if you have one.
OK If I need to "avoid Death Rock" I need to know where and what that sucker is. I know how to avoid my mother-in-law. I know what she looks like.

Can ya hep me out here??

Posted: April 8th, 2004, 10:27 pm
by dbplug
These fellows will correct me if I am wrong, but, if you look at the St. Marks to Econfina chart on the home pagelink, you will see it due north of the "B" in Bay. I have it marked on my GPS but can't give you the coord. at the moment. I know that one of our fellow members struck that thing.

Posted: April 8th, 2004, 10:33 pm
by RodBow
Tide, It's obvious that we have the same M-I-L!
I do call her the :evil: death rock so it'll be hard to tell her apart from the ones in the water. She's really not that bad - but just like those little nibblers that eat your bait, she just wont go away....