BigBendFishing.Net

TODAY THE OLD MAN OF THE SEA CARRIED A YOUNGER FELLA OUT OF ECOFINA TO CATCH SOME TROUT. ROY JONES , A YOUNG FRIEND OF MINE, AND I LAUNCHED THE BOAT AT 7:00 A.M. AT ECOFINA, THINGS HAVE REALLY CHANGED SINCE I WAS HERE LAST. THE ROAD FROM U.S.98 ALL THE WAY TO THE RAMP HAS BEEN WIDEN AND REPAVED, IT IS REALLY NICE. WE LEFT THE MOUTH OF THE RIVER IN WATER MUCH HIGHER THAT I THOUGHT IT WOULD BE. WE HAD WATER FROM THE TRIPOD ON OUT ABOVE 3'. WENT S.E. OF THE TRIPOD AND IT WAS A DEAD CALM, VERY LITTLE WATER MOVEMENT. IN THE FIRST HOUR WE HAD MANY BLOW-UPS AND CAUGHT SEVERAL TROUT. WE WENT ON OUT TO THE BIRD RACKS AND THINGS PICKED UP SOME, WE CAUGHT NEARLY EVERYTHING ON TOP WATER PLLUGS. PULLED DOA BEHIND THE BOAT AND ONLY THING WE GOT ON IT WAS SHARKS ABOUT 2-3' LONG. WE FINISHED FISHING ABOUT 2:30 P.M. CAUGHT 40 TROUT TOTAL AND CARRIED 8 NICE TROOUT HOME. THE BITE WAS SLOW ALL DAY UNTIL JUST BEFORE WE LEFT WHEN A NICE BREEZE CAME IN AND THE WATER HAD SOME MOVEMENT TO IT. ROY HOOKED A REALLY BIG TROUT AND GOT HER TO THE BOAT BUT HE TORE LOOSE BEFORE WE COOULD GET HER IN THE NET, I WOULD GUESS SHE WOOULD BE ABOUT 26-28". WE BOTH HAD A GREAT TIME AND GOT SUPPER TO BOOT.
PA

Very nice report Almar. How lucky! Congratulations on a fine day and thanks for the report. I got to get out on that river soon! Last time I went out there, it was challenging! Had a couple really loud "bangs!," but the prop was still there!

Sounds like a good time PA It shure is nice ta here the words caught fish and calm water "wind" in the same report

Nice going, PA. Sounds like a fun day. I bet you would have liked to at least weigh the big trout. There sure are some big ones out there right now. Hope they stay there a while.

Good fishing ALMAR, kinda surprised you didn't see any Cobia.

Good goin, Pa. Glad to hear you're doing well enough to be out there fishin.

YEA , JOHN I AM ABOUT BACK UP TO 2/3RDS OF WHEREE I SHOULD BE. I THINK I WILL MAKE IT NOW EARL

PA,

I, too, got to go to the Ecofina but on Saturday. It was fun going somewhere different. Followed some good advice from people on BBF and didn't have any problems.

There was a light breeze the whole time and the water never was clear. Fished around and ended the day with 5 trout (21.5"-16"), 1-21" blue, 1-mack. Oh - and 1- 24" cobia - first one of the year if one that small counts!! Also brought in 1/2 of a trout cleanly severed in half AND hooked and had to the boat a shark 6-7' long - what to do when you want to lose something and can't - cut the line!!! Very few shorts - fish were scattered.

I see on the site that the St Marks (my usual fishing spot) fisherfolks did just as good or better than me but it was fun going somewhere different. Rodbow you really had a good day with your son - congratulations.

One questions - those birdracks are really far out - how is the water depth out that far? Thought of trying out there but on a rising tide thought the water would be too deep.

Good to hear everyone had a good weekend that went out.

Sea Gurl

Sure enjoyed your report, too, SG! Those rivers are a very nice change indeed. I am interested in hearing the answer to your question.....

What kind of boat are you using? I have a 13-er, so "how far out" is a common question for me.

Nolester,

I have a 16' Lund aluminum with a 50 hp Johnson. Those racks are a ways out there - guess I should of just went and seen. SOmebody on here will let us know.

Sea Gurl

THOSE BIRD RACKS ARE AABOUT 2-2 1/2 MILES OUT, YOU CAN SEE THEM S.E. ABOUT ONE MILE OUT OF THE RIVER. ON A REALLY CLEAR DAY YOU CAN SEE THEM AT THE TRIPOD.
PA

SG,
I was out there Saturday, too. Just me and my 14 year old son. We came out of the Eco about 7 (1.5 hour after high tide), turned right and went down near the Aucilla to start the day. First cast, my son landed an 18" trout. Within a few minutes I caught a ladyfish and a small blue and let a nice trout get away with a brand new diving plug. Then things got slow, dead slow, so we moved back up near the Econfina to the bird rack nearest the mouth. Netted some baitfish on the way, but no predators were around or they weren't biting.
It was a little rough, and very slow at the bird rack. BTW, it was about 7 to 8' deep according to my lieing fish finder.
Slow, slow, slow until about 1. By then we were fishing in about 4 to 5' off the HG impoundment. In the next 30 minutes we caught and released about 4 small trout and three more keepers, 15.5, 17 and 20.
Not a great day as far as the catch was concerned, but it was priceless when my son told me that he enjoyed fishing more when it was just him and me (we usually take his friends or mine, or both.) I think he enjoyed it more because he caught more fish than I did. It was worth it. A day on the flats can't get much better than that.

THAT WAS A GREAT REPORT, THERE IS NOTHING LIKE HAVING YOUR CHILDREN GO FISHING WITH YOU AND FOR THEM TO CATCH FISH. ALL 5 OF OUR CHILDREN HAD CAUGHT FISH ON ARTIFICIAL PLUGS BY THE TIME THEY WERE 5 YRS. OLD, THEY ALL HAVE BECOME GOOD FISHERMEN AND WE STILL GO TOGETHER WHENEVER WE HAVE A CHANCE TO DO SO. KEEP IT UP, YOU WILL HAVE SOME OF THE BEST MEMORIES OF YOUR LIFE FISHING WITH YOUR CHILDREN.
PA

Actually birdracks 1, 2, and 3 are 4.02, 4.73, and 6.1 miles from the tripod respectively.

The average depth around all of them is about 8 feet.

They aren't that far really. It will get choppy with a good wind, but when the grass is good and thick there is some good fishing out there. There is some great rocky bottom between the 1 and 2 racks that I have absolutely slayed the trout and spanish at, and it ain't a bad spot for chumming for cobia either.

Lester C

This having to work is the pitts - interferes with my keeping up to date of the BBF site!

Our days sounded mostly the same but I agree with you - it's priceless to be out with the young'uns and them enjoying it too. I spent Mother's Day on the flats with a 17 yr old son, who I outfished, and it was great.

Tom

I thought those racks were a ways out there - I can't even see them until at least a mile past the tripod!!! Thanks for the input about the rocky bottom. Question - are the rocks ever a hazard or does the water stay deep enough out there?

Sea Gurl