BigBendFishing.Net

I have fished out of Econfina for many years and don't have the same accommodations as in the past. I am exploring staying and launching at St Marks.
1. Are there houses to rent or places to stay other than hotel/motel? If no, where do folks get there shut eye?
2. Places to eat?
3. What are the navigation hazards heading back east toward Aucilla and Econfina? Do you have to keep a good ways out to stay away from the shallow rocks?
4. How is the launch at the lighthouse?

Thanks so much in advance for any help. Volguy121@yahoo.com

I've stayed in the cabins at shell island marina and they were pretty good and cheap. I would not use their ramp at lower tide stages though. Use the fort ramp. It is about a 1/4 mile away. I never use the lighthouse ramp. Take you longer to drive out there than to run the river. If you run out to the stake line you can easily run down to Aucilla and Ecofina. Not real sure about restaurants. Depends on what your definition of a good one is. I've eaten at the Seine yard and Savannah's. They were both ok not great but ok.


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Search my posts for a st marks trip we did a few years back. It chronicles a 3 day trip we did there. Had a good trip.


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Thank you so very much!!

volguy wrote:Thank you so very much!!

. No prob. I'm sure others that know the area better than I will chime in. Look up Greymare, Cobb rocks and Black rock. And put in your machine. They are in the waypoints section of this site. Good areas to fish and be careful around.


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How is navigation out of the river and onto the flats at a low low tide?? Better or the same as icky?

volguy wrote:How is navigation out of the river and onto the flats at a low low tide?? Better or the same as icky?

Better. If your in the channel you can run out on any tide. Just don't miss the dogleg left towards the lighthouse before it turns right again to head out to the sandbar. There are some big bars if you miss that turn. It's easy to do if your not paying attention.


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HnM gave some good advice. The Lighthouse ramp is good, but the channel is skinny for anything over 20 feet unless it's a real big tide. Always enough water at the fort ramp.

There is the Magnuson Motel on Hwy. 98 before Medart. Clean and fairly reasonable. There's a Best Western another mile or two to the west.

The Wakulla Springs Lodge is another option. Not that far from St. Marks and a charming place. They also have a restaurant on site.

The folks at Shell Island Fish Camp (AKA St Marks marina) are great people and provide a good base of operations for you. They have cabins, motel rooms and park model cabins; slips for your boat after you launch at the fort ramps; and bait, ice, and tackle. They can also fill you in on what and where the fishing is and local restaurants for eats. The cabins have kitchens and refrigerators so you can have breakfast and make lunch for the boat. Good luck and post up a report after you get all those fish.

I stayed at that Magnusen hotel on 98 in Medart in December... rooms were pretty nice and really clean. Would stay there again. I like Hamaknockers bbq and Posey's for restaurants but they are in Medart and Panacea, both on 98.

I would stay at Shell Island Fish Camp and trailer the boat to Econfina, if that is where you plan to fish. As far as dinner, make sure to visit Spring Creek restaurant. Or there are a couple of places there at St Marks that is a short drive from Shell Island.

I thought Econfina had cabins and a small motel. Did it close? We have stayed in Perry before and drove to Econfina, about a 20 mile drive but do-able.

DixieReb wrote:I thought Econfina had cabins and a small motel. Did it close? We have stayed in Perry before and drove to Econfina, about a 20 mile drive but do-able.

. There are still rentals there.


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There are rentals at Econfina, but that is all. Just looking for something a little different where we have restaurants when we come in from fishing.

How is the gas at Shields since it is the only non ethanol listed? Is it reliable aka no water?

Thanks again to everyone for the info. Heading down this weekend and will post up upon return.

No problem with Shields non-ethanol gas. 89 octane and quick turnover so always fresh.