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Ok you guys got my no tide understanding self scratching my head.

What is a good tide? Then, where should the tides be for me to safety go out of aucilla with a tunnel hull boat. (floats real shallow).

I can't help you with the Aucilla but I can shed a little light on the tides. I think sometimes we all seem to plan way too much around the tides. This year I have been on the coast more than usual but have really hit some bad tides, with very little water movement (in vertical change). With no choice I fish with whatever circumstances I have. To my surprise I have had three of my best trout days ever, both in numbers and size, on some really weak tides, Go figure. Well, to heck with the tides, just go. I know you need some water to get into shallow places etc but I will never let a bad tide, on paper, keep me from fishing again. I have set out a few of these tides and it has me wondering what I missed. We decided this year to not keep any trout over 20" and we have been pleasantly surprised at how many we have released, and most on bad tides.

Weaker tides, like on a quarter moon, are usually not good fishing days. But fish have to eat, and sometime during the day they will bite. I like about a 3-foot tide swing with higher tide in the middle of the day. But go when you can.

with a tunnel you should be real good at Aucilla

Pirate wrote:I can't help you with the Aucilla but I can shed a little light on the tides. I think sometimes we all seem to plan way too much around the tides. This year I have been on the coast more than usual but have really hit some bad tides, with very little water movement (in vertical change). With no choice I fish with whatever circumstances I have. To my surprise I have had three of my best trout days ever, both in numbers and size, on some really weak tides, Go figure. Well, to heck with the tides, just go. I know you need some water to get into shallow places etc but I will never let a bad tide, on paper, keep me from fishing again. I have set out a few of these tides and it has me wondering what I missed. We decided this year to not keep any trout over 20" and we have been pleasantly surprised at how many we have released, and most on bad tides.

Excellent advice right here and a commendable policy of releasing spawning female trout over 20 inches!

Thanks Silverking. When we get down we fish all we can and many times in the same areas. It is a good feeling to know there are some good fish that were released yesterday that may bite again. Knowledge and experience are the two best ways to accomplish anything, fishing included. I really believe some of us spent way too much time fooling with our gadgets instead of casting. Just when I think I have something figured out it doesn't work and something that isn't supposed to work does, like my last trip. The whole thing is just the fun of being on the water doing something.

I went this afternoon.

Launched out of Ecofina River around 3pm. I picked up one 17 inch trout, let it go.

Thanks for the advice

Does that Marsh area, out from ecofina/aucilla, hold good fishing year round, or does it get too hot during the dog days of summer?

Pirate wrote:I can't help you with the Aucilla but I can shed a little light on the tides. I think sometimes we all seem to plan way too much around the tides.

I can't tell you how true your suspicion really is!!!!!!!!! I won't get into it (people here seem to get defensive over anything that doesn't stack up with certain myths we've been told...not that tides don't tell...they just don't always don't tell all) but I agree from experience not suspicion.

coyotebgone wrote:Ok you guys got my no tide understanding self scratching my head.

What is a good tide? Then, where should the tides be for me to safety go out of aucilla with a tunnel hull boat. (floats real shallow).

You'd better be careful at the Aucilla on low, tunnel hull or not. My best advice for the aucilla is to launch on a negative winter tide and idle your way onto the flats. It'll leave an impression on you that's for sure and the best way to learn how to navigate there.

Tides4fishing.com That is the easiest site that I could learn from, about moon phase, fishing times, and tides. That doesn't predict the weather tho. My first aucilla trip was a disaster. Hit rocks, messed my motor up, tried trolling back to the ramp and messed up the trolling motor too. I didn't make it to the first small island. I won't go back again in my boat.

We went out into state waters out of PCB this past weekend. NOAA said it was 1-2 seas and 5-10 se winds. It was flat and nice for most of the day, tide started coming in and it got up to 20 mph gusts, and 1-2 to 4-6 swells. Almost flipped us. It got rough faster than Ive ever seen it.

Hope that doesn't happen to me. If I hit something, it will be the bottom of my boat, since the motor is 2" above the bottom.

So if you see my fat butt floating around in a life jacket, it means I hit the boat.

Aucilla will get you, if you don't know the route to navigate it. You can't go down it staying in the middle, like on some rivers. I still don't try it unless I have at least a 0.5 tide. Forget negative ones. The new ramp is nice, now you don't have to back your trailer half way out into the river to float it off.

I'm thinking about heading out there tomorrow to go see the infamous Pinhook entrance for the first time ever in person. Is it safe in a Gheenoe? I'll turn my happy self around at the first sign of trouble with my pride intact.

I know the Aucilla from top to...almost the bottom lol! Anything below the final ramp is out of my league since I'm not a big time flats fisherman. I've walked to the upper Pinhook, stomped through the toughest parts of the upper Aucilla, snakes, gators, etc and I consider myself pretty tough but if I have slight fear it's getting roughed up in the flats/ocean.

Obviously I've been treated to the occasional flats fishing trip by friends so I know what I'm getting into for the most part but I've never been to the Pinhook entrance. I figure once I make it to the Pinhook Cutoff I'm safe from as much tidal influence, rocks, etc.

BloodyChamp wrote:I'm thinking about heading out there tomorrow to go see the infamous Pinhook entrance for the first time ever in person. Is it safe in a Gheenoe? I'll turn my happy self around at the first sign of trouble with my pride intact.

I know the Aucilla from top to...almost the bottom lol! Anything below the final ramp is out of my league since I'm not a big time flats fisherman. I've walked to the upper Pinhook, stomped through the toughest parts of the upper Aucilla, snakes, gators, etc and I consider myself pretty tough but if I have slight fear it's getting roughed up in the flats/ocean.

Obviously I've been treated to the occasional flats fishing trip by friends so I know what I'm getting into for the most part but I've never been to the Pinhook entrance. I figure once I make it to the Pinhook Cutoff I'm safe from as much tidal influence, rocks, etc.

Depends on where you are coming from. If coming from the lower ramp just jump from the west cut off to peler creek then to the pinhook cut off. Just plan around dead low and you'll be fine to go that route in a Gheenoe. On a low tide you will have to deal with bars and shallow spots coming in the back way. You can also go all the way out the west cut to the flats and the pinhook entrance is marked with a white pole just a few hundred yards to the west. Lots of rocks out there on low. Enjoy, the Aucilla is my favorite place to fish but I love it for the same reasons most hate it.