BigBendFishing.Net

I'm new here and new to fishing the area. Is Wakulla Beach a good launching spot for kayaks? Only places I've been so far is Ecofina and Yates Creek. Any tips/advice would be greatly appreciated.

You're going to want to head over to http://www.FCKA.net (Forgotten Coast Kayak Anglers). That's our local kayak fishing forum. All the info you'll ever need for plastic navy fishing around here. Been doing it myself in this area for 20+ years now.

Wakulla Beach can be a great area, but tides can be tricky... can get stuck dragging your yak back through 500yd of mud if you're not careful. There are many dozens of terrific kayak launches within about 30 miles, and many hundreds of good ones.

Wakulla Beach was my choice for Kayak fishing when I did it. At first the fishing can be tough until you get the lay of the land. I suggest checking google earth to scout.

I liked fishing the Oyster bars to the west and have always had enough water to paddle back to the ramp.

Another spot I like is the lighthouse. A couple of no motor launches on the way to the end and at the end you can launch from the southernmost parking lot but you'll have to drag over some rocks. You can of course launch @ the boat launch there. Buy a year pass for around $20 and that includes boat launching.

The st marks grass flats are always productive but expect more boat traffic. Wakulla Beach is typically very quiet even on weekends.

StMarksAngler wrote:You're going to want to head over to http://www.FCKA.net (Forgotten Coast Kayak Anglers). That's our local kayak fishing forum. All the info you'll ever need for plastic navy fishing around here. Been doing it myself in this area for 20+ years now.

Wakulla Beach can be a great area, but tides can be tricky... can get stuck dragging your yak back through 500yd of mud if you're not careful. There are many dozens of terrific kayak launches within about 30 miles, and many hundreds of good ones.

Thanks for that! Don't think dragging would be much fun. Is that a daily low tide deal out there? I'll be sure to check them out.

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procraftwes wrote:Wakulla Beach was my choice for Kayak fishing when I did it. At first the fishing can be tough until you get the lay of the land. I suggest checking google earth to scout.

I liked fishing the Oyster bars to the west and have always had enough water to paddle back to the ramp.

Another spot I like is the lighthouse. A couple of no motor launches on the way to the end and at the end you can launch from the southernmost parking lot but you'll have to drag over some rocks. You can of course launch @ the boat launch there. Buy a year pass for around $20 and that includes boat launching.

The st marks grass flats are always productive but expect more boat traffic. Wakulla Beach is typically very quiet even on weekends.

Thanks! Yeah I've been checking out what I can from Google. You had good luck to the west? I was thinking the east looked better but I'll take it from someone who's been there instead of my eyes looking at a map [EYES][FACE WITH TEARS OF JOY]

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Yakout87 wrote:

procraftwes wrote:Wakulla Beach was my choice for Kayak fishing when I did it. At first the fishing can be tough until you get the lay of the land. I suggest checking google earth to scout.

I liked fishing the Oyster bars to the west and have always had enough water to paddle back to the ramp.

Another spot I like is the lighthouse. A couple of no motor launches on the way to the end and at the end you can launch from the southernmost parking lot but you'll have to drag over some rocks. You can of course launch @ the boat launch there. Buy a year pass for around $20 and that includes boat launching.

The st marks grass flats are always productive but expect more boat traffic. Wakulla Beach is typically very quiet even on weekends.

Thanks! Yeah I've been checking out what I can from Google. You had good luck to the west? I was thinking the east looked better but I'll take it from someone who's been there instead of my eyes looking at a map [EYES][FACE WITH TEARS OF JOY]

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Take this with a grain of salt because I didn't kayak fish long before moving back to a boat.

I've had luck here https://goo.gl/maps/BX8YJMERg3URLw5g7 but with the higher temps I might head to st marks.

Yakout87 wrote:Thanks for that! Don't think dragging would be much fun. Is that a daily low tide deal out there? I'll be sure to check them out.

As a yakker you'll want to spend some time learning about tidal charts, and what the various +/- numbers mean for the height of high and low tides. Generally speaking the tides get a lot lower during the winter and during strong moon phases. Somewhere like Wakulla Beach you don't want to be trying to launch or come back in during a low tide, and especially not a negative tide, or you're going to be dragging, and through knee deep mud.

An easier place to start and get your bearings in this area would be the St. Marks Lighthouse. It's more secure than Wakulla Beach (lot of drunk rednecks and car break-ins over the years) and far less remote plus you won't risk getting stuck. There's a path through the bushes that you can launch a yak right from the parking lot at the lighthouse itself. There's always a handful of plastic navy guys out there, many of whom will be members of FCKA.net that you can meet and group up with.

https://goo.gl/maps/rLBG3XqTc4rstVGU8

StMarksAngler wrote:

Yakout87 wrote:Thanks for that! Don't think dragging would be much fun. Is that a daily low tide deal out there? I'll be sure to check them out.

As a yakker you'll want to spend some time learning about tidal charts, and what the various +/- numbers mean for the height of high and low tides. Generally speaking the tides get a lot lower during the winter and during strong moon phases. Somewhere like Wakulla Beach you don't want to be trying to launch or come back in during a low tide, and especially not a negative tide, or you're going to be dragging, and through knee deep mud.

An easier place to start and get your bearings in this area would be the St. Marks Lighthouse. It's more secure than Wakulla Beach (lot of drunk rednecks and car break-ins over the years) and far less remote plus you won't risk getting stuck. There's a path through the bushes that you can launch a yak right from the parking lot at the lighthouse itself. There's always a handful of plastic navy guys out there, many of whom will be members of FCKA.net that you can meet and group up with.

https://goo.gl/maps/rLBG3XqTc4rstVGU8

I appreciate that! Prolly going to try the lighthouse here some day soon if this weather works out. Thanks again for the tip.

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Wakulla beach was always better in the spring and fall. The water in that basin gets pretty hot during the summer. You can still catch fish but much better when the weather cools a little. It's pretty much only the negative tides you have to worry about over their regarding having to drag your boat. The ramp off of Blue Dolphin Rd at Shell Point is another good spot to launch a kayak or at least it use to be. It's only a short paddle to fishable water. Lot's of oyster bars close by to fish.

Water is too hot, tides are too bad and the bottom is too mucky. You don't wanna fish there.

I’ve walked out to the point to the west and fished the oyster bars going back toward shephard’s creek. Almost always caught fish during moving water, coming in and going out.