BigBendFishing.Net

Hey gang! Headed to Lanark this Saturday, anyone got any good info on that area? Anything would be of help.

Thanks in advance!

wear clothes

You mean I can't wear my Speedo!

I never fished there. Always heard there were a lot of reds there. Good luck, try to stay off the sand bars out there.

Offshore grouper might still be close in this time of year trolling in 20-30'.

In shore water temps will be in the mid 50's. very cold for trout. About mid-day try setting up a drift near N29 54.094 W84 29.985, and the winds will be out of the NW at 5-10 and should set you a drift across some shallow flats spotted with some grassy areas known as turkey point shoals. The shallow water will warm up quicker and might hold some reds. Last month I spotted a slew of reds and sheepheads bedding up in that area. Best fishing should occurr between 10 - 3 (given the sun is out and it warms the water up) Be sure to get back to the ramp before the tide falls, or you could be in for an extended trip. Watch out for these rocks on the inshore channel, one is marked with a PVC pole, and the other is not marked. ( N29 53.226 W84 34.004 and N29 53.166 W84 34.237 )

Turkey Point, FSU Lab, Florida
10 December 2005 - 11 December 2005

29.9150° N, 84.5117° W

2005-12-10 Sat 02:19 AM EST Moonset
2005-12-10 Sat 04:18 AM EST 0.69 feet Low Tide
2005-12-10 Sat 07:23 AM EST Sunrise
2005-12-10 Sat 10:41 AM EST 2.37 feet High Tide
2005-12-10 Sat 02:11 PM EST Moonrise
2005-12-10 Sat 04:06 PM EST 1.42 feet Low Tide
2005-12-10 Sat 05:38 PM EST Sunset

If you want to conserve fuel and catch some trout, put in down at Carabelle and fish in and around the sand bar in the river under the 98 bridge. I've heard rumors of folks catching their limit this time of year near the bridge. Carabelle river tides run about three minutes earlier than those at Turkey Point. If it were me, I'd fish around the bridge. I'd hate to get stuck on the shoals at night in the cold till the tide rises again.

Hope this helps-

Thanks for all the great info, I really do appreciate it. So there is no chance of making it outta there at low tide?

That all depends on what yer trying to take out of there A shallow draft boat can "almost" always get out if you draft more than 12 to 18 inches, it will be a long idle out

21.8 seapro bay boat. Its my buddy's boat, I think its got a 9 inch draft with out the motor so i recon thats about 12. We will be leaving around low tide, 4:00pm. Thanks for the help, I'll let yall know whats going on overr there!

Koenig wrote: So there is no chance of making it outta there at low tide?

Northwest wind and low tide will be ugly. Like Wevans said, a shallow draft boat can make it out on most any tide. My boat drafts about 9 inches (I'd be surprised if your buddy's SeaPro drafts a foot. I'd think it would be a little more) and I've had to pole it out of the mouth of the channel leading out of the boat club. The channel has since been dredged and you should clear it ok.

The real trouble lies on the northside of Lanark Reef almost all the way to the marine lab. I made the run from the marine lab last week on a negative low and I was puckered the whole way. Trim tabs down, motor up, and don't come off plane. If I was making the run from Lanark to Turkey Point Shoal in your buddy's boat I'd run west out of the ramp to the first jug and then stick it between the channel markers at the west end of Lanark Reef. Then run the south side of Lanark Reef all the way to the Shoal. Make sure you stay a good ways out from the reef as there is an old wreck that will eat your hull and lower unit if your not careful.

As for fishing, the marine lab and the Carrabelle River were full of trout last weekend. No reds however. I checked some shallow water spots in the afternoon and saw a few reds but they were not eating. If you have a bright sun, find some dark bottom and start looking. My experience is that wintertime reds are either gorging or have absolute lockjaw. They will also get real shallow in the bright sun. The flats along highway 98 from the marine lab all the way to the Carrabelle River can be good cold weather spots. The shoal may have sheepies on it but the reds tend to thin out when the water temps start to dip. Still worth taking a look anyway. Good luck and be sure to leave us a report.

Nolefly said-

If I was making the run from Lanark to Turkey Point Shoal in your buddy's boat I'd run west out of the ramp to the first jug and then stick it between the channel markers at the west end of Lanark Reef. Then run the south side of Lanark Reef all the way to the Shoal. Make sure you stay a good ways out from the reef as there is an old wreck that will eat your hull and lower unit if your not careful.

It's a longer run, but alot safer on a low tide. I used the inshore channel and it's not really marked and is only avg 4 foot at high tide and 1.4 on an average low. I can run it on plane at low tide in my 17 KW. It is a beautiful area to fish. There are also slew of rocks in the spoil area on the marine lab channel that will eat your hull up so if you are in that area LOOk OUT

Have fun!