Boat ideas for a trip to Gulf Coast

I'm working on a late fall camping / fishing trip to the redneck Riviera ... I've never fished those bay waters like Apalachicola Bay or Big Lagoon. We'd like to boat camp and fish the inland side mostly ..(Maybe some ocean side if the conditions allow). Looking for redfish and trout...

Anyway it's a perfect excuse for a boat project.... Anyone here experienced with those waters ? What type of boat would you think is a minimum ? I've never boated in that type of bigger water and I'm worried that a 15 ft tin might be totally overmatched ? I also know it can get really shallow.... So I don't want to go too large either....

Any other insights into places to camp or conditions would be much appreciated... St George island... Fort Pickens..... Navarre....Choctawhatchee Bay....St Joseph Bay....

I will be there in July/August in my 14' flatty. We stay at Cape San Blas but I plan on fishing and scooping up oysters around Apalachicola and surrounding areas. I've been called crazy a time or two and do things that most wouldn't do with their toys so I wont try telling you what boat you need. :lol:

I will say, stay alert and don't second guess yourself out there. You will have a blast!

We're both pretty salty dudes when it comes to boats in general, but I have to admit that the O C E A N is a bit intimidating. The plan would be for an abundance of caution if it looked like wind or weather was headed our way.

Are those bays pretty much like any freshwater lake as far as depth and navigability ? Do I need to constantly worry about the draft in my deep V type boat ?

What about leaving it beached and camping ? Dangerous ? Humans or otherwise ?

Shaugh said:

We're both pretty salty dudes when it comes to boats in general, but I have to admit that the O C E A N is a bit intimidating. The plan would be for an abundance of caution if it looked like wind or weather was headed our way.

Are those bays pretty much like any freshwater lake as far as depth and navigability ? Do I need to constantly worry about the draft in my deep V type boat ?

What about leaving it beached and camping ? Dangerous ? Humans or otherwise ?

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Those bays can be shallow in some places. Some areas would stick my kayak, but a topographic map or the Navonics App will help you there. OceanGrafix.com is another great website for charts. As far as beaching the boat while camping, be mindful of the tide.

Thanks... tides..jellyfish...stingrays...sharks....will check navionics.. didn't even know they did the coastline.....

So if you had to pick one spot that would be perfect for beaching, camping and fishing, where would you choose ? Even your 2nd or 3rd best spot would be appreciated ... :wink:

Whew, that be a tough call. The Indian Pass area is a cool spot and kind of in the middle, area wise. Lagoons, rivers, close to St. Joseph Bay, and not far from Apalach. There is so much to do and see down there that a week just doesn't give enough time it seems. Luckily, you've got a good while to research, read all the info you can and maybe even call some of the local businesses down there and ask someone what they recommend. They are full of good info and know the area better than any vacationer will. The locals are as friendly as they come and they really enjoy helping folks out with there stay.

Oh and if you like pretty water the peninsula is where it's at. The closer you get to the tip and the state park the brighter it is. Indian Pass has nice beaches and normally away from most folks, but the water just isn't as nice. It sure is fun cruising the beach in a Jeep though! My avatar is from the 90 degree bend in the peninsula, Indian Pass side.

Will check it out.. thanks

IMHO, 15 ft. tinny that can go shallow should be fine if you stay on the bayside/barrier islands.

There isn't any OCEAN near there. That is the Gulf of Mexico, though it is an ocean for most of us.

Shallow can be in the eye of the beholder. The other day, my 1756 Lowe semi-V tinny was drifting quite well in ten inches of water. The reds are often found shallower than that!

I used my trolling motor to get me out of shallower areas, or I used my push-pole when it got too shallow for the TM.

I would suggest you make up and carry a push pole at all times. You do NOT want to have to get out of your boat to push yourself off of a live oyster reef. A DIY push-pole can be nothing more than a ten-foot wooden closet rod, all of the way up to $750.00 graphite products.

My yesterday project was to take a $30.00 Lowes extendable 18-foot Pool Pole and make a PVC foot for it. It will get a workout this Saturday. I'll post up as to how my project worked afterward.

Another suggestion would be to also carry a $15.00 Academy drift chute. Winds on the coasts can ruin your day. A drift chute/ windsock can make a bad day into a good day.

I've never been where you are going. But, I imagine that any thoughts of going "offshore" in a 15 ft. tinny would be restricted by the passes that one must go through to go from the barrier island bays to the open water of the Gulf.

Have fun.

Rich

Good ideas, thanks Rich.

I've driven there a few times with the family over the years.... hard to tell what you're seeing from a car window though... really loved St. George Island..... Those dolphins jumping right offshore sure looked like the OCEAN.....

I'm thinking that if we hit the right days, close to shore on the gulf side could be possible ? Or is that just dreaming...?

Here on Galveston Island, TX, we have a massive set of protective dikes that allow ocean/Gulf/ going ships (cruise ships, container ships etc. ) to move in and out every day of the week. AKA Galveston Inlet/Bolivar Roads

In the heat of the Summer (when I am in TN) the winds lay down and the water can get dead flat. There are guys who take their tinnys right out through the pass and out into the open seas. Obviously, they are picking their spots.

If the pass/inlet allows it, I am sure there are days that you can run the coast. Whether you enter or leave easily will often be determined by whether the tides are coming in or going out. A flat pass at high tide can turn into a torrent when the water is dropping rapidly.

I suggest you sign up for www.microskiff.com. When you are there, you will find sub-sections covering every mile of coastline from TX all around FL and up the East Coast. Find the right subsection and ask the guys who actually fish those waters. You'll get far better answers than whatever I can give you.

rich

I'll check into that. How about tides and beaching a boat overnight at a campsite... If we pull it up to the high tide line are we going to be dragging it 50 yards at low tide to get it back into water in the morning ?

"If we pull it up to the high tide line are we going to be dragging it 50 yards at low tide to get it back into water in the morning ?"

Put ...Tide Chart FREE.... (Android and probably also i-Phones) on your phone. Today's tide for Apalachicola only shows about a 1 to 1 1/2 foot high to low tide differential.

It all depends on the steepness of the beach as to how far 1 1/2 feet of tide will move the high-tide line.

I've never beach camped, so I am not the best to answer. I guess my real concern is "how many places can you free camp on the beach?" " Do you need a 4 wheel drive to get to those places?" There are numerous places down the coast from me here in TX that you can camp, but you need a 4 wheel drive to get there.

All of those answers should come from people near your intended location i.e Microskiff or maybe even Florida Sportsman forums.

rich

We carry the gear in the boat.... it's really a nice way to get away from the beaten path..





there appears to be lots of places on that shoreline.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DXnFoqdog4o

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RYULFIteT_g

You might want to follow the Florida Skiff Challenge. The boats are (today) going right through your target areas.

rich

https://www.saltwatersportsman.com/florida-skiff-challenge