Hickory Mounds hints?

Moderators: Talltails, LCallaghan, jsuber

Post Reply
garydroze
Yak Daddy
Yak Daddy
Posts: 151
Joined: Fri Dec 10, 2010 10:00 am

Hickory Mounds hints?

Post by garydroze »

The North FL Gulf Fishing Club announced that for this season's tourneys, folks can launch in the vicinity of each month's launch site (not required to launch from motor boat ramps), which makes the events more accessible for paddlers.

The April tourney is out of Econfina River SP ramp, so I hope to paddle launch from Hickory Mounds. Ain't never been there; they tell me it's nice (quote from my favorite Joe Walsh song). I'd appreciate any tips from Hickory Mounds vets. Note that I'm starting from scratch, so anything from specific embark spots to parking to creek spots east vs west to favored tides would be of great help.

As incentive, if your hints result in me catching anything during my first recon (possibly this Sunday, definitely mid-March), you get one of this year's Maclay School Track Team limited edition T-Shirts (our theme: Pickle Me Elmo. Senseless, yes, but the kids like it).
User avatar
fishbster
Yak Daddy
Yak Daddy
Posts: 107
Joined: Sun Jun 15, 2008 11:00 pm

Re: Hickory Mounds hints?

Post by fishbster »

I would be interested in going with you this Sunday. I have not fished out of there either. I just joined the fishing club Thursday night. I have not really fished in years as I have been attending various activities with my daughter, who by the way, goes to McClay. Let me know.

Billy
User avatar
cotton
Tall Teller
Tall Teller
Posts: 1071
Joined: Thu Apr 23, 2009 5:53 pm
Location: Tallahassee

Re: Hickory Mounds hints?

Post by cotton »

Any opportunity to have a kayaker compete with the boat guys is worth a few tips.

There are 2 launches at Hickory mounds. Both have port-a-pottys.

The East launch takes about 3 times as long to get to the flats.
The West launch gets you on the flats very quickly.

You have 3 options for catching fish at HM.
In the miles of creeks
Fishing the coast line and creek mouths
Fishing the flats and off shore structures.

Google earth is your friend. Most of the off-shore mixed bottom is clearly visible and you can easily see the deeper creeks.

Because of all the creeks, heavy rains have a very bad effect on fishing at Hickory mounds. It sometimes takes months before its worth making a trip after heavy rains.

Best of luck!
A better Kayaker today, than yesterday.
Red Hobie Revolution
Green Native Slayer 12
Sand Hobie Pro Angler 14
User avatar
capncrunch
Tall Teller
Tall Teller
Posts: 1291
Joined: Thu Mar 22, 2007 11:00 pm
Location: Inlander
Contact:

Re: Hickory Mounds hints?

Post by capncrunch »

Loved the article in last month's Coastal Angler about flounder.

I like the rock piles just off the coastline on an incoming tide. You can make them out using Google Earth. Redfish size and quantity have been low since last years deluge of rain.

I seriously doubt you will be wading at HM. That Taylor County mud is soft and relentless.
Image
User avatar
BigIrish
Tall Teller
Tall Teller
Posts: 2686
Joined: Mon Dec 17, 2007 12:00 am

Re: Hickory Mounds hints?

Post by BigIrish »

Funk 49! Out all night sleep all day, I know where you're fishing! Fish between the west launch creek mouth and the mouth of the Econfina along the bars until you find the reds.
User avatar
Shorewalker
Tall Teller
Tall Teller
Posts: 2083
Joined: Mon Sep 29, 2008 11:00 pm
Location: Tallahassee (Killearn), FL

Re: Hickory Mounds hints?

Post by Shorewalker »

My only hints about Hickory Mounds is don't take a brand new kayak especially a brand new pedal drive boat. If you have new fins, replace them with the worn out ones. I think somebody plants marine IODs (improvised oyster devices) out there just to hear my teeth grind together together a little louder than the oyster grinds my hull. It can be beautiful, productive water but take the old boat.
Orange Wildy Ride 135
Tan Hobie Pro Angler
Green Ocean Kayak Prowler Trident 15
Green/White Perception Tribe 9
Image
User avatar
jsuber
Site Admin
Site Admin
Posts: 5958
Joined: Sat Oct 21, 2006 11:00 pm
Contact:

Re: Hickory Mounds hints?

Post by jsuber »

I would avoid HM until the fish start biting there. The bite has been horrible there lately.
Jeff Suber

¸.·´¯`·.¸><((((º>

2022 Hobie Pro Angler 14
2019 Hobie Outback
Malone Trailer
Penn Battle III
Bone One-Knocker and Gold ADL spoon
User avatar
bk
Tall Teller
Tall Teller
Posts: 3933
Joined: Sun Apr 13, 2008 11:00 pm
Location: Tallahassee

Re: Hickory Mounds hints?

Post by bk »

Put in at aucilla and paddle up towards pin hook then west til you get to Stoney bayou. Go up the creeks there. I realize its a bit of a paddle but the fish are stacked thick there.
"i said flotation is groovy and easy. Even a jellyfish would agree to that." - jimi
garydroze
Yak Daddy
Yak Daddy
Posts: 151
Joined: Fri Dec 10, 2010 10:00 am

Re: Hickory Mounds hints?

Post by garydroze »

"soft and relentless" (from five posts before this).

There's a Viagra joke in there somewhere.

A tad more seriously: BK, I can dig on your Aucilla/Pinhook advice. There's actually a tiny streamlet almost directly across from the main Aucilla ramp that leads to creeks east of the Pinhook. A crazy way to get to them (only 3 feet wide in some parts, which means the gators I see in there can't even turn around when you spook them), but takes less time than going down the Aucilla & around.
RockyG
Yak Daddy
Yak Daddy
Posts: 101
Joined: Mon Apr 22, 2013 1:34 pm

Re: Hickory Mounds hints?

Post by RockyG »

The word is Gary D. = Crazy. :lol:
BloodyChamp
Yak Daddy
Yak Daddy
Posts: 138
Joined: Mon Mar 07, 2016 9:35 pm

Re: Hickory Mounds hints?

Post by BloodyChamp »

garydroze wrote:"soft and relentless" (from five posts before this).

There's a Viagra joke in there somewhere.

A tad more seriously: BK, I can dig on your Aucilla/Pinhook advice. There's actually a tiny streamlet almost directly across from the main Aucilla ramp that leads to creeks east of the Pinhook. A crazy way to get to them (only 3 feet wide in some parts, which means the gators I see in there can't even turn around when you spook them), but takes less time than going down the Aucilla & around.
I would love to figure this out if it's mostly freshwater. I'm probably going to buy a bigger boat before I die in large for just for the Pinhook which I've only read about besides my bank fishing in it's upper sections. I still haven't given up hope of finding a safe way up it with my jon boat and Mercury 3.3.

I realize that the long trip with that rig probably isn't as dramatic as it sounds but my boat is 1 of those old timey aluminum boats that would die an instant death in saltwater from what I've read (something about if a single rivet happens to be anything but aluminum, the salt will trigger a reaction that will corrode your boat to pieces and simply rinsing it off after the trip would be to late because it happens fast).
Post Reply