Hickory Mounds hints?
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- Yak Daddy
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Hickory Mounds hints?
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).
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).
- fishbster
- Yak Daddy
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Re: Hickory Mounds hints?
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
Billy
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- Tall Teller
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Re: Hickory Mounds hints?
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!
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.
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- capncrunch
- Tall Teller
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Re: Hickory Mounds hints?
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.
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.
- BigIrish
- Tall Teller
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Re: Hickory Mounds hints?
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.
- Shorewalker
- Tall Teller
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Re: Hickory Mounds hints?
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.
- jsuber
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Re: Hickory Mounds hints?
I would avoid HM until the fish start biting there. The bite has been horrible there lately.
Jeff Suber
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- bk
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Re: Hickory Mounds hints?
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
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- Yak Daddy
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Re: Hickory Mounds hints?
"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.
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.
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- Yak Daddy
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Re: Hickory Mounds hints?
The word is Gary D. = Crazy.
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- Yak Daddy
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Re: Hickory Mounds hints?
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.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 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).