Thinking about Mexico Beach FL.

[270win]

I agree about a single engine air craft. My father-in-law used to have a Cessna we would take down (Costin Airfield----grass landing strip-Yikes). I remember looking for airplanes/jets....they would come over the headphones and say something like "Cessna72509...there is an aircraft aproaching at 2 o'clock...1 mile" or something along those lines and we would dip the wings looking for it....never saw it but they kept telling us how much closer it was getting. Then the bank over the gulf to land at the airfield which is out by the country club on Scenic Route 30 towards Indian Pass. Fun times, but he sold the plane (thank goodness).

From Mexico Beach to St. Joe it is a straight shot. There are channel markers into the bay.

I love flying! But out of gliding range offshore makes me really uneasy. Our airplane is a Cessna 182. Nothing like getting to the beach in less than 2 hours from Atlanta...

We're looking forward to making the trip to the beach, I booked a place yesterday. I'm sure we'll find plenty of fun stuff to do with the boat.

How much gear do we need to troll for Spanish just off the
beach? I've always caught lots of them off the pier in Destin...

 

[fwebster]

Mexico Beach to St. Joe Bay............hang left and stay 1/2 mile off the beach and you are there.

Once you see St. Joe Point, find the markers and follow them to the Gulf Co Canal. Easy to find.........look for the bridge and go under it. Pick up the canal markers a mile from the bridge and stay in the middle. The bay gets shallow near the bridge.

 

[Hampton]

Light rod - Light reel - Plenty of small Clarke Spoons (silver leur with red bead). 12 pound test or so. Fishing license. Smiles.

 

[270win]

Mexico Beach to St. Joe Bay............hang left and stay 1/2 mile off the beach and you are there.

Once you see St. Joe Point, find the markers and follow them to the Gulf Co Canal. Easy to find.........look for the bridge and go under it. Pick up the canal markers a mile from the bridge and stay in the middle. The bay gets shallow near the bridge.

That sounds easy enough...I'm sure the GPS will help with locating markers. Thanks for the help!!!:thumbsup:

 

[270win]

Light rod - Light reel - Plenty of small Clarke Spoons (silver leur with red bead). 12 pound test or so. Fishing license. Smiles.

Something similar to an open faced reel with a "pier" casting rod? I'm assuming I want to use a 36" steel leader?

Sounds easy enough...any tips? There appears to be some structure just offshore according to the MBARA website...or just ease along the shoreline 1/2 mile out or so?

 

[Hampton]

Any rod and reel. I don't use a leader, but some do - they have sharp teeth. Another easy rig is a 3" section of McDonald's straw fed onto line, trebble hook tied on, straw slides down to hook and acts as both a leader and an attractant.

Go out on boat and head towards diving birds. Troll in circles around white water to keep lures un-tangled and moving at a couple of knots or so. Reel 'em in. Or, Drift into feeding fish and cast in. Or, troll in straight lines in about 8' of water as far from shore as you can get. How does that work? There are a few sand bars. Go just outside of the farthest one out that is not too deep (generally 2nd sand bar). I recommend heading NW from Mex Beach - the water gets clearer and clearer as you go to PCB.

 

[Hampton]

Run from Mex beach to Pt St Joes is a no-brainer. Don't hit the shore as you go SE. That is all.

The ditch from St Joe Bay to the ICW is a man-made straight shot of about 3 miles. Idle along from the bridge until past the marinas and small fishing vessels along the way.

 

[270win]

Thanks for all of the great info! I'm excited about getting out there...Hope to get lots of great pics!