# Ecofina River



## notnksnemor (Sep 26, 2021)

Just moved my RV to the Ecofina River.
Going to go slow and mark my best route to run the river but any experienced input would be appreciated.
I know the tides and wind are critical.


----------



## doomtrpr_z71 (Sep 26, 2021)

Get the gps points for rocks out of these threadshttps://www.bigbendfishing.net/phpBB3/viewtopic.php?f=4&t=7934
https://www.bigbendfishing.net/phpBB3/viewtopic.php?t=44922&p=338078#p338078

I may have a route gpx file for ecofina but I'd have to check


----------



## talisman (Sep 28, 2021)

Lots and lots of rocks around econfina. Taylor county put markers in the river on a few of them but that is not all of them. watch out for north wind tides as the mouth of the river gets very low.


----------



## Hit-n-Miss (Oct 2, 2021)

I have a 19' Kenner and can safely run with 1.5'-2' positive tide save for couple places in particular. There is a big rock at the landing if you go too far across while launching and a big one in the center of the river just past the no wake going out. And do not run the cut around the nowake!!! Lots of Ecofina info on bigbendfishing.net


----------



## notnksnemor (Oct 2, 2021)

Hit-n-Miss said:


> I have a 19' Kenner and can safely run with 1.5'-2' positive tide save for couple places in particular. There is a big rock at the landing if you go too far across while launching and a big one in the center of the river just past the no wake going out. And do not run the cut around the nowake!!! Lots of Ecofina info on bigbendfishing.net



Thanks.
I'm going to take it real easy for a while.


----------



## Hit-n-Miss (Oct 2, 2021)

Good deal. What size is that boat? May wanna make sure you got 2' positive tide.


----------



## notnksnemor (Oct 2, 2021)

Hit-n-Miss said:


> Good deal. What size is that boat? May wanna make sure you got 2' positive tide.



20' Angler

I can run 2 1/2' but can't start in 2 1/2'.
Just don't run over me till I get my bearings.


----------



## Hit-n-Miss (Oct 2, 2021)

notnksnemor said:


> 20' Angler
> 
> I can run 2 1/2' but can't start in 2 1/2'.
> Just don't run over me till I get my bearings.


 Nice boat. If you see a white haired gentleman with a beard on a golf cart there. Billy Ross AKA Bluespinner stop and talk to him. He has a place there and is a heck of a nice guy. He knows Ecofina very well. Ecofina is my preferred place to fish 20 some odd years now.


----------



## notnksnemor (Oct 2, 2021)

Hit-n-Miss said:


> Nice boat. If you see a white haired gentleman with a beard on a golf cart there. Billy Ross AKA Bluespinner stop and talk to him. He has a place there and is a heck of a nice guy. He knows Ecofina very well. Ecofina is my preferred place to fish 20 some odd years now.



It works well on the flats and I get out on good days.
Have met several nice folks there so far. Haven't met Billy yet.
Going down the 9th for a couple of weeks so I may then.


----------



## Hit-n-Miss (Oct 2, 2021)

notnksnemor said:


> It works well on the flats and I get out on good days.
> Have met several nice folks there so far. Haven't met Billy yet.
> Going down the 9th for a couple of weeks so I may then.


Nice. Post up some reports. I hope to get down there during that time period myself. Good luck.


----------



## Nicodemus (Oct 2, 2021)

We fished Econfina hard and heavy from about 1970 through 1975, then moved to the west around St Marks, Spring Creek, and the Aucilla. Caught a lot of fish. I need to start back fishing the area. Is the bird roost still out there?


----------



## bmoss (Oct 4, 2021)

Headed that way To fish from wen- Sunday this week hope we get on a few


----------



## Rabun (Oct 4, 2021)

Has anyone heard if there is going to be a late snapper season this year?


----------



## 1eyefishing (Oct 4, 2021)

I think yes, in federal waters only, and for the commercial/for hire guys only. Something like a month ? (Nov..?)
Us recreational guys are not worthy.
 Not sure if it's the same in the Atlantic.
I'm not sure exactly, I was reading and got disgusted and didn't finish.


----------



## 1eyefishing (Oct 4, 2021)




----------



## Rabun (Oct 4, 2021)

Screwed again ?


----------



## Bigbendgyrene (Oct 5, 2021)

I've put a 22' Panga in the Ecky fairly often since 2005 and still like to have a tide at least 1' to 1.5' positive, and that's in the spring and summer.  In the winter tides tend to often be lower than forecasted so might want to plan accordingly.

Last but not least, I prefer running when the river is fairly stained versus when it clears during droughts so that I CAN'T see what I'm running over.  Water may be darkly stained, but actually keeps my drawers from being stained too bad versus when I can see the tons of rocks I'm running over.


----------



## notnksnemor (Oct 5, 2021)

Bigbendgyrene said:


> I've put a 22' Panga in the Ecky fairly often since 2005 and still like to have a tide at least 1' to 1.5' positive, and that's in the spring and summer.  In the winter tides tend to often be lower than forecasted so might want to plan accordingly.
> 
> Last but not least, I prefer running when the river is fairly stained versus when it clears during droughts so that I CAN'T see what I'm running over.  Water may be darkly stained, but actually keeps my drawers from being stained too bad versus when I can see the tons of rocks I'm running over.



I'm going to be going slow with motor tilted up until I get used to the river.
I ask for everyone's patience during my learning process.

30 minutes to get to fishing isn't bad for a while.


----------



## Bigbendgyrene (Oct 5, 2021)

notnksnemor said:


> I'm going to be going slow with motor tilted up until I get used to the river.
> I ask for everyone's patience during my learning process.
> 
> 30 minutes to get to fishing isn't bad for a while.


Notnksnemor, you probably already know about it but one BIG limestone rock to watch out for is pretty much dead center in the river just after passing the houses in the no-wake zone stretch leaving the river / just before entering the no-wake zone section with the houses when returning.   

If you're operating a depth chart you'll note that it suddenly gets shallow as you approach that spot... and MANY props and lower units have been lost to it over the years.  When leaving the river I usually scoot to the starboard / right to dodge it and then just wait until my depth chart shows the channel deepening a bit before trying to get on plane.   Coming back in I hug that same edge before turning in at the last second to the no-wake zone with the houses though it'll be on the port / left side returning.

No shortage of other rocks to worry about when run too shallow, but that one I always do my best to scoot around just to be on the safe side.


----------



## notnksnemor (Oct 5, 2021)

Bigbendgyrene said:


> Notnksnemor, you probably already know about it but one BIG limestone rock to watch out for is pretty much dead center in the river just after passing the houses in the no-wake zone stretch leaving the river / just before entering the no-wake zone section with the houses when returning.
> 
> If you're operating a depth chart you'll note that it suddenly gets shallow as you approach that spot... and MANY props and lower units have been lost to it over the years.  When leaving the river I usually scoot to the starboard / right to dodge it and then just wait until my depth chart shows the channel deepening a bit before trying to get on plane.   Coming back in I hug that same edge before turning in at the last second to the no-wake zone with the houses though it'll be on the port / left side returning.
> 
> No shortage of other rocks to worry about when run too shallow, but that one I always do my best to scoot around just to be on the safe side.



Thanks, I've heard about that one and will get it marked first trip past it.
Everyone says a +2' tide is good but what is the normal depth of the river channel at a zero tide?


----------



## Bigbendgyrene (Oct 5, 2021)

And maybe overkill, but over the years I've picked about 3 straight-line approaches into fishing points along the grass line between Econfina and Rock Islands that have just a hair deeper waters than the surrounding flats.  

If you have a super high tide not too much need to worry (though depends on your draft level / my panga can go pretty skinny)... but try running around within a mile or two of shore during a lower tide and you'll find not only rocks but general areas that get quite skinny.   Time spent studying a depth chart of the area is time well-spent in my humble 0.02 if you haven't already done so. 

Kind of hard to read, but here's a link to one...
https://www.bigbendfishing.net/images/maps/apb.gif

This link is free and interactive, though can't swear to accuracy.
https://webapp.navionics.com/#boating

One trick on really learning the Ecky area well is visiting in winter with a canoe and small outboard to scoot around when shallower... though have to REALLY pay attention to tides and be sure to get in before too shallow or you can end up hiking through thigh-deep mud (don't ask me how I know!).


----------



## Bigbendgyrene (Oct 5, 2021)

notnksnemor said:


> Thanks, I've heard about that one and will get it marked first trip past it.
> Everyone says a +2' tide is good but what is the normal depth of the river channel at a zero tide?


Unfortunately, not really a singular answer to that question... depth varies quite a bit along run out of the river with some deeper spots about 5' to 7' deep while other spots, such as near mouth shallower with oyster bars out of the water before even reaching a 0 tide.


----------



## notnksnemor (Oct 25, 2021)

Update:

Just got back from 2 weeks in Ecofina.
The large boat performed well.
Got 1 ding on the skeg at the boat ramp when the outboard quit wile loading  and the current did me no favors.

7 trips out the river. 3 at low tide for reference.
I'm concentrating on a fishing pattern involving the many bomb craters towards the bird racks.

We caught good trout and 5 30"+ reds, but over the deep bomb holes we caught many 16"+ sea bass and some gags that would be legal in a few months.

The route provided in the link above is real good, maybe a few feet off in places.

All in all, we did good and love the place.


----------

