Busbey Posted June 14, 2011 Posted June 14, 2011 hey everyone, looks like this sunday morning i will be taking my boat out for the first time. i plan on staying pretty close to the ramp located off Hillsboro. 2 reasons really... not sure if the 6hp motor i got will start and not too sure of the integrity of a 40 year old 12ft jon boat kinda a testing day really for my stuff. so the question is, seen on the picture below, where should i go? i will have to rely on a trolling motor only for this trip; possibly the 6hp motor if it runs. (i was told this was completely rebuilt but never saw it run) so i need to stay close. please tell me where some decent spots are for some large mouths Quote
Super User South FLA Posted June 14, 2011 Super User Posted June 14, 2011 You should be able to float on the flats with that boat without a problem, make sure you have a strong battery and a pushpole or paddle since the weeds were thick last time I checked. Also main canal is good. Gators GALORE so make sure you won't be pushing that jon boat back! Quote
Busbey Posted June 14, 2011 Author Posted June 14, 2011 thanks. so i guess the 2nd ramp on the north west side of that sand/dirt road juntion right there? thats there i will be shoving off? since i havent been there yet, just trying to get an idea. and from there, just head west down the canal and i should be good to go? what about going east for 100 yards and then back west? it seems there is a litttle divider of some type right there.. here is another pic of what i mean. these are the spots im anxious to check out. tell me if i am wasting my time, Quote
Louiem Posted June 14, 2011 Posted June 14, 2011 Forget about the second picture....the water there is less than a foot, the airboats use that ramp. You should have no issues using any any one of the 4 ramps located at the main launch. You cant really go west in the main canal as it is blocked off. YOU can head east and fish in the main canal and also like CS stated you sould be able to float across the flats. I did it three weeks ago with my boat but was constantly having to clear the troling motor of weeds. It was worse last week and I could not get ont the flats. Bring a BIG knife to cut the prop free if youy decide to try it. what about these?? Quote
Busbey Posted June 14, 2011 Author Posted June 14, 2011 where exactly is the flats at? i appreciate you guys helping me out, since i have never been here i have no clue. maybe you can go to google or bing maps and right click, "drop pin here" and send me the coordinates? i dont want to be out there, 50 yards from catching fish and go home empty handed Quote
Louiem Posted June 14, 2011 Posted June 14, 2011 All of the arrows in your first set of pics are in the flats you will be fine there. Just be carefull as they are very shallow too. Where I could get to three weeks ago i can no longer get too now. where exactly is the flats at? i appreciate you guys helping me out, since i have never been here i have no clue. maybe you can go to google or bing maps and right click, "drop pin here" and send me the coordinates? i dont want to be out there, 50 yards from catching fish and go home empty handed Quote
Busbey Posted June 14, 2011 Author Posted June 14, 2011 thanks! i heard there are a lot of Snakeheads around this canal. trying to figure out how to handle them, clean them and cook them. any tips? hows it taste? Quote
GLADES Posted June 14, 2011 Posted June 14, 2011 There are bass all over the area. You could fish from shore with live bait and catch a few. As was mentioned, forget about fishing anywhere in the 2nd picture. That area is used by air boats. In the first picture, fish the canal that runs along the bank just below the arrow on the far right. Fish it on the south side of the bank heading northeast. You will have the bank to your left and hydrilla on your right. Quote
salmicropterus Posted June 14, 2011 Posted June 14, 2011 where exactly is the flats at? i appreciate you guys helping me out, since i have never been here i have no clue. maybe you can go to google or bing maps and right click, "drop pin here" and send me the coordinates? i dont want to be out there, 50 yards from catching fish and go home empty handed Ya know, those fish might move 50 yards or so on a given day ;-). Agree with other post-those pinned areas in the flats usually produce but it will be very difficult to troll over there with the dense grass. Suggest a rake and maybe a back-up battery Quote
SoFl-native Posted June 15, 2011 Posted June 15, 2011 thanks. so i guess the 2nd ramp on the north west side of that sand/dirt road juntion right there? thats there i will be shoving off? since i havent been there yet, just trying to get an idea. and from there, just head west down the canal and i should be good to go? what about going east for 100 yards and then back west? it seems there is a litttle divider of some type right there.. here is another pic of what i mean. these are the spots im anxious to check out. tell me if i am wasting my time, Looking at an aerial of that area isnt going to help you much. The water is probably 18 inches lower than those pics and those spots you highlighted are like 6 inches deep now. Stick to the canals. You will catch fish. Good luck! Quote
Busbey Posted June 15, 2011 Author Posted June 15, 2011 i drove out there last evening to get a feel of the place. your right, it is pretty shallow out there. with my 12ft boat and a few paddles, i am sure i can make my way around the area, being careful not to get stuck. i will try every spot i can until i figure out where is best for me and the boat. i have a feeling this motor is going to run and get me a change to go exploring. im excited. Quote
Super User South FLA Posted June 15, 2011 Super User Posted June 15, 2011 The canal is your best option, cover water with fast moving rattle baits and when you catch around an area slow down presentation and fish it thoroughly. You should do well! Quote
shallow thinker Posted June 16, 2011 Posted June 16, 2011 There's no snakeheads in Lox (FWC has not had a confirmed report). That north south canal in your 2nd picture should have snakeheads but its tricky to get in there. I've dropped a kayak in from the bank and then had to duck under that bridge. A boat may not clear that bridge. I've done OK on bass in there and seen a few tarpon roll. Snakeheads are decent to eat. Just fillet them and use whatever preparation you like. They are mild tasting and the texture is firm and almost like a piece of rope (not flakey like many local fish). I can't say that I am a great fan of them on the table. Quote
Busbey Posted June 20, 2011 Author Posted June 20, 2011 well, here is my fishing report. 1 Snakehead about a pound or two (caught in the center of the canal, where it was about 6" deep) i saw a lot of them. not too sure how FWC doesnt know about it (according to an earlier post made) 1 Largemouth about a pound 1 gator about 4ft long also found out i have a small leak in the boat Quote
shallow thinker Posted June 20, 2011 Posted June 20, 2011 Busbey, Glad you got out there. That photo looks a lot like a mudfish. Snakeheads have some similarities but they also have spots on the tail and a different shape to the head. Both are nasty critters This link has lots of snakehead pix http://www.jdscustombaits.com/Snakeheads!.php I put in a few miles east in the Hillsboro canal thinking I would catch some snakeheads. Launching the boat took some doing with the low water. Fishing was surprisingly good... for bass. Biggest was 3.9 lbs and I had 4 others over 2.5lbs. Snakeheads didn't bite until 10am and I only got 3 of them. Was off the water by 11am Quote
Super User SoFlaBassAddict Posted June 20, 2011 Super User Posted June 20, 2011 DefInitley looks like a Mudfish to me. Like Shallow Thinker said, those are some nasty fish. Not something that I really like to even handle. Given the choice, I'll keep them in the water and try to dehook them with some long pliers. Quote
Busbey Posted June 20, 2011 Author Posted June 20, 2011 Shallow Thinker, i left at 11 too. You may have seen me out there with a 12ft cammo v hull? anyways yeah, thats a mudfish for sure, according to the pic. thanks for that. i hope to get back out there soon, i have to fix the hole in the boat from the old transom or something around that area. then from there, check for more holes. i need to figure out some sort of deck for this thing too. and for sure, i need to figure out how to attach some seats to the solid aluminum bench seats. there is no way for me to get my hand under there for a bolt. probably going to be stuck using a 10" bolt or a lag bolt like you hang something with. i will figure it out. but for sure need some seats. as for the fishing bit, i was trying everything from poppers, rattle traps, crank baits, worms, spinner baits.. never found anything that worked and i am pretty sure i just got lucky with the small bass on a crank bait. Quote
Shane Procell Posted June 20, 2011 Posted June 20, 2011 That is not a snakehead, it's a bowfin a.k.a. mudfish. Would not eat it. The snakehead has a orange/black false eye on it tail. Quote
Catching Posted June 21, 2011 Posted June 21, 2011 thanks. so i guess the 2nd ramp on the north west side of that sand/dirt road juntion right there? thats there i will be shoving off? since i havent been there yet, just trying to get an idea. and from there, just head west down the canal and i should be good to go? what about going east for 100 yards and then back west? it seems there is a litttle divider of some type right there.. here is another pic of what i mean. these are the spots im anxious to check out. tell me if i am wasting my time, Fished Lox this past Sunday, the four areas with arrows in the middle are dry, still did well in my 13 Gheenoe nailed a couple 5+ fish ripping a frog, trolling motors are useless there and polled all day but well worth the effort!!! Quote
Busbey Posted June 21, 2011 Author Posted June 21, 2011 nice one! silly question but what exactly were you using? i have heard a few people talking about frogs and i am confused as to what they are talking about. i have 2 top water frog / poppers and have the 2 hooks circling around the top. not even sure what they are called. any help with lures in general would be greatly appreciated. of course, the ones that work out there Quote
Catching Posted June 22, 2011 Posted June 22, 2011 Can not say what frog I was using but if some friends chime in they will tell you Quote
Shane Procell Posted June 22, 2011 Posted June 22, 2011 Loxahatchee is frog country. Dan was using his own frogs. He is co-owner of JD'sCustomBaits. I have caught alot of big fish at Lox with his frog. www.jdscustombaits.com Quote
Busbey Posted June 22, 2011 Author Posted June 22, 2011 Thanks for the link. checking them out now. Also, now that i know my little 6hp motor will run (if only 5mph), i am not limited to the local area only. i saw a bunch of people heading north east on that canal (Levee 40?) and didn't make it too far. there was signs posted saying No Boats. a few people went through. most didn't and then fished from there to the ramps. i know this is a dry time out there now so i figure that's the reason. being that i can not get up on plane on my little boat and motor, i am stuck running deep water. of course i can push my way across the shallow areas being that i am so light and shallow with the motor up. my question is, where is a good place to go off Lox Rd? the initial maps i posted, they were extremely shallow and i didn't feel like pushing my way over there, being my first time out to this location. i tried everything in my tackle box (small one) and didn't do well as you guys know. help me out. where should i go next time? Quote
SoFl-native Posted June 22, 2011 Posted June 22, 2011 You need to utilize that small boat and get in some small lakes. Forget Lox. It can be good but it is a zoo and gets pressured hard. Go find some lakes near you and drop that boat into some gems lakes with zero pressure. Quote
Recommended Posts
Join the conversation
You can post now and register later. If you have an account, sign in now to post with your account.