Sea Isle/SLP -- Offshore Boat

[Hydra Man]

Was fishing the pass a few weeks ago. Saw boat after boat blowing mud trying to get out of the ramp area. And these were shallow bay boats. I wouldn't launch anything I couldn't get out and push there. Also, I run through SLP to the gulf from Terramar pretty often. Low tide will cause you to pucker a bit, but you can make it through.

[Robalo]

Gumbo:

I have a 23' robalo-right now it's off Deaf Smith in brother's lift. Sea Isle channel is very shallow on a low tide and you'll have heck if 1-2' below mean tide level-same goes with channels for JB, terramar, isla; but if you gun it before posts at Sea isle, no problem if normal or high-and if low, just trim up and putt to 3' water. As far as SLP getting out, ya better follow someone and save your trail on your GPS. It changed a bit last year and is ok unless rough-if it's rough, I aint going anyway-them breakers are no fun and are wet. The channel to the bridge is fairly well marked, but the beginning of getting into the channel from west bay can be hairy if low tide and you may want to putt thru first two sets of posts until 3'+ of water. Your best bet is to follow someone going out or going to the bridge. If you follow someone to bridge and get thru heck zone around bird island from west bay and it's calm, someone will be going out and ya could follow them, but leave yourself 100-200 yards in case you followed a person that don't know where they really are going-seen 30' boat stuck on sandbars. Also, the main channel past the bridge works left (east) and you stay about 200 yards or so from shore between guts-on low tides, I've been in 4' of water near breaking waves swinging out more southerly after almost being parrallel to water tower-actually more like the condos not tower.

basically, if ya can't get out Sea isle channel, then tide is real low and fishing sux anyway on those days generally-I wouldn't be trailering to teramar or Isla-as I recall, their channels are about same as sea isle depthwise and don't try going out SLP unless someone shows ya-being aground in surf is bad!

[Gumbo]

Robalo --

Thanks for the reply. So I think only option is to launch in Sea Isle because SLP launch is silted in. I will take it easy first couple of times out and try to track on GPS. I've run it several times in my current boat (Mako 17'), just less margin for error in the bigger rig.

Gumbo

[Robalo]

Gumbo:

If you know it well enuf in a 17' Mako, then you can also run it with a 25'. I know a guy at PB that runs a 30' Stamas cuddy-he did run aground last year, but I think he lost landmarks/sight and hit sandbar past bridge-it keeps moving further east as to channel. Don't forget to lower your antennaes and rods under SLP bridge!!! That "snapping" sound aint good!

BTW, if you have same type or brand gps on mako as big boat, just swap out the chip from mako and it'll show your tracks from Mako.

[txwhaler 22]

We run a 31 Contender through there on a regular basis
just have to know the channel to Bird Island
once around and through the bridge it's a straight shot out between the sandbars
or hug close to gal side