FL Classic Aquasport Spring 2012 Gathering

[Aswaff400]

Ok this year I will make it to a gathering, I have plenty of vacation time, road worthy trailer So no excuses this year...

So where will it be this year? East coast, keys, or up near bobs place?

 

[RickK]

The gathering will be around Pine Island this year.
The plan is to put in at Boca Grande and then pilot the boats the 25 miles south to Pine Island.  There is no place to secure our vehicles that far south without going all the way to Sanibel.
Looks like the next one will be the 1st week in May.  Stay tuned.

[Circle Hooked]

Maybe we will be lucky and it will cool down by then  

Rick are you still across the pond or back home ?

[Blue Agave]

We are having spring like weather, why wait until May?

[RickK]

Maybe we will be lucky and it will cool down by then  

Rick are you still across the pond or back home ?

Hot there now?
As you can tell - I'm across the pond in the UK until next Sat.
We do the gatherings first week in May and first week in Nov - seems the water temp is just perfect, weather is perfect temp, seems to fit into the people with kid's sports schedules, etc.  Been doing it these dates for 4 or 5 years now.
You guys can certainly have a few trial runs before that if you want - I'm pretty slammed before and after that date though.

[Capt Matt]

Drive to St James city and park at the Monroe canal marina or St James marina. The Monroe canal marina is my home base and where my boat is.  You thinking of Picnic island for the gathering? The narrows on N-cap is a great spot too with a great anchorage bayside and your only 50 yards across the sand to the gulfside.
Capt Matt

[RickK]

Actually, we hadn't gotten that far yet.  Was going to ask you where a good safe anchorage was, and also a good place to have the gathering - can be in totally different spots.  We usually come down for 2-3 days of camping.  The gathering should be in an easy to access spot for members.  Also, a couple good fishing spots so we can catch dinner would be sweet.  
I did a google earth scan of the area, saw a couple marinas but hadn't gone much deeper than that yet. Can we leave our trucks & trailers there for 2+ days (usually 3-4 sets)?  How much would they charge?  Is it secure?  I'll have to research the drive vs Eldred's @ Boca and piloting down.
Thanks Matt.

[Capt Matt]

Monroe canal marina in St James city is $10 a day to park, its not fenced in but is very safe and lighted at night. If you don't feel safe parking your rigs there I can have you park at my house and play taxi. The canal the marina comes out from (monroe canal) is about a 10 minute ride to picnic island which sits right in the mouth of the Caloosahatchee at the eastern tip of St james city. Its about a hour boat ride south from Boca Grande pass to St James. There is a commercial fish house on the water in St james about a 5 min ride from picnic island, you can pull right up in the boat for drive thru service on good fresh local seafood, I'II bring the oysters and cocktail sauce !!
The other possible spot would be the North Captiva narrows, its about a 30min boat ride from either Boca Grande or St James city. This is a much prettier spot with a good sheltered anchorage and close to both redfish and Captiva passes for fishing along with good grass flats and oyster bars right there too, Its a little tricky to get to the first time with a natural unmarked channel running into it from just south of Fosters point.
Capt Matt

[Aswaff400]

We are having spring like weather, why wait until May?

exactly!!

[wingtime]

We are having spring like weather, why wait until May?

exactly!!

Yeah it's crazy nice weather here.  I here there is some mackerel action starting out there.

Maybe a Tampa Bay pre-spring gathering?

[Capt Matt]

Been running into both Bonita and mackerel along the beaches, the kings should not be far behind
Capt Matt

[RickK]

Yeah it's crazy nice weather here.  I here there is some mackerel action starting out there.

Maybe a Tampa Bay pre-spring gathering?

It 14 F here right now    Ice everywhere - now where did I put those suction cups for my shoes....
C'mon  Saturday

[RickK]

Been poking around on Google Earth and it seems that St James is about 17miles from Eldreds Marina in Placida, so not a terrible cruise to your neck of the woods if we decide to cruise down.  The tow to St James is pretty far so we'll have to weigh both of this.  As long as the weather is ok the cruise wouldn't be bad at all.
CH, do you have Google Earth, check it out and let me know what you think about trailering to St James vs Eldred's/cruise.

[Circle Hooked]

CH, do you have Google Earth, check it out and let me know what you think about trailering to St James vs Eldred's/cruise.

Just gave it a good look and I think Capt Matt is right about the N Captiva area, looks pretty around there with the beaches and all plus all kinds of places to fish around there be it bay side or gulf side so that would be my vote and I like the cruise down idea also.

[Capt Matt]

the first week of May you will be able to watch the tarpon moving up and down the beaches right there on N-cap. The bayside right there (fosters point) also gets a good push of fish.
Capt Matt