[humoon]

Hi everyone,

I'm posting this question because I couldn't locate a similar post using the search bar.

I will be Orlando next week for an Auto Convention / Business trip. Post the convention, I'm making my way up to St Augustine. I'm planning to bring a 9wt rod with clouser (brown, chartreuse) minnows, shrimp, and small crab flies.

I own an inflatable paddle board, and I was wondering if anyone has experience using a paddleboard to navigate the waters near Salt Run, the Mantazas inlet, and other productive bodies of waters in the area.

Would you recommend renting a kayak to get around, or is a paddle board sufficient for navigating the waters?

Would appreciate any recommended locations to try as well. I had the idea of walking the beach and surf fishing, but given the recent posts I've read, it may not be a productive due to all the recent rain fall.

Thanks again for the help.

 

[Viking1]

In Salt Run you will have no problem with the paddle board and you can launch it from inside the State Park at Anastasia if you want to avoid the boat ramp. If you launch inside the State Park you will have to pay a fee but they have a nice beach area there on Salt Run to launch from. You can launch easily around Matanzas Inlet but that would not be my first pick for fishing. I would go about 5 miles south of there to Bings Landing public ramp. If you paddle north of the ramp about 1/2 mile you will come to an inlet on your left, this is a target rich environment for fly fishing. Go along the banks or around the edges of oyster bars. Another good location is Butler Park West public ramp. Out of Butler there are oyster mounds like ski moguls and lots of good docks to fish. Here is a video done out of Butler and other videos on my YouTube channel about Bings Landing and St. Augustine if you are interested:

Hope you enjoy your trip!

 

[richg99]

Always wondered how inflatable kayaks/SUps are around oyster reefs. We have a lot of oyster reefs where I fish in TX.