Capt. Troy Posted October 16, 2017 Report Share Posted October 16, 2017 There are a bunch of new zones around Ft Desoto and the signs aren't exactly all telling. As an example the entire flat west of Tarpon Key to the Tierra Verde causeway is now slow speed. "Used to be use caution shallow area." For the last 20 years or so. This means you can not run at speed between the Bunces pass channel and the Pass a Grille channel on that flat. The new signs posting the zone can easily be missed as I entered and exited the flat at least a 1/2 mile from the signs. There is another zone approaching Oneils and Indian Key. This area incorporates the entire north side of Indian Key all the way to the west end and coming from Loggerhead Marina and the Maximo Ramp. I got ran down Saturday and warned by the FWC. Very nice encounter but a PITA non the less with paying customers on board. I have not fished that area since last spring and the new signs were put in sometime in July. The officer also said there were many new zones all the way to Pasco county on the ICW and he agreed the signs were spread pretty thin. He was pretty cool as he said he ran a good bit to catch me. I was only doing 55. Had I not slowed down for the Miesner Bridge he may not have been able to catch up. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
linesider 159 Posted October 17, 2017 Report Share Posted October 17, 2017 If I remember correctly the one by jackass key is a seasonal no wake, or at least that's what the fwc website said They also added a no wake zone off the ccc ramp Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Capt. Troy Posted October 17, 2017 Author Report Share Posted October 17, 2017 Seasonal or not there are a lot of ways to get on that flat and not get within a half of a mile of those signs especially when the tide is up. To make matters worse the small signs that were there still say Caution shallow water with no speed restriction. I am sure that is the reason he did not cite me. It would be a hard case to convict and I would have fought that one. That is a darn big area to idle through and basically forces everyone to run in the main channel and get your brains beat out from boat wakes. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
linesider 159 Posted October 17, 2017 Report Share Posted October 17, 2017 I noticed that. The signs still said caution shallow water yet it was supposed to be slow speed in areas. It's my understanding they are giving a few months on the Indian key no wake zone before they write tickets. Coming out if maximo you would never know any better Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Capt. Troy Posted October 17, 2017 Author Report Share Posted October 17, 2017 Correct you are. They are tasking the FWC to enforce zones that will be challenged in the event of a citation. I spoke with both of the FWC leadership yesterday. They agree with the current posting it will be a waste of many dollars to convict and make a case. If I mess up I will pay the fine. No way I would with what they have going on there. Thus the reasons for warnings being issued for educating as they say. That dog doesn't hunt with me. I got a 30 minute education and still am not sure of what and where I can run in certain areas around there. Someone is going to hit one of these newly placed signs and kill themselves. They certainly are not on any Chart as of now. The place was a mess before with the old signs. Just a bunch of posts sticking up from Safety Harbor to lord knows where all over Tampa Bay at the 6 foot contour line. Look at the line of them right where you live off of Coopers Point to Safety harbor. Very eradicate placement to say the least. And, they have not been maintained to be reflective. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
hurricane Posted October 18, 2017 Report Share Posted October 18, 2017 Some new signs out of Gandy also, I haven't fished from there in awhile. There is a new idle sign in the channel to and from the ramp, which of course I didn't see on the way out. Its way to the one side of the channel. Also there are new signs for a swim area no boats, around Picnic Island. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
whichwaysup Posted November 2, 2017 Report Share Posted November 2, 2017 Who the hell decidesign these things, anyway? And based on what? The flat behind tarpon key gets deep enough at high tide to run, a caution sign made a lot more sense. I have never seen pop scars, thathe grass is thick and deep. Indian key makes a little bit of sense. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
linesider 159 Posted November 4, 2017 Report Share Posted November 4, 2017 Problem is unless you know where to run between Tarpon and jackass key if you are in a bigger boat you can run aground. Flats boats have no issue at most tides. For those wanting to look at the maps: http://myfwc.com/media/3685658/pinellasmpz-maps.pdf Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Capt. Troy Posted November 6, 2017 Author Report Share Posted November 6, 2017 On 11/4/2017 at 9:49 AM, linesider 159 said: Problem is unless you know where to run between Tarpon and jackass key if you are in a bigger boat you can run aground. Flats boats have no issue at most tides. For those wanting to look at the maps: http://myfwc.com/media/3685658/pinellasmpz-maps.pdf Good map link. They could have caught me 5 times in one day after looking at these maps. Dang. That is a lot of area to have to idle in. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
linesider 159 Posted November 6, 2017 Report Share Posted November 6, 2017 I think the most ridiculous idle zone is on the western side of the campground. The whole area is slow speed which makes no sense. Been that way for some time now. I don't see the reason for making the whole area west of tarpon key slow speed. A lot of these zones make no sense and clearly aren't made by people that go out there. Rocky point slow speed is a good example where they have a slow speed zone that starts in 15 feet of water over a mile from the shore. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
hurricane Posted November 6, 2017 Report Share Posted November 6, 2017 Rocky Point, are you referring to area near the Rusty Pelican restaurant? If so that place is crazy with jetskis running all over the idle zone flat. If I was an FWC guy, I'd sit there and hand out tickets all day long. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
linesider 159 Posted November 6, 2017 Report Share Posted November 6, 2017 Yes that's it. The no wake runs from that restaurant due south to the howard franklin. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
whichwaysup Posted November 8, 2017 Report Share Posted November 8, 2017 Now that i have seen it, That map really ticks me off, and I don't even fish there any more. That area by Indian key makes NO sense. I assumed they were making the area west of indian key a slow zone. Why by oniels Marina? Thats a marked channel! This is a typical government power grab. Arrggghh. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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