Small Craft Caution

IT’S TRUE THAT FLORIDA often provides temperate weather and welcoming seas, while also offering access to countless miles of navigable shallows leading to the open ocean. However, there are certainly times when traversing expansive bays and narrow inlet mouths can be downright perilous for anglers attempting to make way in any sort of vessel, let alone a poling skiff or bay boat.

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 March and April present the two breeziest months for Sunshine State anglers, with the transition from winter to spring often bringing weeks of unrelenting wind. However, it’s generally not enough to keep the most seasoned anglers offthe water and it’s important to remember that rough is a relative term to the size of your vessel. Though crossing Pensacola Bay with a 20-knot headwind is nothing to scoff at and will lead to miles of discomfort in even the most rock-solid bay boat, the passes and inlets that flush ocean water into the state’s most famous estuaries at times produce truly hair-raising conditions testing even the most seasoned captains.

Fortunately, dangerous conditions at your local inlet can often be projected long before leaving the dock. While most anglers check the marine forecast daily, many inlets around the state now feature live webcams so you can visualize the conditions in real-time before heading out. Though fetch can create hazardous windswell given sufficient duration, significant rips can form rapidly with the simple turning of the tide. No matter your location around the state, when an outgoing tide collides with a stiff breeze the result will be very steep waves with short troughs. If you’re unfamiliar with running the rip, then it’s best to wait for the tide to slack. However, with a little education and experience you can safely navigate rough