# Jones Bay Navigation



## Lane (Sep 24, 2009)

I fish out of Tiki Island but never have fished Jones Bay. My Hook-n-Line map does a poor job with the area, it makes everything look like 1 to 2 feet deep. I know about the 5 or 6 shell reefs and can see them on my chartplotter but I'm not sure how safe the rest of the bay is to run in. Its a shame not to fish in my own back yard. Are there any better resources? Thanks for any help.


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## defrost (Mar 16, 2010)

I have had the same question.


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## manwitaplan (Dec 9, 2005)

I do not have any source that you can go to.

I learned the hard way by hitting bottom quite a bit. My advice is to follow someone from fat boys to the middle of Jones. Then just watch where everyone goes. I followed lots of people and my GPS is on and tracking the whole time.

I fish the reefs that you speak of and learned where the guts are by watching other folks and exploring. I am not an expert but can get across the whole bay in any direction.

Just get out there and go slow and watch other folks.


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## blackmagic (May 13, 2011)

Chickenboy will know,where are ya chickenboy?


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## Bonito (Nov 17, 2008)

Same for me as manwitaplan. I have run through and fished Jones for 26 years. Fortunately, when I first started fishing Jones, I had a 14 Ft. B-Craft. I also learned the hard way. I kept at least 10 Shear Pins in my tackle box.


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## Won Mo Kasst (Mar 27, 2008)

you dont have to "run" everywhere you go... just bump it in gear, and pay the piper.


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## Lane (Sep 24, 2009)

> Same for me as manwitaplan. I have run through and fished Jones for 26 years. Fortunately, when I first started fishing Jones, I had a 14 Ft. B-Craft. I also learned the hard way. I kept at least 10 Shear Pins in my tackle box.


I hear you, done some of that myself in my early years in other areas, but I really didn't want to learn everything about Jones by donating parts of my new Yamaha 250 Vmax SHO to the bottom of the bay.


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## Bull Red (Mar 17, 2010)

blackmagic said:


> Chickenboy will know,where are ya chickenboy?


X2!
Chickenboy is da man on Jones Bay


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## Spec-Rig.006 (Nov 2, 2007)

I run the following routes (in yellow) when traveling through Jones OFTEN and have never had a probelm, even on extremely low tidal levels when the average depth is maybe 2'.

The red dots indicate pvc markers you'll see when you're out there. Just be very cautious when traveling around those spoils and shell-banks and I think you're good to go. There's another shell-bank north of this cut out you can't see but it's real obvious on all the sat. photos. I'm unaware of any other hazards.

On the far southwest side of this cut out, the three red dots together mark a large set of wooden pilings.

There's another cut headed west just south and west of Tiki that is obvious in this sat. photo, but I've never run it. 

CHARLIE would be another good guy to contact about safe navigation and I'd also strongly urge you to never use a Hot-Spot map as a navigation aid. Follow someone out when you can.

My boat drafts pretty shallow. More than most probably ... but I've run most of these in a variety of boats that draft deeper than mine.


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## smooth move (Dec 10, 2007)

Jones is a horrible,dangerous place with no fish in it. best to stay away from the keel eating reefs that are constantly moving around. seriously though, if you've got a GPS, spend a hour or so just putting around and mark the deeper areas for later use. good luck.


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## blackmagic (May 13, 2011)

This may help a little. http://2coolfishing.com/ttmbforum/showthread.php?t=401189


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## TroutAle87 (Dec 8, 2011)

smooth move said:


> Jones is a horrible,dangerous place with no fish in it. best to stay away from the keel eating reefs that are constantly moving around. seriously though, if you've got a GPS, spend a hour or so just putting around and mark the deeper areas for later use. good luck.


lol yep there are no fish there at all....:cheers:


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## head2h2o (Aug 15, 2011)

I have just started fishing this area within the last 3 months, and have not had any problems out there. Take your time and go slow. Watch the water with the shifts in the tide and you can see it change in the areas that are getting shallow. The shell islands that are out there also extend out well beyond what you can see on google earth, so just be aware of that as you move into those areas. I learned by running my trolling motor deep and letting it tell me when I get near oyster. Lift it up a bit and stay back off of that area and cast around it. 

I tend to use track lines that are similar to Spec Rig, but like him, I also have a shallow draft boat. Take your time and you should be fine.


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## Lane (Sep 24, 2009)

Thanks Spec Rig and everyone else. This is very helpful. I think my biggest issue is getting past the channel spoils when leaving my place on Tiki.


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## Law Dog (Jul 27, 2010)

I agree, Jones is a horrible,dangerous place !!


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## Lane (Sep 24, 2009)

> I agree, Jones is a horrible,dangerous place !!


Is it just me or I am picking up some sarcasm here??:sheepy:


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## chickenboy (May 5, 2008)

PM me and I will gladly show you around Jones. I am going fishing out there late this afternoon btw.


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## anchordude (Mar 8, 2012)

Lane said:


> I hear you, done some of that myself in my early years in other areas, but I really didn't want to learn everything about Jones by donating parts of my new Yamaha 250 Vmax SHO to the bottom of the bay.


Chicken.


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## Lane (Sep 24, 2009)

> Chicken.


Well...now...see, you've gone and hurt my tender and delicate feelings. I was afraid something like this might happen. So I will reply with an equally adolescent "Says you" :doowapsta


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## NOCREEK (Jan 18, 2012)

Sounds like............DAVY JONES LOCKER!!!!!! Ahhhhhhhhh.......


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## 230Ag (May 20, 2012)

Chicken Boy - is there any good water in those marshes/flats on the north side of Jones Bay?


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## chickenboy (May 5, 2008)

Yes. All marshes extremely shallow. Must have shallow running boat or yak


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## dirzo (May 13, 2005)

Where is a good place to launch a yak?


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## backlasher (Dec 20, 2004)

Louis Bait Camp on Hwy 6 at Highland Bayou. Go under the bridge on Hwy 6 and it's less than a mile to two marsh areas, one before the RR track and one after.


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## want2Bfishing (Feb 6, 2010)

*Jones*

I have seen in 30 years on Jones a lot of boats hit reefs and do a lot of damage to the boat and motor. I tore two up myself in the 1980s


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## HoustoneD (Sep 16, 2013)

*Choosing a functional boat*

I am, if everything goes as planned, about to be putting an offer in for a property in Bayou Vista. The Realtor warned us about the RR bridge being quite low and difficult to navigate through(underneath). I have a family of 3 (myself, wife, and baby) and plan on bringing them out on the water with me once in a while. We want to be comfortable in the boat, but i don't want a mammoth either. I was looking at all different types- catamarans, bass boats, ski/fishing boats, etc that will hold its own in the bay even when it is a bit rough, and something that will be able to handle the 2-3 ft. waters of Jones and other shallow areas. I was leaning towards something like either one of the pictures below... One is a Sea Fox and the other is a Sea Ray. I welcome any and all feedback on this. I am pretty sure either of the below linked choices will accommodate my needs, but just wanted to run it by some veterans to see what you guys think.

http://www.boattrader.com/listing/2005-Sea-Fox-186DC-102028920


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## Profish00 (May 21, 2004)

Thats no fishing boat for that area.


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## chickenboy (May 5, 2008)

This evening


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## txteltech (Jul 6, 2012)

Thanks chickenboy great pictures


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## txflatsguy (Jan 14, 2006)

I know jones fairly well but I also run a 15' scooter. I get it back from northwest fiberglass this week and your more than welcome to come out later this week. But if your not going to take Joe up on his offer I should would take your spot!! (10pm posting) I know He knows that area real well look at google maps you can get a good idea also depends on how skinny u can get. When running from fatboys back to BV I can take the first opening in the north shoreline and run against the rail road tracks till I get to the bridge. Good luck the more you run it the more confident you will get just take it slow!


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## txflatsguy (Jan 14, 2006)

Btw have they dredged at the new fatboys location?


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## HoustoneD (Sep 16, 2013)

Profish00 said:


> Thats no fishing boat for that area.


What about the first link? Also, would the boat in the picture be able to at least make it through Jones to get to West Bay or the main body of Galveston Bay?


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## gater (May 25, 2004)

*Boat*



HoustoneD said:


> What about the first link? Also, would the boat in the picture be able to at least make it through Jones to get to West Bay or the main body of Galveston Bay?


Both of those boats could fish Jones without any problems, not the best choice but can be done. Gater


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## HoustoneD (Sep 16, 2013)

I'm all loaded up and ready to go. Gonna get a few hours of sleep then head out in my Jon boat and try to not get sucked out into west bay with the tide. Thanks for all the help.


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