Accessing Little Franks?

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TRIXGOTAFISH
Posts: 183
Joined: Fri Apr 15, 2016 12:04 pm

Accessing Little Franks?

Post by TRIXGOTAFISH »

Quick question as I'm still learning the delta and all it has to offer and since I just picked up a new to me boat I'd like to explore and have heard many good things about the area but according to my old skool topo map it looks tricky and very shallow to get into the area

I'm not trying to poach people's spots just trying to be safe as to not damage the glass boat in skinny water or by any submerged obstacles that may not be on the old map lol

The other area I've never been into before is the big break area but it look very shallow and tricky to access as well from say Russo's any suggestions there?

Thanks for the help/advice I may try to head out this weekend if the wifey lets me and it's not too busy like a couple Sunday's ago!
monte300
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Re: Accessing Little Franks?

Post by monte300 »

Don't get in a hurry, trim your motor way up and pay attention!
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Burke
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Re: Accessing Little Franks?

Post by Burke »

Check out the access points at low tide so you get an ideal of how shallow it is. Going in at high tide will make it safer, but knowing what it looks like at low tide will let you know which spot you can use to leave as the tide recedes.
Last edited by Burke on Fri Sep 29, 2017 8:47 pm, edited 1 time in total.
db220
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Re: Accessing Little Franks?

Post by db220 »

I only go through the openings in Little Franks with my trolling motor. On the wrong tide you can destroy a prop and shaft pretty easily. Ask me how I know.
Moleman
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Re: Accessing Little Franks?

Post by Moleman »

On the farthest up opening, closest to Russo's marina, there is a small gap that lets you get in on low tide. It's on the far right, and if you get your boat right up against the tulle clump you can usually get in fine without your trolling motor. I generally just use my trolling motor cus I fish the top with the wood a lot anyways and it's safer.
mark poulson
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Re: Accessing Little Franks?

Post by mark poulson »

On low tide, I can only fish the western side, near the Taylor Slough entrance, because the grass is too thick.
Attitude plus effort equal success
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scott h
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Re: Accessing Little Franks?

Post by scott h »

Spend a day and fish the entire outside, there are a few you can run through on pad at any tide, there are a few you can only run through on high tide but are risky because they are rocky and there are some that you can't run through or trolling motor through. A description on the forum is like chasing a ghost, the best way to feel comfortable about it is put the time in and learn the area and make your own determination on which ones you feel comfortable accessing and to what degree you are willing to risk damage to your gear. Tight lines and good luck out there!
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MT
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Re: Accessing Little Franks?

Post by MT »

There's no good reason for anyone to be on pad in Little Frank's. If you need to go to the other side just go around because it's "little". I've seen plenty of people high center their rig on what looks like an opening there. Also, people fish those openings so the last thing anyone should be doing is going through on pad no matter what tide. C'mon!
scott h
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Re: Accessing Little Franks?

Post by scott h »

MT wrote:There's no good reason for anyone to be on pad in Little Frank's. If you need to go to the other side just go around because it's "little". I've seen plenty of people high center their rig on what looks like an opening there. Also, people fish those openings so the last thing anyone should be doing is going through on pad no matter what tide. C'mon!
So you trolling motor all the way through the entire interior? Little franks is easily runnable on pad if you know where you are. Also IF you spend the time to learn how to access it there are different characteristics at each opening, the ones that are wide open are easily runnable some are trolling motor only due to visibility and or depth constraints(tide) some are only fishable from either side but not accessible at all. I do not expect everyone to agree with my posts as I was only trying to help based on my experience with the area due to the fact that I have spent countless hours over many years learning it. Each and every post here can be perceived many different ways and everyone's is certainly entitled to an opinion. Take from it what you will. Tight lines! C'mon!
BUZZBAITS IN FEBRUARY!@#$%^&*(
MT
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Re: Accessing Little Franks?

Post by MT »

Maybe you're thinking of a different place. It would be poor judgement to run through any openings around Little Frank's. Don't care if someone screws up their boat. It's the fact that those openings have blind spots and people fish those openings. It's also common to see small boats anchored in those holes too. Bad idea. Plain and simple. I was fishing with my boys a couple of years ago just inside the small opening on the North side of Mildred. Bright sunny day and here comes a guy in a Ranger skint back out in Connection right for us. He saw me just in time and just cruised on through. We had a brief discussion. Of course he thought he had done nothing wrong. Maybe I'm just overly sensitive but there's too much of this crap out there.
mark poulson
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Re: Accessing Little Franks?

Post by mark poulson »

Can you run all out across Little Franks? Yes.
Should you? That depends on tides, weeds, debris, and common sense.
If you don't know an area, take it easy and be careful, until you learn it well enough to know what's there.

Last November I was fishing Little Franks when a duck hunter's flat bottomed john boat came in from Connection on plane, dropped down to stop, and started shooting at birds in there.
That was the first time I'd seen that, and it was unsettling, as in pass the tp.
Attitude plus effort equal success
CLEAN AND DRY
scott h
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Re: Accessing Little Franks?

Post by scott h »

Nope, I know little franks very well and definitely do not have it confused with a different place,Been fishing it for years. Like I said everyone is entitled to an opinion and everyone's perception is different.
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clearlakeoutdoors
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Location: lakeport CA>

Re: Accessing Little Franks?

Post by clearlakeoutdoors »

I lived a couple hundred yards from little Franks for 13 years,Take the time to get to know the area before running fast in there.I could go on and on with stories of guys running aground or sinking out there.One night about 10:00
I walked out on the dock and could hear(help,help were sinking)
I got up on top of the boathouse and could see a guy with a flashlight sitting on the bow of a old 32 'owens wooden boat.
I yelled at him what were you thinking taking that through there .He was lost and punched a tree through the bow.
Coast guard came and didnt want to go in after them but i showed them how to get in and they got them about midnight.The remains of that boat are still out there blown apart by storms.
once you get to know it no problem running fast in there
Dave
TRIXGOTAFISH
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Re: Accessing Little Franks?

Post by TRIXGOTAFISH »

Thank you to all that have replied so far!

I'm not looking to run wot through the area that's for sure just want to be able to get in there slowly w/o hitting anything unmarked or worse get stuck in there on a low tide switch or something lol wouldn't that be a sight

I'm headed out Thurs so still not sure if i should fish up towards Big Break and Franks or explore around the south or east more???

Any suggestions from anyone that's been out there recently?
monte300
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Location: San Ramon

Re: Accessing Little Franks?

Post by monte300 »

Moleman wrote:On the farthest up opening, closest to Russo's marina, there is a small gap that lets you get in on low tide. It's on the far right, and if you get your boat right up against the tulle clump you can usually get in fine without your trolling motor. I generally just use my trolling motor cus I fish the top with the wood a lot anyways and it's safer.
Moleman, I know exactly where you're talking about and I use that path too. I just wasn't sure how to articulate it like you did. :mrgreen:
Ceaser
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Joined: Sun Jan 27, 2008 6:46 pm
Location: Taylor Slough CA Delta

Re: Accessing Little Franks?

Post by Ceaser »

Little Franks, Big Break and Mandeville are too shallow to even fish, Id stay out of those areas.... :lol: :lol: :lol: Might hit a tractor or crashed UFO. Dont risk it LOL
is that glitter!? Nice boat tinkerbell!
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