Quick question for you guys:
I've never been terribly into fishing myself, but my Dad really enjoys it. He used to take my brother and me bass fishing as kids at this little freshwater lake down in Fort Myers where I grew up. Anyway, he's coming up next weekend and we were thinking of taking him fishing. I'm looking for a nice little (public) freshwater lake where we could take him around Jax. Even better, a place where we could rent a little john-boat for the day. Do any parks around here offer such a thing?
Thanks a million.
If you don't mind dodging seasonal T-storms, you could access the river or intracoastal at numerous boat ramps. Mandarin has at least two, at San Jose/Goodby's and Mandarin Park. Also, our state parks offer some great choices. See, for example, Guana River Preserve south of Ponte Vedra for both fresh and salt water fishing.
You might want to also consider a kayak. Amelia Kayaks may be able to help with rentals and fishing tips in their area.
Also, try calling Black Creek Outfitters or Strike Zone Fishing for some more ideas or connections.
While a little south of JAX, Whitey's Fish Camp on 220 still rents "rear deck" small motor Jon boats by the hour in Dr.'s Lake as well as Kayaks. You can rent canoes into Black Creek at the foot of the Black Creek bridge (@ the bait & tackle shop) on 17 south.
http://www.whiteysfishcamp.com/index.htm
If you really want to provide a tour, try these guys:
http://www.dockholidayboatrentals.com/
Quote from: stjr on August 29, 2009, 02:05:07 AM
If you don't mind dodging seasonal T-storms, you could access the river or intracoastal at numerous boat ramps. Mandarin has at least two, at San Jose/Goodby's and Mandarin Park. Also, our state parks offer some great choices. See, for example, Guana River Preserve south of Ponte Vedra for both fresh and salt water fishing.
You might want to also consider a kayak. Amelia Kayaks may be able to help with rentals and fishing tips in their area.
Also, try calling Black Creek Outfitters or Strike Zone Fishing for some more ideas or connections.
Try the Rodman resevoir off sr-19, it's on the OCKLAWAHA RIVER and there is a lake with a dam that backs up water and 20,000,000 fish. You know Palatka and Crescent City are the BASS CAPITAL OF THE WORLD. There is a cool fish farm display near Welatka, free and pretty darn nice. OCKLAWAHA
Another great and I mean GREAT spot for Drum is a deep hole just northwest of the Port Orange Bridge in Daytone Beach. As a teen fishing guide I've even led Canadian Sports TV to this spot. Five or ten minutes of high tide, just before the runout, this place is incredible.
North of the Port Orange Bridge, on the west side of the channel. How many Drum can you count? Ask the locals for the drum hole, and be there 30 minutes before peak tide.
OCKLAWAHA
Seeing as I am from a land locked state (I'll give you three guesses which one) I'm still trying to get a grip on what's fresh water here and what's not. I know you can catch a lot of saltwater fish on the St. Johns, but are the tributaries like the Cedar and the Ortega freshwater or is it still brackish? I live right on the Cedar, so it'd be nice to be able to hop down to the river after a rough day at work for a couple hours of fishing. All my gear and tackle is for freshwater though and I really don't know squat about saltwater fish.
Thanks guys!
I massively appreciate it.
Will definitely be looking into all of them :D
You might also want to check the state of the algae bloom if you are fishing on the St. Johns River. They have issued a health warning about the toxic level of the algae bloom.
http://www.firstcoastnews.com/news/local/news-article.aspx?storyid=42679 (http://www.firstcoastnews.com/news/local/news-article.aspx?storyid=42679)
Quote from: Fallen Buckeye on August 29, 2009, 07:18:08 PM
Seeing as I am from a land locked state (I'll give you three guesses which one) I'm still trying to get a grip on what's fresh water here and what's not. I know you can catch a lot of saltwater fish on the St. Johns, but are the tributaries like the Cedar and the Ortega freshwater or is it still brackish? I live right on the Cedar, so it'd be nice to be able to hop down to the river after a rough day at work for a couple hours of fishing. All my gear and tackle is for freshwater though and I really don't know squat about saltwater fish.
Buckeye, unless it has changed in the last XXX (I'll never say) years the "official line" was the Main Street Bridge (the blue one downtown). You will find everything below that (which means NORTH of that because the river flows NORTH) to be quite brackish. In my experience the Trout River is only good for Rays, and they are only good for the sport of catching them. Watch that damn tail! We used to clip the tail spike off and drive it into their heads...there are millions of the lil' bastards.
It is generally safe to fish or swim in the fresh water South of downtown - which is UP RIVER. Be very aware that morning and evening are gator feeding hours, and also that BULL SHARKS can live in fresh water and will often be 100 miles up river so their off-spring can live more or less predator free, until big enough to go to sea. They account for most of the shark bites but are generally NOT man eaters and after a taste will swim off to find something they like better.
That fishing hole in Daytona Beach on the Halifax River, make SURE you check depth as soon as soon as you leave the channel. Most of the Halifax is oyster beds and even exposed oyster beds at extreme low tide. Learn to read the channel markers, get a chart of the river at a marina (there is a good one east of the Port Orange Bridge, also just north of the bridge on Peninsular Drivel, Daytona Beach Chris Craft Marine). You will find that the depths are quite shallow and the oysters will rip the bottom right out of a boat if you hit them at speed. DO NOT walk on them without deck shoes, they will cut you to ribbons.
With this information you will be okay in any of our salt marshes, have fun boyz...OCKLAWAHA
Quote from: Fallen Buckeye on August 29, 2009, 07:18:08 PM
Seeing as I am from a land locked state (I'll give you three guesses which one) I'm still trying to get a grip on what's fresh water here and what's not. I know you can catch a lot of saltwater fish on the St. Johns, but are the tributaries like the Cedar and the Ortega freshwater or is it still brackish? I live right on the Cedar, so it'd be nice to be able to hop down to the river after a rough day at work for a couple hours of fishing. All my gear and tackle is for freshwater though and I really don't know squat about saltwater fish.
Over the years, the salinity in the St. Johns has increased some going south of Downtown. At any given time, a lot has to do with the amount of rainfall, tides, time of year, location, etc. A few years ago, during a very dry summer, we had thousands of jelly fish in the river off of Mandarin but I have never seen before or since. On any given day, you may get fresh or salt water species in much of the St. Johns. That's part of the fun of fishing it.
Guana River has fresh water above the dam and salt water below it. Take your choice based on which side of the road you are on.
By the way, don't rule out shore fishing. There are lots of public shore lines, bulkheads, piers (e.g. Jax Beach), bridges (e.g. Nassau Sound), and docks (e.g. Mandarin County Dock or Mandarin Park) you can fish from.
Thanks for the info.
Quote from: Ocklawaha on August 29, 2009, 01:32:38 PM
Another great and I mean GREAT spot for Drum is a deep hole just northwest of the Port Orange Bridge in Daytone Beach. As a teen fishing guide I've even led Canadian Sports TV to this spot. Five or ten minutes of high tide, just before the runout, this place is incredible.
North of the Port Orange Bridge, on the west side of the channel. How many Drum can you count? Ask the locals for the drum hole, and be there 30 minutes before peak tide.
OCKLAWAHA
I know the spot Ock and should scald you for blabbing the drum hole secret to the outsiders! :)
Just kidding. I grew up in Daytona Beach and spent many Saturday mornings fishing the bridge and usually came home with at least a bucket full of drum and catfish.
As far as state parks go, try out Faver Dykes south of St. Augustine at US1 and I95. Great park with canoe rentals and a shore line dock along the marshes. Very quiet and pristine and good fishing at times.
The other spot I'd recommend is the north jetties at Huguenot State park (Across the river from Mayport Naval Station). I've caught some nice Sheepshead on the rocks.
Buckeye, don't let Ock scare you with his talk of Gators and Bull sharks, I think he's full of bull....something else. In the Ortega and Cedar rivers I would watch out for gators only at dusk and dawn and only South of the Timaquana bridge on the Ortega and North of Blanding on the Cedar. No gators in the St Johns north of Julington Creek.
I can't speak for the sharks, but after 13 years of swimming all over the river (once paddled on a surfboard from San Marco to Ortega), I have not encountered a shark.
Just don't bother the manatees during mating season!!
Quote from: Captain Zissou on August 31, 2009, 04:19:52 PM
No gators in the St Johns north of Julington Creek.
Captain, this is 99% the case. I have seen a couple of gators over the last 10 years off the north shore of Mandarin Point. And, I would guess some could hang around Goodby's Lake. Never say never. ;)
I thought about Goodby's right after posting. That, if anywhere, is the most likely place for a gator to be lingering.
Quote from: Captain Zissou on August 31, 2009, 04:19:52 PM
Buckeye, don't let Oc k scare you with his talk of Gators and Bull sharks, I think he's full of bull....something else. In the Ortega and Cedar rivers I would watch out for gators only at dusk and dawn and only South of the Timaquana bridge on the Ortega and North of Blanding on the Cedar. No gators in the St Johns north of Julington Creek.
I can't speak for the sharks, but after 13 years of swimming all over the river (once paddled on a surfboard from San Marco to Ortega), I have not encountered a shark.
Just don't bother the manatees during mating season!!
Captain, you've not lived unless you have raced that big gator in the Ortega under the Collins Road bridge! There was another who appeared to be blinded (22 cal?) in the shallows east of the Doctors Lake Bridge in Orange Park. I'm not trying to scare anyone away, hell I've probably swam the whole damn river myself. When I was quite small, living in Ortega, my dad bought me a 12' Jon boat at Sears downtown, Besides Jacksonville Terminal, guess where I spent the other half of my young life? I will confess I have never seen a shark way up the local rivers, but new science tells us that is where the momma Bull Sharks go to have their little ones. Bulls can be as aggressive as Shit, but as I said, if one of us ever does have that misfortune, it probably won't be fatal.
Jason, since I'm on the subject of critters, I will say I have seen LOTS of sharks up the Halifax right in downtown Daytona Beach. I had a 3 - 4' foot sand shark try to take a piece of my thigh with him to his grave once! The story is pretty incredible and I have never gone to speak to a shark expert about it, though I should. We owned the Marina just North of Chris Craft, some Yankee fishermen on vacation caught this damn little shark and decided to keep it for mounting. We tossed it on to ice, covered it for at least an hour. When they were loading up to go home, I went to get it for them. The little sucker was heavy so I had both hands around its body just shy of it's tail. Carrying it upside down until I felt it jerk like it was going to swim off, that's when I realized it's intentions were worse then mine! They got their damn fish, but it was covered in sand and sand spurs when they left. OCKLAWAHA
Could be an old wive's tale, but I swear that a 10' Hammerhead was caught & brought in @ Whitey's in the late 80's/early 90's. I think they even have a picture on the wall - said it was sick or something. Also, it is not uncommon for rolling Tarpon to be spotted as far south as the Buckman Bridge at certain times of the year.
Gators and such don't scare me. I've already gotten the chance to get acquainted because I'm really into hiking. I almost stepped on an 8 footer in Okefenokee last year. I've learned to be a little more careful where I step since that incident and another involving a rattler. Nothing comes between me and my fish though. lol.
QuoteJason, since I'm on the subject of critters, I will say I have seen LOTS of sharks up the Halifax right in downtown Daytona Beach. I had a 3 - 4' foot sand shark try to take a piece of my thigh with him to his grave once! The story is pretty incredible and I have never gone to speak to a shark expert about it, though I should. We owned the Marina just North of Chris Craft, some Yankee fishermen on vacation caught this damn little shark and decided to keep it for mounting. We tossed it on to ice, covered it for at least an hour. When they were loading up to go home, I went to get it for them. The little sucker was heavy so I had both hands around its body just shy of it's tail. Carrying it upside down until I felt it jerk like it was going to swim off, that's when I realized it's intentions were worse then mine! They got their damn fish, but it was covered in sand and sand spurs when they left.
I've seen then too. Not to mention the regular dolphin sightings as well. Bull sharks have a very menacing look to them when they're in the river for some reason. But out in the ocean I've had no problem paddling around a group of sharks to catch a nice set. When the waves are good, sharks be damned, I'm paddling out! Now those damed Man of War are another story.
To the OP: When you are fishing with dry feet, on a dock, pier or shore, a license is not required.
If you are in a boat, or wading everyone fishing should have a license.
WalMart is one source for purchasing a fishing license.
I can add something here. I spend a lot of time fishing salt/brackish water for saltwater species. Recently the saltwater regs. have changed to eliminate the license exemption for shore bound anglers. Currently the law is if you are fishing for saltwater species you need a license. The only exclusions I know of are senior citizen, and fishing from a pier that has a license covering you (Jax. Bch. Pier).
I'm not current on the freshwater regs. but I just looked and did not see the shore exemption.
http://www.myfwc.com/RULESANDREGS/Freshwater_FishRules_index.htm#FISHING%20LICENSE%20FEES (http://www.myfwc.com/RULESANDREGS/Freshwater_FishRules_index.htm#FISHING%20LICENSE%20FEES)
Another thing to keep in mind is that there is no defined boundary for fresh or salt fishing in the Saint Johns River. The regulations are for salt or fresh water SPECIES. For example if you are fishing for largemouth bass in Doctors lake you need a fresh water license. If you are fishing in same location and have in possession a redfish, trout or croaker you need a saltwater license.
I fish in the Arlington area most of the time and 99% of my catch are saltwater species but once in a while I will catch a Striped bass which is a freshwater species so I have a fresh/salt combination license.
like I said earlier I'm not up on the freshwater regs., but it's worth a phone call to your local bait shop before you head out.
Oh yeah, about the earlier posts about gators in the river, I have seen them in Mill Cove, Otters too.
Quote from: Fallen Buckeye on August 29, 2009, 07:18:08 PM............. what's fresh water here and what's not. .......... All my gear and tackle is for freshwater though and I really don't know squat about saltwater fish.
Depends on what the water is that day. Technically it is brackish. The salinity changes daily depending upon many factors like rain, run off, outfalls, etc.
The law believes that you need a freshwater license to keep freshwater fish. You need a saltwater license to keep saltwater fish. Simple logic but a harder problem to define the water. Obliviously you would not be fishing Kingsley Lake (landlocked) with a saltwater license. However, in the St Johns you might catch a croaker next to a large mouth bass.
You will want to spend a little time on this web site.
http://myfwc.com/Fishing/Index.htm
Then I see that Bobsim already talked to you about this.
I can’t help you with bass fishing. I just don’t do it anymore. There are too many tasty saltwater varieties nearby.
Quote from: buckethead on September 03, 2009, 03:17:56 PM
To the OP: When you are fishing with dry feet, on a dock, pier or shore, a license is not required.
If you are in a boat, or wading everyone fishing should have a license.
WalMart is one source for purchasing a fishing license.
Law changed August 1, 2009. Saltwater shore fishermen and unlicensed peirs need a saltwater shore license, approximately $10 after all the service charges. A licensed peir, like Jacksonville Beach Peir, buys a license that covers fishers and charges fishermen fees. Freshwater needs a freshwater license unless other exemptions apply. Google My Fwc.com.
I did not know!
Oops! I plea the 1, 2, 3, 4... FIF!
It helps to get a fish id chart and a Law Stick. Walmart has both. They tell you what is what and the slot length limits.
Just about everything eats shrimp. A one or two drop "gulf" rig or pompano rig with a #2 circle hooks will work for most everything you might catch. Use the smallest sinker that will hold. A two oz to 4 oz most likely. Peel the shrimp tail and thread the shrimp on the hook. This will catch most catfish, sting rays, yellow mouth (aka weakfish), speckled trout, drum and redfish. You can fish one of these on your bass rods. Think a 7 foot rod with spinner or a 6' bait caster.
Remember with a circle hook you just reel in you DON'T do a Bill Dance hook set. Bill Dance style fishing will only loose the fish and cause you to fall into the water.
Never tried it but Brown's Fish Camp on Hecksure Drive has a fishing dock they charge a small fee for using. There are croaker, yellow mouth, specs and drum in that water.
Guana Dam is a good spot.
Any of these places you need some moving water. Think an 1 to 2 hour before and after tide change. I prefer low tide. Others like high.
http://co-ops.nos.noaa.gov/tides09/tpred2.html#FL
Quote from: Overstreet on September 17, 2009, 03:37:06 PM
Guana Dam is a good spot.
I'll second this. Guana is a freaking honey hole for drum and reds. Especially if you've got a boat. Any kind of kayak, john boat or canoe will do. If not then the dam works fine as well, just watch out for gators if you're wading around.
You can also catch shark on the saltier south bank.