Buckeye1955

Hi, Heading for Welaka the end of April. I see from various fishing reports the water level in the Ochalawaha river is low enough to suggest extreme caution when naviagating the river. How much is the St. Johns affected in that area? How much would it affect our fishing in the area as far as boating access?

Flyboy, tell you what. Give me your cell phone number and I'll give you a call if I hook a gator. This Ohio boy isn't about to wrestle a gator for a $5 lure! Had one about a foot long by the tail at Hilton Head one time, but that's as close I'm going to get..... We are staying at the Welaka Lodge. Great place and good folks. Fished the mouth of the river a bunch last time. You have any suggestions for what to take in the way of lures?

Wowser! Made a trip down to Welaka in 2007 and saw several, but never had one strike at anything. Heading back down in April this year. Think I'll keep a knife handy.....

Made a trip down there in April a few years ago and stayed in the state park cottages. Mostly fished the black swamp they called it, the flooded timber just out off the cabins there. Didn't set them on fire, but did catch a few on spinner baits and crank baits. Be careful in that area as the water depth changes dramatically once you leave the marked channels and there are stumps everywhere. A good GPS is a must back in there. You can really get turned around. We marked the park and used that to find our way back out. The trees were also absoutely infested with snakes. We kept having them swim up and try and climb on the boat. Had to thump on them with the rods and oar. Got snagged on a tree and was working on getting the lure loose and one stuck his head out of the branches just above my lure. Left that one there! We asked around the local bait stores and most of the locals were into catfish and shell crackers. Didn't seem to be many local bass folks.

Thanks! Sounds like you had some sweet weather! Hope we have the same. We'll be down there the 2nd week of March. Just guessing, I'd say water temp in the 60's with as cool as it gets at night. I've got the stuff already laid out and ready to go. Dang it's been a LONG winter.....

Thanks! Had them on the list to take. Timing should work out well as we usually finish our daily rounds in mid to late afternoon. Suppose a fluke fished slow would work? I'll pack some senkos and a couple blue gill cranks. Be good to just throw something!

I thought I explained myself, but after being chastised for trespassing and posting an illegal entry - One more time I'll explain. We are STAYING on the Legends resort. In THEIR condos on the courses with large ponds in front of the condos. We are allowed to fish! Paying big $$$ to stay there. Not trespassing!!. Now again, all I'm curious about is what water temps we can expect and what someone familiar with the area would suggest I should take with me. I planned on packing light and didn't want to haul a ton of fishing stuff on a golf trip. Thanks again.

A group of us are going to be in the Myrtle Beach area on a golf trip the 1st week of March. We are staying in condos on a course with several large ponds near the condos. I will have a very serious urge to wet a line. Any suggestions for what to throw that time of year in that area?

I agree, Welaka Lodge. Great place and people. You can get to Rodman by running up the river and down the canal and locking thru. Get the Fishing Hot Spots map of the St. Johns for info. I'm staying at the lodge Easter week. You can't beat the cottages and location for the money. Even a golf course not far away.

I think you've got it figured out. It's about finding the peace and happiness that being out on the water brings. If I catch something, fine. But if not, I had a great day being out there anyway. As you get older you start realizing there are only so many days given to you. I like to think that a good day on the water with a rod in my hand is another one in the memory bank that I will enjoy when I can't do it anymore. There is something about messing with boats and throwing a few lures that just makes things right no matter what else is going on in my life. Almost makes you feel sorry for the folks that haven't figured it out.

Try the WV Sportsmans forum. Troutfisher is on here and I believe is a moderator there. Lots of good info there. You'll have some river fishing there and Summersville and Burnsville are fairly close.

Wowser! I finally found out what has ailed me all these years and I ain't alone! I've been throwing a Lane's floating toad in the family room for two weeks. If February doesn't move fast, I'm a goner. What's everybody think of the Panther Martin's Big Eyed PRO Frog? I picked some up and tried them a time or two late last year. Sure seem to sit good in the water, but the frog eaters weren't cooperating. Too late in the year I think. I'll try them some more this year for sure! Come on spring!!!!!!!!!!!!

Champlain is a 13 hour drive for me. We drive 10 hours up to Watertown, Ny and stay the night and over the next morning 3 hours. Check in is noon and by the time you stop and get groceries you're there right at check in. On the water by 2:00. Do a search for Henrys Sportsmans Cottages or send me a PM and I'll give you the link. $750 a week for a 3BR cabin. I have lots of pics. Terrific largemouth, smallmouth and pike fishing. Well worth the drive for a weeks worth of fishing. You'll never forget a trip up there, it's that good. I was looking some today for a kayak or small lake boat. Looking at Sea Eagle 285fpb Pro. About half the cost of Hobie Cat Mirage Pro angler and alot easier to handle for one person. Comes with a Minn Kota Classic 28 electric motor too. There are a bunch of limited HP lakes in my area of Southeastern Ohio that just don't get much pressure. And no jet skis!!!!

You can skip the state park lakes for the most part. Ski boat and jet ski heaven on the weekends. I fish them, but don't expect much other then some time on the water. The smaller HP restricted lakes are probably the best bet for quieter fishing. I'm going the kayak route in the spring and going to try some of them. I take a trip up to Lake Champlain, VT every summer for some quality quiet fishing. I can fish for hours and maybe see a couple other boats pass by. Ruins you for down here.

Huh, I'm in Marietta and can't say I've ever heard of this lake. Most of our guys go to Obrien at Ripley, Lake Bartlett at Harrisville and Stonewall Jackson. What's close to your lake? Buying a kayak in the spring. Might give it a try.

I've found over the years that folks that work hard and long to purchase the stuff, take care of it. Others don't. I had a girlfriends brother early one spring call me from out of town and ask me to haul his boat from a local boat club to his mom's place. The boat had been stored outside all winter. Uncovered - with the plug in! Was totally clear full of water and frozen!!! Had a heck of a time hauling it. Parked it on a slope and pulled the plug and water ran out of it for a month. Inboard V8 ruined along with everything else. Maybe it's somewhat of a generation thing too. I started with a 14 foot lowes flatbottom jon boat and worked my way over long houred work years to my Triton. I don't know about everyone else, but that boat gets only the best treatment.

I came to that same conclusion over last winter. I really paired things down this last season. I pack a couple of my best cranks, spinners, some senkos, a frog or two and I'm good. I leave everything else at home. I found I enjoy my time on the water alot more when I'm not constantly 2nd guessing myself and swapping baits every 15 minutes. And I'm also catching more fish!

I use the Gulp shad minnows on a jig head and they work great. I bought them in the storage container full of fluid. Just make sure you don't spill any of it in your boat! That stuff really stinks! I was a little concerned when over a peroiod of time it turned yellowish brown from being initially clear. But I've seen containers in the stores doing the same thing. Doesn't seem to make any difference to the fish.

Thanks! I've picked up one of those and just about everything else out there over the winter so far. The Bait Monkey is alive and well. The UPS driver just stops at my place out of habit! Just received some Strike King King Shads in two sizes. Just need to get the lousy month of February out of the way and I can get out and try them!

The older riveted Trackers seem to draw a lot of complaints and the dealer service hasn't always been there. Read the posts and judge for yourself. I have seveal buddies that have the Yamaha G3 boats and swear by them. Yamaha seems to really back them. Sylvan and Lund are good boats too. Bunch of them in my area. [edit]removed other website name[/edit]

Another idea might be try fishing some place new. I had really cut back on my local fishing a few years ago and decided to try a fishing trip to an entirely new part of the country. Lit them up and re-ignited the fire. Still don't catch much around home, but sure look forward to a couple trips a year to other areas. I also combine to interests by taking a travel rod with me on the Harley when I ride. When I take a break, I find a spot and just enjoy the moment as I throw a few. I hope at the very least you find a good stress reliever. That stuff will eat you up after while.

Was pretty decent in southeastern Ohio today. Almost 50 and partly sunny for awhile. The local river ramp had alot of trucks and trailers there even though the river still has chunks of ice in it. I need to drive up along the Muskingum river tomorrow a ways anyway and may take a rod and at least throw something!

Won't disagree with the weight difference. I usually have 3 or 4 rods on the deck and just rotate what I'm throwing depending on what I'm looking at as I move from area to area with the boat when I'm bass fishing. One of those will be the fly rod. Some days they just aren't interested, but I'm always willing to give it a shot as I just enjoy working the rod some anyway. If I'm out all day trout fishing, my 5wt graphite rod is all I take. It's a 7 piece travel rod and I carry it and my travel bass rod on the Harley when I'm out. Never know when I'll come across a good spot to take a break and wet a line. It's a great day when I can get to do some of both as I hit the road for the day.

And if you ever do land a hog on one, you'll remember it for a very long time. Got a 7.5 one time back in some laydowns. Still remember that monster coming clear out of the water on that popper just like it was yesterday!

Goose, Only if it's cracked and in bad shape! I fished some with Dad's after he passed away and it wasn't in great shape but still worked just fine. Cabelas fly shop has some great new bass weight line. Works like a champ!