Just booked my tickets for my annual Florida trip.  We will fish the Big O again, but I'm considering a trip to Headwaters.  

 

What's the deal with this place?  From a distance I've heard everything from greatest fishery in the state, to too much pressure and they'll only eat shiners.  

 

Can any locals weigh in and help me out?

 

 

49 minutes ago, rtwvumtneer6 said:

Just booked my tickets for my annual Florida trip.  We will fish the Big O again, but I'm considering a trip to Headwaters.  

 

What's the deal with this place?  From a distance I've heard everything from greatest fishery in the state, to too much pressure and they'll only eat shiners.  

 

Can any locals weigh in and help me out?

 

 

I went earlier this year and it sucked. Way too much pressure and only shiners worked for fish over 4. Stick was much better. Still a lot of pressure there but you can really catch ‘em.

The shiners only is a fallacy. Yes a lot of people use them there and they catch a lot of fish using them.
But artificials still catch fish. And a lot of them too.

HW is just like most lakes in that it takes time to figure it out. I’ve only been able to fish it a half dozen times myself but always with artificials and always caught fish. Sometimes not as many as I’d had hoped.  My biggest there is 9.8 on a speed worm in June.

The lake is 10,000 acres but fishes smaller than that because of areas you can’t access due to vegetation. Plus it is full of hydrilla. And it’s thick, and I mean matted thick, in a lot of places which affects one’s ability to fish it effectively.

Throw in a LOT of fishing pressure and you have a lake that can be tough to fish.

And the pressure will increase substantially in the next 6-7 months.

There are a couple of FB groups that have regular reports that would help you fish the lake.  Just search HW.

As for the Marsh, it’s a shadow of its former self but still produces good catches.

Biggest problem is the lack of vegetation and water clarity. It still gets a considerable amount of pressure as well.

I do believe HW is worth the trip if you are down here.

Good luck wherever you decide to go.   

Some other thoughts about HW.

 

The lake looks like there should be bass everywhere…but they aren’t.

Its one of the fishiest looking lakes you’ll ever see.

It fairly simple to navigate the north portion of the lake but once you get down to the Lake Egan part, it gets a bit more challenging.

 

Because of the areas that are unfishable, whether due to thick vegetation or hydrilla so thick you can’t get through it, the remainder of the areas get fished hard.

I mean daily pressure.

It’s normal to see 15-20 boats or more on a weekday.

I don’t fish weekends but I’m sure the boat count goes up 25-50%.

 

There are also a dozen guides fishing it regularly including Roland.

 

 

 

We are re-thinking our annual trip to Okeechobee in February due to lack of availability at Roland’s and the fact there is a huge tournament going out during our planned dates.  I have been researching Headwaters as well as other locations.  We have gone to Kissimmee in the past but it was tough.  Even the big o was tough last year but we go in late by some accounts.  My problems with headwaters is 1. The crowd. 2. Lodging.  And 3. The fact that you’ve got a boat destroying dirt road to get there.  We’ve got a local guy we link up with looking around and some options have been getting tossed around like Rodman, Toho, Harris Chain and maybe even Kissimmee for another try.  When I lived there, I stayed pretty much on the St Johns since that’s where my house was and the boat was on a lift.  

2 hours ago, TOXIC said:

We are re-thinking our annual trip to Okeechobee in February due to lack of availability at Roland’s and the fact there is a huge tournament going out during our planned dates.

We're going 2 weeks after the elites leave.  Promise you there will be boats sitting on all the areas the pros catch them on.  

Finding the spot within the spot is the key... If you can get to it.  Same deal last year, we followed up the Toyota series.  

 

We stay with family over in Stuart and although Roland's was a must see, I prefer to go out of C. Scott Driver.

3 hours ago, TOXIC said:

We are re-thinking our annual trip to Okeechobee in February due to lack of availability at Roland’s and the fact there is a huge tournament going out during our planned dates.  I have been researching Headwaters as well as other locations.  We have gone to Kissimmee in the past but it was tough.  Even the big o was tough last year but we go in late by some accounts.  My problems with headwaters is 1. The crowd. 2. Lodging.  And 3. The fact that you’ve got a boat destroying dirt road to get there.  We’ve got a local guy we link up with looking around and some options have been getting tossed around like Rodman, Toho, Harris Chain and maybe even Kissimmee for another try.  When I lived there, I stayed pretty much on the St Johns since that’s where my house was and the boat was on a lift.  

 

If you’re open to staying at other properties instead of just Roland’s place, there are motels and an historic hotel (which is where I stay for overnight tournaments) all up and down SR 27. 
 

I’m thinking of entering one of those tournaments in February you mentioned. 
If I do and you still decide to come, let me know. 
I’ll try to point you in the right direction as much as I can. 
 

If you want to try someplace else not on your list consider Lake Istokpoga. 
That time of the year anyplace you go down here can be worth it. 
 

 

 

 

Mike

 

1 hour ago, rtwvumtneer6 said:

We're going 2 weeks after the elites leave.  Promise you there will be boats sitting on all the areas the pros catch them on.  

Finding the spot within the spot is the key... If you can get to it.  Same deal last year, we followed up the Toyota series.  

 

We stay with family over in Stuart and although Roland's was a must see, I prefer to go out of C. Scott Driver.

The North and East side of the lake are my favorites out of Driver that time of the year also. 
Certain areas up there is the best Carolina rig and frog water on the lake. 
 

 

 

 

Mike

Might also check out Kenansville. That lake is very secluded and does not have much fishing pressure and is still in the general area. It's not fished very much for a very good reason. The 12 mile dirt road getting to the lake can be a pure nightmare. Nothing like the Headwater's or Stick road. If not recently raked it can be very bumpy and very dusty, not to mention washed out. So the fishing pressure is, well, none existent. Yet the lake harbors some of the biggest trophy catches in the area. You can confirm this on the FWC Kenansville site. It's small lake, too, about 2500 acres, which gives one the ability to zero in on the fishing. With any lake, gotta work it to know it in order to fish it. I've yaked it many times and have caught monsters. I've even solo yaked it all night long! Talk about being out in the wild lol The boat ramp is very steep yet doable. It's the very definition of "being out in the middle of nowhere!" So bring plentiful supplies!

Yes Z, the road to HW & SM are a piece of cake compared to Kenansville.

Its been years since I’ve been there but it was terrible. But like you said,that keeps the pressure down as well as being way off the beaten path.

Toxic, some others lakes to consider are Garcia and Blue Cypress near HW and the Marsh. Typically nowhere near as crowded as the other 2.  Blue Cypress used to have cabins to rent but don’t know if they still do. They are both smaller lakes too.

 

I fish all the lakes mentioned and Headwaters now is what the Stick Marsh was when it first opened. Sure you can catch em on artificals.Most guides throw shiners.just like any other Florida fishery when you find em slow down and work the area thoroughly.Stick Marsh is not what it was back in the day, but it fishes totally different than the old days. more offshore fishing than before.still I would fish it before Headwaters because I have way more time on it. Garcia further down the road is an awesome fishery also.Blue Cypress is also on my list of favorites.

Saw this on a recent FB HW page and figured I’d pass it on:

 

“Mark, if you’re asking about right now—and not later in our snowbird season, the parking lot is 25 boats on a nice weekend day. 

But as Bobby said, January and February is peak snowbird season. We will have 100 trailers trying to squeeze into 34 spots.”

Quick update... Talked to my Lake O guide and he got me in touch with a buddy who does trips on HW.  We're going to give it a shot.  Probably only a one day deal but I don't want to regret not checking it out. 

 

Appreciate everyone's input.

 

-RT

Can anyone recommend a good guide for Headwaters in late February? 

 

Visiting my mother for a week in PSL.  I really want to try Headwaters for a day while in the area.  I will have my 9yr old son with me, so I would like a guide that will do live bait for my son as well as artificials for me.

 

Thanks!

 

Jason

On 12/14/2022 at 8:12 AM, Frezzy said:

Can anyone recommend a good guide for Headwaters in late February? 

 

Visiting my mother for a week in PSL.  I really want to try Headwaters for a day while in the area.  I will have my 9yr old son with me, so I would like a guide that will do live bait for my son as well as artificials for me.

 

Thanks!

 

Jason

 

Check on the Facebook 'Headwaters Lake' for the guides. Most of the popular ones post there with their catches along with their contact numbers.