Originally Posted by
Orion_70
I went to the camp last weekend in Satsuma (Palatka area), got the kids loaded up in the new to me pontoon we picked up a couple weeks ago and set out. As soon as we hit the main canal I noticed a lot of green floating in and on the water. It got considerably worse when we hit Dunns Creek, you could just see the current taking the algae past and into the St Johns. We went down river to the Redneck Riveria, which surprisingly was full of people in the water as disgusting as it was.
I guess the early part of last week from Palatka to Welaka, the St Johns experienced the first algae bloom this year, which is very early in the season. I hope this isn't a sign of what's to come this summer. The shrimping has been terrible the last 2 years, the crab aren't doing well, and neither are the wild shiners.. The crappie did ok, but never seemed to turn on in Crescent this year like usual, most likely because the lack of shrimp.. .Our River and it's basin is off... I'm not one to want government in anything, but it's time the State and Feds get on this before our precious water resources are completely ruined...
I also think it's time to start attending some of these meetings from SJWM, as soon as I can find them, and become a squeaky wheel
We stayed in the Welaka area from mid March till the end of April this past year. I fished the Saint Johns from off n on to north of Palatka and have seen what you are talking about. I saw the blue/green algae first hand and know from reports here in Ohio’s Saint Mary’s lake it can be toxic to your liver so one is advised not to come in contact with it and stay out of water. Ohio is having a hard time figuring out how to deal with this issue and spending a lot of money doing so. I hope Florida can figure this out and might want to even work with Ohio by comparing if on this. The Saint Johns is a wonderful eco system and my wife and I have love this area as our daughters n family lives not far from where we stay. Just my thoughts on what I’ve seen.
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May all the fish tales you catch be longer than the ones you tell !