Ocala Forrest

[Crapbie]

Does anyone fish the ocala area? I hve just began and have not been having much luck but then again just started so no big deal. I've tried Kerr, bryant, ocklawaha, quarry fish pond, and redwater.

All the bait shops are saying lochloosa is producing limit after limit so I may venture up there this weekend but then everyone else knows this too. Any ideas on which lake I should hit next?

[Joe]

Why not give the St.John's area a shot. Lots of good lakes and the river can be very good at times. Let us know how you do on your next trip.
Joe

Does anyone fish the ocala area? I hve just began and have not been having much luck but then again just started so no big deal. I've tried Kerr, bryant, ocklawaha, quarry fish pond, and redwater.

All the bait shops are saying lochloosa is producing limit after limit so I may venture up there this weekend but then everyone else knows this too. Any ideas on which lake I should hit next?

[Crapbie]

I have not gone to the st johns area because there is to much salt for my bass boat. I have thought about getting a guide but thats it. WIth over 700 lakes in the ocala nationat forrest alone I'm not going to risk it. Makes me wish I had one of those no carpet salt/freshwater combo bassboats

[gator]

Try Rodman Reservoir, or the Oklawaha River.

[Joe]

Never heard anyone mention anything about salt in the St. John's. I imagine
that when you get beyond Lake George and on toward Jacksonville you
would start to increase the salt content. I have fished the area around Sanford and With the amount of water that flows through there I don't see how there could be much if any salt.
JOE

I have not gone to the st johns area because there is to much salt for my bass boat. I have thought about getting a guide but thats it. WIth over 700 lakes in the ocala nationat forrest alone I'm not going to risk it. Makes me wish I had one of those no carpet salt/freshwater combo bassboats

[Crapbie]

In my little ocala national forrest fishing opportunities hand book says all the parts of the st johns river supply habitat to striped bass and marine salt water species especially during levels of low water and higher levels of salinity.
That includes lake george, the astor section and little george/ Norwalk Landing.

I have not tried Rodman yet as I'm still getting used to my boat and don't want to risk it with all the stumps and tree tops and shyt. Rodman was a forrest before the dam made it flood. Some tree's were topped before hand and some were not. SO unless you know your way around its ment to be pretty dangerous. Not the sort of place I was to be learning to fish. Also the currents in ocklawaha can get pretty fast, to the point where my trolling motor can't move me foward anymore so I've been sticking with lakes since I hit ocklawaha the first time I took my boat out wit no previous boating experience. Although I'm way better now I have still not gone back.

[bnwbassman]

lake lou right down the road from lake eaton is a very good lake for specks and bass. dosent get very much pressure either. also half moon is a really nice lake but its hit or miss you either catch alot or none.

[Crapbie]

Whats the ramp like? I have a 17' fibreglass bassboat and a 2003 F150 2wd pulling it, will I have problems? I'm pretty new to boating and am far from an expert so if its to hard I will keep away for awhile but if its decent I willl hit there friday or saturday. I mainly spider rig in deep water but dont mind moving shallower.

What do you use mainly minnows or do jigs work there. I normally spider rig with minnows and jigs with grubs or marabous. I also use a rod to cast out a road runner and grub and sometimes a minnow a fair distance and bring it back fairly quickly while watching my spider system.

[bnwbassman]

lAKE LOU'S RAMP IS DIRT AND YOU MIGHT NEED TO GET OUT AND PUSH YOUR BOAT OFF BUT OTHER THAN THAT ITS NOT BAD. i HAVE A 17FT MONARK AND A 2WHEEL DRIVE AND I HAVE NO PROBLEMS. ANOTHER LAKE THAT HAS A VERY GOOD RAMP IS HALF MOON. ITS OUT SR40 EAST STRAIGHT ACROSS FROM MILL DAM YOU WILL SEE THE SIGN. VERY NICE LAKE DEPTHS VERY 5-25FT. I DO ALOT OF SPIDER RIGGING ALSO LIKE RON'S ZIP JIGS TIPPED WITH MINNOWS. I ALSO FISH FLORIDA CRAPPIE ASSOCIATION TOURNAMENTS ALOT AND TRY TO POST THEM ON HERE EVERY ONCE AND A WHILE. THE NEXT ONE IS ON THE ST. JOHNS AT POWELLS FISH CAMP IN ASTOR . NOT THIS WEEKEND BUT NEXT SATURDAY. EMAIL ME FOR MORE [email protected]

[Crapbie]

Looks like its going to be windy tomorrow, I was going to go to lochloosa but may try Lou or halfmoon in hopes of avoiding some of the wind. Will let you know how I do. I don't know if I want to enter any tourny's yet but would like to go check out the action and see what gets caught. What time is the weigh in for the next one? Hopefully I could get in some fishing somewhere less busy and then head there afterwards for some food and big stringer watching