George Welcome

Blue Tilapia What you have there is common tilapia.

If you are lucky, not very long, as the fish will have eaten them all before they have much age at all.

Put a split shot on the line: enough to get the shiner off the surface or C-rig the shiner without a float. As you kill the gar you more than likely harm the fishery, as predation is needed as much as forage is for a healthy bass fishery.

This is a complete show and tell of the waters of the Marsh/Farm. Bring your GPS. http://www.imaginationbassin.com/Summer.htm

Some have improved and some have gone to flood stage. Rain in our area has brought levels to near normal.

From low water conditions that almost equaled 2001, the Marsh has recovered with all the rain that we have had. Inflow areas have been flowing in three locations. Only the pump house produced a substantial bite. The front pipes had a good current flowing but the bite produced was primarily cat fish. We have had eight trips since the last report and the catch has been varied with days of over forty to fighting to get ten. Over the last week and a half trips have been restricted to half days as the afternoon rains have been laden with lightning and pretty heavy winds. Yesterday's trip was executed with calm winds and lots of sunshine. Water conditions ranged from complete cloudiness to barely clean. The best water was found in the south end, center pin ball alley. Pin ball alley is located east of the center ditch. No big fish were caught, but then size is relative to where you are fishing. Baits of choice continue to be lipless crank baits and Senkos in dark colors. Non-weighted was the best approach with the Senkos. Locations of fish have been varied and of course fishable water has been limited by low water. With levels up this situation has been alleviated and the south end of the Farm is again very fishable. Fish found yesterday were deep into the south end. Moving water does not necessarily mean good fishing as debris coming with the inflow can make the current very difficult to fish. Also at this time of the year the inflow water can have a low dissolved oxygen content and not be a friendly environment for the bass. However, assuming the inflow continues the water generally cleans up and this can become the hottest place on the lake, and the bite can be only called phenomenal. I think June may will turn into a super month as the rains continue and the water clears. I would suggest working the submerged ditches on the Farm side with emphasis on the main E/W feeder ditch. I am running a super summer sale this year so if you want to learn more about these ditches give me a shout. Strong possibilities exist for a top water bite. The Senko will probably remain the best choice along the ditches but don't forget the lipless cranks and the ever producing spinner baits. Plastics should be dark, spinner baits white, and my favorite lipless crank bait, the rattle trap should be chrome/blue back w/orange belly. See you out there: say hi if you get the chance.

From low water conditions that almost equaled 2001, the Marsh has recovered with all the rain that we have had. Inflow areas have been flowing in three locations. Only the pump house produced a substantial bite. The front pipes had a good current flowing but the bite produced was primarily cat fish. We have had eight trips since the last report and the catch has been varied with days of over forty to fighting to get ten. Over the last week and a half trips have been restricted to half days as the afternoon rains have been laden with lightning and pretty heavy winds. Yesterday's trip was executed with calm winds and lots of sunshine. Water conditions ranged from complete cloudiness to barely clean. The best water was found in the south end, center pin ball alley. Pin ball alley is located east of the center ditch. No big fish were caught, but then size is relative to where you are fishing. Baits of choice continue to be lipless crank baits and Senkos in dark colors. Non-weighted was the best approach with the Senkos. Locations of fish have been varied and of course fishable water has been limited by low water. With levels up this situation has been alleviated and the south end of the Farm is again very fishable. Fish found yesterday were deep into the south end. Moving water does not necessarily mean good fishing as debris coming with the inflow can make the current very difficult to fish. Also at this time of the year the inflow water can have a low dissolved oxygen content and not be a friendly environment for the bass. However, assuming the inflow continues the water generally cleans up and this can become the hottest place on the lake, and the bite can be only called phenomenal. I think June may will turn into a super month as the rains continue and the water clears. I would suggest working the submerged ditches on the Farm side with emphasis on the main E/W feeder ditch. I am running a super summer sale this year so if you want to learn more about these ditches give me a shout. Strong possibilities exist for a top water bite. The Senko will probably remain the best choice along the ditches but don't forget the lipless cranks and the ever producing spinner baits. Plastics should be dark, spinner baits white, and my favorite lipless crank bait, the rattle trap should be chrome/blue back w/orange belly. See you out there: say hi if you get the chance.

Now that's hilarious right there, I don't care who you are. :D :D

I think you will find that the lock is posted against fishing. The lock tender could get a bit upset at that one.

If the fish has not felt the hook it is still very catchable. Many times I will locate a fish for a client using a rig that can't sting the fish.

Typical story from Yadkin Valley

It really depends on what you consider a good day of fishing is. If you are looking for that "once in a lifetime" experience I wouldn't drive far from home. With all the rain and wind over the last couple of weeks, fishing is in a slow mode. Things should get quite a bit better over the next couple of weeks but I would reserve my decision until the last few days. It's a long drive from Jacksonville to the Stick Marsh. Watch for reports.

Let's see: I was wacky rigging live worms as a child. I would bet my great-grandfather did also. Many methods used today are just spin-offs of what was done with live bait previously. Ever see a fluke or flounder rig? Remind you of anything?

Is fishing really this slow? :o

First level of confidence is knowing that you are on fish. Bait is very much secondary to that.

No it shouldn't.

Look for any kind of inflow area. This can be something as small as a drainage pipe off someones property. If there is vegetation look for areas where there is more than one type together. If there is docks along the canal they are prime territory.

It amazes me that so many think age has something to do with using the latest and greatest of equipment. I'm 64 and one hell of a fisherman, but I can't hold a candle to what I could do 20 years ago: 20 years ago, I couldn't keep up with what I could do when I was 24. It's called getting older. I have to hand it to our older competitors, as I can tell you that the grind of competition in all weather conditions is one major grind. Very few can come close to hanging on over a 4-5 day tourney both physically and mentally. Then to move on to the next grind (tournament?) without a substantial rest. It's not so easy! The discussion of whether or not fishing requires athletic ability comes up frequently with many judges on either side of the fence. Come out with me for 5 days straight. Then hop in your vehicle and take a 20 hour ride and let's go 5 days straight again. You may love fishing but I think your going to have a big surprise on how physically beat you are no matter what your age is. These guys do this week after week, month after month. When I was young I thought that there would be no way my abilities would lessen: but guess what folks, they did and yours will also.

C23/C24 canals from the base spillways west. The Savannas - Jensen Beach and Midway road. Port St Lucie - (walking) Lake Melaleuca) located at the end of Green River Parkway. North end of the north fork of the St. Lucie river - Prima Vista north.

Snook out of the intercoastal/inland waters, is a tad on the mushy/watery side. Snook from the ocean is fantastic.

So far the rain has had little effect on the Marsh. Went out yesterday in the AM and found little change. We have had far less rain than north of us: less than 3" as of last night. However it has been raining a good deal through the nite.

Please Pray For Capt. Tred Barta On his way to Alaska to tape his TV show, Tred Barta suffered a rare occurrence called a spinal stroke affecting his T2-T10 vertebrae. Since there are only 12 of these Thoracic bones, that's a very large area. He is currently paralyzed from just below the chest down. Prognosis is way up in the air at the moment. Some medicos predict permanent paralysis while others have given him up to a 60-percent chance of at least partial recovery. His message to everyone is Don't take a single second of your life for granted.

In addition they have extra dispensable income, so they are in possession of such items as sleeping bags, pillows, TV's, radios, GPS, and cell phones. They get up late and go to bed early.

Training baits: anyone can catch easily with them: What the devil are you people doing out there - trying to find baits that don't work well?????

This is not a comment that you will hear from me usually, however, if you don't know your way around this lake it's not the best place to be without a guide. The lake is getting low! Use extreme caution on the Stick Marsh side. Getting to the lake it is prudent to go out west of the cypress just outside of the entrance cut and proceed to the east ditch in a big arc. Keep you motor trimmed up and use a dead idle as you will be hitting wood. Do not use the diagonal route as there are a lot of multi-limbed tree tops in that path and if you get on top of them you will be looking for a tow. Once in the east ditch you have a clear run to the SE corner of the Marsh but watch for possible floaters. Going around the grass to the divider ditch is touchy so I recommend getting off plane and idling into the deeper ditch. Westward is a clear run of deep water, but again watch for floaters. I don't recommend fish in the Stick Marsh side unless you have some idea of where you are in relation to the dense wax myrtle and big stumps. As the water drops this side will have more visible wood and actually become easier to navigate. Knowing this side has its definite advantage. My last three trips out have been quite successful on the Marsh side. On the Farm side be aware that with low water the ditch edges can be quite shallow. There is still plenty of water except at the center ditch intersection. The pump house area humps are both too shallow to go over so be careful in that area. If you are headed to the spillway area do not attempt to go straight in as you will be high and dry. Go into the channel behind the island and enter that way. Idle in on the north end of the island. The south end of the Farm is difficult right now but as with the Marsh as the wood becomes more visible it will get easier. The low conditions in theory should bode well for the regrowth of grasses as the water clears and sunlight hits the bottom. I have my fingers crossed for that one. On the Farm side concentrating on the ditches should stand you well for some pretty good catches. This is the time when a good sonar unit on the bow is going to earn its keep. If you go out use common sense and you will be okay. I would recommend that you don't go alone! I will be out there so give a wave or say hi if you see me.