Rodman Reservoir Fl

[bassbuckets]

Just wanted to let everyone know the bite is on down in Palatka FL at the Rodman. Me and 2 buddies fished via canoe this morning between 8 and noon and hooked up with plenty of decent bass. We got 5 on the day, with the largest at seven pounds. My 2 friends even doubled up at one point, with a 5 pounder and a solid 3 pound bass. Both hit at the same time. They had to have been schooling and on the prowl. We used white flukes and watermelon senkos for shallow fishing the vegetation and what not. We had luck in deeper water as it got hot, just letting flukes and powerworms go with the wind on drop shot rigs. Anyone else doing good in the area?

[Bama Bassmaster]

I was there last week. Caught 25-30 with the biggest being about 6. I was fishing flukes but using them weightless. Caught some on carolina rig and crankbait too. It is definately on down there. Gonna go back Thursday.

[Bama Bassmaster]

 

My biggest.

[bassbuckets]

Holy crap. 25 to 30? I was out there for a bit and only hooked up on five over the course of about 5 hours. I fish from a canoe so its hard to get around that place. What part of the lake are you fishing? I usually launch at the Rodman recreational area, close to the barge canal. But if theres parts of the lake with more activity then I'd love to know bout em. Me and my buddy went Monday and it was cold and windy. No luck whatsoever. Howd you do this week?

[gar-tracker]

I used to fish there in the early 80s when I lived in Gainesville,  unbelievable fishery.

 

Biggest Bream I ever seen in my life.

[Dave Hull]

I too used to fish Rodman in it's heyday back in the 80's. I hear it is back now. Didn't it get drained down at some point? Used to go with Dad and shiner fished looking for the elusive 10lber. Went with Dad countless times, I never got the one. Once I couldn't go so little brother who picks up a rod about once a year went. He caught a 12lber. Can you say lucky....

 

We used to run shiners. We'd hook them behind the vent then use a soft pitch up to the edge of the floating hyacinth and free spool the baitcaster after adjusting it tighter than you would for casting but loose enough so that the shiner could still pull line out. The shiner would instictively head for the safety and the shade up under the floating mass and the pull line out until it tired and came to rest in the hyacinth roots and kinda lay there a quivering/dying. A deadly technique that we learned from a local "Hog Valley" guide name Nelson Halsey aka CYHEB which he said meant "great white hunter". As I recall he was a big beer drinker and claimed to be Bud Dummer rather than Budweiser!

Of course this only worked under the floating mats and as I recall it was drained in an attempt to get rid of the hyacinth which was an invasive plant. Are the hyacinths still present? Anybody else hip to this technique? Anybody ever heard of Nelson? He was a legend in those parts I'm told. 

[bassbuckets]

Yeah, that's the best bass fishing I've seen in my life, granted I'm only 19. Haha. I've seen bream there bigger than my head.Also, the mullet are gigantic. They fly like 6ft out of the water, and splash like heck, its intimidating. I've never heard of the Nelson fella, but sounds like a genius. I must try that technique. The hyacinth isnt too bad, a plant here or there, but during the summer it was way bad. I couldnt use cranks anywhere, or spinners. I absolutely love that place. I wanna live there. I can't find many bass here in Jacksonville.

[South FLA]

 I can't find many bass here in Jacksonville.

 

What? Jacksonville area is a great fishery!

[Bama Bassmaster]

I put in at the Kenwod ramp. I usually fish the canal and up around the d**n usually. Yea we had about 15 keepers and probably put that many back that were in the 12-13 inch range. I havent been back since but I am going tomorrow. Let yall know how it goes.

[bassbuckets]

What? Jacksonville area is a great fishery!

Where do you usually bass fish in Jax? The river?

[bassbuckets]

I put in at the Kenwod ramp. I usually fish the canal and up around the d**n usually. Yea we had about 15 keepers and probably put that many back that were in the 12-13 inch range. I havent been back since but I am going tomorrow. Let yall know how it goes.

Right on, I was there today. I figured between the barge canal and Kenwood ramp. Only caught one about 2 pounds. Either they werent biting today or my luck was lagging. It was nice out though, hoping to go again soon.

[Bama Bassmaster]

What did you throw? Flukes? I have never fished from ramp to canal. I usually start out into the canal or just pick a spot in that forest field.

[bassbuckets]

I threw flukes for a good part of the day. All weightless and drop shot. Didn't even get a bite until I switched to senkos weightless t rigged. I've never launched at Kenwood, is it better to fish over there? I usually end up paddling for hours until I get there. I may just start out over there next time. The Rodman Recreational Area ramp by the mouth of the barge canal hasn't treated me the best.

[Bama Bassmaster]

I caught about 12 today. Had four keepers one weighed about 5 pounds and another about four I will post pictures tonight. Caught them on flukes and frogs. Ill message you details when I get home.

[South FLA]

Where do you usually bass fish in Jax? The river?

 

When I visit my brother in Orange Park we fish the St. Johns River and local area ponds/golf courses and catch some nice bass usually.

 

Here is a good article by Ike:

http://www.bassmaster.com/blog/lessons-learned-st-johns-river

[Bama Bassmaster]

I caught about 12 today. Had four keepers one weighed about 5 pounds and another about four I will post pictures tonight. Caught them on flukes and frogs. Ill message you details when I get home.

Here are pics of my bigest two:

[MCS]

Nice fish.

[Bama Bassmaster]

Went Friday to Rodman. Caught probably 25 or so. 7 keepers. Alots of dinks. Biggest being about 2.5 but they were mostly males. Cold weather pushed the females off I think. Hopefully these couple of warm days will turn the big ones on again.