Suwanee River

[basslovr]

Gonna be spending a few days on the Suwanee River up around Old Town in a few weeks....anybody know any decent places to launch a kayak and possibly catch some fish? I would be most grateful

[gatrboy53]

there r plenty of places in that area to launch.fanning springs at hiway 19 bridge is right there.i would go 20 mi. north on 129 to santa fe river .e. toward ichhetuckne or w. toward suwannee.smaller and more scenic .easier fishing as the current is fairly swift on the suwannee.

[etommy28]

We fish down near the state park and the current is pretty strong. Piece of advise, everything up to the High water line is fair play, but please be courteous and dont go above that up into the trees, trespassing is a real problem in this area and the land owners are getting fed up. people go out trash peoples property and do things that should not be done, law enforcement has told us they are cracking down.  

[gar-tracker]

I used to put in at Brandford by the bridge, I lived in Ft White at the time, those red Eyed bass were fun and loved little Shad Raps. I would just look for nice structure and cast the banks.

 

Lived closer to the Santa fe, beautiful fishing.

[basslovr]

Thanks for the info gentlemen....I do like the idea of slower moving water....have not had a lot of experience fishing in that scenario...only a couple of times on the upper Hillsborough River...definitely would like to catch some of those Suwanee Bass....have heard they are pretty scrappy....May check out the Santa Fe....that looks real nice from what I have seen online....thanks again....

[gatrboy53]

with all the rain the santa fe has been and still is high. its starting to drop which is the best time to fish. the santa fe is fairly swift also but in a kayak you can get out of the current for the most part.what many do is if you have two vwhicles park one at elli rays and then go up river to 47 bridge and put in and float down its app. 8 miles.there are a couple rock shoals to navigate but in a kayak its not a problem.cast #4 shad rap in craw patterns to bank and hang on.suwaNNEE bass are more plentiful in the sf.the redbellies are plentiful right now also.bigguns,cast bitsy minnow for those. 

[etommy28]

the suwannee is pretty low right now so i would be careful if you go that route. 

[basslovr]

thank you for that information Gatrboy....I did some homework and found elli ray's and the county park at the 47 bridge....we may pull the fifth wheel and stay the night at elli ray's and get in two days of fishin...not going up for another 3 weeks so the water levels may change between now and then, but I am sure we will be able to make due as long as there are no hurricanes while I am up there...how long of a float would you say that is between the two points?....and does it matter what color the bitsy minnows are? and does it matter which craw pattern for the shad raps?...they come in 3 or 4 colors.

[basslovr]

do the tides affect the river that far north?...just curious

[gar-tracker]

A quick funny Suwanee story.

 

About 1981 I told a buddy of mine ill bring him fishing on the Suwanee I got the gas and stuff just bring lunch. Keep in mind this dude was about one of the top 5 cheapest people iv ever met in my life.

 

We meet at the bridge there in Branford get out there and lunch rolls around and he opens a large bag he threw in the cooler and pulls out this gift box.

 

I said whats that? He  reply s lunch.

 

It wound up being one of those gourmet gift box's, you know the ones you see in liquor stores filled with nothing substantial just little tins of olives and mixed nuts, candy. So here we are eating all these little bottles of pearled onions and minute pieces of cheese.I said great I'm full after those 3 almonds and a cracker we split.

 

I later found out he took it off the table at his house and his wife was looking all over for it because she bought it to bring to a friend for a house warming that night.

[gatrboy53]

no tidal influence as far n. as the santa fe.

[basslovr]

 I guess I am going to have to order some of those SR4's online.... I hit every major tackle outlet in Pinellas County and a couple in Hillsborough County and none of them carry the 4's....found some 5's, 6's and 7's, but the only craw colors were in the 7's....I did have one guy offer to order them for me, so maybe I will do that and at least give the business to a local guy....he is a little operation too...I think that is what I will do....I am starting to get antsy.....still 2 1/2 weeks away, but my wife says that I am like a little kid at Christmas time when it comes to fishing.....yeah a 55 year old kid.....lol.

and gar-tracker, that guys was a cheepie....my wife would not have been a happy camper if I had done that.....did you ever offer to take him fishing again after that?

[etommy28]

low an dropping... just be careful lots of rocks

http://www.mysuwanneeriver.com/realtimeriverlevels/realtimeriverlevels.aspx

[basslovr]

Thank you Tommy....is there a chart that shows average normal depth of water? (I know, define normal, right?...lol) the values on this chart show feet above mean sea level which means absolutely nothing to me since I basically live right at sea level anyway. Naturally, all you need up there is a few good days of rain and it will all change.....Thanks for the info...

[etommy28]

not really, it changes so much. in a matter 3 weeks earlier this year it had a 40 foot variation. it literally rose 6-7 feet over night. what i can tell you is i see bass and pontoon boats putting in at the state park commonly even with lower water than it is now. I just wouldnt go too far up river, we have land just up river from the state park and if you go a couple miles past us the rocks get really iffy. 

[basslovr]

Which state park are you referring to? Manatee Springs?....we will be fishing from kayaks, so dealing with rocks doesn't seem to be an issue unless you know something that I don't and should.

[gatrboy53]

the water is the suwannee and santa is above normal but is starting to drop.in a kayak u will have no problems..basslovr, i can send u a couple sr4,s i have plenty. message me ur addy.better yet text me addy my # is 386-266-0359

[basslovr]

Thank you for the offer sir, but I am going to order some through a small local tackle shop here....he said they should be in next week....now those craw patterns come in four different colors....are any of them better than others?

[etommy28]

Im talking about Suwanee river state park. 

[basslovr]

Oh, ok....I don't think I am going to be that far north on the river...my brother lives down around Old Town/Fanning Springs....I think we are gonna hit the Santa Fe River this time, but who knows...may make it up that way at some point....thanks for the info.