Super User geo g Posted June 15, 2020 Super User Posted June 15, 2020 Any news on Felesmere opening any time soon to boats? Quote
Fishing_FF Posted June 16, 2020 Posted June 16, 2020 No word yet. Ramp is done though. The road is horrendous right now from trucks hauling rocks for rip-rap repair. There is talk the ramp will open after the road is repaired and some kind of plan for social distancing is in place. Everyone is going to mob Headwaters Lake (the official name given now what everyone calls Fellsmere reservoir). The stakeholders (FMV the company that owns the land under the water, SJWMD the government agency the owns the water, and FWC the government agency responsible for anything alive in the water) all have to agree to anything before it can be done. This is why it took forever to get the ramp in, as one of the stakeholders didn't want boats there period and then another wanted "restrictions" once they agreed to boats. These signs were put up about a week ago at S canal which is where the boat ramp is located. I can update this post if you want when I hear a date of the ramp opening if you want. 1 Quote
rboat Posted June 16, 2020 Posted June 16, 2020 Sorry I am confused, is this the old stick marsh/farm 13 or is it a new area? If it is new, where is it located. Thanks. Quote
Fishing_FF Posted June 16, 2020 Posted June 16, 2020 9 minutes ago, rboat said: Sorry I am confused, is this the old stick marsh/farm 13 or is it a new area? If it is new, where is it located. Thanks. It is a newish (flooded approximately 5 years ago) area to the east of Stick Marsh/Farm 13. The levee on the east side of Farm 13 is the western boundary for Headwaters Lake. If you walk down the levee, Farm 13 is on your right and Headwaters is on your left. The boat ramp for Headwaters is approximately 3 miles before the ramp to Farm 13. Quote
Super User geo g Posted June 16, 2020 Author Super User Posted June 16, 2020 I can imagine the first week open will be a madhouse. Wildlife officers will be all over the place. Is the speed limit forever, or just until everything is completed? It will kill some of those guys with new 400 Merc’s. Lol There should be some big old toads in there. Got to put it on my bucket list. Now if they can just stop them from spraying everything! I like the name Headwaters Lake. The headwaters of one of the most famous bass rivers in the world! 1 Quote
Fishing_FF Posted June 18, 2020 Posted June 18, 2020 On 6/16/2020 at 11:41 AM, geo g said: I can imagine the first week open will be a madhouse. Wildlife officers will be all over the place. Is the speed limit forever, or just until everything is completed? It will kill some of those guys with new 400 Merc’s. Lol There should be some big old toads in there. Got to put it on my bucket list. Now if they can just stop them from spraying everything! I like the name Headwaters Lake. The headwaters of one of the most famous bass rivers in the world! The speed limit question was asked at the last joint FWC/SJWMD meeting. The answer is forever, but only applies to the canal. The canal is a narrow 3 mile run to drop into the main lake. The explanation was the stakeholders don't want boats rain past either other or having a bunch of boats becoming disabled by the submerged objects (mainly citrus tree stumps, palm tree stumps, and wooden fence posts). We are already seeing an increase presence of FWC LE officers. There are a bunch of kayakers who have been going south of the border (we aren't suppose to be south of the pump house in the improved fishing area), but since there wasn't anyone out there to enforce the rule, many just ignored it. That changed with the presence of the FWC LE officer, and a bunch of kayakers have gotten tickets. If you wondering, I don't know what the official offense or how much the penalty is as I and the group I fish with have never strayed past the border. We've just heard about it at the ramp. lol Despite the misconception, spraying isn't an issue at Headwaters Lake. The only thing that has been sprayed out there in the last couple of months is the S Canal, Ditch 13, and some of the reeds. In the paddle area north of ditch 13, the hydrilla is thick and topped out in most areas except where the drainage canals use to be. As a reference how thick it is, the folks with peddle kayaks can't use their pedal drives unless they are in the canals. lol 1 Quote
Fishing_FF Posted June 24, 2020 Posted June 24, 2020 On 6/16/2020 at 11:41 AM, geo g said: Now if they can just stop them from spraying everything! I hit the reservoir on Monday, and took this photo for you from the middle of the western section of the paddle area. It's miles of green stuff! Mostly hydrilla, but coonstail, potato duck, Kissimmee grass, lily pads, cattails, and even a little hyacinth mixed in, too. Only open areas were canals. 1 Quote
Fishing_FF Posted August 8, 2020 Posted August 8, 2020 SJWMD finally got everything hashed out with the 2 other groups to open the ramp. A news story came out on Wednesday with the rules for Headwaters Lake. Thursday they updated the story with an opening date of August 10th for the ramp. https://www.tcpalm.com/story/sports/fishing-boating/2020/08/06/fishing-mecca-headwaters-lake-verge-opening-powerboats/3288420001/ The kayakers are already reporting an increased presence of FWC in the area. The FWC liaison to the Fellsmere kayak group, Officer Platt said there will be a heavy presence with zero tolerance to ensure no one gets hurt. Anyone going out there, enjoy and be safe! It is some of the best fishing in Florida! Quote
Super User geo g Posted August 14, 2020 Author Super User Posted August 14, 2020 Got a report from one of the first day fisherman. 5 hrs 136 bass, over 29 in the 4 to 6 pound range. Lines were ridicules to launch. He can’t wait to go again. 1 Quote
Fishing_FF Posted August 14, 2020 Posted August 14, 2020 13 hours ago, geo g said: Got a report from one of the first day fisherman. 5 hrs 136 bass, over 29 in the 4 to 6 pound range. Lines were ridicules to launch. He can’t wait to go again. Yep, I saw his report. He has a YouTube video of his trip, too. It probably helps that he's a regular to the area with his kayak and paddle board. FWC is certifying a 11.9 pounder, which is probably more in the younder category, that caught there on the 2nd day. Quote
Super User geo g Posted August 15, 2020 Author Super User Posted August 15, 2020 On 8/14/2020 at 1:39 PM, Fishing_FF said: Yep, I saw his report. He has a YouTube video of his trip, too. It probably helps that he's a regular to the area with his kayak and paddle board. FWC is certifying a 11.9 pounder, which is probably more in the younder category, that caught there on the 2nd day. They had a great day. My friend is the old guy, not the one that made the video. Sounds like a place for double digits in the future. Quote
Fishing_FF Posted August 17, 2020 Posted August 17, 2020 On 8/15/2020 at 3:23 PM, geo g said: They had a great day. My friend is the old guy, not the one that made the video. Sounds like a place for double digits in the future. Ah, Pete was the regular, so you friend had a good guide that knows the areas patterns . There are a lot of doubles down there. Fair number of doubles in all of the St Johns river headwater reservoirs. 1 Quote
Super User geo g Posted August 17, 2020 Author Super User Posted August 17, 2020 Bruce has been a regular on the stick marsh since it opened up. Now he has a second playground with big fish. 1 Quote
BlackwaterPark10 Posted August 29, 2020 Posted August 29, 2020 Ive fished it three times now. Maybe I am just horrible, but not getting nearly the numbers others are reporting. I also have only caught a handful of fish from senkos or swimming worms. Seems the fish are mainly eating chug bugs, chatter baits and rattle traps which isn't really my style. Anyone else been and have some tips? Quote
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