Jacksonville, Florida area

[Osprey39]

Hey all, I just moved up to Jacksonville at the end of March.  I'm trying to figure out the Black Creek area as I live pretty close to it.  Just got out for the second time this past weekend and caught a few, but all dinks.  Looking for someone that might be willing to share some insight on fishing around here to help accelerate my learning curve.  Reply or shoot me a PM if you are willing to share some knowledge with a new guy to the area.

[N Florida Mike]

Hey man, It’s a little tough on the st Johns river system in the summer. I catch what I catch mostly on soft plastics fished as slow as you can stand it.  Maybe try a topwater frog for the first hour or so.Id be on the water at daybreak and fish until mid morning at least. Then, If the suns out focus on docks( hope you can skip under them).

I would try a black and blue jig in black creek ( even though I rarely fish with them elsewhere due to all the weeds you snag.) BC is fairly clear and deep compared to most creeks in the area. It has a rep. of being hard to fish. If you’re catching dinks that’s better than most do in there. I would also get ahold of some producto tournament worms. use the bigger size one and black grape or black.

If BC isn’t paying off, I would focus on ponds. Easier to find fish. I would go weightless or close to it in the ponds. If you can get into lake Asbury, there’s some good fish in there. Try Doctors lake too - I’ve done pretty good in there on red shad culprit worms.

I grew up fishing the river, esp. Julington creek. I haven’t done well in julington in years, but i haven’t honestly fished it much recently.

There are some good lakes within around an hour SW of you. Georges lake is a real good numbers lake.

Could go on and on…

[Osprey39]

Hey @N Florida Mike, thanks for the reply!  It hasn't been lost on me that I don't see many other people fishing on Black Creek lol.  I haven't seen a whole lot of fish on the graph either and I've spent a good bit of time idling down that creek staring at my side scan.

 

I live in Middleburg though and my main goal was to try to find some spots close by that I could come home, throw the boat in the water and hit for a couple hours after work.  I also want to figure out how to catch fish on these creeks and rivers because they are unlike the grass filled lakes of the Kissimmee Chain that I am used to.  That's why I have avoided Doctors Lake up til now, because I didn't want to give up and just go fish on a lake.  Doctors Lake was on my list for this weekend though because I pretty much fished all the way to the end of the Creek on my last trip.

 

I'll take your advice and try some of those baits.  That's one thing I haven't done much is change what I'm throwing.  When fishing is tough, I tend to throw speed worms exclusively because it seems I can always catch fish on them.  New water, new tactics though I guess   Thanks again for your answers!

 

 

 

 

[N Florida Mike]

Speed worms are great. I use them a lot too. You might try live shiners a time or two just to see whats there. Fish them right on the edge of the pads.

Drs lake is connected to the st Johns too, it’s just much wider than black creek.

Are you military or ex- military? If you are, you can get into Kingsley lake, which isn’t far south of Middleburg.

If you are, take me ? !!!

It has the second most entries in the state for FWC’s big bass program. 

 

[Osprey39]

Went to Doctors Lake today and didn't catch anything lol.  That place is weird.  It's like 1' or less of water 100 yards from all of the shoreline.  I didn't see any grass or anything in it either.  Not really sure what to make of that place yet.

[N Florida Mike]

Most of the grass/weeds in there are gone. Same for the river. That makes fish hard to pattern…

I won a tournament in Dr’s lake once. Caught almost all my fish in and around eel grass.

 They used to  have  thursday night tournaments at Whitey’s. Not sure they still do. If they do That would be a chance for you to meet some locals that fish it regularly…

[Osprey39]

I believe they do still have those tournaments.  I remember seeing the sign about them when I went there to eat one time. 

 

I tried fishing docks in there today, because I didn't really see much else to try.  I should just go and leave all the rods in the box until I can find some fish on the graph, but I run out of patience and have to throw something