Road to Headwaters Lake ramp

[Nitro 882]

Went to Headwaters in Fellsmere Fl a couple of years ago in February. Caught a few bass but it didn't live up to the hype, for me a least. The lake is very "fishy" looking and I'd like to go back some day and have the true Headwaters experience. My problem is with the road to get to the ramp. When I went there it was about 5 or 6 miles of the roughest "washboard" gravel I've ever tried to ride on. You can't go slow enough to eliminate the harsh ride. At one point I stopped and removed my graphs as I could see them vibrating violently in the rear view mirror. My trolling motor was also bouncing like crazy but I didn't think it was as susceptible to damage as my electronics might be. A couple welds on my new (1 year old ) aluminum trailer broke and one fender needed rewelding. Held it in place with a bungy for the return home.

I've explained why I'm hesitant to return but the lake's reputation draws trophy hunters from all over the country and beyond. Has the road been improved or did I just pick a bad time to travel it in the past? I used to snowmobile in my younger days and if you didn't hit the trails while they were groomed you encountered the dreaded "moguls" and ruined your machine not to mention your spine.

I expect a few to tell me to "man up" or , as the parking can be limited at times , to just stay away and not bother and add to the congestion but I'm 77 and would like to go there once more if I didn't have to risk breaking my rig.

I've got to haul the boat 1500 miles back home in the spring and don't need it to fail me.

By the way, that 6 miles of bad roads takes an eternity at 10 mph when your cranked up to possibly catch your PB. 😉

[TOXIC]

Went this year and going again next year at the end January.  There is a proposal to pave the access road but it won’t be done for a couple of years last I heard.  I wrote an article for Yamamoto’s Inside Line on my experience.  We went cold turkey and just tried to figure out the lake on our own.  We did very well.  We only used artificials and caught a lot of fish.  We rigged electronics at ramp and trailered in with the cover on to help with the dust.  

[Zcoker]

The road is, well, the road, the dirty dusty road and it will expose ANY weakness in your metal parts! So go as slow as you can and have all things buttoned down so they won't bounce around or fly off. A boat cover is also a must for the dust. As far as smoothness goes, some days are better than others, depending on when they grade it. Regardless of that, early morning before sunrise there's hardly any dust and the road is amazingly smooth, so that's an option. Later on as the heat stokes up, the road turns into a dusty washboard. I've heard about the proposals to lay asphalt but that seems to go back and forth within the budgetary department. We'll just have to wait and see what happens. In the meantime, we'll just have to make do with what we have along with some of the suggestions mentioned.

 

Ironically, the only road that they did lay asphalt to was the road to Kenansville lake, which is just as epic as Headwaters. That dirt road (12 miles of it) made the road to Headwaters look like a beauty queen lol They only laid asphalt about halfway down but it's still better than nothing. Don't know how far they are going to take it but these projects sorta come and go like the seasons.

 

Freshly paved road to Kenansville Lake

 

 

 

 

 

[crypt]

was there last week and they graded it. Will last until the next rains show up. which is this weekend, lots of it. just take it easy and you should be fine. always take my electronics off when going down that road. make sure also that your gear is stowed inside rod lockers etc. will get a lot of dust and dirt on everything. need to open a car/boat wash station at the end of the road. would make a killing.

[Dwight Hottle]

12 hours ago, crypt said:

was there last week and they graded it. Will last until the next rains show up. which is this weekend, lots of it. just take it easy and you should be fine. always take my electronics off when going down that road. make sure also that your gear is stowed inside rod lockers etc. will get a lot of dust and dirt on everything. need to open a car/boat wash station at the end of the road. would make a killing.

There is a car wash on the left heading southbound before you reach the I95 exit. 

[SC53]

What Crypt said.

I was there a couple of weeks ago and it’s was fine. It’s always better a few days after it rains or after they grade it.

Like the others have said, a boat cover is a requirement. I stow my rods in the back of my truck under its cover.  Electronics in the back seat of the truck. Drive slow.

I’ve been going since they opened the stick marsh and there’s good days and bad days on that road. When the dump trucks were running down it was the worst.  The washboard would loosen a crown in your mouth 😂