Father's Day is comin up, lookin for a place to fish

[fishbully 2.0]

I live in Jacksonville and my dad and I are looking at going to a new lake. We fish Rodman pretty regularly, and we've been to the Harris Chain in the past. The one thats catching my eye at the moment is Orange/Lochloosa. Any opinions and/or advice?

[Bassn Blvd]

Only one lake in Florida that is a "must fish lake" is Stickmarsh.  Unless you have unlimited access to the lakes at Walt Disney World.

[fishbully 2.0]

Where can I get some more info

[Bassn Blvd]

Look up George Welcome. He is a guide on the Stickmarsh and a member here on the forum. You can also Google Stickmarsh/Farm 13.

http://www.imaginationbassin.com/

[etommy28]

check your facebook

[bassbanger]

Rodman or Stick Marsh? Which one would be better?

[George Welcome]

It really depends on what you consider a good day of fishing is. If you are looking for that "once in a lifetime" experience I wouldn't drive far from home. With all the rain and wind over the last couple of weeks, fishing is in a slow mode.

Things should get quite a bit better over the next couple of weeks but I would reserve my decision until the last few days. It's a long drive from Jacksonville to the Stick Marsh.

Watch for reports.

[gatrboy53]

orange lake has been red hot all yr. and w/ the recent rain it has come up about a ft. the lake is still xtremely low w/ only one ramp accessible but is still safely navigatible.

weve been avg. 20-60 fish a day,granted many are 12-14'' but enough overs to be fun.

there has already this yr. been a 14/11 caught by dean jackson certified by the g.c. and just last sat. we had a tx.3 fish w/ waivers and it took 22.54 to win they had a 11.8,6 and a 5.we came in 3rd w/ 9.54 and culled several 2 1/2 lbers .also a member of the gc bassmasters weighed a 13/8 in their march tx.

if interested i can direct you to some spots where there is alot of schoolin action and usually can have a ball all day long.

lochloosa is just as good .the water has bben really low but the rains should have brought it up some.

rodmans is just as hot. we placed 8th in the save rodmans tx. w/ 23.17,22.88 after dead fish penalty,and my partner has won two tx. recntly w/ 21+ in one and 18+ sat. in the bradford bassmasters club.tx.

if i was going to a lake i didnt know and wanted to catch fish and have a ligitimate shot at a trophy it would be orange.i can go just about anywhere on that lake and catch fish right now.

[fishbully 2.0]

Thanks a lot I would definitely like to get some information on where to launch in Orange and some spots to hit

[gatrboy53]

heaggy-burry is on the xtreme s.w. end off 441 just s. of macintosh.

you can fish the run from the ramp out to the main lake and catch fish.once you get out to the main lake go to the far n.e. corner (left into lake then far right corner)there is a big cove w/ scattered hydrilla.over against the e. side you should run into the schoolers.they have been there for over a mth.they bite readily.if you want the bigger fish you have to fish off them some w/ flukes,sb,10'' worms,cranks, etc.

all along the e. shore across lake from ramp are good pad fields mixed w/ hydrilla work your way in and out of openings .

[bassbanger]

GATR. How is sampson doing? The one weekend i went to go there it rained andthunderstormed i havnt even been able to stop in yet.

Did these rains bring the water level up quite abit?

[etommy28]

orange is HOT! my club had a tourny there last weekend,(i did not fish do to a college tourny) the fish average was nearly 2 and half pound, only 3 fish limits and 23 boat, so 46 anglers, and 45 limits. no huge fish but the biggest was 5 and a half, but huge fish were caught during practice and the rain had muddied the water a little. basically its going off!

[etommy28]

excuse me i miss read the numbers the average is right but only 17 boats so 34 anglers and 29 3 fish limits

[gatrboy53]

  Quote

GATR. How is sampson doing? The one weekend i went to go there it rained andthunderstormed i havnt even been able to stop in yet.

Did these rains bring the water level up quite abit?

the water is up a ft. or so. we have a tnt(thur. nite tx.) and last week it took 16+ to win.14+-2nd. 12+-3rd. 11+-4th. and we had 11 even -5th.a little boat got under the tressle into rowell for the 16+.thats pretty good for a 3hr. tx.

weights have been between 10-20 lbs. since we started the tx.

thats not sayin everyone is catchin fish.over half of the 20+ boats catch less than 2fish.