Nick_Barr Posted January 20, 2006 Posted January 20, 2006 I Live up in WA so we dont have WORLD RENOUN bass fisheries but we do have some of the best bass fisheries. COLUMBIA RIVER, Takes 20 pounds to win a tourny in all seasons. Banks Lake, winning bag 10-15 lbs., but you can catch fish all day long until your arm falls off. Then there is Potholes Reservior which produces Trophy Largemouth fishing and Great smallie fishing since the occupy 2 different parts of the lake.  BUT, I am going to Table Rock Lake, MO this Spring for a week and that should be AWESOME. I would have to say TB lake, from what  have heard is one of the best overall lakes in the US. Quote
Panamoka_Bassin Posted January 20, 2006 Posted January 20, 2006 Not that I know these things for sure, but I always thought Sam Rayburn was among the best lakes to fish...or should that be in the past tense? Quote
Super User Matt Fly Posted January 20, 2006 Super User Posted January 20, 2006 Sam Rayburn is an excellent tournament  lake where she is capable of spitting out 20 lbs sacks,  She is also recovering from the LMBV that Fork and Toledo Bend suffered from in late 1999.   She can give up lots of kickers.  Results of the last two Big Bass Splash events paying top 10 spots every HOUR, it has taken an average fish of better than six pounds to make a check.  Thats over 80 fish per day for 3 days which is over 240 fish in a 3 day period being 6+lbs.  114,000 acres, she's Big O'l Sam and deserves the reputation also. Quote
zimmy Posted January 20, 2006 Posted January 20, 2006 i was up on vermillion lake last sept an was impressed with the amount  of 3 to 5lb large mouth an smallmouth fish we caught. everybody is always talking about the minnesota lakes being great walleye lakes but the week we were up there we caught a impressive amount of bass, with the biggest largemouth being 5.6 lb an smallmouth 4.9 lb . i think the only bait i used was a bandit crankbait , rootbeer  and baby bass color . we fished mostly around stump's docks an downed logs .it was great trip  , zimmy Quote
405z06 Posted January 20, 2006 Posted January 20, 2006 Basschaser, if you're in Southeast Missouri then you're very close to 2 of my picks.  One would be Lake Girardeau just west of the Cape I went away to college at SEMO in Cape and fished Lake Girardeau 2 or 3 times a week for a while. The biggest non-Florida bass I ever caught was caught there from the bank on a power worm.  I was by myself and had no camera  :'( . I will be heading down to Stick Marsh next month for my 3rd annual big bass festivus with a buddy of mine. We absolutely love it there and since that's where we spend our money, that would have to be my vote. We only go for a couple days and only shiner fish, but those 2 days are the best fishing of the year usually (hopefully). I 'm getting excited right now just thinking about it and it's still 5 weeks away  Quote
jb_from_texas Posted January 20, 2006 Posted January 20, 2006 Stick Marsh/ Farm 13. I think this one wins hands down for both numbers and big fish. I have two great lakes where I live here near Atlanta. Lake Varner is one of the best big fish lakes anywhere and Lake Kedron is incredible for numbers but I am still willing to travel to Florida to fish Stick Marsh/ Farm 13. I cant say that for any other lake unless I went to Mexico. where exactly is Stick Marsh/13? Â Does anyone have coords/directions on this? Â been trying to find it on google earth with no luck. also, what are the regulations? Â Number of boats on water, hp, etc? Â I ask becuase it sounds like a small lake and very popular. I live in the Orlando area and would love to go for a few days Quote
Super User RoLo Posted January 20, 2006 Super User Posted January 20, 2006 jb_from_texas, Take the Bee Line (528) east to I-95 south. Get off at Exit 156 (I believe) heading toward "Fellsmere". In Fellsmore, make a right turn onto N. Broadway St (north) The road will squiggle left and then right so you'll be heading north again (CR 507). Watch for a Left turn onto Stick Marsh Rd (if you reach Canal 54 you went too far). (Unless it's changed since I've been there) Proceed about 6 miles on the gravel road to the Stick Marsh on the left side. Quote
Super User RoLo Posted January 20, 2006 Super User Posted January 20, 2006 jb_from_texas, The Stick Marsh/Farm-13 is strictly catch-and-release, as I'm sure you know. The lake exploded, reaching peak production in 1992, then fell over. Happily, the Stick Marsh today is enjoying a strong resurgence. It is tannin-rich water and loaded with hydrilla (at least it was). The water south of the east/west levee is Farm-13 (a fallow inundated radish farm). Many anglers regard Farm-13 as the best of the Stick Marsh. DNR reports I've read claimed that bigmouth there reach 10 lbs in as little as 4 years! Quote
George Welcome Posted January 20, 2006 Posted January 20, 2006 Stick Marsh/Farm 13: Rolo, The lake didn't open to the public until 1992! 2005 creel count was the highest since the opening. Someone fed you the wrong information. One of the little ones we caught today. Christian, we marked the locaton on the side of the boat so that we could take you to her when you get here. Quote
Super User roadwarrior Posted January 20, 2006 Super User Posted January 20, 2006 Holy Bejeebers! George, what's your second favorite lake? Quote
George Welcome Posted January 20, 2006 Posted January 20, 2006 The Stick Marsh/Farm 13 is 11 square miles of water. It is one lake with a levee that goes approximately 3/4 of it's width to force water flow through more of the lake. Its developement started in 1987 when 1 foot of water was added to the area using the existing farm levees for containment. In 1988 the water level had reached 3 feet. It took from 1988 to 1993 to complete the lake. It officially opened in 1992 however the locals were fishing it right after its beginning by humping various kinds of boats over the levee. Initially Farm 13, (named so because prior to flooding it was an active (radish), farm field designated as Farm 13 of Fellsmere Farms, was not accessible. A shallow access was cut in the eastern end of the levee to provide access and many a time I had to get out and push the boat to get into the Farm. In 1998 major improvements were made including a paved parking lot and a rebuilding of the levee to its present configuration, which has the west 25% open from one side to the other. The lake has always been catch and release, with the exception of one year allowing 1 fish kept, and then the return to catch and release. Shocking surveys and creel counts have shown this lake to improve every year since it opening both in numbers and quality in both bass and crappie, (specs). Fish over 10 pounds are very common, however it is a lake that can humble you if you don't know its character. We fish this lake more than 320 days per year and the number of client trips will range from a low of 250 to as high as 450 per year. Both my son Scott and I work this lake and that was Scott holding the lady of today. My second favorite lake is Kenansville Lake which is part of this same water conservation area. For those trying to locate these areas, you will find skeletal maps on the pages of St Johns Water Management. Just last week this 10 pound gal was caught. Quote
George Welcome Posted January 20, 2006 Posted January 20, 2006 From Kenansville lake: even the youngsters get the big gals if taken to the right spot. Quote
Super User RoLo Posted January 20, 2006 Super User Posted January 20, 2006 George Welcome, You're absolutely right and I stand corrected. The stick marsh was inundated in 1986 http://floridafisheries.com/updates/istok-5year.html and open to public fishing in 1991 http://hughcrumpler.com/content/view/2/28/ Sometime between 1991 and the mid-90s it was highly reported that it hit a low ebb, but this is not unusual for any new reservoir, after an initial spike. Anyway, your beautiful photos make it clear that the Stick Marsh is better than ever! Thanks for the heads up ;-) Quote
George Welcome Posted January 20, 2006 Posted January 20, 2006 Rolo, Steve Miller built the Marsh: Steven J. Miller 5bsjmiller@sjrwmd.com The Stick Marsh was first flooded in 1987 however water levels did not exceed 3 feet until 1988. At this time the area was contained entirely by remnant farm levees and inflow to the area occurred only from rainfall and runoff from Fellsmere Farms. In April-May 1990, construction of the northernmost levee and Structure S-96B was completed. S-96B allows discharge from the Stick Marsh to occur to the north. (Exit gate in the NW corner) Prior to completion of this structure discharge had occurred through a privately owned culvert structure. In Aug 1993 the levee that borders the east side of the Stick Marsh was completed along with Structure S-96D. S-96D allows for discharge into the Stick Marsh from the Blue Cypress Water Management Area. (Spillway in the SE Corner of the Farm) In 1988 the FGFWC (FGFWC = Fish & Game Fresh Water Commission) stocked the Stick Marsh with 20,000 largemouth bass and 50,000 bluegill-red-ear sunfish. This stocking simply supplemented an existing fish population which was already present in the internal canal system that was flooded. To protect over harvest of the largemouth bass the FGFWC implemented a "no harvest" regulation in Jan 1990. The area was open to public fishing in 1992, prior to the completion of S-96D. I hope this answers all your questions. Please don't hesitate to contact me if I can provide any further information. Steven J. Miller Quote
Super User RoLo Posted January 20, 2006 Super User Posted January 20, 2006 George Welcome, Although I live within an hour-ride of the Stick Marsh, you know that water much better than I do. I spend my time on Walk-In-Water and Lake Arbuckle. I have a neighbor though who fishes the Stick Marsh. He fishes near Structure S-96D that you mentioned and he also fishes the other Water Control Structure, I believe it's "S-258". He claims that these areas benefit from the inflow current after a rain? The word on the street is that Ditch-7 (east and west ends) and the southwest corner of Farm-13 are highly productive areas, do you agree with that? Quote
George Welcome Posted January 20, 2006 Posted January 20, 2006 Absolutely agree with the spillway structures being fantastic when the water is moving. Ditch 7 is the divider ditch and areas in the Marsh, and the point of the levee going into the Farm can be fantastic on certain occasions. It is rare that the east end of ditch 7, (again it is the adjoing area of the marsh and not the ditch itself) is very productive. The SW area was historically the nursery for the Farm side, however the last few years the fish have moved to areas more to the east on the south end Ditch 7 is highly productive for crappie most years. This year the crappie are around the corner on the north end of the Farm. The most productive areas are in the open lake which keeps me hopping trying to stay with the fish. The rewards can be quite good as evidenced by one of my pets. Quote
Super User RoLo Posted January 21, 2006 Super User Posted January 21, 2006 What a beautiful photo! Thank you for your informative responses Quote
405z06 Posted January 23, 2006 Posted January 23, 2006 One of the little ones we caught today. Christian, we marked the locaton on the side of the boat so that we could take you to her when you get here. Save all the big ones for me, George! Â By the way, I can't speakly highly enough about George and Scott and their operation. This will be the third time I have used them on Stick Marsh and have been more than pleased with their services. I have had bad guide experiences in the past, but George and Scott at Imagination Guide Service are by far the best I have ever used. I think every serious bass fisherman deserves a shot at the Marsh, and these guys will put you on fish! See ya next month, Christian Quote
George Welcome Posted January 23, 2006 Posted January 23, 2006 A: We will try, but it's awful hard to ignore them as they are just laying there. B: Thanks for the words: I really appreciate it. Quote
Smib Posted January 24, 2006 Posted January 24, 2006 If you guys haven't heard of  Lake Amistad that runs along the Texas border with Mexico you will soon.  BASS is coming at the end of Feb or early March.  Those guys are going to catch a ton of big fish.  It is an awsome lake.  Bass Champs had a buddy tournament Saturday and the winning 5 fish bag weighed 39 pounds.  I can't wait to see what the big boys do.  Byron the Bachelor has caught a 10 pounder there prefishing.   Smib Quote
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