Jacksonville, Fl Small Lakes

[Bama Bassmaster]

Whereabouts on Kernan. I will be coming from JTB so when I get off on Kernan where are the ones to fish?

[JaxBasser]

I'm not that familiar with the area so this map would probably be more help lol. I fished these 3 ponds with a buddy and caught some decent fish. This was about 2 years ago though.

[MCS]

Hello all. I am a bass fisher and I primarily fishout of my bass boat but I want to find some local ponds because boat fishing is not always time feasable. I live off of Gate and Belfort and have seen you guys posting about ponds over here. I drove down AC Skinner from Belfort today scouting and noticed that big pond on the right and a few smaller ponds on the left. Are those good? Also are there any more good ones over in my area. I havent tried the one behind West Marine or Black Creek but I have seen you guys talk about it. Anyone wanting to get up I am down. Thanks for the advice. Looks like I found a great forum here with some good people. I am gonna try it early in the morning. What about the ponds off JTB where 95 is behind the Applebees and all where all those businesses are. And down Gate heading towards the town center. I see ponds everywhere.

I have fished the big one on the right business park once. Talked to a guy fishing also when i was there he said it has bass and a gator. I fished it early summer, June, and haven't gotten a chance to get back up that way. I fished the area closest to skinner but looking on google earth there are some nice areas around back. Me and my buddy have been meaning to get up there and try it out again. I will let u know if we do.

[Bama Bassmaster]

Thanks for the tips. I pond hopped all day. Started out at the big business pond on AC Skinner and did not get a bite. Went across the street to that small pond by the surgery center and caught one on a crankbait. Didn't spend much time there. Went down to Southpoint off of Belfort and there is a huge pond there. Caught 4 all on Carolina rig there with one going about 3 pounds. All the others were 1-1.5 lbs. Went from there to Baymeadows/9A Park and did not get a bite. There wasnt much room to get around that pond from the bank as most of it is grown up around it. Thats my day. 5 fish total and about 7 bites. Did more scouting than anything. I will post pics of my biggest.

[Bama Bassmaster]

[MCS]

Nice fish.

What time were u out? We hit a spot at 645 left around 830 with 1 between us and a couple misses. But the pond down the street had them bust bait and my buddy landed 3 small ones. Said they were done by 930. Pressure was up and down today. Hoping Monday or Tuesday is good, they have that front coming through. It is gonna be tough for me to get out but want to so bad. Lol

I would think skinner would hold some decent fish, it also flows to a creek. I think though it might have some pretty heavy pressure and if people keep them. And u can really only acess that one side.

[Bama Bassmaster]

I was out there from about 7 - 1. Yea it looks good across that Skinner pond where I'm sure there isn't much pressure. I am gonna try and go some more this week. It is easier fishing those ponds on the weekends though for sure. I was impressed with that one off Southpoint. I was thinking of hitting that big one on the right when you hit Gate from Southside like going to the Towncenter.

[Bama Bassmaster]

Anyone fished lately? I hit that Kernan pond last week for about an hour. No bites. Took my boat to Rodman on Friday when it was so cold. Caught 5 and had 7 bites. Nothing really big but I missed a nice one about 4-5 lbs.

[MCS]

Wed and Thursday was at a pond down the street for time sake. Getting 3 or so in 45-1 hr on grubs. They were small, fiesty little guys, looked like their bellies were about to pop. Today couple of puny strikes. Try tomorrow maybe.

[MCS]

Fished a couple of small ponds today. Casting to the deepest parts with a 1/8 oz Texas rigged lizard, picking up on the first or second big hop after the initial fall. Landed 2 the biggest was maybe 1.5-2 pounds and didn't get a good hookset on a third and lost it in about 30 to 40 mins, the second pond I fished for about 15 to 20 minutes and got nothing.

[Bama Bassmaster]

It was a crazy weather week with the wind and rain. I was gonna go Saturday but the wind was too bad. Plan on going Tuesday to the ponds and Wednesday to Rodman. Let yall know how I do. What color lizard were you throwing. I have been catching most of mine on a Watermelon red flake Senko.

[MCS]

It was a crazy weather week with the wind and rain. I was gonna go Saturday but the wind was too bad. Plan on going Tuesday to the ponds and Wednesday to Rodman. Let yall know how I do. What color lizard were you throwing. I have been catching most of mine on a Watermelon red flake Senko.

Watermelon black flake zoom, thanks for the info. Planning on wednesday so any info from Tuesday would be appreciated.

[trueblue1970]

It was a crazy weather week with the wind and rain. I was gonna go Saturday but the wind was too bad. Plan on going Tuesday to the ponds and Wednesday to Rodman. Let yall know how I do. What color lizard were you throwing. I have been catching most of mine on a Watermelon red flake Senko.

love fishing Rodman. Good luck and let us know how you do. Im having a friend visit in December and plan on fishing there

[navybassfisherman]

New to this forum. Usually fish some base ponds for bass but looking to fish local ponds. Live around Atlantic/Kernan.

[MCS]

Did ok this morning. 1/8 oz. T-rigged Watermelon Zoom Lizards! Had 3 on, landed one, had a nice one and had it 10 feet from shore, jumped and spit the bait out. I didn't even have it hooked, the lizard hooked itself. That sucker held on for a while, good fight lol.My buddy fishing with me saw the whole thing and I showed him the lizard and couldn't believe it either.

[navybassfisherman]

MCS,

I have heard pretty good things about the pond behind Publix at Beach and Kernan. Have you been pretty successful there? I want to give it a try soon.

[MCS]

That's not the one I fish, but try it. I am down south my publix pond is Old st Aug n Bartram Prk blvd. I can usually catch dinks to 1 pound average and every once in a while hook a nice 3-4 pounder. My pond is big enough to have places I can't always reach from shore, it can be tough to get quality. I dunno what is up by u man I hear UNF and some ponds on butler/ kernan are good. Some guys fish around the town center and off gate/bay meadows there are ponds and a park. I don't venture that far north so can't really help ya too much.

[Bama Bassmaster]

I wasnt able to go Tuesday but I went yesterday to Rodman. I caught three on Carolina rig with a Senko. It was nice early which is when I caught the fish Had 4 bites but the wind picked up at 10 and it was rough. I came home about noon. Gonna try to go either to ponds or to Sant Fe Sunday.

[Bama Bassmaster]

Navybass where on base do you fish? I am Coast Guard so I have access to those as well. I live not far from you. I havnt tried the Publix pond yet. I went to the one on Beach and San Pablo thinking it was there and could not find it. I tried the one at Kernan and JTB a couple weeks ago but no luck. I have seen people fishing there.

[navybassfisherman]

Bama,

I fish the ponds up in Kings Bay where I am stationed mostly. They have about 12 ponds up there. One is huge that I like to fish, you really need a john boat and trolling motor. It is probably 100 acres. Largest bass I know out of there is about 16 lbs. Lot's of smaller bass in the ponds but if you know how to get the big ones to bite, well worth it.

[jasonmac73]

Hi there,

I moved to Jacksonville in July. I never knew where to fish till I found this thread. I live only 5 minutes from the Westside Industrial Park. I tried numerous ponds this morning but no luck at all; I did not get one bite. I know that all areas of the country respond to different techniques. What have you found to be successful out here? I was fishing a Zoom Trick Worm (Watermelon Seed). This was my favorite tactic at Fort Stewart, GA. Somedays I would catch so many bass I would need a second bag of worms. This morning wasn't so good. Any advice would be appreciated. The ponds look like a treasure trove though.

Jason

[MCS]

Hi there,

I moved to Jacksonville in July. I never knew where to fish till I found this thread. I live only 5 minutes from the Westside Industrial Park. I tried numerous ponds this morning but no luck at all; I did not get one bite. I know that all areas of the country respond to different techniques. What have you found to be successful out here? I was fishing a Zoom Trick Worm (Watermelon Seed). This was my favorite tactic at Fort Stewart, GA. Somedays I would catch so many bass I would need a second bag of worms. This morning wasn't so good. Any advice would be appreciated. The ponds look like a treasure trove though.

Jason

I love trick worms as well, red shad, junebug, junebug chart tip, baitfish are mainly what I use, worked good fishing weightless in the summer havent beens so productive of late. Weightless stick baits. Zoom Flukes or other soft jerk baits work well too. Spring and summer horny toads or vibe worms, buzzbait a on top. Right now been having luck with grubs on 1/16 or 1/8 jig head or Texas rigged plastics with 1/8 oz.

wacky rigged centipedes. Rooster tails if u have some open water. Hope it helps good luck.

[jasonmac73]

Thanks for the advice. I went back out to the Westside industrial park and tried Texas rigged worms. No luck there either. I really like to stick with the soft baits rather than lures. I have braided line since my pole was set up for fishing in weeds. Back in Georgia I would cast over 10 feet of weeds to fish a hole and have to drag the bass back through the weeds. I prefer to put on a high quality worm hook and flip a weightless trick worm. I can put a couple of bags in my pockets with pliers and knife and go. No need to carry a tackle box.

I have some rooster tails. How are spinners and crank-baits out here? The ponds at the industrial park are all really wide open water.

[pondslayer]

Did ok this morning. 1/8 oz. T-rigged Watermelon Zoom Lizards! Had 3 on, landed one, had a nice one and had it 10 feet from shore, jumped and spit the bait out. I didn't even have it hooked, the lizard hooked itself. That sucker held on for a while, good fight lol.My buddy fishing with me saw the whole thing and I showed him the lizard and couldn't believe it either.

I've always had good luck with watermelon red lizards and junebug red down here. I caught a 4.5 on a topwater frog and a 5 lber on junebug red t-rigged a few weeks ago! also watermelon or watermlon red senko always produce for me around reeds and pads!

[MCS]

Thanks for the advice. I went back out to the Westside industrial park and tried Texas rigged worms. No luck there either. I really like to stick with the soft baits rather than lures. I have braided line since my pole was set up for fishing in weeds. Back in Georgia I would cast over 10 feet of weeds to fish a hole and have to drag the bass back through the weeds. I prefer to put on a high quality worm hook and flip a weightless trick worm. I can put a couple of bags in my pockets with pliers and knife and go. No need to carry a tackle box.

I have some rooster tails. How are spinners and crank-baits out here? The ponds at the industrial park are all really wide open water.

Rooster tails will get u fish. Small bass and blue gill. Cranks, my son uses small ones with success, other use cranks but I don't really. I heard lipless cranks are the way to go down here. The only hard baits I really use are pop-r, jitter bugs, sometimes rapala minnows and a bomber long a. Pop-r really cleaned up post spawn.