Jeep® Sporting Destinations

St. Johns River, Florida

by Herb Allen

"By any measure, the St. Johns could and should be included on any roster of the world's great rivers."

St Johns River

Florida's St. Johns River.

Rising from broad marshlands 25 miles up from south Florida's Lake Okeechobee, the scenic and historic St. Johns River splits the state while flowing 100 miles northward where it empties into the Atlantic Ocean at Mayport, near the sprawling City of Jacksonville.

By any measure, the St. Johns could and should be included on any roster of the world's great rivers.

From an angler's standpoint, this vast watershed can be divided into three broad categories -- freshwater, brackish and salt.

Because of its inland flow and repute as a renowned bass fishery, the majority of Waltonion activity centers on largemouth that haunt various "lakes" or wide, slow-flowing areas along the river, in addition to numerous feeder streams and canals pouring into the St. Johns.

Often overlooked in a scramble for trophy-sized bass are such gamesters as bluegill, striped bass, shellcrackers, warmouth, crappie, chain pickerel and, during the cooler months, scrappy, powerful shad, sometimes in gee-whiz quantities.

At its four-mile wide mouth, the freshwater-saltwater mix produces transitional habitat for many species including tarpon, snook, redfish, speckled trout, cobia, bluefish, black drum, jack crevalle, flounder, little tunny (bonito), shad, striped bass and just about every other specie known to call brackish waters "home."

Then, offshore from the river's mouth, you're in the Atlantic where, seasonally or year-round, kingfish, Spanish mackerel, sailfish, blue and white marlin, barracuda, tuna, dolphin, wahoo, grouper, snapper, amberjack, sea bass and various shark species roam in often underfished abundance.

It's interesting to note that a decade or so ago we'd have been hard-pressed to observe a flyrodder plying any stretch of this long, meandering river.

But, today, seeing fly casters making sensational catches on anything that swims is a common sight everywhere. Heck, even some old-timey, die-hard "Crackers" are trading in their baitcasters, spinners, and cane poles in favor of fly sticks.

Knowing the St. Johns' "redneck" history as I do, never in my wildest dreams did I think I'd see fly shops or specialty tackle store departments pop up in places like Sanford, Palatka, Jacksonville, Green Cover Springs, or Crescent City.

Although recreational and tournament fishing is probably paramount all along this system, it's interesting to note that increasing hoards of naturalists and historians are exploring the river too.

In remote, uninhabited regions, ancient Indian mounds, historical sites, 100-year-old southern plantations, early forts dating back to the Seminole Wars, pioneer settlements, former steamboat landings, squatter shacks, and natural springs are just a smattering of sights that can be viewed along the St. Johns' jungle-like, tree-lined banks and bluffs.

Those with keen eyes frequently spot deer, bears, muskrats, an occasional beaver or bobcat, raccoons, opossums, frogs, snakes, armadillos, wild hogs, otters, squirrels, manatees and alligators by the literal dozens.

Bird watchers see all manner of waterfowl, herons, coots, pelicans, anhingas, cormorants, frigate birds, gulls, ibis, kingfishers, eagles and osprey.

It's tough pinpointing specific fishing hotspots along the St. Johns River because, at any given time, it can be productive just about anywhere.

Some usually "can't miss" locales on the St. Johns will always include bass-prolific Rodman Reservoir, a dammed lake off the river south of the town of Interlachen.

What's more, Rodman will get even better following a recently completed drawdown project conducted by the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission.

Aimed at removing bottom sediments and reducing nuisance aquatic plant growth, this successful drawdown is just one of an ongoing and expanding Commission program of statewide lake renovations.

A couple of "for instances" center on two recent trips booked by guide Nelson Hulvey.

On one safari, Hulvey had Akron, Ohio's Richard Gannon in tow and the pair caught and released 272 bass to eight pounds in just four days of fishing. Another trip saw Hulvey put Dr. Clinton Cooke and his wife, Royce, onto 580 bass to 10 pounds, seven catfish, four chain pickerel, and one striped bass in six days of frenzied action.

Let's face it, folks, it just doesn't get any better than this.

Just west of the Indian River between Melbourne and Vero Beach in Brevard and Indian River counties are several marsh areas and reservoirs which have garnered so much recent favorable publicity, they've become "household" names in fishing circles.

We're referring to the fabled Stick Marsh, Farm 13 impoundment, Garcia Reservoir, Fort Drum Marsh Conservation Area, and the 10,000-acre Three Forks Marsh Conservation Area.

Other popular sites on the St. Johns proper include Lake George, located between Astor and Georgetown; Dunn's Creek and surrounding canals in the Welaka-Palatka area; Lemon Bluff near Osteen; the grassy shores of Lake Monroe near Sanford; Lakes Winder and Poinsett near Melbourne; and Crescent Lake out from Satsuma.

Since fishing is the official spoken language of the St. Johns, moderately priced motels and restaurants are numerous in any small or medium-sized community situated on or near the river, as are top-notch guides and marina facilities.

For freshwater enthusiasts, here are a few places that can be checked out for more information: Camp Henry Resort and Marina at Georgetown, 904-467-2282; Bass World Lodge near Georgetown, 904-467-2267; T & G Marine in Welaka, 904-467-2628; Oaks Motel in East Palatka, 904-328-1545; Lake Crescent Resort at Crescent City, 904-698-2485; The Tackle Box, 904-328-9311 in Palatka; Georgetown Marina & Lodge at Marker 72 near Georgetown, 904-467-2002; and Stickmarsh Bait & Tackle in Fellsmere, 561-571-9855.

If inshore or offshore saltwater fishing in the Jacksonville area is on your agenda, some good contacts include: Capt. Jim Hammond, 904-757-7550 (inshore); Capt. John Dyrssen, 904-223-4181 (inshore); Capt. Larry Miniard, 904-285-7003 (flyrod specialist); and Capt. Roger Walker, 904-249-2380 (offshore).

A big angler favorite, the St. Johns River is a huge watershed, full of fish-filled surprises that certainly merit attention from anyone who enjoys consistent, mind-boggling finny combat with a variety of tackle testers.

Try it and it's almost guaranteed you'll return again and again.

Copyright © 1999 Herb Allen. All rights reserved.

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