Fishing the Okefenokee

• Feb 1, 2009

• #21

jonkayak

Senior Member

JHannah92 said:

Thanks for the info everyone. Maybe I can catch a few before the skeeters tote me off.

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Skeeters never seemed bad to me on the water but step out on land and your toast.

Also I though the begging raccoons were bad but we had an armadillo raid the cooler one night and he was an angry little sucker. I think even the Crocodile Hunter would have though twice about this little varmint.

 

• Feb 1, 2009

• #22

JHannah92

Senior Member

Wonder how well armadillo meat works for fishbait?

 

• Feb 2, 2009

• #23

jonkayak

Senior Member

Check this out. So much about what we talked about and with pics.

I guess there are bass in the swamp.
Bowfin AKA Cypress Trout. He lipped it
Jack fish

http://atlantakayakfishing.com/foru...t=0&postdays=0&postorder=asc&highlight=bowfin

 

• Feb 2, 2009

• #24

slightly grayling

Senior Member

Hopefully Mr. Holt can chime in and provide some information. He lived for years in the Waycross area and is a wealth of information.
-SG

 

• Feb 2, 2009

• #25

Vernon Holt

Gone But Not Forgotten

Ten four. There are bass in the swamp, but it is not notorius for big bass.

When I fished there (1956-1989), I fished mostly on the interior lakes which were accessible from Race Pond. Race Pond is on US #1 between Waycross and Folkston. The lakes were: Ohio Lake, Mall Hammock, and Double Lakes.

On high water, boat trails were open enough to allow the use of a small motor. With any lack of rain, one would need a 12 foot push pole for locomotion.

Bass do not reach lunker size in the swamp due to the effect of serious drough. The swamp will dry up everywhere except the deeper lakes. Gators and otters will concentrate in the deeper water and take serious toll on the bass population. The swamp is notorious for its ability to rebound after serious drought.

Early spring and fall are the favored times for visiting the swamp since the weather is moderate at this time.

Visiting the swamp is always a rewarding experience.

 

• Feb 2, 2009

• #26

JHannah92

Senior Member

Thanks again everyone for the info.

 

• Feb 3, 2009

• #27

cotton top

Senior Member

Mr. Holt are you related to the John Holt that used to be the concessioner at the swamp canal in Folkston?
He was a for real swamp man. Also about the time was a ole friend named Doc Ryder, now they LIVED the swamp. [sorry for stepping on your thread]

 

• Feb 4, 2009

• #28

Vernon Holt

Gone But Not Forgotten

I knew of John Holt, but our paths never crossed. We are not related as far as I knew.

I knew many of the swampers who lived in Charlton County. They are great story tellers. Numerous books have been written about the lives of these people.

 

• Feb 4, 2009

• #29

S

ssmith

Senior Member

Book on Swamp

Reading all this made me think of a book on the swamp Ihave ,written in 1938 by Hamp Mizzell. Pictures etc.
Vernon, you might remember the book or have a copy.

 

• Feb 5, 2009

• #30

cotton top

Senior Member

I know or used to know a lot of the people we read about now days. It sure does make a person feel old. I live here in Charlton Co. Right next to the swamp canal. I spent many a day in that place before it became such a tourist attraction.

If you are going fishing better go before it gets warm enough for all the tour boats. Have a good summer and be careful, thanks for reading. BSM

 

• Mar 10, 2009

• #31

Mac

Senior Member

Thanks for the info, I am planning a trip down toward the end of March

 

• Mar 10, 2009

• #32

Tim L

Senior Member

Are there any parks are public land down there with enough space to bank fish? What are the criiters (blood sucking insects) like in winter?

 

• Mar 10, 2009

• #33

massafibassa

Senior Member

I have fished the Suwanee Canal and other parts of the swamp many times form 1975 to 1990 , hav'nt been there in quite a while. Bass fishing is very tough largest bass we ever caught maybe 3 lbs, even the dinks are scarce. Your best bet would be Warmouth - crayfish or pinks for bait, Jackfish - any floating plug or rooster tail. Catfish and Fliers. You will catch Mudfish on just about any bait you try. Sorry about the Bass just absolutely one of the worst places to catch them.

 

• Feb 28, 2019

• #34

fredw

Retired Moderator

Bringing this old thread back up for any other information.

Carolyn and I have reservations at Stephen C Foster in May and want to fish. There's a lot of good info in this thread. Anyone have a photo of the yellow sally that folks use here? I fly fish and am aware of the yellow sally that trout fishermen use. Same thing or no?

 

• Mar 1, 2019

• #35

O

oldguy

Senior Member

Twenty five ought six said:

Look for a Snagless Sally. Great lure for fishing the swamp.

Warmouth are the big target fish. Drag the ditches for crawfish, or get some red wigglers, and fish the stumps and cypress knees.

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Any time I see somebody chuncking a yellow or white Snagless Sally I ask how the mudfish bittin'? I know they catch bass too but the mudfish can't leave 'em alone!

 

• Mar 1, 2019

• #36

joepuppy

Senior Member

Thanks for bringing this back up. I am thinking about a weekend trip this year to the swamp. The last drought was in spring 2017 when the western side burned. I spent 2 weeks down there on a fire crew. It should have recovered nicely by now.

 

• Mar 2, 2019

• #37

Big7

The Oracle

Holy OLD Threads !

I went once. NEVER AGAIN. Maybe in the dead of winter. If it's warm or hot, don't wait for me.?