Son
Gone But Not Forgotten
Lake Seminole is at the highest level this year. Up to the bottom of the dock at Cypress Pond. Rain threatened, but never came. Noticed some boat activity coming by the house today.
I have heard of the acres in size of bream beds in Seminole. We’re they like that,are they still like that? Used to hear a lot of stories in the early 60s about thatStorms that came through here at lake Seminole. Left me with lots of limbs to pick up. Many were dead and still hanging from hurricane Michael of 2018. Neighbor has some dead pines down. Power was out couple times for 30 to 45 minutes each.
I think of those first years after a lake is impounded as the glory years. The nutrients are at the highest and vegetation(especially in clear water lakes,on sandy land) hasn't taken over. Most anybody can load the boat. It seems to take awhile for the real estate people to sell off all the available land and bring in the crowds. I know a fellow that has fished in the St Johns River lakes since the fifties(I guess he's still with us) in the Lakes of George and the smaller ones above George. That's near Astor,Florida for readers who aren't familiar. He told me stories of the way it was then,what a fishing paradise. People come and build mansions and resorts and things go down hill for the good ole boys in overalls and straw hats. We have more money now,but not as good a life in many ways. Enough of that,thanks for sharing and listening.It's been a few years since I've seen real large bream or shellcracker beds. Probably because the areas where we used to find them, are choked with cattails or other vegetation. Can still find beds in deeper water, or with an airboat. Some with the mud motors can still get to areas where most outboards can't go anymore. Spooner field and the mule lot were great areas, I can't get in those two areas anymore with a bass boat. Less area to fish than we had years ago, because the lake isn't managed for fishing. Two things make Seminole worse now. Almost all the old dead stumps out in the lake have broken off, difficult to see now. The vegetation has been protected by poor management. High water during cold spells, low water level during hot periods. High water protects the vegetation, native and invasive. Low water allows super growth. Several years of this bad pattern has hurt the fishing in Seminole. Duck hunters and Bass tournaments love it like it is. Panfishermen, not so much. Bottom line, I can't get to half the areas that I could get to 30 years ago. Would love to find shellcracker beds and bream beds covering areas as large as a big house.
My dad and I used to go down to South Moon fish camp back in the 80s when I got out of school. We'd always fish Blue creek up to the mouth of Lake George, but never out in it. That is one massive lake. Back then, it was nothing to fill your cooler full of fish. Last time we went was back in 2014, and only my dad and uncle fished while I stayed at camp and cooked. LOL They didn't have much luck the few days we were there. Things really have changed. More people, more problems. Also, Mr. JC Hobbs owned the fish camp back then, and I think his daughter is running it now. We went a lot way back then, and had a great time. Used to eat at a restaurant that had bream carved out of wood on the outside of it.Ah, the memories of being on big lake George in a 14 foot aluminum boat. Hunted and fished Florida until 82, then left the state. But loved fishing the prairies in the Forest the most. We will never see those long past years again, nor the great conditions we found our lakes and rivers in. Remembering in the 40's and 50's, Dad and I would drink from the rivers and lakes. Better not try that today.