In the St. Johns River, the Croaker Hole and the jetties at the south end of Lake George are good fall and spring striper areas, and the first few miles of the Wekiva River have several locations where stripers congregate. Live menhaden, golden shiners, croakers or eels are good choices as bait.
Table of Contents
Are there striped bass in the St. Johns River?
Striped bass stocking in the St. Johns River began in 1972. In 1981, further developments in hatchery rearing led to large scale production of the sunshine bass. In total, the FWC and USFWS have stocked over 20 million striped bass and nearly 10 million sunshine bass in the last 40 years.
What month is best for striped bass fishing?
Early fall mimics the summer where stripers feed most heavily in the cooler periods of the day. Early morning and late afternoon is key. As fall moves along and the weather gets colder, striped bass feed more in the warmer parts of the day. The early afternoon period always seems to be best for me.
What fish are biting in the St. Johns River?
Johns River. Largemouth bass, crappie, bluegills, shellcrackers and catfish are the highlights. But redfish, snook, flounder, striped bass and warmouth are also present in the river and its lakes. When the shad are running, they’re a common catch, as well, although they may require the skill of a fly-fisherman.
Where is the best bass fishing on St. Johns River?
Utilize Lake George Lake George, Florida’s second-largest lake after Lake Okeechobee, is a great largemouth bass fishing spot anglers should utilize. Bass congregate here because Lake George acts as the mouth for many smaller feeder streams.
What is the best bait to use in the St. Johns River?
Really live shrimp are good for almost any fish you target. They can be used in the St. Johns River and even in the Atlantic Ocean. Even bass are often attracted to shrimp if it’s used as a floating rig.
Are there alligators in St. Johns River?
Alligators inhabit all 67 counties in Florida and can be found anywhere there is standing water, state biologists say. It’s common to see alligators on the banks of the St. Johns River or its tributaries including Black Creek in Clay County.
Are there bull sharks in the St. Johns River?
There are reports of larger bull sharks being seen and caught in the river. Bull sharks are one of the few species of sharks that can tolerate freshwater. Other species reported in the estuary include blacktip, sharpnose and sandbar sharks. So enjoy the St.
Is it safe to eat fish from the St. Johns River?
Johns River and its marshes as a nursery (see State of the River Report Section 3). Fish caught in the river or offshore are safe to eat, within limits (see 4 below). You must obtain the proper license to fish in the St. Johns River, its estuary, or just offshore.
What is the best bait for striped bass?
Bloodworms and Sandworms as Striped Bass Baits Bloodworms and sandworms are highly effective striper baits just about everywhere these fish are found, virtually any time of the year. Stripers love eating them, period.
What time of day do stripers feed?
Stripers are opportunistic fish, feeding whenever they can, especially at the specific time periods and windows during a tide. Some locations fish best when the current is cranking, other spots are better around slack tide, when there is little or no current movement.
What depth do striped bass eat?
On many of these fisheries—especially in the South–stripers remain in the creeks throughout the winter and hold at depths of 15 to 20 feet. Catching striped bass doesn’t automatically slow down when the winter hits, these suspended fish will actively eat.
Is there a speed limit on the St. Johns River?
Maximum 25 MPH and 35 MPH Speed Zone Signs.
What is the deepest part of the St. Johns River?
The St. Johns is navigable from Sanford to its mouth, a distance of some 200 miles (320 km). It becomes a broad estuary north of Palatka and east of Jacksonville, where it has its deepest channel at about 40 feet (12 metres) and is a marsh.
What is the best month to fish in Florida?
The best time to fish in the state of Florida in saltwater is normally April through September whereas the best times to fish freshwater are spring through November. Each species of Florida gamefish will have its peak high seasons.
Where are the shell bars on the St. Johns River?
Is the St. Johns River Florida good fishing?
The St. Johns is the “Bass Fishing Capitol Of The World,” and anglers from all over come to catch prized Largemouth Bass in the interior of Florida’s beautiful landscape.
Is the St. Johns River fresh or saltwater?
St. Johns River is an estuary where saltwater and freshwater mix, creating a brackish environment. However, the river is predominately freshwater because of its groundwater and network of marshes towards the beginning.
Are there crayfish in the St. Johns River?
Habitat. Black Creek crayfish inhabit tannic stained streams where they can be found taking refuge under tree roots and in vegetation (Franz 1994). This species can be found in St. Johns, Duval, Clay, and Putnam counties in Florida.
What lives in the St. Johns River?
For hundreds of years, the river has been home to many plant species and marine animals — manatees, largemouth bass and many other types of fish, crabs, shrimp and other shellfish, river otters, waterfowl, blue herons and bald eagles, and alligators and other reptiles.
Are there striped bass in Florida?
In Florida, striped bass are found primarily in the St. Johns River and its tributaries, and a few panhandle rivers. Striped bass need long stretches of flowing water to reproduce successfully. These conditions are rare in Florida.
How many gators are in the St. Johns River?
In the St. Johns River, from the Buckman Bridge to the Fuller Warren Bridge, biologists counted 108 alligators while conducting their study, only 14 percent of the estimated population. So, there’s really an estimated 771 alligators actually living within a 13-mile area.
How do you keep alligators away when fishing?
Avoid being near the water’s edge or swimming during this key feeding time. Alligators lunge from still water to catch unsuspecting prey near the shoreline. It kills its prey by pulling it into the water to drown, or crush it.
Why is the St. Johns River Brown?
The St. Johns River is labeled a black-water river because of its deep tea color. The dark water is not from pollution, but rather from the tannic acid that leaches out of the abundance of dried leaves that fall into the swamps and tributaries that flow into the river.
Are there dolphins in the St. Johns River?
Through weekly vessel-based photo-identification and behavioral surveys, our research team has identified over 520 individual dolphins in the St. Johns River (SJR). Dolphins are consistently sighted throughout our survey route, Mayport inlet to downtown Jacksonville, approximately 40 km up-river.