Orange Lake, Santa Fe, or Rodman?

[Ring King]

I'm still trying to get out for my first trip of the year. Unfortunately my wife is 9 months pregnant and could pop any day now. This weekend will likely be my only shot for a bit and I'm wanting to make the most of it. I've never been to any of these lakes, but I know that all of them hold quality fish that should be spawning right now. I'd imagine this warm trend that we're experiencing should really have them moving!!

Where would you go if you were in my position?


Other than the hospital that is!!!!

[Chopper]

Of the three you have named, I'd pick Orange. Definitely not Santa Fe. I never caught much in there. It is a lake that really takes some getting to know to be able to catch fish in there. Same for Rodman. If you never been there it would not be my first choice. It can be dangerous to navigate and it too fishes very hard for the first time angler. It took me several years to figure out how to catch fish in there and I still get skunked every now and then.

Of those you named, Orange by far is the easiest to catch fish in and has good quality fish. You can pretty much throw about any soft plastic or crank bait and catch fish in Orange, as a rule. With the warmer weather this week they should be biting pretty good in Orange by the weekend.

Good Luck!

[TeamFATBOY]

Lake George!

[Ring King]

Thanks for the info. I just moved down here from Alaska last summer and just havent been able to get out to any of the famed big bass lakes yet. I've fished a few of the ponds around Jacksonville before work and on lunch breaks but that's about it so far. Seems like the good stuff is all at least an hours drive from the house and with the pregnant wife there hasn't been a lot of chances for traveling.

I found a sweet little place over by Cecil Field called Lake Fretwell that was producing some nice fish for me in the fall. I've made a few trips there this spring and the lake was just turning on. Until last weekend that is. I packed my stuff Sunday morning and made the drive from Mandarin in anticipation of putting a few bedding fish in the boat only to get there and find that the lake had drained !! Not sure what happened but it's about five feet low! Not good in a place that only averaged 5-7 feet in most places !!

So now the quest is on for a new spot to cure the itch!

[YoungBassin]

Rodman is fun, however you must know how to navigate it pretty well before you can be relaxed enough to fish it.

I've never been to Orange but I'm sure from what Ive heard thats your best bet.

I've fished Sante Fe a few times but I'm a firm believer that experience is the only thing that will catch fish on that lake.

Julington Creek is fishable you know. If you're in Mandarin thats a quick fun trip to make just to get out and have some fun. I've caught a handful of 5lbers out of there over the last couple years. Fish it now before summer, as you wont be able to hardly fish it due to jet skis,tubes,etc etc.

I'd be glad to show you around Rodman the best I can sometime. I'm in Jax up by University Blvd.

[gatrboy52]

rodmans is not that hard to navigate or fish.if you put in at kenwood landing .the canal from ramp leads you to the barge canal.turn left and stay between channel markers untill you get to stumpfield.idle out into stump field .the easier to fish is on the left side .throw flukes ,worms,around visible stumps.junebug is a good color.fun place to fish and if you get into them ...rewarding.
orange ,youll have to go to the s. end of the lake to launch unless you have a small boat which you can launch at marjory k. rawlings park.you can toss a fluke or reel a ultravibe spped worm thru the pads on the east side and wear em out.
another choice would be lochloosa which would be a tad closer and much easier to fish.as of last weekend it hadnt turned on yet but when it does it will be ON.you can access it off 301 5 mi s. of hawthorne.
santa fe is one of my favorite lakes but loike most have said.its tough and not very newbie friendly.
sun. from daylite till noon and mon. from noon till 6pm lowry and magnolia are open in the camp blanding management area n. of keystone heights on sr 21.fun lakes usually plenty of fish but most are small.
come on over to my home lake sampson/rowell in starke.fish are movin up big time right now.
or,you can always go just down the road to dr.inlet,black creek and julington area .lots of water and if your lucky may even catch a bass.

[Ring King]

Thanks for the info. I haven't fished Julington Creek yet. I've eaten at Clarks Fish Camp though and it looks like a decent place. It has to be better, fish wise, than Goodby Creek. I've caught a couple bass in there (very small), but it's all silted in and too shallow for doing much.

Black Creek is a mystery to me. I've been over there a couple times with my six year old. We've caught a couple bass under 12" and my son has picked up a few specks that were good sized on minnows, but nothing else. I've put in near the mouth where it dumps into the St Johns and also way up the river towards Middleburg. Doesn't seem to matter where I fish in there we just don't get bit.

I do better in the ponds in Jax!! Matter of fact I just caught two fish at about two pounds a piece on my lunch break and broke a better fish off throwing Yum Dingers in the pond by my shop (right behind Strike Zone).

I might just need to pond hop this weekend if I'm going to catch anything decent!!