Dumb question time (Tucker Lake)

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BloodyChamp
Posts: 418
Joined: January 19th, 2014, 8:18 pm

Dumb question time (Tucker Lake)

Post by BloodyChamp »

Is Tucker Lake freshwater or saltwater? I know nothing about Och. River or the Bay. I don’t know where freshwater ends or saltwater begins, brackish water etc. I’m a good fisherman which is something I hope everybody here knows by now hee hee but this is just plain beyond my stomping grounds. Before I even get an answer I’ll ask the follow up question. Is it freshwater now with all the rain we’ve been having, and that fact that it’s pretty far into the marsh?

I’ve got to get out and do something different even if it amounts to nothing. I’ve been doing the same ole fishing in the few places where it doesn’t flood, on the days I can actually go fishing. I know a Bull Red probably won’t happen up there in July but maybe there would at least be some mullet, or something else that might grab a lure.
Last edited by BloodyChamp on July 23rd, 2021, 11:34 am, edited 1 time in total.
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Red Beard
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Dumb question time (Tucker Lake)

Post by Red Beard »

Tucker Lake leans more towards brackish and saltwater than fresh. It’s mainly fed by Chaires Creek which is towards the mouth of the bay. So depends on the tug of war between the river and the ocean the salinity. I would still lean towards the saltier side right now. Redfish and Flounder can tolerate this rain pretty well, trout I believe are a little more sensitive to it.

I have caught stripes in there during the right time of year. Can be some good fishing if you catch it right. The lake isn’t very deep so this time of year could be a bit warm. But the creek has some deeper cuts in the swings and an oyster bar or two guarding the mouth of the creek.

Good luck!
BloodyChamp
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Joined: January 19th, 2014, 8:18 pm

Re: Dumb question time (Tucker Lake)

Post by BloodyChamp »

Sounds good thanks hopefully I’ll get to try it tomorrow.
leonreno
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Location: Southwest GA

Re: Dumb question time (Tucker Lake)

Post by leonreno »

“Dumb question time” is my favorite part of the day, unfortunately that wasn’t that dumb, I don’t fish that area but still learned something new and interesting.
ropeman
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Joined: July 23rd, 2007, 1:24 am

Re: Dumb question time (Tucker Lake)

Post by ropeman »

I've thought about kayaking up the creek into the lake, but I've heard it can be very buggy this time of year.
squiffynole
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Joined: April 6th, 2021, 4:54 pm

Re: Dumb question time (Tucker Lake)

Post by squiffynole »

Chaires Creek has some deep cuts for sure, we wanted to see the Indian Mound Island but the last stretch to Tucker Lake too shallow for my boat. I was driven down to the lake one time but the swarm of mosquitoes was too much, worse mosquitos I have seen since one time in the inner bay at Cape Romano!
GaryDroze
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Re: Dumb question time (Tucker Lake)

Post by GaryDroze »

I have kayak fished Tucker Lake many times, launching within the state park at the lake.

It is a strange body of water. Definitely salty, as it is fed directly from Ocky Bay. The main lake is very shallow, with mushy bottom (not good for wading). I have had days there where I swore nothing swam in the lake, and others that produced fish on every other cast.

The closest thing I have found to a pattern is to fish in/near Chaires Creek where it dumps in to Tucker Lake, either at the start of incoming tide on a "high tide" day, or at the end of an incoming tide on a "low tide" day. In other words, a bit of incoming tide movement, when the lake is not too shallow. Under those conditions, slot trout and reds can be had. Not a consistent hotspot, but worth trying if you are in the area with a paddleboat, because the kayak launch in the park is super easy and close to where Chaires Creek feeds the lake.

Do not waste your time fishing parts of the lake far away from the creek, unless you really enjoy paddling for its own sake.
BloodyChamp
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Joined: January 19th, 2014, 8:18 pm

Re: Dumb question time (Tucker Lake)

Post by BloodyChamp »

A little late getting after this but I did, and I’ll start off as usual and make that fishing proclamation - you will not believe what happened. First this was postponed because my friend treated me to frog gigging on Lake Miccosukee and we loaded up! Then he gave me all the frogs! I just ate every 1 of them today after my day at Tucker Lake.

I got to the lake and there was a dude there who I talked to for a while and what I got from him without him saying it was basically that he was a wet a line every day of his life in his spot and never catch anything type, and never go in a boat. That’s just not his jam. He said about what GaryD said, but added that you can get sometimes lucky out in the lake. He knew from talking to all the people who he’d ever seen fishing it.

Then I got to the bridge and there was an old man there alone with no vehicle with his rod bent over. He goes you got a net? I go naw what’s going on. He goes I got a big Black Drum here and I sent my people to get a net. I look down and he didn’t just have a big Black Drum, he had the world record! I told him if he won’t blame me for it getting away if it were to happen, that I’d climb down and get it. He said aight. An inch from the water he goes naw man I can’t make you do it. I go I been doing this stuff all my life and I know you want that thing I would to. Then a second later his people got there with no net so in I went, and I was barely wet before the fish woke back up and was gone. Poor old dude, but get this, he already had a Redfish and a Trout! In all this freshwater that’s pretty impressive.
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Cranfield
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Re: Dumb question time (Tucker Lake)

Post by Cranfield »

The lesson on that tale, is remember to take a net with you. :D
It must have made you optimistic for the potential in future visits.
BloodyChamp
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Joined: January 19th, 2014, 8:18 pm

Re: Dumb question time (Tucker Lake)

Post by BloodyChamp »

I went back and only caught tiny catfish and a stingray. It rained most of the time I was there :roll: :roll: :roll: But obviously I know to keep it on the list of places.
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