A unique website dedicated to fishing information from Florida's Northern Big Bend. This includes the area from the Econfina River west to the Apalachicola River
I am sure that some of ya'll multi-sport and do some duck hunting on the side from time to time. As fall appraoches I find my trigger finger is starting to itch and wondered if any body had any advice for some of the local lakes. I've always duck hunted own in central and south Fla and heard great things about Seminole but never had a chance to try it out. Couple things I am curious about:
1. How is the gator population in fall...bringing dogs good or bad idea?
2. How populated is the lake? Are there lots of houses and if so is the Fla side or GA side better to hunt?
3. If someone wants to double up for some scouting/shooting this fall I'd love to take someone out that knows the lake and could show me around a little. I am in Thomasville so I need to track down the a good launch and get a feel for it.
BTW...this is what happens when one hunter mentions ducks at this time of year. I read MudDuckers post about Lake Jackson and the suddenly all I can hear as I sit in my office is the rush of wings and duck calls coming across a cold fall morning. See....now your doing it too!!!!
"People must again learn to work, instead of living on public assistance." Cicero - 55 BC
Boy...we sure have come a long way since then!
GatorBaiter wrote:Couple things I am curious about:
1. How is the gator population in fall...bringing dogs good or bad idea?
BTW...this is what happens when one hunter mentions ducks at this time of year. I read MudDuckers post about Lake Jackson and the suddenly all I can hear as I sit in my office is the rush of wings and duck calls coming across a cold fall morning. See....now your doing it too!!!!
There are plenty of gators, or used to be. I wouldn't hunt my dog until late in the season there, if at all.
I have not hunted the lake in a few years and didn't hunt it much when I did. Most folks I know hunted the FL side and found plenty of divers.
I found the lake started becoming somewhat overpopulated and was too far for me to go to be there early enough to fight for spots. Once the ducks get here, scouting cannot be overemphasized. There are lots of different flight patterns for the ducks and setting up slightly wrong can be the difference in ducks in the boat or in the air.
If you are looking for a good duck boat, I happen to know of one available with popup blind.
And thanks for the sensation as well. I'm becoming more and more anxious for Early Duck to arrive.
"You cannot change the wind, you can only adjust your sails." Del Suggs
I would consider it if someone becomes interested in the boat without the blind but I would rather leave it together as it is custom fitted to the boat. Let me know if you might be interested and we can talk about it.
"You cannot change the wind, you can only adjust your sails." Del Suggs
Key to Seminole is hunting the ducks that are new arrivals. In order to do this, you must scout alot. I'm usually on the lake every other day just seeing if there is something new to hunt. When the migration is slow, I might not hunt the lake for a week or more. When big groups show up, you can hunt 3 or 4 days in a row and have good luck.
You will see rafts of anywhere from 30-200 ringnecks mixed in with the coots. Those ducks are not huntable unless using a layout boat or similar. Those ducks start pitching in right at daylight and within 10 minutes, they are done. Fun to watch but you won't pull the trigger on them if you are sitting in the sawgrass.
Gators everywhere. No dog for me unless its been cold, <40, for a few days. If the high is 70 they come right back out. Highs in the 50's and lows in the 30's will send them to the holes.
Weekends, the lake is full of people. The good and popular spots will be taken 2 hours before daylight. Skyblasters and coot shooters everywhere. Just because you hear a case of shells being shot, it doesn't mean much on this lake. Right at daylight on a normal weekend, you'll hear 50-100 shots in about 5 minutes. It stops when the wood ducks quit flying or when the guys from N Georgia realize they're shooting coots.
I don't do duck hunting because it interferes with deer season. I do live about 100 yards off Spring Creek and I can tell you, it sounds like the 4th of July during duck season. All week long! I live about 1 mile from where the creek meets the lake and there are a lot of ducks that fly in. During duck season, the population around the lake triples. If you want a real good time, check out Spring Creek Resort. They have some cheap rooms and have a restaurant called Big Jim's that has excellent food and great prices. They serve cold beer and raw oysters when in season. The people that own it are as nice as any you would want to find. They also have a landing beside them (Reynold's Landing) and boat slips. It's nothing fancy, but definitely worth the money.
PS-Forgot to mention the gators. There are a lot of them. I haven't heard of anyone's dogs being taken during duck season though. Last year, a local deputy killed a 12 or 13ft bull gator at the mouth of Spring Creek. He was a monster.
Also its not unusual to hear maybe a dozen shots on the lake on a weekday. Sometimes the lake is just empty of shootable ducks.
Those were the negatives. The positives are you will see alot of ducks and a variety of species. There are alot of landings around the lake so you never have more than a mile run.
If canvasbacks are closed, the lake won't be too crowded on the weekends. Go down to Sealey landing and head S.E. towards that damn. The 1000-3000 birds you see get up, fly 1/2 mile and sit back down are the cans. Don't go there at daylight on the weekend with a loaded gun. DNR makes alot of money off people who can't identify ducks while in flight.
BullHound wrote: If you want a real good time, check out Spring Creek Resort. They have some cheap rooms and have a restaurant called Big Jim's that has excellent food and great prices. They serve cold beer and raw oysters when in season. The people that own it are as nice as any you would want to find. They also have a landing beside them (Reynold's Landing) and boat slips. It's nothing fancy, but definitely worth the money.
That is for certain.
whitebc wrote:
bbb wrote:...or when the guys from N Georgia realize they're shooting coots.
"You cannot change the wind, you can only adjust your sails." Del Suggs
Lots of ducks, but like it has been said most of them are not shootable. Seems like there are even more people, and again most not shootable. I have pretty much given up hunting on the lake and just stick to hunting family farm ponds. If you go good luck.
Great ducking lake and worth the hour long ride. Never crowded, you'll always find and shoot plenty of ducks. It's the only lake worth hunting within a 75 mile radius of Thomasville! There aren't any ducks on any other lake around here . Plus, all of the N. Florida boys will be happy to show you around. Lake Seminole rules.
A bowl of oatmeal tried to stare me down, and won!
flatpicker wrote:Great ducking lake and worth the hour long ride. Never crowded, you'll always find and shoot plenty of ducks. It's the only lake worth hunting within a 75 mile radius of Thomasville! There aren't any ducks on any other lake around here . Plus, all of the N. Florida boys will be happy to show you around. Lake Seminole rules.
SOunds like you are trying to keep him off Lake Miccosukee.
Lake Seminole is zero ground for every Q beam loving gun touting idiot for a couple hundred miles around. I used to hunt it regularly back in the 70's and we whacked some birds. I haven't been in the last couple of years, because it gets my blood pressure up to have idiots set up on top of me and the bass fishermen fish through my decoy spread.
If you hate your dog, take him. If not, leave him home. There are thousands of lizards on that lake.
You have got to get way away from the lights and up in tough slews to kill much other than ringers and cans.
Can season will reopen this year and I need one for the wall, so I will be doing some layout hunting over there. I will try to go during the week and not on a weekend.
The other truth is that flatpicker, whoever he is, is full of chit.
All week long! I live about 1 mile from where the creek meets the lake and there are a lot of ducks that fly in. During duck season, the population around the lake triples. If you want a real good time, check out Spring Creek Resort. They have some cheap rooms and have a restaurant called Big Jim's that has excellent food and great prices. 
