Ochlocknee River - 5/21/2006

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RonHarrison
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Ochlocknee River - 5/21/2006

Post by RonHarrison »

I launched at the County Road 12 (Fairbanks Ferry Road) Bridge on the Ochlocknee River at daybreak today.

The Ochlocknee was very muddy and very high, according to some locals I ran into when I was taking out.

I worked my way upstream for about half a mile. On my second cast of the day, I got the beautiful crappie below. Sadly, that was the first and last crappie of the day. I got a couple of light bites throughout the early morning, but I'm guessing those were by smaller crappie or bream. I would have liked to have had about 10 of the size pictured!

I stopped and anchored at mid-morning and threw out a few lines with crickets at varying depths. I caught several small (less than 12") catfish with crickets on the bottom. I probably could have caught these small catfish all day!

All around me throughout the morning there were some large brownish-orange fish bubbling/rolling on the surface. I've seen carp rolling/spawning and these didn't quite look like the ones I'm used to. I couldn't get a close enough look at them, but most were in the 2 - 3' range. Any clues on what those were? I might need to find a source for some of that Strawberry Carp Bait I used to tear them up on as a kid and head back out there.

Not a ton of fish, but it's a beautiful river and was a beautiful day. I headed back to the launch shortly after noon and had a bite of lunch. As I was eating, a couple showed up to launch their two canoes. They were loaded down with a ton of gear and were heading out for "a week or so" of fishing and camping as they worked their way down the river.

I went ahead and immediately admitted my jealousy before they detected it! :lol:

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Ron Harrison
Tallahassee, Florida
2006 Hobie Outback Rigging Photo Album @ http://www.nettally.com/rharri/riggingredirect.htm .
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wevans
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Post by wevans »

Not bad at all "sounds like yer learning the river for the first time" :thumbup: different water will produce the same fish, but in a different manner "you will find what they want, when they want it with experience" :thumbup: :thumbup: :beer:
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tin can
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Post by tin can »

Ron, talk to, and watch the locals. They know when the river is right for fishing. If the river is right, you can have a ball.
What was I supposed to do today?
BlindHog
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Me Too, on Sat 20th

Post by BlindHog »

RonHarrison --

I also fished the Ocholocknee (launched at Hway 90 bridge) from dawn till noon and got skunked, bream fishing.

I did land a nice chunky 16" bass (2-2.5lb?) on a beetlespin.

Dunked worms and crickets all the way to the lake and caught maybe 5 little bluegill.

Like Tin Can said, the locals werent on the river and that was a bad sign from the get-go.
Even a Blind Hog finds an acorn now 'n then...
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