St. Johns River Fishing Report Archives
St. Johns River - Nov 25, 2006
Despite windy, cold weather, anglers are finding decent numbers of black
crappie, also known as speckled perch, along the St. Johns between South
River and Lake Poinsett. Most of these fish are coming on live minnows or
small jigs tipped with a minnow while drifting. Anglers are using the wind to
their advantage and are drifting over open water and along outside edges
of grass and lily pads. The better colors of jigs have been green, chartreuse
and yellow with most fish being in water at least 4 feet deep. Capt. Mullet
Bait and Tackle shop reports a 16 1/2 inch crappie being caught at Lake
Washington today, which is unusually large for these panfish.
Bass activity has been decent as well for anglers willing to work for them.
Live shiners and soft jerkbaits cast along edges of vegetation, especially
from about mid-morning through the middle of the afternoon, has been best.
Most of the bass average less than 2 pounds.
St. Johns River - Nov 9, 2006
Anglers at Lake Washington, west of Melbourne, are finding good catches
of crappie when trolling smoke and metalic flake-colored jigs and live
minnows around the north corner spillway as well as in the middle of the
lake. Generally, mornings and late afternoons are best, however, over-cast
days are also producing well.
St. Johns River - Nov 2, 2006
Cool temperatures have energized fish populations along much of the St.
Johns River system. Lakes Poinsett, Winder and Washington, west of
Melbourne and Cocoa, have all been producing decent catches of bass and
panfish. Most bass anglers are working outside edges of vegetation around
the lakes and along the main river system. Some anglers report flipping with
plastic worms and craws in the thickest shoreline vegetation with success,
even in the middle of the day. The majority of bass are being caught on
plastic worms and live shiners just outside vegetation.
Look for crappie outside grass lines and in open water. Most anglers are
doing best while slow trolling with live minnows and small jigs. Depending
on the weather conditions, different jig color patterns are working best.
During over-cast conditions anglers are doing better with bright color
combinations, such as chartreuse, white and pink. On bright days, try a salt
and pepper, smoke or amber-colored jig.
Bluegill are still active though few anglers are targeting them. Look for the
better catches of bluegill around lily pads and reeds where they are hitting
small popping bugs and live crickets.
St. Johns River, Lakes Washington, Poinsett and Winder
Sep 13, 2006
Good bass activity at Lake Washington, with decent numbers of fish to 5 pounds.
Most of these fish are active early and late in the day. The north and south ends of
the lake, where the river enters and exits Washington, seem to be producing best.
Anglers report the bass are most active when baitfish are present. Bass-sized curly
tail jigs, plastic worms and crankbaits are all accounting for catches.
Water quality is poor at lakes Winder and Poinsett right now. Agricultural run-off
along canals are likely to blame, however, clarity should improve over the next few
weeks. Avoid areas of cloudy, smelly water.
