Little Ocmulgee State Park - Spring fishing only

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Located just outside McRae, GA, Little Ocmulgee State Park is  just under 60 miles due east of Cordele and about 35 miles south of Dublin.  Head northeast out of McRae on 280 about a mile and turn north on 319.  The entrance is across from the Telfair-Wheeler Airport.

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Pro Shop

I visited hoping to get in some fly fishing.  However, that was not to be.  Looks like a great place to golf, but fishing . . . it's an April through May lake.  I'll explain.

As you can see above the entire 265 acre lake is overgrown with weeds except for some small canoe trails.  I suppose that one could fish those trails but that's about it.  I talked with Sim Davidson, the park manager, and until the state provides funds for dredging the weeds will remain a problem.   Currently, the depth averages only around 4 1/2 feet.


He has used a partial solution the last couple of years.  The lake will be drained in the Fall to knock back the weeds .  In the Spring it will be restocked naturally  as drainage from Gum Swamp refills the lake.  As a result the lake can be fished as early as April.  However, by June the weeds begin to interfere with full access to the lake, again.


The park as a whole is well developed with an 18 hole golf course,10 cottages, 60 lodge rooms, 54 campsites, picnic and group shelters, a pioneer camp, visitor center and restaurant.


Here are more pictures.  I apologize for not getting pictures of the golf course.  I like golf a lot, though . . . keeps people off my fishing spots!

Visitors Center and Trading Post

The Dam

Cottage

Lodge and Restaurant

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LINKS:

Current Georgia river levels: Real Time Georgia Streamflow

Solunar Tables for your zip code: HERE

Rigging your kayak: Captain Dick
Interactive map by Angling Technologies: HERE

FORUMS
Georgia Kayak Fishing
Georgia River Fishing
Jax Kayak Fishing
Gulf Coast Kayak Fishing (you might need to be registered to view this one)

FLY FISHING RESOURCES

DP Poppers
Fly Fishing West Georgia
Books and DVD by George Roberts:
Master the Cast
Fly Fisherman's Guide to Saltwater Naturals and Their Imitation

Saltwater Casting - 10 Steps to Distance and Power (DVD)

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If you are a resident of Georgia and like to fish from a kayak I recommend becoming a supporting member of the Georgia Kayak Fishing Association located at GeorgiaKayakFishing.com.

Tenkara - First little fishy!

TENKARA - The traditional Japanese method of fly-fishing using only a rod, line and fly - no reel!   Originated and perfected over centuries in the mountain-streams of Japan and some say it is the ideal method of fly-fishing small streams.

Tenkara is about fly-fishing simplicity. Eliminating unnecessary complexities to let you enjoy the fly-fishing experience. Instead of gear, you're free to focus on your casting and fishing techniques. The ultra-light and portable gear is great for backpacking, 11-13 foot rods collapse down to 20 inches and the long rods allow you to effectively fish challenging waters. - from TenkaraUSA

Earlier this year George found out about the Tenkara rod and had to try it.  We took it out to a private pond that had recently been stocked which meant that the fish were pretty small.  George managed to pick up a couple of bream and a bass then let me have a try.

This was my first fish on the Tenkara but George probably caught the first fish on a Tenkara rod in South Georgia.

Cool!

Since this little trip George has fished the Tenkara even more.
So how does it cast? 
It is not a Bream Buster with a fly line!  Even though I tended to treat it like one.  George had to remind me to cast it like a fly rod, which it is.
George has had more experience with it since.  Here's his take:


"With my 13-foot Ayu rod and the Tenkara USA line, it doesn't really feel to me as if the line is loading the rod. It feels as if the rod is loading under its own weight, and the furled line gets taken along on the unload. However, I bought some lines from a guy in Illinois at StreamSideLeaders.

These lines--particularly his Hi-Viz Yellow--were made from a heavier material. The yellow line was noticeably heavier, and it did load the rod. I e-mailed the guy and commented on this. He told me he used a heavier material for his yellow lines than for his other tenkara lines, but he could use a lighter material if I preferred.

The guy on the Tenkara Bum website suggests that when fishing dry flies, you fish the lightest line that will deliver the fly. I guess this is for stealth. However, because your line is not supposed to touch the water anyway--only the tippet is supposed to be on the water--I'm not sure what difference it makes how heavy the line actually is. I have some difficulty turning over a large, bushy dry fly (hoppers, big Stimulators) with the Tenkara USA lines. I'm thinking I'll be able to turn them over much better with my yellow line. But I haven't had the time to play with it sufficiently.

As far as wind goes, I have had some trouble casting and handling the very light Tenkara USA lines. Whenever I have to cast a conventional fly rod in truly windy conditions, I always choose a heavier outfit rather than a lighter one. Fishing for striped bass in the wind, I'll go with a 10-weight over an 8-weight. I'm convinced the heavier line helps me cut better through the wind--the way you might choose a .30-'06 over a .308 if you had to make a long shot in the wind.

With tenkara fishing you get the double whammy. Your line is completely off the water during the float. Any wind that's blowing is going to blow the line. It will move your fly in a way that you don't want, and will blow a bow in the line and cause you to lose contact with a wet fly. Apparently the Japanese don't fish wet flies quartering downstream, with the fly line lying on the water. That's the traditional American way to fish a wet fly, and I haven't given it up. It's too effective, and when the wind is blowing a gale--the way the corridor of a large river tends to become a wind tunnel--it's just about the only way you can fish.

The one thing I don't want to do is overthink or overcomplicate this game. Minimalism and simplicity were the first things that appealed to me about Tenkara, and I don't want to ruin that. If you look on the Tenkara USA forum, you'll see plenty of people who are already trying to overcomplicate it. Tenkara has allowed my fishing to come full circle. I'm now tying flies that look much like the first flies I tied as a child. And I'm thrilled when I catch a tiny bream--we always called them sunfish--on my bare-bones outfit."

So there you go.  I imagine I'm going to end buying one of these.  Then I'll probably find I need another in a different length/action for different situations.  You know how it is.

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LINKS:

Current Georgia river levels: Real Time Georgia Streamflow

Solunar Tables for your zip code: HERE

Rigging your kayak: Captain Dick
Interactive map by Angling Technologies: HERE

FORUMS
Georgia Kayak Fishing
Georgia River Fishing
Jax Kayak Fishing
Gulf Coast Kayak Fishing (you might need to be registered to view this one)

FLY FISHING RESOURCES

DP Poppers
Fly Fishing West Georgia
Books and DVD by George Roberts:
Master the Cast
Fly Fisherman's Guide to Saltwater Naturals and Their Imitation

Saltwater Casting - 10 Steps to Distance and Power (DVD)

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If you are a resident of Georgia and like to fish from a kayak I recommend becoming a supporting member of the Georgia Kayak Fishing Association located at GeorgiaKayakFishing.com.

Wacissa River and Springs

The Wacissa River is created by the output of the Wakulla Springs Group located within the first 2 miles of its course creating a very clear flow.  If you'll click on the map below you can enlarge it and easily see the spring locations and other features discussed in this blog.


Click any image to enlarge

Map image obtained from FloridaSprings.info

This beautiful river is marred by its public boat landing as there have been instances of theft from automobiles.  My suggestion is to contact Corky Williams at WacissaRiverCanoeRentals.com  and ask  if you can park at his facility.  Much more secure than the public landing.


. . . and you get a carpeted kayak launch!

TRIP ONE:
I found this gem of a river on a late afternoon effort to try and make it to the Wakulla River at US 98 with enough time to 'yak and fish.  I realized I would be going through Tallahassee right at 5 PM.  Not good, so I got out my Delorme Florida Atlas and found the Wacissa closer and easier.


On my first trip here I wasn't aware of Corky's place.  I arrived at the public boat landing to find several teenagers and some young adults with their children enjoying the clear cold water.


There was a large thunder storm rolling over the area so I had to wait about 45 minutes for that to resolve before I put in.


From the landing I paddled north to Horsehead Spring at the very start of the river.  Here the river is narrow, 10 to 25+ yards, with lots of eel grass and a gentle flow which made it easy to paddle upstream.


As you can see below, Horsehead Spring is pretty small but this is where it all starts for the Wacissa.  It's right there in the water clearing.  

The main river is well attended by other boaters.  Anything from jet skies, outboards and ski boats to air boats.

These skiers were off the water by the time I started after the thunder storm.  All the other boaters I encountered were courteous and slowed down as they passed.  Even the one air boat that passed by me.


Fishing I used a popper made by Steve Davenport at DP Poppers with my 6wt fly rod.  It was already late in the afternoon and the bream were hungry for Dave's popper.  In about 20 minutes I caught 5.  The first was pretty small.

But they got a bit bigger.

Fishing in the clear water and seeing the fish fight is great fun!


I'm convinced that river fish fight harder than their lazy lake and pond cousins who don't routinely swim in a current.


As I got ready to head in a nice little fog settled over the river.

TRIP TWO:
My second trip to the Wacissa a couple of days later turned into something of an adventure with very little fishing.


My goal was to make it down to the Big Blue Hole and fish on the way back upstream.  However, as I was heading downstream I began to hear thunder behind me.  Looking back I could see some ominous clouds.  I picked up my pace so I could make the big spring and return before the storm hit.  


Wrong decision!


After making the Big Blue Hole and heading back this is what lay ahead.

And as I got closer


















I realized I wasn't going to make it and getting off the water was not an option as there are no banks on the Wacissa, just swamp.  


The lightning was frequent and getting closer.  Due to aquatic plant growth I was forced at times to be away from the edge of the river and very exposed out on the water (with my graphite paddle!).


I saw an entrance to a small stream called the Little River which allowed me to greatly reduce my exposure.  I went up as far as Malloy Landing and sat it out in my little plastic boat.


It got very dark.  Rain began coming down in sheets. The lightning became much more frequent and was popping 360 degrees around me with almost no time lapse between lightning and thunder.  I'd never heard thunder this loud.  I was . . . uh . . . very impressed!


This is a picture I took during the storm.

You can't see much because the rain reflected so much of the flash but you can appreciate how dark it got.


Finally, the storm passed and blue skies appeared overhead.  It was a great feeling making that phone call to my wife letting her know I was off the water, in my truck and headed home.


This is a really fun river to fish and one of the benefits of living close to North Florida.


Next, the Wakulla!

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LINKS:

Current Georgia river levels: Real Time Georgia Streamflow
Solunar Tables for your zip code: HERE
Rigging your kayak: Captain Dick
Interactive map by Angling Technologies: HERE
FORUMS
Georgia Kayak Fishing
Georgia River Fishing
Jax Kayak Fishing
Gulf Coast Kayak Fishing (you might need to be registered to view this one)

FLY FISHING RESOURCES
DP Poppers
Fly Fishing West Georgia
Books and DVD by George Roberts:
Master the Cast
Fly Fisherman's Guide to Saltwater Naturals and Their Imitation
Saltwater Casting - 10 Steps to Distance and Power (DVD)

**********
If you are a resident of Georgia and like to fish from a kayak I recommend becoming a supporting member of the Georgia Kayak Fishing Association located at GeorgiaKayakFishing.com.

Columbus - Lake Harding - Georgia Kayak Fishing Tournament

GEORGIA KAYAK FISHING TOURNAMENT - LAKE HARDING
March 12-13, 2010

I was fortunate enough to have time to help with this tournament just north of Columbus, GA as a volunteer. Great fun and what a day!

Temps were supposed to get into the low 60's with clearing skies. Ha! Never got out of the high 40's or very low 50's with wind and some rain thrown in for awhile. Water like chocolate milk because of the recent rains. Just not one of those days one would pick to go fishing.

And, yet, fish they did! Over fifty participants really sucked it up and had a great day. The first place winner, who had to borrow a kayak to compete, won a brand spanking new Ocean Kayak Trident 13 complete with a new Hummin Bird fishfinder, personal floatation device, Capt. Dick's stake out pole and anchor trolley system. Over $2000 worth of goodies!

Plus there were two other kayaks given away. One to a best fish military member and another to a junior fisherman. Then there were the raffle prizes. Great fun!

Here's where it starts. The headquarters for the Captain's Meeting on Friday night before the Saturday tournament.

(Click on any image to enlarge)

Sam and Tony prepare the Captains' Bags.

And there were a lot of'em!

Sitting off the to side was the First Place Prize . . . just waiting.

Did I mention it was cold Saturday morning . . . well, all day actually.

But Saturday the fishing began after a shotgun start attended and filmed by Cefus of the Nuts and Bolts of Fishing and Boating show!

After the start the kayakers began heading out in hopes of hitting the jackpot!

Miscellaneous pictures from the event:

If you missed the BBQ sandwiches from Country's Barbeque (free to the participants), well, you just flat missed out.  These were outstanding!!

Randy (River Pirate) gets some fly casting tips from the TFO guy.  This is one of the other great benefits of participating.  Getting advice from pros and savvy amateurs regarding all kinds of stuff relating to fishing and kayaks.

Stan from Capt. Dick's helps a participant with some rigging details.

The "Sultan of Slime" holds forth regarding fish catching with his secret formula (which you can buy).  He had the fish to back up his words, too!

. . . and more pix.

Some of the kayak winners.

All in all a great time!

For information on the remaining Georgia Kayak Fishing Tournaments click HERE

Nuts and Bolts of Fishing and Boating put together a really neat video HERE

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LINKS:

Current Georgia river levels: Real Time Georgia StreamflowSolunar Tables for your zip code: HERERigging your kayak: Captain Dick
Interactive map by Angling Technologies: HEREFORUMS
Georgia Kayak Fishing
Georgia River Fishing
Jax Kayak Fishing
Gulf Coast Kayak Fishing (you might need to be registered to view this one)

FLY FISHING RESOURCES
Fly Fishing West Georgia
Books and DVD by George Roberts:
Master the Cast
Fly Fisherman's Guide to Saltwater Naturals and Their ImitationSaltwater Casting - 10 Steps to Distance and Power (DVD)

**********
If you are a resident of Georgia and like to fish from a kayak I recommend becoming a supporting member of the Georgia Kayak Fishing Association located at GeorgiaKayakFishing.com.