Orange & lochloosa water levels

[SWAMP FOX]

Anyone have any info on water levels at Orange and Lochloosa following the rains from Tropical Storm Debby?
Thanks.

[6mm]

My friend called the fishcamp at Lochloosa Harbour. My friend was told that the water has only came up about a foot even after all the rain. They said the reason was is because a sinkhole has opened in Orange Lake basically draining the lake. This causes the water to run out of Lochloosa thru Cross Creek and into Orange Lake. Until the sinkhole problem is fixed it doesn't look like Lochloosa will fill up. If anyone has heard anything different I would like to know.

[SlowRideStu]

Im not an expert...... but it sounds to me for a good few more years...... the fishing wont be worth a squat there.

darn shame............ even when they do fill.............. what fish have survived to populate the lake moving forward?

is 5 years enought to repopulate a lake from fry to decent fish? man o man............. please someone tell me my thinking is incorrect......... I could use the good news, loving crappie fishing in the state of florida.

[6mm]

Stu they claim the speck fishing is still real good in the lake. You just need a flat bottom boat and a push pole to get out a little deep to start your engine. At least that's how it was the last time I was their. Their is still good fishing. I just don't know where they spawned this year with the most of the grass and lilly pads out of the water. Maybe someone has a more recent report.

[SpeckTracker]

Do all the fish swim down in the sink hole and go to other lakes through the aquafier? I know stupid question.

[SWAMP FOX]

6MM
Did you launch at Lochloosa Harbor or at the public ramp?
Thanks.

[6mm]

Swamp Fox it was a few months back but we launced from Lochloosa Harbor. If the water has come up a foot you shouldn't have to pole out very far to be able to use your motor. I didn't look but I was told the public ramp was unusable. They actually dug out at the Lochloosa Harbor ramp to make it usable. Who knows maybe the water is higher then I was told.

[perentz]

Fished Lochloosa Saturday. I have a 17 ft G3 with a Yamaha 70. Launched fine. Had to trim way up to run motor out to approximately 200 yards out of harbor. Once out it was fine. Fished in 5 to 7 ft water On opposite side of lake from harbor to the left of opening for Little Lochloosa. Caught limit trolling in 3 hours. Fish were not as big as they were before it got so low but everyone still big enough to fillet.

[T.C.]

Not sure of the size you kept parentz but some people at Loochloosa keep the smallest fish I have ever seen anywhere in FL. I have seen guys with 5 gallon buckets full on specks with none being over 10", its ridiculous.

[SlowRideStu]

Well, Im glad to hear the fish are there, and surviving. Darn shame to see a lake with its history..... just dry up