Hurricane damage

Just a quick ? from a northerner, how much damage to freshwater fishing is done by say Ike or Katrina or Gustav, the larger Hurricanes. How long if there is damage before things are back to normal?

Well, around here there is not damage to the fishing really that I know of. Fallen trees and brush in the water tend to provide more cover. But as far as damage recovery other than fishing, it took about five years for the full recovery here from Charlie, Frances, and Jeanne. The first and the last storms were the worst. The first storm was small but very powerful and did a lot of damage. The last one was large and just pounded the area with high winds for a long time. So just because a hurricane is small does not mean it does less damage. Just the opposite. The large ones do a lot of damage also if the winds are high but the small compact ones really tear up the areas they go through creating a swath or trail of damage. Some damage from those storms can still be seen even today.

I'm waiting for a few more,so we can fill these lakes back up.I don't want the winds just the rain.Had the best speck and bass fishing year ever after those storms filled the lakes here in Orlando.Also the run off at the inlets had the snook piled up just waitng for baitfish pouring out with the tides.

I am northern too so thakethis for what it's worth.

Stick Marsh/Farm 13 still hasn't recovered form the three hurricanes from '06 or '05. The waves and winds stripped all the grass and vegetation from the lake and it still hasn't grown back.
They really changed the fishery.

It'a a small world Opie1 I was born in Barberton. Do you winter in Florida? I have a sisterinlaw in Pensacola so I was curious about the freshwater fishing in that area. On the Ohio state forum I had asked if anyone knew of some good spots to fish in the Akron area as I plan on returning there this summer for the first time since the 70's. Any info you might have on either area would be appreciated.

Any thing man made (Stick Marsh/Farm 13)(Kissimmee River Canal) will always be effected by natural occurrences such as hurricanes negatively because it was not designed by the forces of nature over time.It doesn't have that time to build that natural shrub and bottom,that most Florida lakes have.You can try but you can't fool with Mother Nature. I always wanted to say that.LOL

well well well ,It's nice to see some buckeye boys on this here forum. I'm from the Greater Cincinnati area. I now live in North Port Fl, which is about 3 miles on the crows fly from Charlotte Harbor , which is where hurricane Charlie went thru. This was a devestating storm to say the least. From what
I can see now the effects on the fishing are not present anymore. All but a small percentage of the mangroves have grown back from where they were ripped apart on most of the shorline in the harbor. I have not fished south in the Pine Island area where the Charlie came ashore ' made a new pass called charlie pass ' and the snook fishing has been great and the shrimp are running good right now as we speak. So long term effects look pretty good. But the short term effects after the storm was terrible. No cover for fish . It was harder to find fish, and making bait was a task to say the least. So there
is good and bad . I have fish in the freezer now lots of different species cobia, triple tail,crappie,red fish,mangrove snapper, and now maybe some bluegill with any luck. So there are effects from storms but we down here in the south have the luck of being able to change up on what fish we want to target on any given day unlike the landlocked folks.

It is a small world old newbie. I actually live in Barberton but I didn't think anyone on here would know where that is! I'm on Shannon by Highland Field if you remember where that that is.
I sent you a PM. Let me know when you are coming and I'll see if we can hook up and go fishing.
I'll be on Mosquito in early May catching walleyes for the freezer. Other than that, I'm open.

My friend who is retired winters in Florida. I'm about 20 years away from retiring. When I get tired of the snow and cold weather I drive on down and spend a week fishing various lakes in Florida to scratch that itch.

slappycrapy, That "charlie's pass" is the north part of Captiva Island isn't it?

10-4 Opie 1