Lake Woodruff a big disappointment this year

Lake Woodruff is way off this year when it comes to numbers. Catching 4-6 fish each day isn't the norm. I've heard the lake was sprayed a few months ago. That along with roller coaster temperatures could be the reason. I've never fished the St. Johns. Does anyone have a recommendation for a good fish camp over there with accommodations to launch from?

I stay here. Boat ramp close by, slip also with cabin. Nothing fancy but, typical Florida fish camp.Attachment 365653

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Highland Park Fish Camp has nice facilities with a decent boat ramp.

I heard Tedder's Fish Camp near Deleon Springs closed but boat ramp may still be open.

Castaways on the River, very nice lodging covered boat slips and the Blackwater inn is a short walk away.



"Only a Jerk Don't Jerk"

I’ve had a couple of meals at the Blackwater, good food. I like Astor, good central location for the SJR.

Georgia Boys Fish Camp on Dunns Creek the oldest fish camp in Fl. Simply the BEST !!!!!

I was in Astor this last week and didn't see Jungle Jim's. Is it still open? Thirty years ago I remember turning on the room lights after a long day of fishing and watching a plague of roaches fly everywhere. Not much I could do because all nearby fish camps were full. We all slept with the sheets over our heads that night and left the following day after fishing. The only thing I remember positive about J.J.was the barrel fish scaler. I came home and built one but don't use it much because now I only keep fish big enough to filet.

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Originally Posted by skeetbum

I’ve had a couple of meals at the Blackwater, good food. I like Astor, good central location for the SJR.

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We ate there 3 times last week, it was great every time.

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Originally Posted by 2@low8

I was in Astor this last week and didn't see Jungle Jim's. Is it still open? Thirty years ago I remember turning on the room lights after a long day of fishing and watching a plague of roaches fly everywhere. Not much I could do because all nearby fish camps were full. We all slept with the sheets over our heads that night and left the following day after fishing. The only thing I remember positive about J.J.was the barrel fish scaler. I came home and built one but don't use it much because now I only keep fish big enough to filet.

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Not sure about Jungle Jim's, but I know the old Blair's Jungle Den hotel is closed. Looks like it's about to fall in the river.

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Originally Posted by Greenedog

Not sure about Jungle Jim's, but I know the old Blair's Jungle Den hotel is closed. Looks like it's about to fall in the river.

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That's sad to hear. My wife and I would go there for a week and fish for bass back in the 80's. Was a nice clean family run operation.


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The first time I stayed in Astor was in 2000. I rented a small boat and fished Lake Dexter and Lake Woodruff. At that time they were full of vegetation. Really couldn't troll but the jiging was very good all over both lakes. A few years later I started bringing my own boat. I usually stay for 2 weeks. The last 15 years they have sprayed more and more in both lakes. 7 or 8 years ago you would have open water up until about 100 yards from shore then you would get into the dollar pads. The last time I was on Woodruff they were spraying like it was going out of style. Now not much vegetation at all. I once overheard a conversation with a game warden, he said the plan was to stop so much vegetation from flowing down the river. Well they sure have stopped the veggies from Woodruff and Dexter from doing anything. I'm worried the bi product of that master plan is a drop in fishing quality. Sometimes humans need to let nature do her thing.

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Originally Posted by JCsHOOK

The first time I stayed in Astor was in 2000. I rented a small boat and fished Lake Dexter and Lake Woodruff. At that time they were full of vegetation. Really couldn't troll but the jiging was very good all over both lakes. A few years later I started bringing my own boat. I usually stay for 2 weeks. The last 15 years they have sprayed more and more in both lakes. 7 or 8 years ago you would have open water up until about 100 yards from shore then you would get into the dollar pads. The last time I was on Woodruff they were spraying like it was going out of style. Now not much vegetation at all. I once overheard a conversation with a game warden, he said the plan was to stop so much vegetation from flowing down the river. Well they sure have stopped the veggies from Woodruff and Dexter from doing anything. I'm worried the bi product of that master plan is a drop in fishing quality. Sometimes humans need to let nature do her thing.

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Something has changed sense last January, my friend and I fished Woodruff last year in mid January and couldn’t long line troll for the vegetation, Had about 2’ of clean water and the jigs was hung in the grass, only about 6 or 7 foot deep that was my first trip there but it had plenty of weeds then, caught some good size crappie trolling the river back toward the fish camp where we stayed,


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The fws is killing woody one spraying at a time................

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Originally Posted by Greenedog

Not sure about Jungle Jim's, but I know the old Blair's Jungle Den hotel is closed. Looks like it's about to fall in the river.

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Yes, that's the name of the place. aka...roach hotel.

It'll come back...the grass then the fish. Too many warm and hot months in The Sunshine State for it not to. Hopefully the FWC won't be back to the area for a couple years. I happen to be down last year when they were spraying like crazy in Dexter. The best fishing I've in Woodruff was fishing thru the grass out in open water.