Anyone fished Lake Lochloosa in the last week or so?
My fishing buddy and I have done pretty well on Bream there the last couple of trips and want to see if anyone has any Crappie info.
Thanks,
Tom
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Anyone fished Lake Lochloosa in the last week or so?
My fishing buddy and I have done pretty well on Bream there the last couple of trips and want to see if anyone has any Crappie info.
Thanks,
Tom
Mmmm... 47 views and no responses. Must not be many NE or central Florida guys around here.
Tom
Have Not Fished This Lake For Years. Is The Water Low Like It Is On The Harris Chain. Fishing Here Has Not Been Very Good The Last Two Winters. We Desperately Need To Get A 2-3 Foot Rise In Lake Level.
I Think That Will Help More Than Anything.
Joe
Lochloosa is low, but not extremely so. And it is rising. We fish every week, on Wednesdays usually, and it is up a foot over the past three trips.
Lots of Copperheads but they are scattered. Took us most of the day last Wednesday to get our 30 nice keepers. We toss back anything that doesn't make one of us say "nice fish" when it comes aboard. :) We don't even try to limit out.
Tom
i tried 2 fish it a few times and have had little luck. caght one or 2 nice bluegills and a warmouth but not on purpose. i tried 2 catch crappie but that didnt work. of course niether me or my dad have fished them before cept in minnesota. actully we have never caght them in florida. the water levels are crazy low. hope the rain helps.
I have fished there two or three times a year for the last three years. Florida Crappie Association has a fall tournament on Orange/ Lochloosa. I usally head over to Orange for the Tournament. But last Nov. Crappie Usa Came down and the tournament was won on Lochloosa. Try this link and get the report about the Tournament. Crappie USA :: Tournament Results
Try calling these people. They have a nice bait store and could give you a good report.
Lochloosa Harbor & RV Park
15008 SE US Hwy 301
Hawthorne, FL 32640
(352) 481-2114
TIGHT LINES AND KEEP YOUR BAIT WET
I'll go take a look at the site. Thanks.Quote:
Originally Posted by B8fish
The ramp you list above is sometimes called "Yankee Landing" and that is where we always put in. Nice people.
We are going back again on Wednesday.
Tom
Hey Tom,
I moved to Gainesville about a year ago from the Orlando area and have fished Lochloosa a couple times with very little luck. I have had more luck on Noonan's and at Rodman. My Dad and I averaged about 30 per day on Rodman's in Jan. during the drawdown, and caught as many as 150 on Noonan's during the spawn in Mar. I fished Santa Fe yesterday and only caught a warmouth and a gar.
If you are catching 30 on Lochloosa in the middle of the summer, I sure could use some tips! I just can't find them up here in the summer.
Look forward to hearing from you.
flslabhunter
You realize I was talking about Bream, right? And we usually catch way more than 30, it is just that 30 keepers is the 'magic number' for me. I am basically a lazy slug and don't want to clean more than 30. :) My fishing buddy of 35 years won't clean freshwater fish at all. If you can't get 10 pound fillets off each side of the fish like we do with dolphin, he won't bother.Quote:
Originally Posted by flslabhunter1
Tom
I realized when I went back and looked at the post you were talking about bream. It has gotten to the point now that I am even ready to fish for bream. How you guys catchin em? Grass shrimp?
flslabhunter
Quote:
Originally Posted by flslabhunter1
Slow (very slow) trolling crickets. We would probably do better with grass shrimp but we are both too lazy to catch'em. :)
Tom
Thanks! Might try it this week.
My fishing partner and I fished Lochloosa yesterday. Bream for most of the day, but we hit some crappie trolling for the last hour or so before we got run off the lake by a storm.
Bream were slow and smaller than we have been getting. Crappie were scattered and we only had a bit over an hour to fish for them but we got 5 nice ones.
Lake is slowly coming up. Water is a bit higher each week now for the last four weeks.
Tom
Well, we're going again tomorrow. I'll post the results. Weather patterns this time of year make the trips dicey... afternoon thunderstorms are almost an everyday occurrence.
Tom
Fished Lochloosa again today.
Things were slow but steady most of the morning. We got about 20 keeper Crappie (they are still on ice, I've got to go fillet them now). We use the same measuring stick with Crappie we do with Bream... unless one of us says "nice fish" we throw it back. :)
My fishing partner got the most and biggest today, about a pound and quarter on the largest.
But let me tell you about the one that got away... it was one BIG Crappie. I got it right to the boat and we both got a good look at it just as I was reaching down to get the line, the hook pulled. It was a wall-mount sized fish. I'm glad my buddy got a look at it because no one would have believed just me by myself.
This morning, the fish were hitting chartreuse and then just like someone turned a switch, chartreuse quit getting hits and white became the color that worked. Funny how that happens.
Storm this afternoon blew us off the lake, but had a good day.
Tom
Hey Tom,
Glad to hear you guys are having some luck! My Dad and I went to Orange Lake yesterday and caught 39. The largest was 14". We caught them trolling jigs and minnows in 4.5 to 5 foot of water. Plan on going again tomorrow morning. Good luck the rest of the summer!
Flslabhunter
Quote:
Originally Posted by flslabhunter1
I've never fished Orange. Where did you put in and where on the lake were you fishing?
We have been hearing some good things about the north end of Lochloosa too (it has a sand bottom up there) but have been hitting our regular spots down near Burnt Island.
Water was up a little bit again this week too, how was Orange?
Tom
Hey Tom,
We put in at Heagy Bury (sp?). If you go through Lochloosa into Citra, take a right on 318 until it dead ends into 441. Take a right on 441 and at the BP in the town of Orange Lake take a right. It dead ends into the boat ramp. We were fishing not too far from Mike's fish camp. You come straight out of the boat ramp until you hit the open part of the lake and veer a little bit left and straight across the lake until you get in 4.5 to 5 foot of water and just start trolling at a very slow speed with minnows or jigs tipped with minnows. The amazing thing about it is the fish bit until the storms came about 2:30. We caught the biggest fish from 1:00 til 2:00 (right before the storm). There were a lot of little ones less than 10 inches but the big ones made it worth it. We probably caught 100 or more counting all the little ones. It was some of the best summertime fishing I have had in the last couple of years. I am now very glad I moved to Gainesville!
I am going to Hawthorne tomorrow to get minnows and will be at the ramp about 6:15 to 6:30. If you want to meet me there, I can show you where we were fishing. I will be in a green F-150 with a Pro Crappie 175.
Talk to you soon.
Flslabhunter (Shane)
That is a very kind offer friend... I wish I could be there but we only get down that way once a week. We have been fishing on Wednesdays but my fishing buddy has to start going in for physical therapy starting next week and that is going to be on Mon., Wed. and Fri.Quote:
Originally Posted by flslabhunter1
He fell out of his boat (on the driveway) while working on in not long ago and chipped a bone in his elbow and screwed up his shoulder.
We will probably change to Tuesdays or Thursdays for the next 6 to 8 weeks.
I'll give you a shout when we figure out his schedule.
Tom
PS: I saw that 2:30 storm that hit Orange as it passed south of us. We got clobbered later in the day about 4:30. Damn storm came in from the northeast instead of out of the west where we were looking. :)
Tell your friend I hope he is better soon and able to go huntin for those slabs again. I will probably be fishin a lot over the next couple of weeks so let me know when you guys are in the area.
shane
Any One Tried The Yearling Lately? Is It Doing Good And How Is The Food?
Used To Make A Yearly Trip Down From Kentucky In Feb. For Several Years And Enjoyed Going There.
Glad To Hear That The Fishing Is Good On Orange And Lockloosa.
Joe
Well, a client canceled our meeting tomorrow morning so my fishing buddy and I are heading down to Lochloosa again. Weather is supposed to be bad tomorrow afternoon so we will hit it at first light for a couple of hours.
Tom
Today was a bust. Drove all the way to Lochloosa (60 miles) and the motor wouldn't start.
Got back home and found water (LOTS of water) in the tank. :(
Either we bought a bad gas station fill-up that had water in it or the water came in through the tank vent.
Tom
Sorry to hear about the bad luck. Hopefully you can get it fixed and be back on the water soon. I am heading back to Orange today. Hope the storms hold off long enough to get a good day in.
Shane
Kill'em dead over there. :)Quote:
Originally Posted by flslabhunter1
We are going to go back in the morning (Thursday).
I still can't figure out how we got so much water in that tank.
Tom
Hey Tom,
Had a great day today. Limited by 10:30. Let me know if you want to take me up on the invitation.
Shane
We came off Lochloosa by about 11am today too. We did pretty well, but most were small. Still, we got three or four over a pound and some 'just' keeping size.
The guy at Lochloosa Harbor (old "Yankee Landing") even said Orange was doing great. We will have to meet up and you can show us the ropes. We'll be heading back down there next Thursday.
Tom
I Guess No One Has Tried The Restaurant.
Joe
I haven't, so can't give you any info on that.Quote:
Originally Posted by Joe
Tom
Just keep in touch and let me know. I will probably be fishin all next weekend. Can't go Thursday because I have to work. But will be there Friday and Saturday.
Hey Joe where is The Yearling located. I might give it a try.
Shane
Hey Joe,
Found The Yearling on the internet today and took the family to eat there for lunch. Thanks for giving us the idea! It was great. Willie Green was playing the blues; we got to look at all the old outboard motors; the wife got to look at all the paintings, and we learned a little more about Cross Creek and Marjorie Rawlings today. Was a great outing indeed. Also, the other great thing about it was that it rained the whole time we were there:D!
The food was also great. We had gator tail, steakburger, creek boy (shrimp po-boy) and key-lime pie for dessert. I don't think you have anything to worry about. The place was packed. It should still be there when you get a chance to come back.
Talk to you soon.
Shane
Another good morning bite on Lochloosa.
We kept over 20 (they are still in the icebox, haven't even done a real count yet) and had a good time.
It was HOT out there. We quit at 11:30.
Funny thing about today was how many bites we missed. They were short-striking the jig/minnow combos we were pulling. We could have caught two limits if we had taken every fish that hit. It was really unusual.
And I am not all that fond of the sickle hooks now either after trying them out for the last two or three weeks. Seems I have lots of misses on them compared to a regular hook.
They are sharp as can be, but are not sticking the fish (sank one in my middle finger today).
Tom
Yesterday the fish were turned on at Lochloosa. The two of us kept 49 (miscounted the two-person limit), but we must have boated or lost double that. The small ones went back to grow a bit.
Not a lot of big ones but several over a pound.
The wind was terrible. We are fishing out of a little tinny I inherited from my Father-in-law and it is a miserable boat to fish in when the wind blows and not all that comfortable all the rest of the time.
The good news is that my fishing partner is now hooked on Crappie fishing and is rigging his 22 footer to start pushing jigs. He had a 'personal best' day yesterday catching the most, the biggest, and the smallest Crappie he had ever caught. He called his smallest "Aquarium Sized". :)
He is rigging dual seats in the front and everything. It should be a LOT more comfortable boat when the wind blows. More comfortable anytime as far as that goes. Nice to be able to get up and walk around a bit.
Tom
Awesome, Tom! What part of the lake are ya'll catching them in. Are you fishing with a jig/minnow combo?
Flslabhunter
I am staying at the Harbor and fishing the lake this weekend
We could not fish our normal spots because of the east wind. We were limited to the northeast corner up near the well. Anywhere on the west side was out for us because the little tinny just can't handle that much wind.Quote:
Originally Posted by flslabhunter1
The Crappie did not care what we put in front of them. They hit jigs, jig/minnow, just minnows on hooks, EVERYTHING. Color did not seem to matter either. White, Chartreuse, Green/white, Electric Chicken, homemade wooly boogers, blue/gray, they hit them all.
Tom
Quote:
Originally Posted by mystic1219
You will enjoy that. We fish from daylight until about noon then come in and take a break and get a bite to eat at the Harbor. We sit around and shoot the breeze with everybody for two or three hours and then go out again later in the afternoon.
Spider rig 3 to 4 feet deep in 6 to 9 feet of water near the northeast corner of the lake about 200 yards out from the edge of the hydrilla and you should hit fish.
Tom
PS: They are killing big bream there now too. Find a big patch of hydrilla, take a garden rake and pile a bunch in the bottom of your boat. Shake the crap out of it as you throw it back overboard. Separate out all the bugs, snakes, etc. and toss them back in. The grass shrimp left over is the best bait there is for bream on that lake. Lay the shrimp on top of a wet piece of newspaper laid over some ice in a small cooler and they will last all day long. Or, you can just buy crickets at the Harbor.
We camped this weekend, had a great time but had a hard time catching fish. We fished about 4 hours sat. morning, and about that in the evening and then all morning sunday. We caught a few here and there, but by a few I mean like maybe 10. We threw up against the hydralia, and then fished out about 200 yards. We tried fishing anywhere from 2-6 or 8 feet and threw jigs of diffrent colors, sliders, road runners, minnows, ratlle traps, and just could not find the fish. Talked to sevearl other people with about the same luck, but some guys were limiting out and throwing (lots of) fish back. The people at the Harbor were very nice and we liked the lake alot, so we will be back.
Where did you fish? That eastern shore is not really very productive until you get up to the area called The Well.
Glad you enjoyed Lochloosa Harbor. We like going there and it has kind of a 'homey' atmosphere now that we know most of the people there.
Sounds like the fish shut down from when we were there unless you were fishing in the wrong spots. We caught a bunch on anything we put in the water.
Talk to the guys limiting out. :)
Tom
We watched the other boats and fished like they were. started out launching and hanging a right and fishing along the hydralia/lilly pads, then came back up that bank about 200 yards out. Then we went strait across from the boat ramp. Sunday we went all the way to the right end of the lake (from the dock) where the cat tails are and the little creek comes in, and ended up back near the dock fishing out in about 12-14 ft of water.