Santa Fe River Fishing Report

Hi everyone, thanks for reading this Santa Fe River fishing report. It was an interesting, and brisk, trip up there to Alachua county.

Jimmy Jacobs stimulated me to make the trip with this article in On the Fly South. I’d been to O’Leno State Park before, with Susan, during our USA tour last year. Jacob’s article made me want to go back and fish the river.

I drove up on Monday (as a cold front came through), intending to float the river Tuesday. The Santa Fe Canoe Outpost rents boats and runs shuttles, for a fee of course. Surprise! I got there Monday only to learn they are closed Monday and Tuesday. Time to punt!

River Sink, O’Leno State Park

I’d been to River Sink. I took the remaining daylight as an opportunity to go see River Rise. For those who have no idea what this means, the entire Santa Fe River disappears at River Sink. It flows underground for three miles, then reappears at the surface at River Rise. It’s not unique, but it is rare, for a stream to do this.

River Rise, River Rise State Park

When I awoke Tuesday morning it was 36 degrees. Didn’t make me want to jump out of the sleeping bag. I’m sure the bass felt the same way. Florida bass like Florida weather, which 36 degrees is not. I fished with a spin rod in the state park, did not touch a fish.

The cooters were trying to get warm.

I went wading with a fly rod, parked at the High Springs Boat Ramp. There’s a little rapid there caused by a limestone shoal, which Suwannee bass  supposedly like. I fished it well, I thought, with a bunny strip fly, crawfish colored. Did not touch a fish.

Having been skunked before after cold fronts, I figured I should use the rest of the day to check out the area. I went and visited both Gilchrist Blue Spring and Poe Spring. Had I not fished, it would have been possible to visit other springs, including Ichetucknee. But after Poe Spring the day was old, so I went back to my campsite at O’Leno State Park, ate, and had the pleasure of reading Josh Greenberg’s Trout Water. Anyone who enjoys fly fishing would enjoy this brilliantly written book. Highly recommended!

Wednesday morning rolled around, soon enough. Forty-six degrees! A heat wave! I got up and did the morning stuff, then drove to the Canoe Outpost. They were open, and for 22 bucks I got a shuttle down to Poe Spring Park, where I left the van. We returned to the Outpost, where I hopped in the kayak and started floating, under heavy overcast, the seven miles down to Poe.

This stumpknocker hit the mouse fly. How hungry can it be??

My first fish, on the same bunny strip fly, came within minutes. It was a stumpknocker. My next fish came within a couple more minutes. It was a bass, not much bigger than the sunfish. Jacob’s article said something about big streamers, so I tied on the biggest eelworm I had. After an hour of tossing that thing, which seemed like real work, I had not touched a fish. I cut it off, tied on the foam mouse, and went back to work.

The first real fish of the day.

The first bite surprised me, but I got the fish anyway, a bass of a pound or a little more.

Stumpknockers kept hitting the mouse. Every now and again I’d hook one. That fly is ridiculously too big for them!

This was some of the stuff I was casting to. The entire river looked very fishy!

I checked my phone when I reached the SR 27 bridge. One o’clock, and I was only half way. Some paddling would have to be done. Not yet, though.

The trend was, each bass was bigger than the previous one.

A few minutes later another big surprise- a real bite! This was a solid fish, too. There were houses on one side of the river. Vain me, I wondered if anyone was watching. The fish was fat, easily two pounds, probably more. Got a photo, released the fish. Time to paddle.

I put the boat in the fastest flow and hit it. The bank went by quickly.

Fish of the day.

A sign let me know I’d reached the boundary of Poe Springs Park. I changed to a foam frog and started casting again. Only a few casts in, another bite, an even better fish. With this trend, if I’d had more time, I may have gotten a ten-pounder! As it was, after I released this one I was 100 yards from the van.

The CCC built this bridge in the 1930s.

Thursday morning, 43 degrees. I took some pictures in the state park, then got in the van and headed home.

The bridge has residents.

The fishing had been slow. A front had just passed and it was cold. The river looks great. There are lots of small fish, and turtles, and apparently frogs. I think I just hit it wrong, and would certainly go back and try again.

View from the bridge.

The Santa Fe, a beautiful river.

That’s my Santa Fe River Fishing Report. Thanks for reading!

Every day is a blessing. Don’t waste it- Go fishing! Go paddling! Take a walk! Stay active!

John Kumiski, author of Fishing Florida by Paddle- An Angler’s Guide

Purchase a signed copy of Fishing Florida by Paddle- An Angler’s Guide at http://www.spottedtail.com/fishing-florida-by-paddle/

All content in this blog, including writing and photos, copyright John Kumiski 2022. All rights are reserved.