Quick Ocala National Forest Fishing Report
Thank you for reading this quick Ocala National Forest fishing report. The trip was quick. I haven’t written the report yet, and I’m not making any predictions as to its quickness!
The weather at the start of the week was cold and windy. I knew I was going to ONF, so I stayed home, got ready, took care of life’s minutia, etc.
Thursday, chariot already loaded, I hopped in and drove to Clearwater Lake Recreation Area. I’d never been there, but was always intrigued when I drove by. I stopped to check it out.
The lake is small, but crystal clear. Even in the wind it looked awesome. Minor problem- the distance from the parking area to the water’s edge required (at least for me) a kayak cart. I did not bring one. There was not one there. Sadly, I got back in the van and kept driving, this time to Lake Dorr Recreation Area.
Lake Dorr is quite large, especially for a paddler on a windy day. But, with a boat ramp, I could drive my boat to the water’s edge and drop it in, which is what I did. Three windy hours later, I pulled it out again. I had gotten a single strike on a Senko, which I missed. I also saw a pair of sandhill cranes, one (I assume the hen) sitting on a nest. I took some photos, even though the birds were not doing much.
I’d never seen cranes on a nest before. I don’t know if this was bizarre behavior or if they always nest on the water. I could not help but think what an easy target they’d be for a hungry alligator, though…
Did some research. They do, in fact, nest in marshes and other wet habitats. Who knew?
My campsite was at the Hopkins Prairie Campground. Upon arrival I was quite surprised to find the ponds there almost entirely gone. The was no way to get my boat to the water, so that idea was out the window. I still wanted to get sunset photos, and see and photograph the planetary alignment, though.
Sunset photos went well. Planetary alignment, not so much. Jupiter was next to the moon, not even directly overhead yet, Venus didn’t show, I got a glimpse of what I assumed was Saturn in a break in the clouds, and Mars didn’t show (near Jupiter) until it was fully dark. High haze and the moon made stargazing a wash. When it’s hard to see Orion, most other stuff will be invisible, and so it was. But Jupiter and Mars are cool!
OK, I did some research on this before posting. The order of the planets, from the west – Mercury (I’ve never seen it knowingly), Venus, Mars, Jupiter, Saturn. So that planet I got a glimpse of in a break in the clouds was Venus, which, when I think about it, makes perfect sense. Saturn may have been on the other side of the moon from Jupiter, but I did not see it, or if I did, did not recognize it. The big alignment is on the 28th (today as I write this). It’s socked in solid here, and is supposed to remain that way, so I guess I’ll miss it. Oh, and Uranus and Neptune are not visible to the naked eye, so don’t expect to see them. Back to our narative-
I got a good night’s sleep, but awoke to heavy overcast. I tried to find a way into the Hopkins Prairie ponds, figuring the fish must be jammed together in what little water was left. It did not work. The decision was made to try Farles Lake, which was also very low.
If the fish were jammed together there, they sure didn’t act like it. I got a half-dozen bass in three hours, and the overcast broke up, too. Four of the fish, and the biggest, were taken on my fly rod mousey gurgler. The biggest wasn’t that big, 3 1/2 pounds or so, a decent fly-rod fish. Two were yearlings. The two on the spin rod were modest as well.
The wind was whipping down the lake, and I’d already worked as much lee as was available. I loaded the boat and headed to Alexander Springs Run, figuring I could get four hours in, then go back to camp.
I got two hours in. The clouds returned, thicker and angrier than before. I called it quits when they started spitting. Those two hours got me three modest bass, two on the fly, hardly hot fishing. The forecast said the rain was to last most of the night, with “torrential downpours” likely. When I loaded the boat up it was just after 1500 hours. “I could sleep in my bed tonight, instead of dealing with the rain.” So I bagged it and drove home.
I still have site 21 still booked tomorrow (Saturday the 28th) night at Hopkins Prairie Campground. If anyone wants it let me know and it’s yours!
That’s the quick Ocala National Forest fishing report. Thanks for reading!
Every day is a blessing. Don’t waste it- Go fishing! Go paddling! Go walking! Stay active!
John Kumiski – https://spottedtail.com
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