Rodman Reservoir

Rodman Reservoir is located in Putnam County, Florida, and is considered a premier largemouth bass fishery in Northeast Florida. It covers approximately 9,500 acres and spans about 15 miles in length. It is located south of Palatka, FL, off Hwy 19 and connected to the St. Johns River. Rodman Reservoir is renowned for its diverse array of fish species, including trophy bass, crappie, redbreast sunfish, channel catfish, and grass carp, which it continues to produce. Not to mention the diverse wildlife and bird species to be observed. It’s consistently ranked among Florida’s top ten best bass lakes in the country.

How do you fish in Rodman Reservoir?

You can count on fishing under floating cover on a trip to this area. There are many ‘dollar weeds’ and water hyacinths here that bass use to surprise unsuspecting prey. You also will be fishing around eel grass, hydrilla, and lily pads. The Rodman Reservoir, St. Johns River, and the Ocklawaha River are always a treat. It is a beautiful waterway that produces big trophy bass every year.

Just recently, a bass caught in Rodman Reservoir gave the Official State record in Florida a scare. The fish weighed in at 17.2 pounds and had a length of 29.75 inches, coming up just short of the record fish, which weighed 17.27 pounds. Now that’s a giant big bass. I believe that the new state record will come out of either Rodman Reservoir, Kissimmee Chain, Headwaters Lake, or possibly other Florida trophy bass lakes, which are all known for trophy largemouth.

Multiple fish species and fishing trip days booked for Rodman Reservoir, St. Johns River, and Ocklawaha are available, both artificial lures and generally live bait fishing trips where we use wild river shiners. However, incorporating fishing with artificial lures into the trip can also be a great option.

FISH RODMAN RESERVOIR FLORIDA

Amenities:

• Fishing Chairs
• GPS & Fishfinder
• Life Jackets
• Catch and Release Allowed
• Keep Fish Allowed within Laws

About this Tour:

• Boat Specs: 20+ ft
• Boat Capacity: 4 People
• All Fishing Equipment
• Boat & Fuel
• Photos

Fishing Techniques:

• Light Tackle
• Heavy Tackle
• Livebait
• Fly Fishing
• Artificial Lures

Fishing Equipment:

• Spinning Rods
• Baitcasting Rods
• Left & Right Handed
• Fly Rods (request only)
• Braid & Mono Line

Best Largemouth Bass Fishery

Florida Rodman Reservoir largemouth bass anglers have success trophy bass fishing the Ocklawaha River channel with deep crankbaits and Carolina-rigged worms. Early morning and evening topwater action should also be helpful along the flats adjacent to the Oklawaha River from Orange Springs to Eureka. Starting in November, a drawdown of Rodman Reservoir is scheduled to occur and will be fully replenished by March 2020. The reservoir will be 7 feet below the average water level for over three months, starting from November to March, and it is prime time for trophy bass fishing.

Temporarily open will be the boat ramps at Kenwood Landing, Orange Springs, and Hog Valley, where anglers can launch into the Barge Canal and Oklawaha River channel, also on the St. Johns River. The Orange Springs ramp is also a popular spot for bank fishing. During the drawdown, anglers targeting largemouth bass can expect to experience excellent fishing using a variety of baits around the Oklawaha River channel bends from Kenwood to Cypress Bayou, as well as areas in the main pool.

Panfish Angler Tips

Rodman Reservoir black crappie fishing anglers will have success trolling live minnows and jigs along the edges of the Barge Canal leading from the St. Johns River, and the Oklawaha River bends in the Kenwood area pool section.

Bream anglers fishing in this area can expect to catch a variety of fish species, including stocky redbreast sunfish and warmouth, between Orange Springs and Cypress Bayou. Using worms and grass shrimp is the most effective method to achieving the best results. During the drawdown, bass anglers should be aware of the temporary catch-and-release regulation change. During the drawdown, to prevent boating accidents, boaters are asked to watch their wake and be courteous to anglers fishing along the Barge canal, channels, and dam, including the river.

*Special note: Look out for floating logs on Rodman Reservoir, including the river channel. Use caution when boating in the Oklawaha River channel, stump fields, and floating vegetation. The pool section can be dangerous.

Largemouth bass anglers should keep an eye out for tagged fish worth $5 or $50. The tags are orange spaghetti-like tags attached adjacent to the dorsal fin. When a tagged fish is caught, anglers can cut the tag and send it to the address printed on the tag’s side to claim their reward in Florida.

About Rodman Reservoir

Created in 1968, the Rodman Reservoir built the earthen dam across the Ocklawaha River, leading to the St Johns River. A four-gate spillway (Kirkpatrick Dam) controls the water levels of the reservoir. The section of the reservoir from its headwaters at Eureka Dam to Paynes Landing consists of flooded woodlands. The transition section from Paynes Landing to Orange Springs consists of flooded standing timber and areas of floating vegetation.

The north central pool section from Orange Springs to Kirkpatrick Dam, including the Oklawaha river channel, consists of floating and submerged vegetation, dead standing timber, and submerged and partially submerged trees and stumps. The Florida Barge Canal consists of the Oklawaha River channel, which has water depths of up to 30 feet. Submerged vegetation, such as hydrilla, coontail, and eelgrass, is typical in the reservoir pool area section. Drawdowns are conducted every three to four years on the Rodman for aquatic plant control and fish and wildlife habitat enhancement.

Local Rodman Bass Fishing Guides

Meet the TEAM of local Rodman Reservoir fishing guides. We know the best spots, baits, and techniques to give you the most incredible fishing experience.

Environmentalists in Florida are trying to restore the Ocklawaha River System to its original state before the Rodman Reservoir was built. This would not only be a tragedy, but it would also destroy a habitat that is home to a large number of plants and wildlife. The fish population in this Ocklawaha backcountry would be no more, and we would lose, at times, the best big bass lake in Florida and the US.

Hopefully, this whole restoration project will never come to pass because of these crazy left-wing activists. If you have ever thought about coming down to fish in Rodman Reservoir for that trophy bass that you have always dreamed about, don’t hesitate any longer. Contact us here at www.bassonline.com to help provide you with a safe, reliable, and professional fishing trip.

Cross Florida Barge Canal to St Johns River

If completed, the Cross Florida Barge Canal would have spanned Central Florida by connecting a series of lakes, rivers, and artificial waterways, thereby linking the region. The possibility was first raised in 1567 by the founder of Spanish St. Augustine, Pedro Menéndez de Avilés, to cross Florida through its inland waterways.

The journey around Florida’s cape was so treacherous that even in the early days of European colonization, it was a perilous undertaking. Hurricanes, dangerous currents, shallow waters, and even pirates destroyed many ships that attempted the journey.

It was 100’s of years before specific plans for the canal took shape. In the 19th century, momentum for the channel grew. Businesspeople, slave owners, and traders supported the canal because it would make it easier to sell and ship goods, such as timber and cotton, between the East Coast and ports on the Gulf of Mexico.

Ocklawaha River Channel

The Ocklawaha River system in Florida is the largest tributary of the St. Johns River that borders the Ocala National Forest on the west and north. Lake Griffin is the source of the Ocklawaha, the final lake of the Harris Chain. The upper watershed for the Oklawaha River includes Lake Apopka. The Oklawaha River flows north along the Ocala National Forest’s western boundary before turning east to flow into the St. Johns River.

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