# Iamonia-Ocheesee-Pate......Long Story



## FishWalton (Jul 22, 2010)

Got a late start but stopped at Ocheesee Pond near Sneads (Jackson County) yesterday on way home from Tallahassee. It was mostly a look-see trip although I had been there before. Was looking for crappie. 1 nice 11.5 crappie caught. It was really black probably due to water color. This is a beautiful cypress lake you can fish around the whole lake in the cypress. . I didn’t go into the deep swamp at the west end as didn’t have time. Have been in there before . There is a marked trail into the swamp but it peter’s out after a while . Been there. a gps would be a good idea. Yakers would love this place. 

Anyway, got the one crappie long lining in between cypress. Used litewire jigs and curly tail grubs. Only two other boats on the lake and they were fishing the cypress not far out from shore. Both were quiet close to the landing in the southeast end of the lake. Water is 10 to 14 feet close to shore. I’m pretty sure one boat was catching a few for he stayed in one spot for a long time. He was there when I launched and did not move for at least an hour after I got there. He saw me circle a spot where I found the best fish cluster of the trip with sonar and I noticed he was sitting there when I got back to the landing. I caught my one crappie there. I should have tossed Beetle Spins and crappie spins that Jim Canaday makes. That may have made a difference. Who knows

Apparently the way to fish this pond is sort of like Ponce DeLeon Springs and Merritt’s Mill Pond in Marianna. The water is very clear although tannic in color. Long cast away from the boat 20 to 25 feet with a slip bobber. That’s what both boats were doing with what appeared to be long crappie rods. They also had some 14 ft or longer bream buster type poles. Neither were fishing close to the boat. Probably using minnows. 

I putt putted about 3 mph completely around the lake weaving in and out of the cypress while watching the sonar. This took a long time. Sidescan is really cool in this sort of situation. The open part of the lake is good size but smaller than Pate Lake. The larger part is back in a cypress swamp. It’s about 2,000 acres total. Water was mostly 8 to 14 ft in the cypress. Hung up on 4 or 5 stickups just under the water but no trouble getting off. They were all small broke off cypress stick up tree tops I think. . Would find small clusters of fish and always on a small structure but fished only a couple of spots that had a little more fish than others. Never did find a large cluster like I see at 7 Runs off the Choctawhatchee. I did not do much recon out in the open water because that’s not where the locals were fishing. What little I did look at was void of cover and fish. Figured the locals knew where to look and that was in and close to the cypress. The whole place looks fishy but it’s like anywhere else. You have to find them at the right time and the right place and have the right bait. 

fished Ocheesee from about 10:00 to 12:00 then loaded up and headed to Pate Lake. Had a report of 20 small crappie catch there. Fished Pate from about 2:00 to after 3:00 until a light rain ran me off the river There were 5 boats on the lake when I got there and 2 left shortly after I got there. A couple of guys from Alabama came in same time as me and they had 1 crappie….I had 2 bream long lining. One was a whopper red belly but not fat like a river bream. Let them go. 

Maybe someone here who knows Ocheesee can give us a couple of good tips on how to fish it. 

While in Tallahassee I fished Lake Iamonia for 2 or 3 hours on Friday because it was close by. All the previous rain had the creeks and rivers in flood stage and those feeding the lake were muddy and raging. Lake Jackson high and muddy. The Ochlockonee was flooding Talquin so didn't figure the lake would be up to it's usual self.

At Iamonia normally you can see the lily pads which helps define where to fish. They were viseable on Wednesday. Friday they were a foot under water. Lot of floating trash on the water. Most of the water holding a few crappie outside the pads is 8 to 12 + ft of so. First time there so not knowing where the pads were I got into them a few times even with the sonar, and had to make a quick turn back toward deep water. I only did long lining and that produced only 1 crappie. The 4 or 5 boats I saw were all fishing long rods and poles either tightline or with bobber and minnows. Didn’t see but a couple of fish caught. Spoke with a lone guy at about 11:00 who was anchored and he had 3 and caught one while I was there. He had out 4 or 5 poles with bobber fishing minnows. Had been on the lake since 7:30. 

Apparently this lake is a good duck lake although most hunters had left by the time I got there. Talked to 3 guys at the landing and they had their limit of 6 each, mallards, blue bills and ruddy ducks. They used a decoy set. Most people use decoys they said, but a good number just paddle the cypress/grass shore line in yak’s and slip up on them in the shore cover. Once the huge raffs out in the middle get scattered early in the morning they are all over the place in the cover. Incidentally, this is a no outboard lake during duck season but it’s not strickly enforced so I was told if you just putter along. I pulled in a boat due to the rising water. It had floated off the shore and was out in the middle of the lake. 

So that’s the story of my Chrismas sojourn. Fished 3 lakes and caught 4 fish. Just looking for a little fun on new water and not all that serious about 'catching'. Thoroughly enjoyed all the lakes and want to get back to Ochessee and learn it better. Ocheesee is close enough for a day trip and I’ll do that soon. Figure it’s about a 75 miles drive down I-10. It’s only about 5 miles off the Interstate. Found some good bait shops in Sneads which open at 7:00 am. Tiny spinners may work just as well. Have always heard Ocheesee is a hard place to fish until you learn the tricks. I figure one trick is fishing way out from the boat for bream and crappie so take the right tackle. Also, it’s only a few miles up toward Georgia to the bridges on Lake Seminole for maybe a crappie or two. A couple of good places to stay and eat in Sneads….so this looks inviting for and overnight trip. 

For next week I hope to do something new to me and fish the Choctaw back-water in some of those deep holes I found which squirrel hunting. Hope I can get my Jon back in there. Some 8 ft holes when dry and now with the flood water means there are some deep pockets back in the woods. The Choctaw is in flood stage so it will be a good while before I can fish my usual haunts.


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## Jeffbro999#2 (Feb 17, 2014)

Great report. I have a friend that fishes Ocheesee a lot, I'll ask him for a few tips next time I see him. We have fished it several times for bass and have done pretty well. It is definitely a beautiful lake with those huge cypress tree bases sticking out in 10' of water. Very grassy along the shorelines and lots of cover everywhere. We haven't been in a while though since Lake Seminole got real good and its only a few more miles to get there.


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## spinfactor (Sep 22, 2013)

Great report, thanks.


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## FishWalton (Jul 22, 2010)

*photos*

I would like to fish more at Seminole but my boat is small and I'm a bit spooked on just where to fish from the Florida side. Have just never put any real effort to learning more.


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