Tallahassee Fishing

[Hydrilla Gorilla]

I just got accepted to Florida State University and I am completely lost as in where to fish and what to use. Ive been fishing saltwater my entire life until now, and its quite a change, lol. I started doing a lot more bass fishing before i moved up here to step my game up and I was doing really well. Now, I have driven hours using a gps and google earth searching for fishable lakes/ponds without my boat, with little luck. The only spot that I found, that I actually caught fish at is Piney Z, the bass were just squeakers though. So Ive been pounding the hell out of the lake and have been getting skunked every trip now. I had some huge blow-ups throwing my frog in open water down the side of a bank, but no hookups. I even flipped it back to him and he blew up on it again, but never connected. I believe I have found a bunch of shad balled up in the corner and I've been throwing everything I have from spinnerbaits to crankbaits, but the only bites I get are on flukes, and the bass are dinks. Anyways, any help/tips in this area would be greatly appreciated.

Matt

[Mike Cork]

I'm not from your neck of the woods but if you found an open water toad try a zara spook next time! Hook up ratio is much better also make sure you post regularly in your state board as it is popular and  am sure you'll get some local help!

As for the balled up shad if there is nothing working them yet don't spend a lot of time on them but do check back often for activity.

[Broskee]

Lake talquin is not that far, cherry lake in Madison Florida, lake seminole is not to far either, don't forget that there are some amazing salt water fishing out in the flats near St. George south of Crawfordville. Hope that helps.

[Canesfan]

My sympathies to you on being accepted to FSU.  We play you this Saturday.  "Go Canes".   

(Wakulla Springs also isn't too far away if you're into clear water fishing).

[Canesfan]

Actually I looked up Wakulla State Park and there is nothing mentioned about fishing at all, sorry.

[Ron Fogelson]

Actually I looked up Wakulla State Park and there is nothing mentioned about fishing at all, sorry.

Yep I believe the state park is off limits but there are a lot of areas to fish there in Tallahassee.

Lake talquin & seminole are great, but talquin takes a while to learn.  There are a lot of sink hole lakes right close as well that you can go explore, caught a gator out of one of them flipping 

[Broskee]

fogy you from that area?

[Ron Fogelson]

No I'm a Damn Yankee from MN but D grew up in Tallahassee and both her Dad and Step Dad fish so I hit a few times each time we get home.  She won't let me bring the boat so I'm in a john boat mostly but last time we hit the sink holes on foot and had a blast.  Lots of little ponds just out side of town in the National forest so there isn't any issue in fishing them.  I can't remember the name of the river that feeds talquin but it's a blast to fish as well.

[Broskee]

you  mean the ochlockonee river runs just west of tallahasse, fished it before. Me I am originally from about hour and half east of tallahassee and grew up fishing the suwannee river and lakes in that area :D

[Ron Fogelson]

you  mean the ochlockonee river runs just west of tallahasse, fished it before. Me I am originally from about hour and half east of tallahassee and grew up fishing the suwannee river and lakes in that area :D

Yep thats it 

[bassamatic]

is there any water other then swimin pools (even they do from time to time)in florida that aint worth fishin?when i lived there fish were every where.that was many moons ago

[Mrs Fogy]

There is a dam on Lake Talquin that you may want to try and fish since you are fishing from shore. It is straight out Hwy 20 and I think you may cross over it before you can turn into the launch that they have there. We haven't been there in about 10 years but it might be worth a try. Dad liked to go to a river in the national forest of of Hwy 20 to the west of town. Here is a couple more ideas:

Sopchoppy River
Tributary to the lower Ochlockonee River in Wakulla County. Reached over U.S. Hwy 319 south of Sopchoppy. Bream and shellcracker can be caught during the spring and summer on a variety of baits including crickets, redworms and wigglers. Bass fishing is fair during this time. Best baits are broken-back minnows and artificial worms.
St. Marks Refuge
Located in Wakulla, Jefferson and Taylor counties. Reached over U.S. Hwy 319 at several state road junctions at Wakulla, Crawfordville, Sopchoppy, Newport, and Panacea. Bream and bass fishing is good in the spring, but ponds are only open to fishing during certain months according to U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service regulations. Fishing information and map available on request from St. Marks Refuge Manager, Post Office Box 68, St. Marks, FL 323 55.

[Mrs Fogy]

Here is a website with a list of the lakes and ponds in the Leon County area. Maybe using this list along with google will get you somewhere...

http://www.fishingworks.com/lakes/florida/leon/

[bassamatic]

the fogy boss,its an honer.

[Hydrilla Gorilla]

Wow, I never expected this many replies thanks for all the help. I just got out of class and Im about to do some more spot hunting. Whenever I make it back to Sarasota I'm grabbing my jon boat; fishable shoreline is very limited up here. Does anyone ever flip or pitch jigs from land? I am pretty decent with my caster at pitching but never caught a fish on a jig, but I haven't tried it in a boat either, lol.

P.S. Miami is gonna get stomped tomorrow ahah

[Mrs Fogy]

Matt, here is a link to a book about Florida Fishing. It tells you where the area's are, if they are salt or fresh water, and if it is boat or bank fishing. I think the Tallahassee area starts at number 66. Hope some of this helps. My step dad and I only bank fished for catfish at Lake Talquin and sometimes at the river running through the national forest out off Hwy 20.

http://books.google.com/books?id=wo3puDBXWHoC&pg=PA84&lpg=PA84&dq=bank+fishing+tallahassee+fl&source=bl&ots=jerH6rz0h7&sig=vDyQ8Im-BNKMv6t_b1yKhoFYjeI&hl=en&ei=fs61TOHCLJ-xnAfq08iADQ&sa=X&oi=book_result&ct=result&resnum=3&ved=0CCAQ6AEwAg#v=onepage&q=bank%20fishing%20tallahassee%20fl&f=false

[Mrs Fogy]

Just another link for a little info...

http://www.floridabassfishingonline.com/

[screwballl]

Most of my fishing is west of Tally... We go camping at Seminole once or twice a year and there is usually pretty good bass fishing there from April to October. Otherwise the rest I go to are several hours west of Tally in Okaloosa, Walton and Santa Rosa counties.

[COUSIN-IT]

Get on Google earth and look at lake talquin My buddy said its great fishing and its real close to you