The 2019 Rodman Drawdown - 11/4/19

[@OldLadyAngler]

Have any of you fished Rodman during the drawdown?

[@lewisspeed3041]

Old Lady Angler I have fished it several times,the fish get caught in a lot of small pockets of water,where some shore fishermen pick them off easy,the bass and specks tend to huddle up where ever you see a lot of stumps and fallen trees,the open are behind the dam will hold a lot of bass once the draw down is complete.

[@OldLadyAngler]

Very cool. Yeah... there were two guys fishing that area just behind the dam. One was in a john boat the other in a kayak. I think they were fishing for crappie. I will hopefully get back out there once the temp ramps open up. There are small pockets I found on the Oklawaha side and they were close to 20 feet deep. It's always so interesting to see all the exposed stuff. Thanks for watching.

[@lewisspeed3041]

Old Lady Angler that will be awesome,looking forward to your next video,tight lines,sister of the hook.

[@OldLadyAngler]

@@lewisspeed3041 it's just a matter of finding the right areas because that reservoir has so many giants! Thanks for watching.

[@lewisspeed3041]

Old Lady Angler you’re right,be safe out there

[@jacobturner9947]

I'm very familiar with the Rodman even though I'm from NY. My father fished the Rodman religiously and we would go out when I would visit. During drawdown was excellent fishing but we only used live shiners on slip bobbers. Was always such a blast, drinking some beers and just talking and then the excitement of seeing your bobber slowly going out of sight. I miss you dad. 😕

[@OldLadyAngler]

Awe.... such great memories for you!! Something you'll ALWAYS have!! Thanks so much for sharing!

[@rodcrawford5547]

Thank you Ma'am! Beautiful video...🎣🎣🎣😎😎😎😎

[@OldLadyAngler]

My pleasure Rod! Thanks for watching.

[@rodcrawford5547]

Old Lady Angler you're the best!🎣🎣🎣👀👀👀😎😎😎

[@OldLadyAngler]

@@rodcrawford5547 My subscribers are the BEST!!

[@Fishingchanneltv]

you always fish in beautiful places

[@OldLadyAngler]

Thank you. I'm very lucky to live in this beautiful state!

[@TheNorthFloridaAngler]

Give it a little more time Tracy! Let the water settle a little more and then you should start catching em! Still a cool behind the scenes video! Lets everybody know how much work it is fishing out of those kayaks! You definitely get your exercise that's for sure! I plan on fishing Rodman a little more this year starting in January! Maybe I'll see you out there! Tight lines!

[@OldLadyAngler]

Thanks CC. I'll definitely hit it up several times between now and April 1st (when it's back to normal levels). And yes.... sometimes the yak can be SO much work. But it's really SO worth it!!! Thanks so much for watching!

[@ornametalsmith]

Nice seeing Rodman during the draw down. And I’m excited to hear of the temp. ramps that will open in a few weeks, so I can get out on it. I normally put in at the ramp on the spillway side, and go down river to the first big creek that branches off to the left( known as the “ Upper”). Last Thurs. I caught the most big bass ever. First fish of the day was a 6.40 lb., then a 2.94 and a 5.51🤪🎣. The largest 5 totaled 102.75”, which is my best day EVER. Can’t wait to get back out there this Thurs, if the rain stays away. Hope the big ones are still there. Tight lines, OLA.

[@OldLadyAngler]

Holy cow Bill!! Those are some great numbers. I have wanted to put in and fish south of the spillway. Just haven't made it yet. I'd love to get a pick up down river so I wouldn't have to fight the current coming back.Thanks so much for watching.

[@leenania8360]

I have been waiting for you to make another trip up north! Awesome video!! My second favorite place to fish.

[@OldLadyAngler]

Thanks Lee. I really wanted to fish on the main reservoir but wasn't sure where I could launch. Didn't think it would be a good idea to climb over those shoreline rocks either. I'll be back out there when the temp ramps open up! That spillway will be on fire in just a couple more months! That's one of my favorite places to pick 'em off!

[@leenania8360]

I was up there in May. Fished the spillway and launched my boat and fished the river and reservoir. Not much luck but enjoyed it. It's beautiful. Lochloosa is equally beautiful. Looking forward to your next upload! Tight lines my friend 🎣

[@leenania8360]

@@OldLadyAngler i remember one of ur earlier vidoes when you were at the spill way! Caught some good ones that day! I'm trying to recall where we launched 🤔

[@OldLadyAngler]

@@leenania8360 Yes... Lochloosa and Orange both are on my to-do list. SOOOOO many great places to fish and so little time!! Tight lines.

[@leenania8360]

@@OldLadyAngler very true!!! I have dropped pins all over the state

[@YourNextCast]

Hey OLA how are you today? Interesting to see the drawdown. I don't know that I have ever seen a video where you didn't catch multiple fish. I would have thought the spillway would be good. So cool that you could capture an eagle. I am also fascinated when I see them. There's an eagle and there's a fish...coincidence??? 😊😂 Have a good one. 👍👍

[@OldLadyAngler]

Hey T, I'm doing great. Thanks for asking. Just picked up my new RV and will be prepping it for the maiden trip to the Everglades soon. Very excited. Yes... That spillway is usually on fire, but not this day. I will go back to it soon though. You know what a difference a day can make. Thanks for watching.

[@YourNextCast]

@@OldLadyAngler Yes indeed.

[@KateFishing]

We have 'drawdowns' here a bit to make room for the winter snowpack and spring melt. It looked like a peaceful place to fish.

[@OldLadyAngler]

UGH!! I like our drawdowns much better. haha. Thanks for watching.

[@primal_aperture_photo]

Hi TJ... Love your shirt BTW...Funny I noticed it before you even mentioned it! Haha.. Cute little fishies! Interesting place to fish, I love it when you go to different venues, It's like going on a virtual fishing trip! Haha! We got 6 inches of snow here over night... Thanks for sharing!

[@OldLadyAngler]

hahahaha. I bet most of the lady viewers will notice it right off the bat. Yeah... I thought the little fish were so cool! And such pretty colors! I also bought a second one in a different color scheme. I hope to try a few new places since I'm not in any tournaments right now. I have a trip to Fellsmere this coming Saturday if the weather cooperates. Been a while since I hit up my favorite fishery! SNOW??? Oh no! It's too early for so much snow!!! Thank you for watching.

[@cypresslos]

Great vid! That kinda sucks that only one bass was caught at that Rodman place. It looks so good! I would think there’s some fat boys in there!! Awesome 💥💥🔥🔥💪🏼💪🏼💪🏼🐟🎣🐟🎣🐬

[@OldLadyAngler]

There are some super hefty bass in this reservoir. I'm sure I wasn't in the "good" area. haha. I'm waiting for the other ramps to open up on Nov. 15th. That spillway has also produced some absolute giants too. lots of nice Striper caught there.

[@cypresslos]

Old Lady Angler ..... wow that makes me want to make the trip up there! 🎣🎣🎣

[@OldLadyAngler]

It has a few Hall Of Fame fish caught there. I know of a 14 lb 1 oz beast! There were 2 12 pounders caught just this past March and June.

[@OldLadyAngler]

@@cypresslos Look it up. www.trophycatchflorida.com/gallery-of-catches.aspx

[@feellnfroggy]

Great video. If you take the leftover wax from the smelly burners on your house, it's great for waxing the HDPE plastic of a kayak. It'll slide ride over those rocks without damage. Otherwise there is a boat ramp called Kenwood about 10minutes from rodman you can launch on the lake.

[@OldLadyAngler]

Yes, I launched from Kenwood a few months after this video. It was a nice launch. Thanks for watching.

[@rodcrawford5547]

This is when you can catch the world record! You can bet she's there...🎣🎣🎣🎣😎😎😎😎😎

[@OldLadyAngler]

I don't doubt that one bit!!

[@GeorgiaBassmaster]

Looks like an awesome spot with all those Cyprus trees.

[@OldLadyAngler]

I would think it would be. I've never fished this side of the Ocklawaha before today. It's cool to see all those tree stumps that are normally in 5 feet of water. I fished 25 miles upriver (Near Moss Bluff spillway) and got skunked. I've caught quite a few nice fish at the spillway exit. Thanks for watching.

[@tedlincolnsfishinglife]

i was there later that same day in my little aluminum boat. tired to put in at orange springs and got only about 500yrs out. went in back the next from ft mccoy... only one good bass.

[@tedlincolnsfishinglife]

on a buzzbait!

[@OldLadyAngler]

Yeah I thought it was a rather inactive day. I sure hope to do better when I fish the main reservoir. Thanks for watching! Lemme know if you have any good luck out there while it's drawn down. I'm always curious!!

[@tedlincolnsfishinglife]

Old Lady Angler headed out again today!

[@OldLadyAngler]

@@tedlincolnsfishinglife AWESOME!! Good luck! Get ya a giant!!

[@OlTommyBoy]

very interesting!

[@OldLadyAngler]

It's really cool to see all of that underlying structure. I'll go back in a few weeks when it's down to the lowest level. Thanks for watching!

[@sixgrigsby8615]

I haven’t fished there since high school but it sure has changed from what I can see thanks for sharing

[@OldLadyAngler]

You're so welcome. Thank you for watching.

[@daviddura1172]

interesting.......interesting also as to why/how they do it....... sure hope the poisons they use "burn off" before it refills. I will say (being from south and North Texas, and grew up in Wisconsin) I am amazed as to the amount of color in the water in your videos, always thought Florida water was clearer, of course most of my contact with water in Florida is the coast.......I'd be taking pictures of any outstanding "structure" during this REVEAL...... lol BTW, I avoid the rocks on rip-raps, SNAKE HEAVEN......nasty sneaky critters....LOL great video.

[@OldLadyAngler]

That makes sense to me.... the poison has months to burn off before the re-fill. Seems like it would be less impactful to the water / fish. We'll see how it looks next April. I hope to go back in a few weeks so that I can launch on the Reservoir side and really get a good look at revealed structures. You bet I'll be marking waypoints too. And you're SO right about rip rap and snakes. The one time I almost stepped on a water moccasin was on rip rap. Thanks so much for watching. Thank you for the input too!

[@rodcrawford5547]

If it stays until March you can catch some monsters! With big shiners...🎣🎣🎣😎😎😎😎

[@OldLadyAngler]

Yeah it'll be drawn down until mid march. It takes about 6 weeks for them to get it filled back up after that. Not sure I'd like to fish with live bait. I really enjoy artificial.

[@Garcia_Familia_Adventures]

Caught one. That’s a win.

[@OldLadyAngler]

I'll take what I can get! haha. Thanks so much for watching.

[@rodcrawford5547]

You talking about some big catfish at the bridge, they are some monsters...

[@OldLadyAngler]

I can only imagine how big the cats are out there. The Bass are huge too. Just a monster fishery!!

[@Uncle_Yukon]

8:43 - 'Eagle Fish' YAY! (see Eagle, catch fish = 'Eagle Fish') (same as the otter fish I caught this past summer - otter swam past boat, caught 3 pound Bass. lol )

[@OldLadyAngler]

LOL. It really was bizarre!! Not even a nibble all morning then BAM! Right when I start to reel in my line super fast so I can get a picture of the eagle. hahahaha.

[@garyolderthandirt6717]

Fished it a couple years ago during the drawdown did OK launched from the park boat ramp. The rangers warned me to be very careful and once I got out onto the lake in the yak I found out why saw 4 of the biggest gators ever, one launched off the bank sounded like a bomb going off and the wake was unbelievable. I was very wary from then on that day but did catch 5 or 6 small fish no trophies.

[@OldLadyAngler]

Oh I hear ya. Rodman has some MONSTER gators. And with the decreased area for them to inhabit..... that spells danger!!! So... the launch in the park still had enough water to launch the yak? Did you have to walk out to get to the water or was it still plenty of water in the channel?

[@garyolderthandirt6717]

@@OldLadyAngler short walk but not bad better than trying to dray across the rip rap

[@srsykes1]

Fished Rodman some back in the late 90's. Never was my favorite place. Loved the St Johns river from Pacetti's down to just south of Palatka. Living in N. Carolina now, sure do miss the North Florida area, especially in the winter LOL.

[@OldLadyAngler]

Rodman can be tough... especially in a kayak. Lots of guys fish live shiners there and that probably makes it even tougher for artificial. Yes... winters here are absolutely gorgeous! That's why I put up with the hellish summers! haha. Thanks for watching.

[@luke6485]

I love Rodman! Caught my pb there! 10 lbs 12 oz!!

[@OldLadyAngler]

Wow!! Shiners or artificial? That's a beast either way.

[@Chris-hi9ti]

Where do you put in? How is paddling back and forth in the current?

[@OldLadyAngler]

I've put in at both of the temp ramps that opened up. Current is swift but I have a pedal drive so it's not bad at all. The reservoir should be back to full level now and the normal ramps will be open.

[@WereAllThatBored]

Your part of the state has some awesome fisheries. My two HOA lakes produce some large fish, but the scenery is nothing like what you have! Jealous just a little.

[@OldLadyAngler]

Haha. I hear ya. Rodman is eerie when the water's drawn down. It's really pretty to fish amongst the big ol' cypress trees too. Spooky. Lots of those little HOA ponds near me too. That and golf course ponds! They rock!

[@eddierivera1494]

Scupper plugs? What brand?

[@OldLadyAngler]

They're called scupper screens and I got them here: thekayakfishingstore.com/shop/tkfs-native-scupper-screen/

[@kenmccarthyfishing]

Good morning, do they draw down the water to control the vegetation, have a great day 😀❤

[@OldLadyAngler]

Yes that's exactly the reason for the drawdown. I didn't realize that they spray it while it's drawn down. But they do.

[@charlesnelson8172]

i dont fish draw downs mo good

[@OldLadyAngler]

I've heard that it's pretty amazing at Rodman. Hopefully I'll find out.

[@ednaccarella1107]

Hello on October 20 I had epilepsy seizure fell hit my head on tile floor I cant drive or go fishing

[@OldLadyAngler]

Oh no. I hate to hear that. I hope you feel better very soon.

[@darrellsanbornjr2088]

Will the drawdown make you fish the St.Johns River more until they start filling up the reservoir again?

[@OldLadyAngler]

Nope... actually just the opposite. With the fish being confined to a smaller area in the reservoir (1/5th the normal size), catching should actually be better. The only stipulation that they have is that you can't keep ANY fish caught during the drawdown. Rodman is officially Catch and Release only until they fill it back to normal levels. I have fished several different areas of the St. Johns and I've not done well. That has been a tough river for me to find the fish!!