Expert Tips from John Crews on How to Catch Big Bass on the St. Johns River

Video Transcripton

What's up everybody. This is Omnia fishing species. Deep dive. I'm john Crews  Bassmaster Elite Series Pro, I've been fishing professionally for over 20 years. I love the St. johns River in 2020 I won the Bassmaster Elite series on the St. johns River fished in Rodman and the St. john's and also in 2020 I finished second in 2019, I finished fifth when the Bassmaster Elite series went there, went there. So that's why I guess I could consider myself somewhat of an expert on the St. johns river. St. johns river is definitely known for its big bass fishery uh, without the eelgrass being in there. Now, I'd say that in the river itself, the lily pads and the docks are probably the top two targets trying to locate and catch those bass cypress trees or another another thing, cypress trees are gonna play when the water is a little bit higher. The lily pads are going to be a little more flooded on the higher Todd's so you can fish on the back sides of the lily pads or around the cypress trees as that water drops down, you can fish the outside edge and the outer clumps of pads. That's gonna be kind of your, your title difference.

But during the, during the spawning season, in the spawning season on the St. john's is very long from december all the way to May. You are going to be able to catch big bass off of beds. Big bass, I'm talking anything above 6 pound. I personally caught an 11 there, I've caught multiple eights there. I caught an eight in multiple different tournaments in tournament days there. So you can expect legitimately to have a shot in an eight pounder going down there to the St. johns River or going up if you're from south florida going up there because it is in northern florida. Um and as I mentioned that long spawning period, those fish are gonna spawn anywhere, that the water is relatively clear, you've got Rodman Reservoir, the fish are gonna be a little more spooky, but definitely a lot of good clear water there anywhere from Jacksonville south. Any of those canal systems are going to be productive for being able to possibly see spawning bass and any of those springs that have clearer water subject to see spawning bass in there.

The St. johns River can be good year round, it really can. Traditionally, I've gone in the spring january to april have been the times that I've gone. So there's always been a spawning factor, that's probably the most popular time to go down there is probably february March, the rest of the country, You know, whether it's gonna be hit and miss, you could just get froze out a little more consistent down there, that that far south Gonna be good, good fishing, there's gonna be a spawning factor, there will be a fishing factor as well. You may not catch the numbers earlier in the season, but you're subject to catch some of those 8, 10, 11 lb bass or bigger. Rodman puts out some giant ones as well. But if you're, if you're looking to just go down there trying to get some places to get started. Um there's there's a bunch of different places that you can go because it's a huge river. A good place is to maybe start in Rodman. You can just idle out from any of the boat ramps, drop your trolling motor and start fishing. You can fish anywhere out in that timber. You're subject to catch them suspended around the timber, anywhere around the bank. You can find lily pads, shallow lily pads are gonna be more where those fish are gonna get to spawn the deeper lily pads or where they're going to stage and where they're gonna pull back out when they're done. So that's kind of what to look for. They’re on the St. johns River itself.

 I've mentioned lily pads before without the eel grass lily pads are gonna definitely be something to look for. And that's, that's anywhere from from Jacksonville all the way to the very headwaters, uh, lily pads and any other type of vegetation that you can find around the bank will be good. Any canal system, like if you want to go down to astor look for some bedding type fish and just fish and believe it or not, one of my first go to baits on the St. johns river is going to be a drop shot. But I'm looking at a power drop shot. Uh, something like this. Missile baits magic worm. I mean that's what I used in heavily, heavily part of it in the wind that I had there in 2022 2020. I caught some of my better fish on the drop shot that week when I finished second. Uh, I've caught fish prior years to that as well. So that is a good way to just go down there and get bit. That is definitely one of my favorite techniques flipping and pitching. It's florida florida. I always want to think straight worms. Pick up a Missile Baits quiver 6.5 um, Bruce plum is probably gonna be on my number one color to go to go to put on a quarter ounce weight, 20 pound Sunline shooter and I'm gonna just flip that around and dead stick it. I'm gonna flip it to see walls. I'm gonna flip it to dock poles. I'm gonna flip it to grass holes. If I can find any grass, anything in the water that I can see if it's a log, anything, I'm gonna flip it to that and then leave it florida.

Dead sticking is a big deal. A lot of times you'll leave that bait there and it'll be there 568 seconds and you go to lift up and then your baits finally running off. They will just sit there and look at it and then finally eat it. That is a great way to catch fish. I mentioned earlier chatter baits, chatter baits are a great way to help find fish swim jigs can be very good. Many swim jig. If you get more bluebird conditions like this right here, you might want to downsize your baits, throw something a little bit smaller. Um, just any, any type of soft plastic slowing down. That's probably my, my fallback, as I mentioned earlier, Carolina rig outside of the spawn is gonna be a big bait. Some guys catch fish down there on jerk baits, especially during that pre spawn period. If these fish are kind of hanging out in certain areas, jerk bait can be good as well. But um, those are my, probably my go to baits for the St. johns River. If you're looking for better tackle recommendations that fit your fishing style, sign up today for a free Omnia fishing account and fill out your profile where you can favorite species, lakes brands and more to experience the most personalized tackle shopping online