Ochlockonee River
Ochlockonee
River State Park
is a
Florida State Park. It is located on
the
Gulf coast, on
U.S. 319 about four miles (6 km)
south of the town of
Sopchoppy. Its 392-acre park
includes pine flatwoods and oak thickets, and is
notable for containing a significant habitat for
the endangered
Red-cockaded Woodpecker. Ochlockonee
River State Park has such amenities as
bicycling,
birding,
boating,
canoeing,
fishing,
hiking,
kayaking,
picnicking areas,
swimming,
wildlife viewing and full
camping facilities.
A boat ramp provides access to the river,
Ochlockonee Bay and the
Gulf of Mexico. The park is an excellent
location for both canoeing and fishing.
From the park’s
boat ramp, it is a four-mile run to the
Ochlockonee
Bay and an additional five miles
to the gulf. If you enjoy birding, you may have
a good chance of seeing the red-cockaded
woodpecker. Ochlockonee
River is one of the few state
parks that have a resident population of these
endangered birds.
Ochlockonee River also has white
squirrels. These squirrels are not albinos. They
are a gene mutation of the gray squirrel, and
are white as snow. This is an excellent time of
the year to canoe our many rivers and creeks.
For camping, make your reservations well in
advance. As temperatures continue to stay warm,
biting insects such as dog flies have made their
presence known. Come prepared with insect
repellent.
Ochlockonee
River both fresh and saltwater species may be
caught, including largemouth bass, bream,
catfish and speckled perch in the fresh waters.
Redfish and speckled trout are common in the
brackish water. Ocklockonee River provides
great opportunity to catch many fish species within the park boundaries.
The salinity level is now high enough for
Spanish mackerel, sea trout & redfish to be
common catches in the river. Blue crabs can be
caught with a piece of raw chicken and some
fishing line and a dip net. If you are after
fresh water, species large mouth bass seem to
tolerate the salty conditions well and are still
abundant in park waters. Bream however, have
moved into areas with fresher water. In the gulf
this time of year, there are also many
opportunities to catch a large variety of
fishes.
Ochlokonee
River fishing for redbreast
sunfish and bluegill should be the best with
live wigglers or crickets. Black crappie fishing
should be decent especially in the lower river
with minnows or jigs.
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