Welaka calls itself the Bass Capital of the World. It is a claim a lot of towns would make and few could back, and this one backs it: largemouth bass on the St. Johns River, a spring-fed hole three and a half miles out that people plan trips around, and a peak season that fills every room in town.
Here is what to know before you load the truck.
What can you catch in Welaka?
Largemouth bass first, which is what the name is about. FWC also lists striped bass, sunshine bass, bluegill, redear sunfish and brown bullhead for this stretch of the Lower St. Johns. The river runs north through here and the mix of river, creeks and spring runs is what gives you that range in one piece of water.
And shrimp. The river carries a shrimp run every fall and Welaka sits on a productive stretch of it, which is a whole second season most visitors never hear about. Shrimping in Welaka covers it properly.
When is the best time to fish Welaka?
Striped bass: FWC says "the best striper fishing occurs from fall through spring, when fish are actively feeding." That is the one month range we have straight from the state.
Everything else below is how the season is talked about locally rather than a published FWC forecast. Treat it as a starting point and ask at the bait shop when you arrive.
| Season | What people say is happening | Crowd |
|---|---|---|
| Late winter into spring | Bass spawning season. The busiest stretch of the year. | Heavy |
| September and October | The shrimp run. A different kind of trip, mostly after dark. | Moderate |
| Fall | Strong fishing and far fewer boats than spring. | Light |
| Summer | Hot and wet, early mornings. FWC notes high temperatures and possible algal blooms make summer a challenge, with bass following schools of threadfin shad. | Light |
| Winter | Mild and slow outside the spawn. Snowbird season. | Light |
If you want the fishing without the ramp queue, come in the fall rather than the spring.
Where do you fish?
The St. Johns River itself, which is the main event.
The Croaker Hole, a spring in Little Lake George just north of Lake George. FWC calls it "a warmer weather hotspot, with anglers anchoring and fishing live bait," and names it as one of the thermal refuges where striped and sunshine bass congregate when the river warms up. It has a reputation and the state backs it.
The creeks and spring runs feeding the river, which is where local knowledge starts to matter more than a map. FWC specifically calls out the stretch from Astor to Welaka, plus the Lake George jetties and the spring runs around Lake George.
Dunns Creek State Park, more than 6,200 acres south of a bend in the river.
Where do you launch?
One public boat ramp in town:
- Welaka Boat Ramp on Elm Street, two lanes of poured concrete with a dock. FWC lists it as a public access point for the striper fishery.
Just outside town, Shell Harbour Boat Ramp at 141 Shell Harbour Rd in Satsuma is the alternative when the Welaka ramp is stacked up on a spring Saturday.
Bryant's Wharf Kayak Launch handles kayaks and small craft, with a floating dock, a viewing area, and people fishing and shrimping right off it.
Where to Launch Your Boat in Welaka covers ramp etiquette and timing.
Where do you get bait?
Welaka Fish, Crab and Bait at 676 3rd Ave, which also sells fresh fish and the blue crabs it is known for. Betcha Bass Bait Shack carries live wild shiners, minnows and worms.
Live wild shiners are the local answer for big bass and they are worth the stop. So is the conversation. A bait shop in a fishing town knows more about what is happening on the water than anything you will find online.
Do you need a fishing license?
Florida requires a fishing license for most anglers, with exemptions that depend on age, residency and where you are fishing. Rules and fees change, so buy it from the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission directly rather than trusting a page like this one.
Same for size limits, bag limits and season closures. Check FWC before you go. We are a golf cart company and we are not going to pretend to be your regulations reference.
No boat?
Welaka Boat Rentals rents 20-foot Bennington pontoons, the Fisher and the Lounge, each holding up to eight people. Full day $375, half day $275, plus tax and fuel. Multi-day rentals by phone. They operate out of Port Cove RV Resort and Marina at 107 Prt Cv Lndg Rd in Georgetown, and book online or at (386) 916-1900.
One thing to sort before you go. Florida requires anyone born on or after January 1, 1988 to pass an approved boater safety course before operating a vessel with 10 horsepower or more. There is an exemption if somebody 18 or older with a boater education ID card is aboard and responsible. Handle that before you show up, not at the dock.
Rent the boat, rent the cart, and the only thing left to figure out is where the fish are.
On guides and charters: ask at Welaka Fish, Crab and Bait at 676 3rd Ave or Betcha Bass Bait Shack. They will tell you who is running trips.
Where do you stay?
If you are fishing, the two we send people to are Stillwater Welaka and Low Tide Welaka, both from St. Johns River Rentals. They are built for exactly this trip:
- About a mile from the public boat ramp
- Parking for boats and trailers
- Both sleep 8, so a fishing party fits in one house
- Dog-friendly, up to three
- Smart lock self check-in, which matters when you are rolling in late the night before a first-light launch
- Stillwater has four bedrooms, Low Tide has three
A mile from the ramp is also exactly golf cart distance. Cart the gear down in the morning, cart it back at lunch, and never move the truck except to launch.
Other options in and around town: Welaka Lodge and Resort on a high bluff over the river, Andersen's Lodge on the water, Trailboss RV and Marina for RV sites and boat slips, Stegbone's Fish Camp just north of town, Port Cove RV Resort and Marina in Georgetown.
Book early for February through April.
What does a golf cart have to do with fishing?
More than you would think, and it is the reason half our rentals happen.
Gear from the cabin to the ramp. Rods, cooler, tackle bag, one trip, no loading a truck twice a day.
The ice and bait run. You will forget something. A cart makes that a five-minute errand instead of a decision.
The pickup. Somebody brings the boat back, somebody brings the cart down. Nobody walks in wet boots.
After. You get off the water at two in the afternoon smelling like the river. In a cart you go straight to lunch. In a car you think about whether to change first.
A 6-seater at $95 a day fits four people plus rods, a cooler, a bait bucket and a bag of ice without anybody holding something in their lap.
What to bring
- Sun protection that actually works. There is no shade on the river.
- Rain gear in summer. The storm is coming and it is brief.
- More water than you planned.
- A charged phone and a way to charge it.
- Your fishing license, and your driver license and insurance card if you are renting a cart.
Getting a cart for your fishing trip
$80 a day for a 4-seater, $95 for a 6-seater, two-day minimum. Delivered charged to where you are staying, free inside Welaka city limits, with a cable to plug in overnight. Every driver 21 or older with a valid license and proof of their own auto insurance.
Book online. Staying outside Welaka? Call (386) 603-0295 first to confirm we can deliver to you.
Read next: Golf Cart Rentals in Welaka, FL, Shrimping in Welaka and Where to Launch Your Boat in Welaka
Sources
- FWC, Lower St. Johns River and Lakes: species present, summer conditions
- FWC, Striped Bass: "the best striper fishing occurs from fall through spring," the Croaker Hole, the Astor-to-Welaka stretch, Welaka Boat Ramp on Elm Street
- FWC for licenses, size limits, bag limits and regulations
- Welaka Boat Rentals for pontoon rates and the boater safety course rule
- St. Johns River Rentals for lodging details
Last updated September 5, 2026. Regulations change. Check FWC before you fish.