Blackwater and Yellow Rivers
Blackwater River, Santa Rosa and Okaloosa counties
The Blackwater River is a 58-mile long river in which 49-miles are in Florida. The river’s headwaters start in the Conecuh National Forest of Southern Alabama and enter Florida in Okaloosa County. The river flows from Okaloosa County through Santa Rosa County to Blackwater Bay, an arm of Pensacola Bay. The Blackwater’s sandy bottom, white beaches and large sandbars contrast with the tannic water that gives the river its name. A 31-mile section of river from Kennedy Bridge near Munson, Fl to Deaton Bridge in the Blackwater River State park is designated as the Blackwater River Canoe trail. The river is no longer navigable south of Deaton Bridge due to a log jam.
Fishing success on the upper reaches of the Blackwater River generally depends on water levels. High water makes this area difficult to fish; thus, fishermen should always check river levels before visiting the upper river. View current river conditions throughout Florida online. Anglers not fortunate enough to own vessels for fishing are reminded that numerous canoe outfitters are present in this watershed, and provide shuttling services for launching and pickup.
Access to the lower river is provided by boat ramps in Milton (Carpenters Park north of downtown Milton, just off Highway 191, and also Russell Harbor Park, just north of Highway 90, on the east side of the river opposite downtown Milton), and in Bagdad (improved landing east of downtown Bagdad, off Highway 191).
Three access areas to the upper river are provided by public boat ramps at Blackwater River State Park (off Deaton Bridge Road), three miles west of Holt (on Bryant Bridge Road), and a recently constructed county maintained ramp north of Bryant Bridge, in the Blackwater River State Forest. The latter two offer great opportunities for anglers. The summertime is the height of canoeing season. If you aren’t able to hit the water on a weekday during this time of year, be prepared for a crowd of paddlers that aren’t necessarily concerned about spooking your fish. Generally speaking, boat traffic dissipates the farther up river you travel. Other unimproved landings, suitable for canoes or light johnboats, are scattered along the remaining length of the upper river.
Yellow River and Shoal River, Santa Rosa, Okaloosa and Walton counties
The Yellow River is a 92-mile-long river of which 61 miles occur in Florida's Okaloosa, Santa Rosa and Walton counties. The Yellow River flows in a southwesterly direction into Blackwater Bay, an arm of Pensacola Bay. One major tributary, the Shoal River, joins the Yellow near Crestview, Florida. The Shoal River lies entirely within Florida with a length of 33 miles. The Yellow River has a sandy bottom, white beaches and large sandbars. A 56-mile section of River from SR-2 to SR-87 is designated the Yellow River Paddling Trail. View current river conditions throughout Florida.
There are numerous access points to the lower Yellow River system provided by two fish camps near the mouth of the river (Brown's and Lindsey's), south of Milton, and numerous landings along the river, including Guest Lake Landing (South of Holt), Milligan (below Highway 90), Crestview (highways 85 and 90), Blackman (Highway 2), and the Highway 87 crossing southeast of Milton.
NOTE: The Florida Fish & Wildlife Conservation Commission reminds anglers that it is illegal to possess Alligator gar, or even target them. That means you are breaking the law even if you intend to release the fish. Alligator gar are a native fish to Panhandle Rivers and can grow to more than 150 pounds. Their gator like snout is distinctly different than spotted and longnose gar, the two other species of gar found it the panhandle. Researchers are in the process of estimating the population size and will possibly remove the harvest restriction of this prehistoric fish. However, until then harvest is restricted.
As temperatures continue to climb, Largemouth Bass are preparing to head shallow to spawn. Targeting these areas with spinnerbaits, square-bill or flat-sided crankbaits can be successful. Start searching for beds along the shallow stretches of Moccasin Cut, the shallow margins and docks in Magnolia Basin, or on the lower sections of river and marsh fingers near the mouth of Pond Creek. Striped Bass fishing will begin to dwindle as temperatures increase, so try targeting these fish in the deep holes of the lower river between the Navy MWR Boat Ramp and the I-10 interstate overpass at dawn or dusk using live baits, free-lined on a small khale hook for the best chance at success. Though dependent on tide, Redfish and Speckled Trout can be found all the way up to Wright’s Basin. Targeting deep holes near shallow bars or grass flats with a croaker fished either free-lined or under a cork can be successful, as can using live shrimp or mullet. Try fishing near Marquis Basin, the mouth of Pond Creek, along the marsh fingers just north of the I-10 interstate overpass, or near the old wooden barge structures just to the southwest of the interstate overpass.
Bluegill will begin bedding in the lower section of the river from Coopers Basin downstream to the I-10 bridge, so check around the docks and shallow sandy margins of Magnolia basin or along shallow sand bars along the main river section near the Navy MWR Boat Ramp. Use live bait on a light-wire #4-6 Aberdeen hook weighted with a small split-shot or slip-sinker under a bobber.
Access to the lower river include boat ramps in Milton, at Carpenters Park (north of downtown Milton, off Munson highway), Russell Harbor Park (North of Hwy 90 in Milton), Navy MWR Recreation Area (North of Hwy 90 in Milton), and in Bagdad (east of downtown Bagdad, off Highway 191).
Largemouth Bass fishing is expected to be great as water temperatures begin to climb this spring. Anglers should fish with “search” baits such as spinnerbaits or crankbaits, casting long distances followed by a fast retrieval. Areas where anglers report finding bass on beds include areas like Caucus shoal on the Weaver strand or around the island in the rivers northern most mouth Couy’s cut are great examples of good areas to find bass on beds this time of year.
The lower tidally influenced sections of the Yellow River hold popular gamefish like Redfish and Trout (Speckled Trout and White Trout), that can commonly be found along the troughs and grass flats of the river’s 4 mouths. Anglers targeting reds and trout should use a suspending mirrodine twitch bait, a jerkbait, or a gold or silver spoon to make long casts over deeper troughs or around points and pockets along the grass edges during an advancing tide. Live shrimp, mullet, or croakers can produce a quality fish as well.
Bream anglers should focus on the lower tidally influenced section of the river south of the highway 87 overpass, targeting dense lily pad mats along the entrances to off-channel basins, brush piles, laydowns, and along the areas where feeder creeks spill into the river. Try using artificial lures like small beetlespins or crappie jigs, as well as live bait on a light wire #4-6 Aberdeen style hook weighted with a small split-shot and fished under a cork.
The Yellow River is also home to one of the best Flathead Catfish fisheries in the state. While these fish can be elusive, anglers tend to have success fishing at night with live bait such as redhorse or suckers on a large (6/0-10/0) khale or circle hook with enough weight to hold it securely to the bottom. The best locations to target Flatheads are in deep holes in the river, near a current break or adjacent basins, deep outside bends in the river, or near structure logjams.
Popular Species
Fish graphics by Duane Raver, Jr.
More species information is available for:
Largemouth bass, Spotted bass, Bluegill, Redear sunfish, Sunshine bass, Striped bass, Black crappie, Channel catfish
TrophyCatch Tracker
TrophyCatch is FWC's citizen-science program that rewards anglers for documenting and releasing trophy bass 8 pounds or larger. The following TrophyCatch bass have been submitted from the Blackwater and Yellow Rivers:
Lunker Club (8 – 9.9 pounds): 1