Rodman Reservoir & Ocklawaha River

Rodman / Kenwood · NWS forecast ↗ (external website, opens in a new tab)

Explore Rodman Reservoir and Putnam County’s Ocklawaha River in one guide. Plan a reservoir trip above Rodman Dam or fish the river below it toward the St. Johns near Welaka. Each has its own launches and access points.

Fishing Rodman Reservoir

Largemouth bass are Rodman’s headline target. FWC describes a reservoir with flooded timber, vegetation and a deeper river channel. Ask your guide about a shiner or artificial-lure trip and use the dated reports below to understand the season; a past catch is not a prediction for your day.

Plan your trip

Use the specific access point when planning your trip. Kenwood Recreation Area has an Interlachen address, while the dam and campground have Palatka addresses. These are starting points for the Rodman trip, not interchangeable town-center launches.

Rodman is part of the Ocklawaha system. Arrange the exact meeting ramp with your guide. Reservoir trips and spillway bank fishing need different access plans; check the park’s current notices before leaving.

Access & launch planning

Kenwood is a reservoir boat launch. Rodman Recreation Area separately lists bank fishing on the reservoir side of the dam. The boat and canoe/kayak launches below Kirkpatrick Dam serve the lower Ocklawaha, so choose the water before opening directions. Captain Sean Rush is based in Ocala; confirm a Putnam County meeting ramp for a Rodman trip.

Build the trip around your access point.

Rodman is a destination in its own right. A reservoir boat trip, bank fishing near the dam and a camping stay need different starting points.

Launching a boat at Kenwood

Kenwood Recreation Area is the listed reservoir launch in this directory. It has an Interlachen mailing address; navigate to the recreation area itself. Check park notices and match the ramp to your boat before the trip.

Fishing from the bank near Rodman Dam

Rodman Recreation Area provides bank fishing on the reservoir side of the earthen dam. Use the recreation area’s access information and posted boundaries. Reservoir access and spillway fishing should not be treated as the same location.

Booking a guide or staying overnight

Sean Rush’s Trophy Bass Expeditions specializes in Rodman, and Chuck Blocker and Tommy Collins also list Rodman trips. Confirm your meeting ramp, bait, equipment and trip arrangements directly. Sean Rush is based in Ocala; his listing here is for fishing Rodman from a Putnam launch.

Is Rodman the same as the St. Johns River?

Rodman Reservoir is part of the Ocklawaha system. Plan a Rodman trip around a reservoir access point rather than assuming a St. Johns town ramp is the right launch.

What should I check before bringing a boat?

Check current park notices and FWC’s Rodman information. FWC describes standing timber, submerged stumps and a river channel within the reservoir; use suitable navigation information and local knowledge.

Are the catch reports a prediction for my trip?

No. The dated reports describe past trips. Talk with a guide about the season, your target fish and what is realistic for your dates.

Ocklawaha River below Rodman Dam

Explore Putnam’s river stretch below Rodman Dam to the St. Johns near Welaka, with boat and paddle access of its own.

Fishing this water

FWC’s Ocklawaha guide covers largemouth bass, bluegill, shellcracker and channel catfish, and describes redbreast sunfish and stumpknockers in the river and its creeks. Use that as a starting point for a lower-river trip, then ask about current flow and the species being caught locally.

Plan your trip

The lower Ocklawaha runs from Rodman Dam to its meeting with the St. Johns near Welaka. Plan around the dam area or Johnson Field on State Road 19. A mailing address on an access listing is not the launch’s town-center location.

Choose a lower-river launch for this trip. Kenwood serves the reservoir above the dam. For a canoe or kayak, check the current flow, choose an out-and-back or arrange pickup, and confirm the access points before setting off.

Access & launch planning

The map includes three Putnam access points on the river below Rodman: Johnson Field, the Kirkpatrick Dam boat ramp and the separate canoe/kayak launch. Their coordinates and launch types come from FWC’s inventory. Check posted access instructions and current notices. Do not assume a launch dock or spillway structure is open for bank fishing.

Fish the river below the dam.

Keep this trip on Putnam’s lower Ocklawaha: the river below Rodman Dam, past the State Road 19 access and toward the St. Johns near Welaka.

Choose a river launch

The Kirkpatrick Dam boat ramp and Johnson Field both appear in FWC’s Putnam inventory on the lower Ocklawaha. Compare their locations on the map and use the directions for the specific ramp. Kenwood is an access point for the reservoir above the dam.

Plan a canoe or kayak fishing trip

FWC separately lists a hand launch below Kirkpatrick Dam. Choose your turnaround or take-out before launching, check current flow and conditions, and confirm access at both ends if arranging a shuttle. Keep the fishing plan within the distance you can comfortably cover.

Connect the trip to Welaka

The river meets the St. Johns near Welaka. Use Welaka for nearby bait, lodging and food, while choosing the launch for the water you intend to fish. Little Lake George belongs in the adjoining St. Johns trip plan.

This guide focuses on Putnam County; it does not cover Silver Springs or the upper Ocklawaha. Check posted fishing areas at every launch.

Rodman & Ocklawaha ramps, guides and places to stay

Dated fishing reports

Fishing videos

▶ Watch video

Aug 16, 2026

Rodman August Tournament – Jax Bass Club

FBomb Fishing

Rodman Reservoir & Ocklawaha River

Video details

Explore all photos & videos →