When your Examiner’s grandfather taught her how to fish, he passed along three rules.
One is that you carry your fishing poles, bait and tackle box with you everywhere. Just in case.
Rule Two is that you can fish – for free, even at the beach – pretty much anywhere that isn’t posted no trespassing or otherwise. Fish are like alligators – they’re everywhere.
Third and most important – once you find a good fishing hole, don’t you tell anybody.
Yes, Your Examiner, even though she is a girl, understands the difference between fishing charters, tournament fishing and regular fishing.
She even concedes that there may be such things as “fishing schools” where people go to learn to fish better or to learn to fish in the first place.
Why do Floridians go to fish camps to fish?
So you drive to the fish camp, and you park your RV with a bunch of other people’s, put your boat in with a bunch of other people’s and go fishing with a bunch of other people around.
And you actually catch fish?
Sure thing.
If you haven’t been to Whitey’s Fish Camp on Fleming Island, consider doing a little research on fish camps there.
If you approach Whitey’s as a boat-friendly, waterfront restaurant, the whole thing makes perfect sense.
Whitey’s has
- A full-service bar,
- A full-service restaurant (Crab and Shrimp Cake Eggs Benedict – yummy, yummy.)
- Stuffed fish and alligators on the walls,
- Live music, pool tournaments & a game called “Beer Pong” on Monday nights, etc.
It’s convenient to be able to hop in your boat and motor on down to Whitey’s for a beer, tie up at his dock and drink said beer, then hop back in your boat and motor home.
No traffic. And you don’t have to load up the car.
Whitey’s is owned and operated by Whitey and Ann Ham and has been for going on 50 years.
They survived Whitey’s stint in the Navy and a really bad kitchen fire that closed the restaurant for about six months.
They surely know their customers.
In addition to the bar and restaurant, there are RV hook-ups for 44, boat slips to accommodate same, a bait-and-tackle shop (as you’d expect), a “pro shop” with clothes, hats, and other merch.
And a hair parlor.
At Whitey’s, it’s all about convenience.
So … okay … a fish camp is kinda like a motel & kinda like a campground
You can clean and eat your catch-of-the-day in the privacy of your own RV or boat or head to the restaurant.
Okay.
That makes the restaurant really handy, you know, just in case you … um .. come back empty-handed after fishing with all those other people who know where you fish.
Sure thing.
- 2032 County Rd. 220
- Fleming Island, FL 32003
- Phone: 904-269-4198
- FAX: 904-264-7271
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OFFICIAL BIO: K Truitt is a second-generation, native Floridian born in Jacksonville. Truitt worked in public higher education for 25 years, most recently in Texas, is a successful grant writer, knows newspaper publishing, printing and graphic design and wants to work in the public sector. Contact: kt.4examiner@yahoo.com
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