Lake George

Lake George, also called Lake Welaka, is a broad, shallow, brackish lake on the St. Johns River in Putnam and Volusia counties, Florida. It covers about 46,000 acres. It is the largest lake on the St. Johns River and the second largest in Florida, after Lake Okeechobee. The Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission describes it as a natural impoundment of the St. Johns. Jetties mark the south end, where the river enters, and the river leaves at Rocky Point on the north end. The lake is about 11 miles long and 6 miles wide, with an average depth of 8 feet, and contains Drayton and Hog islands. Most of the lake is less than 10 feet deep, but a natural channel carries vessels as large as oil barges. The naturalist John Bartram named the lake for King George III in 1765.

Public launches include Volusia County's Shell Harbor Park near Pierson, a free nine-acre park with boat and kayak access and a floating dock, and Putnam County's Drayton Island Ferry ramp at Georgetown. Other launches are the Volusia Wharf ramp near Astor, the Nine Mile ramp, the Silver Glen Springs paddlecraft launch, and the Barrs Landing canoe launch. The St. Johns River Water Management District's Lake George Conservation Area, nearly 12,000 acres, protects more than half of the eastern shore. Airboats may not be launched at Shell Harbor. A naval bombing danger zone covers part of the eastern lake. Naval aircraft warn vessels to leave before bombing operations, but cargo vessels in the established lanes may still pass.

The lake holds Florida bass, sunshine bass, black crappie and striped bass. It also supports one of the few freshwater blue crab fisheries in the world.