 This photo taken a day or two ago reminds me of when I bought the camp. The fuel barges used to go up and down the river from Jax to Sanford almost daily. We would standby on our radio in the office and wish them Happy New Year. I can remember suggesting to one of T's grandsons that it probably would not be a good idea to shoot bottle rockets and roman candles onto the fuel barges. I used to work the coal barges on the Ohio and the sight of the towboats and barges going by always gives me a good feeling of when I was younger and carefree....
We've had a great spring so far...the DeLand crew headed up by the Clifton gang; Mike and Goatman, the BCT group; Pam Priest, Dad and Dan and a whole bunch with them; Clint Dunn and team, our great group from Pete's Fishing Club out of Covington, Ky are back; Sue Abrahamsen; Mary Sue Banks; Doc McLeod and his family from the Panhandle; David Barfield; and probably a few others I left out but are certainly appreciated also. The fishing has been very good. We have about a week off right now to catch up on things and then we will head into May and June with a full boatload of guests. Karla is doing a great job of keeping the cabins clean and keeping track of guests. Loren (in the RV behind #1) is around also to help out. Jim is spending more time in the camp. Loren and Jim re-built a large chunk of the dock at the rocking chairs in the off-season and we put a new roof on #7. Everything seems to be working well. As always, we certainly appreciate the support we get from all of our returning guests. You make it all worthwhile. So come on back - often... and we will Catch Ya Later. Stegbone's  Holiday Greetings from the St. Johns River in Welaka!
It's 11 am on Saturday the 21st. It's winter time. As you can see from the photo, the citrus is heavy on the trees, the cypress has lost its needles, and the river and sky could not be any bluer. Today we expect a high of 82 and almost no humidity. It couldn't be nicer. Through February 28, we are offering our 25% discount on rooms. Keep us in mind. Just want to say thanks to all of our guests this past year and that we are looking forward to seeing you all again in 2014. Karla, Loren (Wayne's brother), John and I wish you the very merriest of Christmases. Catch ya later! Jim Stegbone's Fish Camp  Carol Theresa Hardin (Stege) - (9.9.50 - 6.5.13) Friends and Visitors:
Terry passed away peacefully in her sleep on June 5th. Jim Stege and Terry purchased the camp in July of 1998. Even after separating, they retained a strong mutual respect and appreciation for each other, and the successful operation and enjoyment of the fish camp was at the heart of that relationship. Over the past five years, Terry had embraced the camp fully and made it an integral part of her life. She felt a special closeness to her guests. True to her nature, she could often give it out as well or better than she took it. But she always had their best interests and that of the camp in mind. It will certainly not be the same without her. As always, we will do our best to give our guests that special experience they have come to expect for nearly 70 years. Karla, Wayne, John and Jim will keep things going – you can expect to hear Karla on the phone when you call in the future - she will be handling more of the check-in, check-out and reservations duties now. We thank you all for your kind expressions of sympathy. And don't worry, you can bet Terry is keeping an eye out on how the camp is running from her new perch. Catch ya later. Stegbones  Welded palm tree on Cabin #1 - by Pete Brand 1956-2012 We are due for some cold weather tonight - possibly freezing - so you may be glad you are visiting later in the season. Give Mike and Goatman credit for braving it for a few days - they are due later today. And also the Florida trails group which just left today - they did a bunch of bike riding and kayaking and had a great dinner at Cafe Bleu in Welaka. The campfire helped a lot on Friday night.
Our team has been intact for over a year now - Jim, Terry, Wayne, Karla and John. Jim is down most weekends and we are in the process of setting up an office in #6 - the single-wide - where he has been staying since last summer. We have had to upgrade our bookkeeping service and are doing it ourselves - using Quickbooks. So we now are printing out receipts from the computer. We will set up a ticket when you arrive and then print you out one upon departure. This is partly due to Ms.Terry's situation - she is dealing with a few health issues and may not be quite as visible as in the past. She has never been one to sit around, so expect to see her doing much of the same things as she always has. Mr. Wayne and Ms. Karla are in the Outback behind the double-wide and Wayne is consistently available to help with your needs. Ms. Karla has just completed a deep cleaning of all the cabins - so they are ready to go for the season. And Mr. John lives in the RV to the north of #1 - you will see it on the right as you enter under the sign. John keeps the grounds looking great and has greatly improved the campfire area in particular. The camp is in great shape due to their collective efforts. We look forward to the start of the fishing season in about a month, and to the return of all of those of you who make this place so special. Catch ya later. Stegbones Welcome back to the Stegbone's newsletter. We wish everyone a wonderful holiday season and pass along warm greetings.
The more Stegbones changes, the more it seems to also stay the same. While the camp is officially for sale, in today's market, we are in no hurry to pass it along to someone who does not appreciate all the special qualities it has - and without insuring that it will still be here for our guests to enjoy, much as you have always done. Many of our staff you are familiar to you - Jim Stege is still the Owner and is able to help out usually on Saturdays. Terry Hardin lives in the river house that used to be #7 and is now her private home. Terry handles reservations, check-in and check-out, and overall camp operations. Many guests have now met James Crosby, who is our caretaker, dock manager, cleans fish and gives fishing advice, and will generally help with all your needs. His wife Trish, cleans the cabins and make sure everything inside is ready for your arrival. Kyle is a terrific Crescent City HS student and has been helping out with mowing and utilizing his mechanical skills. Terry's grandson Aaron, helps out on our website and a variety of other tasks around the camp. So some of the names are new, some aren't. The team works well together. Whether it's for the fishing, spending time with friends, viewing our abundant wildlife and natural setting, or just looking for some well-deserved downtime. You will soon find out why so many of our customers have been coming back for many of the over 65 years that we have been in operation. We look forward to your visit. Catch ya later, Jim |