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Honest John's Fish Camp

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Honest John’s Fish Camp began as a government homestead in 1887. Robert T. Smith and his brother Charley came from southwest Georgia seeking a new life after the ravages of the Civil War. They were farmers and raised beans, sweet potatoes (yams), c... Read more

Honest John’s Fish Camp began as a government homestead in 1887. Robert T. Smith and his brother Charley came from southwest Georgia seeking a new life after the ravages of the Civil War. They were farmers and raised beans, sweet potatoes (yams), collards and later citrus. Their produce was shipped to the White House during the presidency of Franklin Delano Roosevelt. Robert (Uncle Bob) bought out his brother's interest in the homestead, married a Missouri gal named Elizabeth (Bessie) Wells, built a cracker house in 1899 and started raising a family. Honest John was the third child of eight. He disliked farming and became a commercial fisherman. He holds the Honest John's Fish Camp trout record of 13 lbs. 4 oz. Honest John died in 1994, but his legacy lives on. His daughter, Barbara Smith Arthur holds seven IGFA world records for sea trout and one for black drum. Barbara and her husband Roger have three sons who operate the fish camp today.

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