'Place to be since 1963': Landmark Jacksonville-area, family-owned fish camp up for sale

Spanning six decades, a landmark family-owned Jacksonville-area fish camp featuring a popular waterfront restaurant, boat marina, RV campground, bait shop and live music venue is up for sale.

Whitey's Fish Camp, along Swimming Pen Creek adjacent to Doctors Lake on Fleming Island, is the oldest restaurant in Clay County as well as the only one on that waterfront.

Encompassing nearly five acres, the fish camp at 2032 County Road 220 is known for its restaurant specializing in Southern fish camp cuisine — fresh seafood, fried catfish, gator tail and more — family-friendly hospitality, live music and hosting charity events benefitting residents and the community.

It's also known for being Lynyrd Skynyrd lead vocalist Ronnie Van Zant's longtime favorite restaurant before he died in an October 1977 plane crash.

Billy Ham, co-owner with his sister Elaine Cassala and brother Luke Lawley, told the Times-Union they put the fish camp on the market in preparation for retirement. The three siblings are ages 60 to 74. Concern about potential health issues also was a contributing factor, he said.

But there are no immediate plans to close, Ham emphasized.

"At this point, Whitey's is not closing. We're not planning on shutting the doors or anything like that. If we can't sell it then we'll look at other options," he said.

Whitey's appearance on the market comes about seven months after its competition for about 50 years — Clark's Fish Camp at 12903 Hood Landing Road along Julington Creek — was sold for $1.4 million. The veteran veteran restauranteur and construction manager who bought Clark's told the Times-Union he planned to restore and reopen that restaurant.

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'Business better than it's ever been'

The family put the fish camp on the market at an undisclosed price in December. But only recently has the Colliers real estate listing garnered social media attention.

The decision, Ham said, wasn't an easy one. But they believe the timing is right, he said.

"We just felt with the market, our business as good as it is and as strong as it is, it's time to try to exit," said Ham, noting "business has been better than it's ever been."

He said they hope a company comes in and will keep the fish camp as it is and "be part of the community as we have been for the last 60 years."

Ham said his philosophy for any new owner is "If it ain't broke, don't fix it."

"Obviously, this business is not broke. We've been here 60 years and we're thriving," he said. "If someone were to come in here and make a lot of changes would be almost foolish when a business is doing so well," he said.

'The place to be since 1963'

Whitey and Ann Ham founded the fish camp in 1963 while he was employed in the US Navy. Back then, the fish camp was little more than a tackle shop with nine bar stools, a toaster oven, sandwiches, beer and soft drinks, according to the restaurant's Facebook page.

In 1969, the couple renovated the building to include a full-service kitchen, dining room, bar and outside deck. Then in 1970, they added 16 sites for mobile homes. By the 1980s, they converted the campground into a site for 44 recreational vehicles, according to Explore Clay County, the county's tourism website.

Whitey Ham passed away in 1997 followed by Ann Ham in 2007.

On March 30, 2002, fire destroyed the kitchen and gutted the restaurant. They rebuilt and renovated and reopened the restaurant in February 2003.

Whitey's Fish Camp complex

Although the fish camp's asking price hasn't been made public, the 2023 taxable value of Whitey's Fish Camp is listed as $1,067,200, Clay County property tax records show.

The restaurant, which will seat about 650 people inside and out, is at least 9,476 square feet including 851 square feet of office space on the second floor. The covered outside dining area spans at least 7,760 square feet, the Colliers real estate flyer shows.

There also is a 21-slip non-residential commercial docking facility. In addition, the RV campground includes 40 spaces along with related buildings such as restrooms, showers and other amenities, according to the flyer.

Whitey's restaurant hours are 3 to 9 p.m. Monday, 11 a.m. to 9 p.m. Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday, 11 a.m. to 10 p.m. Friday and Saturday, and 11 a.m. to 9 p.m. Sunday. The bar hours may differ, its website shows.

Teresa Stepzinski is the dining reporter for the Times-Union. Follow her on X, formerly known as Twitter, @TeresaStepz or reach her via email at tstepzinski@jacksonville.com.

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This article originally appeared on Florida Times-Union: Whitey's Fish Camp in Clay County on the market