Alligator Lake (Columbia)
An 800-acre Fish Management Area filled with sinkholes, including some that connect directly to underground aquifers, attracts black crappie with live minnows. Bluegill and redear prefer worms and crickets. Catfish can be lured with chicken liver. Bass, on the other hand, respond well to soft plastic bait.
On the north side of the lake, a single-lane boat ramp is available. There’s room for approximately 20 cars. Bank fishing is permitted for boat-free angling.
Cedar Key (Levy)
Off of Cedar Key, the Gulf waters are teeming with pompano, Spanish mackerel, ladyfish, bluefish, and sea trout. Speckled sea trout and redfish usually stick to the sea grass beds and oyster bars, respectively. For bait, try jigs and shrimp.
Chassahowitzka River (Citrus)
Pronounced “chess-a-whiskey,” this shallow river should be navigated with caution. Relatively warm, spring-fed water affects fishing all year. Anglers should find stocks of snook, redfish, and sea trout.
Crystal River (Citrus)
The docks and seawalls in Crystal River are a gathering place for snook. Crabs, minnows and baitfish are best as bait. Deep holes near the shore should provide a good harvest on cooler days. Grassy areas will yield up sea trout. During winter, it is most important to take great care and avoid the many gentle manatees that flock to the area.
Doctor’s Inlet (Clay)
This tributary of the St. Johns hides a large amount of bass in its eelgrass beds. Areas upstream of Palatka and any deep holes should yield a catch.
Eagle Lake (Hamilton)
Eagle Lake was one of Hamilton County’s phosphate pits. Now a substantial 200 acres, it provides excellent fishing year-round. Spring provides the best largemouth bass and catfish, while bluegill and redear are best in the summer and black crappie and sunshine bass flourish during the fall and winter months.
Boaters should be aware that gasoline motors may be attached to fishing vessels, but only trolling motors may be used. There are no concrete boat ramps.
Econfina River (Taylor)
The Econfina’s shallow waters yield plenty of sea trout, cobia, and redfish. Econfina River State Park’s boat ramp is always open for saltwater angling in the Gulf. Overnight accommodations are small, but clean.
Fernandina Beach (Nassau)
Warm waters make Fernandina’s the perfect spot for a variety of fish—cobia, sea bass, trout, bluefish, sheepshead, king mackerel, pompano, flounder, and grouper. Five-foot-long, 140-lb. amberjack have also been harvested here!
Homosassa River (Citrus)
The river’s unique headwaters allow both salt and freshwater species to freely mingle. Snook, mullet, and sheepshead can be found next to gar, largemouth bass, and bream. The inshore flats can yield tarpon with bait such as flies, crab, mullet, or shrimp.
Horeshoe Beach (Dixie)
Horseshoe Beach is best for seasonal fishing since it produces sheepshead, redfish, cobia, and sea trout in its shallow waters. Summer anglers will find red snapper in good supply; it’s sometimes even available year-round. Grouper is a fantastic year-round catch. Spring and fall provide plenty of king mackerel with either live or frozen bait.
Lake Rousseau (Levy, Marion & Citrus)
Vast amounts of cypress trees provide an apt habitat for many bluegill, redear, bass, catfish, and crappie. The river channel harbors much fish in its depths.
Lake Rowell (Bradford)
Lake Rowell is connected to Lake Sampson by a canal and lies upstream. It is considered very fertile due to a shallow, mucky bottom and hydrilla growths. Big catches of largemouth bass are quite likely.
Lake Sampson (Bradford)
The lake’s hard sand bottom is perfect for fly-fishing and wade angling. Multiple permanent fish attractors make catches easy. 7-8 lb. bass are not uncommon.
Lake Wauberg (Alachua)
Probably best known for its extensive crappie population, Lake Wauberg’s grasses and algae-rich waters also feed and harbor bass, redear sunfish, and bluegill. An adjacent campground is a viable option for a vacation spot. Only electric trolling motors are permitted.
Lang Lake (Hamilton)
Another Hamilton County phosphate pit, the graded, gradual slopes of Lang Lake create shelves for vegetation to thrive and attract breeding fish. Drop-offs are a good place to try for largemouth bass with crankbaits or jigs, and bluegill is a popular catch from late spring through fall.
It’s important to be wary of the boat ramps; four-wheel-drive vehicles would be helpful in launching and recovering your craft. Gasoline motors may not be used on the lake (trolling motors only), but they can be attached to the boat.
Lochloosa Lake (Alachua)
Ancient cypress trees and grass beds surround Lochloosa Lake, a wonderful spot for summer angling. Bluegill, bream, and redear sunfish are abundant from April to September. Some species of bream are available throughout the year. Focus on the deep-water grass beds and try grass shrimp as bait. If you use grass shrimp and minnows as bait, Fall and Summer will bring in full catches of crappie in the open water.
From Highway 301 a public boat ramp provides access to the lake. On foot try the public pier on Burnt Island.
Nassau River (Nassau & Duval)
Colder months often deliver the largest striped bass in Nassau River; for the 20-pounders try deep-diving lures and live eels. Redfish, sea trout, and drum should be plentiful as well.
Newnan’s Lake (Alachua)
Surrounded by cypress trees, Newnan’s Lake offers the best fishing when the water is high. The most popular catches are bream, found along the shoreline, and catfish within the deeper areas of the lake.
Orange Lake (Alachua)
This massive 12,550-acre Fish Management Area has vast amounts of lily pads, which often prevent shallow-water angling, though deeper areas of the lake offer bluegill, bass, redear sunfish, and crappie.
A fishing pier with fish attractor and a boat ramp are located at Heagy-Burry Park (the southwest portion of the lake). Boats may additionally be launched from Mike’s Fish Camp.
St. Johns River (Duval, Clay, St. Johns, Putnam, Lake, Volusia, Seminole, Orange & Brevard)
The infamous St. Johns is known primarily for its bass population. Most success is found with live bait. Deep waters and the areas around submerged structures should produce a good amount of catfish, bass, and bluegill.
Santa Fe Lake (Alachua, Bradford)
Separated into a “little” north area, a “big” southern arm and a “pass” which connects the two, Lake Santa Fe is a fishing haven in the midst of residential Florida. Sunshine and largemouth bass are best found in the pass. Fishing continues to be successful here despite the surrounding homes and personal watercraft.
The north side of the lake features a fishing pier and a boat ramp.
Santa Fe River (Alachua, Union, Columbia, Bradford, Suwannee & Gilchrist)
Heavily vegetated waters of this Suwannee tributary have freshwater shrimp, waterscuds and aquatic insects. Fish growth is extraordinary with redbreast sunfish and stumpknocker being the most common catches.
Steinhatchee River (Taylor)
Brackish river waters house redfish, spotted seatrout, Spanish mackerel, ladyfish and jack crevalle. Anglers should find plenty of grouper, snapper, and redfish off-shore. Head out of the river for summer scalloping along the coast, between Rock Point to the beaches.
Suwannee Lake (Suwannee)
The best fishing tactics vary according to season, but top-water lures and dark plastic worms should ensure a good catch any time of year, anywhere in the lake, which is full of cypress trees and largemouth bass. Redear and bluegill are attracted to crickets and worms. About 60 cars may take advantage of a boat ramp and pier. Fishers may also fish from the pier or the bank without boats.
Suwannee River (Dixie, Levy, Lafayette, Suwannee, Hamilton, Columbia & Gilchrist)
Unpredictable water level keeps the fishing interesting, with best results at low tide. Plenty of fish in the upper Suwannee area find shelter in the tree roots and rocky shelves; a greater amount of vegetation makes the lower Suwannee more habitable for bass. Bait resembling crawfish bring the most success, as Suwannee bass prefer this particular shellfish.
Numerous boat ramps can be found along the shoreline of the river.
Tsala Apopka Lake (Citrus)
Heavily-vegetated shallow marsh and open water ponds make Tsala Apopka’s 19,000 acres a vast span of fishing opportunities. The Hernando Pool and Little Lake Henderson are the most productive. Largemouth bass and panfish can be found near the boat ramps (steer clear of mucky spots) and bluegill and redear are plentiful along the shorelines. Try hotdog or moist dog food as bait.
Near the intersection of Highway 41 and S.R. 200, a boat ramp provides access to the Hernando Pool. Inverness’s S.R. 470 and Duval Island Road contain boat ramps for Inverness Pool and Floral City Pool, respectively.
Waccasassa Bay (Levy)
Bordering the Gulf Hammock Wildlife Management Area, Waccasassa Bay harbors abundant amounts of sea trout and redfish. Through autumn, oyster and sand bars are popular areas for fish.
Withlacoochee River (Levy, Citrus, Marion, Sumter & Hernando)
Try the area below the dam at Lake Rousseau for a year-round source of catfish, though fluctuating water levels can make the Withlacoochee a spotty place to fish unless one is determined. Using handfuls of meal combined with BB-sized pellets of plastic white grub on small hooks, mullet have been caught downstream. Along the length of the river, public boat ramps can be found.
