From Georgia’s swamps to salt marsh tidal creeks to the Gulf of Mexico, the Suwannee River flows for more than 200 miles through Columbia, Hamilton, Madison, Suwannee, Lafayette, Gilchrist, Dixie and Levy counties. This spring-fed estuary is riddled with largemouth bass and the Suwannee bass.
At the Suwannee mouth, the sea grass beds and oyster bars in the shallow and placid nearshore Gulf waters form ideal fishing grounds for redfish and speckled trout.
Offshore enthusiasts can expect to find gag grouper and Spanish mackerel in the deeper waters 15-25 miles from the coast.
Channel, white and bullhead catfish congregate in the deep bends and limestone areas of the river. Anglers can catch smaller catfish year-round.
Columbia County
Lake City’s Alligator Lake is a shallow, fertile lake with two fishing piers, a radio tower and several structures attracting large amounts of fish. Live minnows are great to use for back crappie, while bluegill and redear are caught with live worms or crickets. Largemouth bass prefer areas with aquatic vegetation, and are attracted to soft plastic baits. Use raw chicken liver to
catch catfish roaming the bottom of
the lake.
Although it does support a healthy alligator population, the lake’s name actually comes from the former name of its hometown—Alligator Town. This name came from the nickname of a
local Native American chief, Halpatter Tuskenuggee, or “Chief Alligator.”
Dixie, Levy & Taylor counties
Trophy-sized bass and crappie are found in Lake Rousseau, as well as bluegill, catfish, redear sunfish and largemouth bass. Lake Rousseau is an impoundment of the Withlacoochee River, and its cypress trees, hyacinth and pennywort islands provide an excellent environment for fish.
The Econfina River, located in Taylor County, is known for trout, redfish and cobia in the shallow areas and as a lesser known paddling destination. Born in the swamps of Pedro Bay east of Perry, the Econfina gathers water and becomes a stream in the far east region of the county. The fallen trees and submerged logs make it impassable. But a boat ramp allows easy access the beginning of a beautiful trip through the jungle-like terrain of a swamp river.
Gadsden, Wakulla & Leon counties
West of Tallahassee is Lake Talquin, on the Ochlockonee River. Home to a famous black crappie fishery, Lake Talquin produced the current Florida record for crappie—3 pounds, 13.25 ounces. Popular baits for the area include live minnows, panfish jigs and
small spinners.
Bluegill and shellcracker can be hooked using live worms and crickets, while striped bass, found in cooler waters, prefer deep-diving lures that imitate shad.
Jefferson County
Lake Miccosukee sprawls more than 6,200 acres along the northwest border. It is a prairie lake dominated by aquatic vegetation, which attracts unusually large bluegill, frequently 10 to 12 inches or larger. Use live crickets, grass shrimp or worms around the lily pads
and marshy areas. Waters can be very
low on the lake, so call ahead for
current conditions.
Alachua County
Lake Newnans, located two miles east of Gainesville, has a large population of brown bullhead and flathead catfish in its deeper waters. Most fish are caught with live minnows or by trolling small jigs. Bluegill and redear fishing is good from April-July and especially in years when the water level is high. Fishing is best around the cypress tree shoreline using live grass shrimp and live crickets. There are three brush-type fish attractors in Lake Newnans.
Suwannee County
Largemouth bass is abundant in Suwannee Lake, a man-made, 63-acre lake. Two fishing piers, one handicapped accessible, provide boaters angling opportunities. The lake is shallow around the edge with good vegetative cover and several old sinkholes in the trees providing deep cover. Bluegill and redear fishing is excellent with many limit catches being taken. The best baits are live crickets and live worms fished near submerged trees. The peak season is April through September.
Bradford County
Lake Rowell’s mucky bottom and cypress border provide an excellent habitat for largemouth bass. Panfish are found using worms and crickets. Look for fish near fallen trees and hydrilla.
Lake Crosby and Sampson boast largemouth bass and black crappie.
Cedar Key
Fishing and boating are not only recreational in Cedar Key, but a way of life. Cedar Key is a part of Florida’s Big Bend, known for its excellent sport fishing. Seasoned fishermen and novices enjoy the inshore and offshore fishing.
Cedar Key’s oyster bars provide a wonderful feeding ground for redfish, which can be caught using shrimp, while speckled trout is abundant on the grass flats. Trout, ladyfish, pompano, bluefish and Spanish mackerel are caught with shrimp and a variety of jigs.
Reefs and rocky areas are a great habitat for king mackerel during the spring and summer months. Tarpon fishing, sometimes yielding fish as large as 200 pounds, runs from May through September.
Wacasassa Bay
Redfish and trout are popular fish in Wacasassa Bay, which borders the Gulf Hammock Wildlife Management Area. In the fall, fish are found near the edges of oyster bars and sand bars. Its widespread salt marshes and tidal waters create an environment for crabs, shellfish and saltwater fish.
Horseshoe Beach
Horseshoe Beach is an isolated, laid back tidal estuary, widely considered a friendly fishing village. Anglers get the chance to reel in various species of fish, including sea trout, Spanish mackerel, redfish, cobia and sheepshead. Use live shrimp in the fall to catch redfish and sea trout, while sheepshead are caught in the winter using jigs and grub baits. Spanish mackerel and cobia are more prevalent throughout spring, summer and fall.
Grouper are found year-round off Horseshoe Beach’s shore. Red snapper similarly can be found all year long, but peak season is during the summer. Spring and fall months are prime time for king mackerel. Frozen or live baits work well for offshore species.
Scallops, when in season, bring many families to Horseshoe Beach for the annual scallop roundup. Canoe enthusiasts, rowers and other watercraft users can explore Horseshoe off shore.
