Broward County Canals (Broward)
Bass fishing is extremely common at Broward County Canals, from butterfly peacock bass to largemouth bass. For fishing in the early morning, silver or black top-water lures work best, while red or black shad worms are more preferable to bass in the evening. Bream are also popular and tend to like white and green jigs as bait.
Everglades Water Conservation Areas (Palm Beach, Broward & Miami-Dade)
Top-quality bass fishing can be found at Water Conservation Areas 2 and 3 within the Everglades. With the proper water level, largemouth bass are the most popular catch, yielding one of the highest catch rates in Florida. Bluegill, redear sunfish, pickerel, oscar and Mayan cichlid also are popular in the area. When the water levels are low, try fishing in the canals, yet venture to the Everglades marsh to experience a different type of fishing when the levels are higher.
Flamingo Beach (Monroe)
Flaming Beach, at the tip of Florida, is famous for being the only place in the world where saltwater crocodiles live in peach with alligators. Cobia, tripletail, grouper, redfish, snapper, crevalle jack, sea trout and snook also inhabit this popular fishing spot.
Florida Keys & Florida Straits (Monroe)
More than 225 species of game fish can be found in the Keys, including bonefish, tarpon and marlin. Called the “Sport Fishing Capital of the World,” Islamorada is home to tuna, wahoo, dolphin, king mackerel and sailfish. Sea trout, snook and redfish are popular, as well. Meanwhile, Key Largo has an amazing amount of sailfish, specifically during the colder winter months. Cobia, king mackerel, grouper, yellowtail and snapper can be found in the area’s flats, shipwrecks and reefs.
The Florida Straits, the current passing between Cuba and the Keys, are a great spot for large sport fish, such as grouper, snapper, wahoo, tarpon, permit, shark, barracuda and blue marlin.
Fort Pierce Inlet (St. Lucie)
Although late summer to early spring boasts great lobster catches, there are still plenty of fish to be found by anglers. The large reefs close to shore offer nooks and crannies where lobsters, as well as fish, are most commonly found.
Lake Ida (Palm Beach)
Known for its sunshine, largemouth and butterfly peacock bass population, this lake produces a large quantity of fish. As for bait, stick to minnow imitations, crankbaits and jigs.
Lake Okeechobee (Hendry, Glades, Okeechobee & Martin)
Lake Okeechobee, which means “big water” in Seminole, is the Florida’s largest lake. With a surface area of 730 square miles and a depth of only about nine feet, there are plenty of fish to be discovered. An extensive selection of vegetation provides places for fish to hide and spawn. Black crappie and largemouth bass are typically the best catches, but bluegill and redear are decent as well. Vegetation around the shoreline will provide the best harvest of bass, especially when using golden shiners as bait. Spring is a slow season for black crappie, but other fish populate the waters. Deep waters provide the best schools.
The lakeside town of Clewiston in Hendry County offers public boat ramps and private marinas for boating access.
Lake Osborne (Palm Beach)
In Lake Osborne bass, crappie, bluegill, redear sunfish, catfish and Mayan cichlids flourish. This 356-acre lake has nine buoys around that mark the location of fish attractors. Shiners and live shad as bait around the shoreline seem to attract bass, especially during early morning. The fish attractors and vegetation are good places to look for any fish species, while deeper water is the best spot for warmer mid-day fishing.
A public boat ramp and fishing dock with fish feeder can be found at John Prince Park, which surrounds the lake. The park also offers restrooms, picnic spots and a campground.
Lake Trafford (Collier)
This 1,500-acre lake offers a plethora of vegetation and fish. Bluegill, bass, crappie, redear and bullheads are all popular catches here. Bank fishing is available from a small county park on the lake.
Boaters have plenty of access opportunities, with a county park and Lake Trafford Marina each offering boat ramps. Boaters should take caution around shallow areas and rocky outcrops.
Loxahatchee River (Martin, Palm Beach)
Blue crabs, mullet, snook and tarpon inhabit the Loxahatchee River/Lake Worth Creek Aquatic Preserve. Freshwater and tidal marshes, mangroves, tidal flats, seagrass beds and oysters bars make for interesting fishing and boating.
A boat ramp is available in Jonathon Dickinson State Park, although boaters must mind the idle speed limit.
Marco Island (Collier)
As the largest island in the Ten Thousand Islands National Wildlife Refuge, Marco Island offers excellent fishing habitats within their intricate channels and bays. Anglers can expect to catch sea trout, grouper, pompano, shark, mackerel, snapper, snook and tarpon.
Miami-Dade County Canals (Miami-Dade)
Part of a man-made canal system, the Miami-Dade canals harbor largemouth bass and butterfly peacock bass. Live shiners and minnow imitators act as great bait, however catch-and-release is strongly encouraged. Bluegill, redear sunfish, Mayan cichlid and oscar also are popular. For successful catches, try using wigglers, crickets and night crawlers. The canal’s urban areas can often yield snook and tarpon, so entice these critters with live shiners.
Naples (Collier)
An angler’s dream, tough, hard-fighting permit can weigh up to 25 pounds in this region. Measure at least 100 yards of line (some catches require 150 yards) and use artificial lures, shrimp, pinfish and fiddler crabs as bait. Deep reefs will harbor wahoo in the colder months. King mackerel, bluefish and Spanish mackerel can also be found.
Palm Beach County Canals (Palm Beach)
Largemouth bass fishing is plentiful with in the Palm Beach County Canals, and live shiners and shad work best as bait. Clown knifefish are another possible catch with shad bait. Bridges are a common congregating point for these fish. Butterfly peacock bass can be found in this canal as well; for them small shiners and minnow imitators will get the best response.
Pompano Beach (Broward)
This large, man-made reef, located just off-shore at Pompano Beach, offers a habitat for amberjack, snapper, sailfish, grouper and dolphin. More than 20 freighters at 100 feet deep create an ideal spot for fish. The Hillsboro Inlet offers access to the reef.
Rookery Bay (Collier)
One of the county’s last remaining undisturbed mangrove estuaries lies nestled between Naples and Marco Island. The National Estuarine Research Reserve is home to a variety of habitats and endangered species, making it an educational hot spot for both students and scientists. Among the backwaters, anglers can catch snook, redfish, mangrove snapper and tarpon.
Shell Island Road provides a boat ramp, and more access points can be found at Bayview Park and the 951 ramp north of the Jolley Bridge.
St. Lucie River (St. Lucie)
St. Lucie River and estuary, as one of the largest brackish water systems on Florida’s east coast, provide an ample habitat for substantial fish populations. Snook, trout, redfish, flounder, permit, sand perch, whiting and more can be found in these waters. From St. Lucie Inlet Preserve State Park, try for snapper and sheepshead from the dock, or visit the beach for pompano and bluefish.
Savannahs (St. Lucie)
Along the Svannahs chain of lakes and marshes, largemouth bass, bluegill and black crappie can all be found. Vegetation is plentiful, and the area is perfect for wade angling or smaller boats, but gas motors are prohibited.
