Broward County Canal (Broward)
Live shiners are the angler's best bet for prime butterfly peacock bass fishing. Largemouth bass and bream are popular, too. Silver or black top-water lures work well for catching bass in the early morning; switch to a red or black shad worm later in the day. Bream are lured with white and green jigs.
Everglades Conservation Areas (Palm Beach, Broward & Miami-Dade)
Water Conservation Areas 2 and 3 have consistently produced top-quality bass fishing. Largemouth bass is the most popular catch, yielding one of the largest catch rates in Florida when the water level is good. Bluegill, redear, pickerel, oscar and Mayan cichlid also are popular. Low water levels make for ample fish populations, but higher levels create a marshy landscape, providing a different type of fishing altogether.
Flamingo Beach (Monroe)
This town, at the tip, of Florida is famous for being the only place in the world where saltwater crocodiles coexist with alligators. Cobia, tripletail, grouper, redfish, snapper, crevalle jack, sea trout and snook also inhabit this popular fishing spot.
Florida Keys & Florida Straits (Monroe)
The Keys boast more than 225 species of game fish, including bonefish, tarpon and marlin. Islamorada, known as the "Sport Fishing Capital of the World," is home to tuna, wahoo, dolphin, king mackerel and sailfish. Sea trout, snook and redfish are popular, as well. Key Largo offers spectacular sailfish populations, especially in the colder winter months. Cobia, king mackerel, grouper, yellowtail and snapper like to inhabit the area's flats, shipwrecks and reefs.
The Florida Straits, the current passing between Cuba and the Florida Keys, are a great spot for large sport fish, such as grouper, snapper, wahoo, tarpon, permit, barracuda and the infamous 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)
Located in an urban area, fisherman can stay within minutes from home at Lake Ida.
Known for its sunshine, largemouth and butterfly peacock bass population, this lake produces a large quantity of fish. Stick to minnow imitations, crankbaits and jigs as bait.
Lake Okeechobee (Palm Beach, Hendry, Glades, Okeechobee & Martin)
Meaning "big water" in Seminole language, Lake Okeechobee is the largest lake in the state. With a surface area of 730 square miles and a depth of only about 9 feet, fishing odds are good. An extensive selection of vegetation provides places for fish to hide and spawn.
Black crappie and largemouth bass are arguably the best catches, but bluegill and redear populations are decent, too. Vegetation around the shoreline will provide the best harvest of bass, especially with golden shiners as bait. Spring is a slow season for black crappie, but decent-sized specimens aren't uncommon. Stick to deep water, and keep moving until you find a school.
The lakeside town of Clewiston in Hendry County offers public boat ramps and private marinas for
boating access.
Lake Osborne (Palm Beach)
Bass, crappie, bluegill, redear, catfish and Mayan cichlids flourish in this 356-acre lake. Nine buoys around the lake mark the location of fish attractors. Using shiners and live shad as bait around the shoreline has been known to catch upwards of 20 bass per trip, especially during early morning. The fish attractors and vegetation are good places to look for any fish species, and deeper water is the best spot for warmer mid-day fishing.
John Prince Park surrounds the lake, providing a public boat ramp and fishing dock with fish feeder. The park 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. 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)
The largest island in the Ten Thousand Islands National Wildlife Refuge, Marco Island's intricate channels and bays make excellent fishing habitats. Anglers can expect to catch sea trout, grouper, pompano, shark, mackerel, snapper, snook and tarpon.
Miami-Dade County Canal (Miami-Dade)
Part of a more extensive man-made canal system, the Miami-Dade Canal harbors largemouth bass and the ever-popular butterfly peacock bass. Catch-and-release of this fish is strongly encouraged, especially during April's spawning season. Live shiners and minnow imitators are great for this catch. Bluegill, redear sunfish, Mayan cichlid and oscar are popular; try wigglers, crickets and night crawlers for the most success. The canal's urban areas can often yield snook and tarpon; entice these critters with live shiners.
Naples (Collier)
Tough, hard-fighting permit typically grow up to 25 pounds in this region; make sure you have 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 should be plentiful.
Palm Beach County Canal (Palm Beach)
For largemouth bass fishing, live shiners and shad are the angler's best bet. Clown knifefish are another possible catch with shad bait. Bridges are a common congregating point for these fish. Butterfly peacock bass like this canal as well; small shiners and minnow imitators will get the best response.
Pompano Beach (Broward)
Amberjack, snapper, sailfish, grouper and dolphin inhabit the large, man-made reef located off-shore at Pompano Beach. 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, 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. At 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 Savannahs chain of lakes and marshes, largemouth bass, bluegill and black crappie can be found. Vegetation is plentiful, and the area is perfect for wade angling or smaller boats. Gas motors are prohibited.
