Located west of I-95, Lake Osbourne produces largemouth bass. Most of the lake’s edges are covered with eelgrass and hydrilla, which provide great cover to target largemouth bass moving in and out of shorelines. Sunshine bass like to congregate in deep holes, but they are lured out with live shiners, especially at night. Live worms and chicken liver attract channel catfish swimming along the lake’s bottom.
Lake Osborne encompasses 400 acres. It’s part of the system of once natural freshwater lakes lying along the western slope of the coastal ridge in Palm Beach County.
Lake Osborne’s sister, Lake Ida, is loaded with largemouth, striped and even a few peacock butterfly bass. Located in a convenient and urban area in Palm Beach County, fishing enthusiasts are surprised at the high yields of fish. Worms, crickets jigs and beetle spins are typically the baits
of choice.
Palm Beach, Broward &
Miami-Dade counties
Anglers highly regard two Everglades Conservation Areas. The majority of fishing in Conservation Area Two, which encompasses 210 square miles, takes place in the L-35B and L-38E canals. The 915-square mile Conservation Area Three consists of wetlands, canals and Everglades habitats. Water levels peak in October, which disperses fish into marsh areas. The best time to fish in the canals is during the spring and early summer.
Largemouth bass is the most sought after species, and when waters levels are right, provide anglers with some of the highest catch rates in the state. Other popular species readily caught include bluegill, redear sunfish, pickerel, oscar and Mayan cichlid. The majority of fishing takes place during the winter and spring months when water levels are typically dropping, which concentrates fish into perimeter canals. When water levels are up, anglers have access to widespread marsh systems for a different type of angling experience.
Various species are found in the Miami-Dade, Broward and West Palm Beach canals. Snook, tarpon and largemouth bass are caught with regularity. Look for the exotic butterfly peacock bass, which resembles a brightly colored largemouth bass.
Alligator Alley and Miami canals are great places to find sunfish and largemouth bass, both of which are fooled using worms and crickets. Use jigs or crickets near the shore to catch plenty of Mayan cichlid.
Shiners and plastic crawdads catch largemouth bass in Palm Beach County, while redear sunfish and bluegill are caught using crickets. Snook and tarpon are found in Palm Beach’s canals.
Broward County’s canals offer vibrant butterfly peacock bass and largemouth bass, caught using live shiners. Try red worms, crickets and beetle spins for the area’s oscar, bluegill and redear sunfish. Shiners
and lures resembling baitfish fool snook
and tarpon.
Palm Beach and Glades counties
Lake Catherine is located within Palm Beach Gardens. Its 15 acres offer good fishing for largemouth bass, bream, catfish and sunshine bass. Lake Catherine is similar to Lake Osborne and Ida, and connected to the others by a canal network.
Lake Okeechobee is 730 miles of some of Florida’s best fishing. Look for bluegill, redear sunfish, catfish and largemouth bass. Lake Okeechobee is known as the “Crappie Capital of the World,” where an abundance of these fish are caught during cool winter months. Minnows and jigs work well to catch these fish in open areas.
The best time to catch largemouth bass is during late winter and spring. Golden shiners, crankbaits and spinnerbaits work well in these areas. Catfish are found all year long when fished on the lake bottom.
Monroe County
More than 225 species of game fish are found in the tropical Florida Keys, including tarpon, marlin and bonefish. Ten percent of the world’s fishing records have been set here.
Islamorada is known as the “Sport Fishing Capital of the World,” and marinas on every corner help to locate offshore sailfish, king mackerel, wahoo, dolphin, tuna, and backcountry species, such as redfish, snook and trout.
On the tip of Everglades National Park in Florida Bay lies Flamingo, a popular and exotic fishing destination. Flamingo, less than an hour away from Miami, was virtually inaccessible 100 years ago, but now it is known for adventurous and scenic fishing. It’s the only place in the world where saltwater crocodiles and alligators coexist. Look for sea trout, snook, jack crevalle, snapper, redfish, goliath grouper, tripletail and cobia.
To find bigger game fish, such as Hemingway’s famous giant blue marlin, venture offshore into the Florida Straights, between Cuba and Key West. Cobia, barracuda, shark, sailfish, permit, king mackerel and tuna are found during the cooler winter months, while warm Key West summers are known for an abundance of tarpon, wahoo, snapper, marlin and grouper.
Pompano Beach
In the heart of the Gold Coast lies Pompano Beach, an angler’s paradise. Venture from the Hillsboro Inlet out to sea in search of an abundance of fish, from dolphin and grouper to sailfish, snapper and amberjack. The Pompano Beach Fishing Rodeo has created a massive offshore fishing reef. More than 20 freighters are sunk at a depth exceeding 100 feet, providing a perfect habitat for many species of fish. The focus of the Pompano Beach Fishing Rodeo is saltwater marine conservation and marine education programs.
