Charlotte Harbor Aquatic Preserves (Charlotte)
Five Charlotte Harbor aquatic preserves can be explored through their tidal creeks and bay backs via kayak, canoe, or a shallow draft flat-bottomed power boat. Lemon Bay, the smallest preserve, holds 200 species of fish. Seagrass shallow, artificial reefs, and mangrove fringes are lucrative fishing spots in Gasparilla Sound, the deepest and most diverse. Near Boca Grande Pass, tarpon and goliath grouper can be caught. Open for exploring are Cape Haze, Matlacha Pass, and Pine Island Sound.
Clearwater & St. Petersburg Beaches (Pinellas)
Tarpon are the best catches, both at the beaches and the in shallow flats. Open water harbors the larger, fully matured fish.
Lake Istokpoga (Highlands)
Lake Istokpoga features top black crappie fishing and offers one of the highest largemouth bass catch rates in the state. Crappie fishing is best in winter, particularly over open water. Bass fishing is quite successful around the Istokpoga Canal when the gates are open, and the deep, southwest corner of the lake is another good spot. Keep in mind that bass, between 15 and 24 inches, need to be released.
Public boat ramps are located off Route 98, Lake Boulevard and Highland Drive Lake on the north, northwest and southwest shorelines, respectively. Six fish camps around the lake provide accommodation. Wade fishing is permitted off the Lake Boulevard ramp.
Lake Parker (Polk)
This 2,000-acre Fish Management Area connects through a canal to Lake Crago. Both bodies of water offer largemouth bass, especially during winter and spring. Also popular are bluegill, crappie and catfish.
A boat ramp and city park are located on the west shore, and Sertoma Park offers a boat ramp, as well. Both allow bank fishing. Another public ramp is available on the eastern shore.
Lake Tarpon (Pinellas)
Rated one of the top 10 bass lakes in Florida by the Florida Fish & Wildlife Commission, Lake Tarpon offers a large amount of good-sized bass. Live wild shiners drifted in the vegetation around the shoreline brings in the best catches. Crickets and grass shrimp used as bait in this area should bring up plenty of bluegill. Redear sunfish are another good catch; stick to the shell bars and use crickets as bait.
Two county parks off U.S. Route 19 and C.R. 611 offer fishing piers and public boat ramps.
Lake Walk-in-Water a.k.a Lake Weohyakapka (Polk)
Large numbers of trophy-sized bass flourish in this popular spot, located about 10 miles east of Lake Wales. Drifting live shiners in vegetated areas is an angler's best bet, but topwater lures work, as well. Bluegill and redear can be caught near the vegetation-lined shore. Bass fishing is catch-and-release only for fish between 15 and 24 inches, at a limit of three fish per day—only one of which may be more than 24 inches. A county boat ramp sits on the western shore at the end of Boat Landing Road.
Manatee River/Lake Manatee (Manatee)
Largemouth bass, snook, catfish and bream call Manatee River home, while catfish, sunshine bass and crappie live in Lake Manatee. A small canoe launch is available for canoes, kayaks and low-horsepower boats within Little Manatee River State Park. Please note motors are restricted to 20 horsepower or less.
Medard Reservoir (Hillsborough)
Located within the county-run Edward Medard Park, this 770-acre reservoir is a fertile—and popular—destination. Approximately 250,000 guests visit the park a year, and for good reason. A variety of vegetation and an irregular bottom should yield a good catch of catfish and bass. The ledges and bars are thick with all kinds of fish, but stick to the grassy shoreline during winter and spring for largemouth bass (live wild shiners are best as bait).
Edward Medard Park has facilities for picnicking, boating, canoe rentals, camping, hiking and swimming. Boaters should be reminded there is a no wake restriction for safety purposes (idle speed only).
Myakka River (Sarasota, Charlotte & Manatee)
Catfish, bass and panfish are popular year-round, with access to the river available at Upper Myakka Lake in Myakka River State Park. The colder months see an influx of snook in the lower portion of the river. A semi-roofed fishing pier offers fishing as well as an interactive alligator display.
New Port Richey Flats (Pasco)
The saltwater flats of New Port Richey harbor plenty of snook, which can be caught with pinfish, crab and sardines. Redfish are popular as well, sticking to shallow water areas. Try spoons, shrimp and jigs as bait.
Peace River (Charlotte, DeSoto, Hardee & Polk)
Bass, bream and catfish are all extremely popular here, especially around the fallen trees in slow sections of the river. Snook have been known to migrate up to Fort Meade, so bait your hooks with live mullet and stick to bridges and docks.
Boat ramps are available near Fort Ogden and Wauchula, with some smaller access points open only under certain conditions.
Saddle Creek Park (Polk)
Regulations on catfish and bass plus regular stocking prevent the fishing from getting too slim. Catfish and bluegill should be abundant around a number of fish feeders near the bank fishing sites. Crickets are peerless for luring bluegill, while largemouth bass prefer plastic worms or wild shiners.
Saddle Creek Park Road offers several boat ramps.
Sanibel Island (Lee)
With warm waters and mangrove forests, Sanibel Island is the perfect habitat for snook. Sea trout and snapper are common as well, preferring pinfish, shrimp and live sardines. Stick to the mangrove areas and your patience will be rewarded. Tarpon and redfish inhabit the island's various inlets, while grouper live in the coquina ledges off the coast. Shallow waters harbor cobia, shark, crevalle jack, king mackerel and tripletail.
Tampa Bay (Pinellas, Manatee, Hillsborough & Sarasota)
Summer is prime time for tarpon fishing, but redfish, sea trout and snook are popular, as well. Black drum can be lured with shrimp and fiddler crab as bait. Shrimp also work well when catching Spanish mackerel, lady fish or jack from the pier.
Tenoroc Fish Management Area (Polk)
A former phosphate mine, these 14 lakes range in size from 7 to 227 acres. A use fee and access quotas lessen the number of anglers, ensuring a good catch. The lakes vary in depth. Some offer picnic facilities and restrooms. Tenoroc is renowned for bluegill, bass, redear sunfish, black crappie and catfish. Bass will respond well to junebug- and red shad-colored plastic worms. Target bluegill and redear at the shoreline with crickets and red wigglers below a bobber.
Picnic Lake, Lake 2 and Lake 3 each have a boat ramp with floating courtesy dock. Gasoline motors may not be used on boats.
Webb Lake (Charlotte)
Located on the Babcock/Webb Wildlife Management Area, this nearly 400-acre lake offers fish feeders to encourage catches. Bluegill, bass, snook, catfish and tilapia are all popular with some unusual baits. Dough balls and hot dogs will attract bluegill (as will the more traditional crickets), while snook prefer MirrOLures. Catfish like chicken livers and dough balls, while small bits of hot dog will catch tilapia.
A daily use permit or a Wildlife Management Area stamp is required to use the lake, and three boat ramps give access.
Winter Haven Chain (Polk)
This 6,000-acre, 9-lake chain is a popular spot for both fishing and boating. However, low water levels are currently making navigation between lakes difficult. Warmer weather should make for decent bluegill catches near the shoreline. Fish attractors are located at Summit, Cannon, Winterset, Haines, and Smart lakes.
