Come To Florida For Bass Fishing During The Winter

Florida is home to hundreds of rivers and lakes full of fish, making this state the best place for bass fishing. Some lakes and rivers consistently produce high-quality bass and deserve a place on the top list of Florida’s best bass fishing lakes.

The Harris Chain of Lakes, Lake George, Orange Lake, Rodman Reservoir, the St John’s River, and these lakes are considered to be the best for bass fishing in North Florida.  Lake Tarpon, Stick Marsh, and Fellsmere Reservoir are the best lakes for bass fishing in Central Florida. Lake Okeechobee, Lake Istokpoga, and Lake Kissimmee are also good options.  The best South Florida bass fishing lakes are The Golden Gate Canal and Lake Ida an Osborne.

These all offer amazing fishing opportunities, but each has something special to offer.  The Florida climate and healthy vegetation have made it possible to fish throughout the year.

You can find exceptional bass fishing from all directions, and they range from North to South. The journey will begin in the north and continue south. Every stop will give you a different perspective of sunny Florida.

No matter what your goal is, Florida has a fishery that will suit you.

Here are the top Florida Bass destinations to explore and experience while you’re in Florida.

North Florida

1. Harris Chain of Lakes

One of the most productive bass lakes in the state is the Harris Chain of Lakes. The Harris Chain is rich in nutrients and has large shad, bluegills, and golden shiners to feed the huge trophy fish. The Chain of Lakes is made up of nine lakes, and it covers approximately 76,000 acres. Twenty years ago, the Chain of Lakes hosted several tournaments for bass fishing. The bass fishing declined and got a bad reputation for several years. However, it is now back and better than ever. Every day, a charter fishing trip catches many big basses on the Chain of lakes.

The Harris Chain of Lakes has a lot of fertile water, with most of it being dark stained. This lake is mostly covered with bulrushes, eelgrass, and lily pads. For the robust and healthy Bass population, fishing the Chain requires strong tackle and powerful techniques.

2. Lake George

Lake Okeechobee is Florida’s second-largest lake, while Lake George is Florida’s largest. It covers 46,000 acres and is 6 miles wide at its largest point. The fishery is shallow, with an average depth of 8 feet. However, it is also very brackish for a lake this size in this area of Florida. This lake is well-known for its large bass, striped bass, and sunfish.

Lake George doesn’t have any vegetation on its shoreline nor at the bottom. This makes it harder to catch fish than other Florida lakes. However, there are still many places to catch large Florida bass despite the lack of vegetation. A sunken ship is located in the middle water, which will become the home for a large panfish population.

3. Orange Lake

Orange Lake is located in the southeast corner of Gainesville and has 20 miles of shoreline. Orange Lake is home to a lot of aquatic vegetation, including hydrilla and lily pads. This makes it ideally suited for bass fishing. Orange Lake was able to be ranked among the top Florida bass anglers due to its thriving habitat. Orange Lake also has large numbers of redear sunfish and black crappie.

Heagy-Burry is the only location with public boat ramps.

4. Rodman Reservoir

North Florida is the best place to go if you’re looking for trophy largemouth bass. The bass grows larger because of the slower metabolism that cooler water temperatures encourage. Rodman Reservoir, located in Putnam County, covers 9.500 acres. It has been one of the most productive fishing spots in the state for large bass. This fishery is known for its consistent catch rates of more than 8 pounds per day.

Rodman has so far caught 348 trophy catch fish. Rodman Reservoir is a great place to fish. This 19-mile long lake is a great place to enjoy the wild beauty of North Florida near Gainesville. You have a high chance of landing your largemouth bass dream.

5. St John’s River

The St. Johns River has some of the most outstanding largemouth bass fishing in Florida. The river flows from Vero Beach through 12 Central Florida counties before it empties into the Atlantic Ocean. The St. Johns River is renowned for its largemouth bass trophy. Wild shiner fishing is the best way to catch big bass. In addition, the St. Johns River is well-known for its great pan fishing for crappie or bluegill. There are three distinct angling options available in the river’s three basins.

The river’s upper basin is unpredictable. It becomes more navigable after it has widened up to Titusville. The middle basin, which is shorter and more navigable, is the largest. This basin is home to Lakes Monroe and Harney and Jesup, which are all great for bass fishing. The lower basin begins before Lake George and continues north through Jacksonville before arriving the Atlantic. This basin is home to both freshwater and saltwater fish species.

East Central

1. Stick Marsh (Farm 13)

Stick Marsh, also known by Farm 13, is a 6500-acre impoundment that forms part of the St Johns Water Management Area. Stick Marsh is located near Florida’s Treasure Coast and is home to one of the country’s best big bass fishing areas.

The Farm 13 water depths are averaged 4-8 feet. However, it is challenging to navigate the area due to its many underwater stumps. Stick Marsh is a prime location for trophy bass fishing, with many catches in the double digits. Although live bait is the best method of catching trophy bass, artificial lures are also effective. To maximize the enjoyment of this trophy bass lake, it is best to have an experienced local captain guide you.

2. Fellsmere Reservoir

Fellsmere Reservoir is also known as Lake Eden or Headwaters Lake. It covers 10,000 acres and is a world-class, human-made lake. Fellsmere borders Stick Marsh and Blue Cypress.

A visiting bass fisherman will enjoy the unique underwater features and habitats of Fellsmere Lake. Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation had nearly 1,000,000 sport fish, as well as bluegills, crappie, and redear sunfish, in the reservoir. When freshwater fishing in Florida, a visitor angler should experience Fellsmere.

West Central

Lake Tarpon

Lake Tarpon is about 10 miles west of Tampa, Florida. It’s located in Tarpon Springs, Florida. It covers almost nine miles and covers nearly 2,500 acres. The lake is surrounded by resorts and houses offering a variety of fishing opportunities.

This fishing spot offers some of Florida’s best big bass fishing on the west coast. Lake Tarpon is known for its trophy-size bass. It also supports a healthy population of bluegill, blue tilapia, and sunfish.

The lake’s bottom has deep-water pockets and shallow points with grass beds for the growing populations of various fish species. The lake is bordered by two county parks, east John Chestnut Park (with boat ramps) and west A.L Anderson Park (with boat ramps). Lake Tarpon is home to many bass tournaments due to its central location.

Central Florida

1. Lake Toho (Lake Tohopekaliga)

Lake Toho is a Central Florida bass fishery that covers 18,810-acres southeast of Kissimmee. It is the highest lake in the Kissimmee Chain of Lakes.

Lake Toho is full of vegetation, including lily pads and cattails. They also support a healthy population of bass. Extreme drawdowns of water levels have been a key factor in improving the bottom of Lake Toho. Bulldozers are used to remove muck from the shoreline areas, mimicking a natural drought. This makes the shoreline of Lake Toho ideal for bass spawning success.

Many annual bass fishing tournaments are held in Lake Toho, including the Bassmaster Opens. Lake Toho also supports healthy populations of crappie, bluegill, redear sunfish, gar, pickerel, and catfish.

2. Lake Kissimmee

Lake Kissimmee, the southernmost lake of the Kissimmee Chain of Lakes, is Lake Kissimmee. It is located 18 miles east of Lake Wales and 40 minutes south of Orlando. Covering 34.948 acres, Lake Kissimmee has a rich, fertile environment that makes it a premier trophy bass fishing area. Over 497 TrophyCatch fish have been caught in Lake Kissimmee, including 1 Hall of Famer and 87 Trophy Club members.

The rich soil of Lake Kissimmee provides a healthy supply of food resources such as insects, zooplankton, and forage fish. The abundant food resources allow Lake Kissimmee’s bass to grow quickly. Lake Kissimmee is home to a variety of submerged and emergent vegetation that allows for fast growth.

3. Lake Istokpoga

Lake Istokpoga, Highlands County, is five miles northeast of Lake Placid. It is the fifth-largest natural Florida lake at 27,692 acres. There are numerous boat ramps located on the North, Northeast, and Southwest sides of this lake.

Since a notable restoration effort in the 2000s, Lake Istokpoga has continually cranked out quality-sized bass. Lake Istokpoga had 329 trophy catch fish.5

Lake Istokpoga is 6 feet deep, which allows for a lot of shallow vegetation such as spatterdock and hydrilla. As a result, bass anglers fishing on Lake Istokpoga will get between 10 and 15 quality bites per day, according to Bobby Lane of Bassmaster Elite Bobby Lane.

South Central

Lake Okeechobee

Our next stop on the Florida Bass Fishing Tour is Lake Okeechobee. Okeechobee, a 730-plus-mile lake of fresh water in Florida, is famous for its largemouth fishing all year. The southern areas of the lake have seen a lot more spring bass fishing than ever before. Many places to fish on the lake offer great fishing, but the South is the most popular. Clewiston, Belle Glade, and Belle Glade are the best places to fish this spring. Largemouth bass fishing can be very rewarding for anglers this time of the year, as they are still spawning.

Lake Okeechobee is home to one of the largest and most diverse largemouth bass populations in Florida. There is a lot of fish that you can catch and keep. The best thing about fishing Lake Okeechobee is that you can fish from almost anywhere. Belle Glade or the southeast side will be the best option if you come from Fort Lauderdale or Miami. Clewiston is the ideal location if Fort Myers or Naples is your home or vacation destination. If you are visiting Central Florida, you should visit Okeechobee City. It will give you a unique view of the lake.

SouthWest

Golden Gate

The Golden Gate Canal lies centrally between Naples-Marco Island and the Everglades National Park and Big Cypress Preserve. Collier-Seminole State Park is also nearby.

Popular exotic fish like the Oscars and peacock bass have made their way to southwest Florida via Miami. The Golden Gate is now a popular peacock fishing spot in Florida. You can fish year-round for largemouth bass, peacock bass, and panfish. Big bass is best caught in the winter when they are actively feeding during peak spawning. These canals are home to a variety of freshwater fish, such as the big bass and tarpon.

Southeast

1. Lake Ida and Lake Osborne

The Lake Ida Chain of Lakes begins in Boynton Beach and ends in Delray Beach. Lake Osborne is the lake to the North of Boynton, and Lake Ida is to the South of Delray. Osborne and Lake Ida are both great for largemouth and peacock fishing in south Florida. There is plenty of largemouth and peacock bass, sunshine bass, bluegills, and Mayan cichlids in the lakes.

These Florida lakes are where anglers can fish for peacock bass. The Chain of Lakes offers convenient access points that allow anglers to quickly look for beautiful big peacock bass.

There are many places in the Chain of Lakes where you can catch peacock bass. The numerous structures, including docks, bridges, cuts, and seawalls, are good focus points for largemouth and peacock bass.

2. Florida Everglades

The Florida Everglades, or “the river of Grass,” is what you should think of when you think Florida Bass Fishing. You can cruise through miles of canals that run throughout South Florida while discovering unexplored waters perfect for largemouth fishing. The Florida Everglades is where you should go if you want to see largemouth bass and peacock bass in abundance. The Everglades is a vast area that has many access points. Some of the most popular areas include Everglades Holiday Park and Sawgrass Rec Center. Mile Markers 35 and 41 are some others. In these amazing spring conditions, every cast can produce a fish. The incredible wildlife is another amazing feature of this fishing spot.

Listen to the alligators, birds, and another wildlife sing as you fish. This location is also recommended for family members and young children who love the outdoors and experience Florida fishing. Enjoy catching largemouth bass up to 200 pounds in a trip that will leave you with unforgettable memories.

3. Miami Airport Lakes

This Miami location stands out among the rest. This is the perfect place to enjoy Florida’s largemouth and exotic fish. The Miami Airport Lakes is a great place to catch the most powerful fighting bass in Florida, the Peacock Bass. Blue Lagoon, or Airport Lakes, is the home of the Florida Peacock Bass and some high-quality largemouth bass fish. This was the first place to stock this amazing species of bass. Peacock bass fishing is best done with domestic shiners. Domestic shiners are most prolific when fishing for peacock bass; though, artificial lures, particularly topwater lures. All artificial fishing gear is included in your Bassonline fishing guide. Saltwater species are one of the most important aspects of fishing at Miami Airport.

Many species, including snook and tarpon, travel through the locks to release water and are trapped when they close. This water can support many species, making it a great place to catch them. You can also catch a quality largemouth bass while you’re exploring the heart of Miami.

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