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North Central Region Fishing Forecast | ||
The following is a general description and quarterly forecast (*bold updates) for fishing conditions in major public water bodies in this region. For even more up-to-date information, we suggest you call or visit a local bait-and-tackle shop, fishing marina or guide service. We have provided information for some local contacts, who indicated they were willing to be listed herein. If you would like additional descriptions of these and other fishing sites listed by county, you can visit the Great Outdoors Recreation Page listing for Florida's North Central Region. Please note, however, that their site is not routinely updated to reflect current fishing conditions. Clicking the clock/thermometer above will take you to a very detailed weather site, where you can get forecasts, historic weather information, moon phase, tide charts and sunrise/sunset times. A few sites have additional links to local web pages or to topographic maps and brochures. We will continue to expand these links as they become available to us. Alligator Lake (Columbia County):Alligator Lake (approximately 800 acres) is located in Columbia County near Lake City. Nearly two-thirds of the total lake surface area is within the city limits. Prior to 1997, only 338 acres were accessible to the public. Subsequently, Columbia County purchased an adjacent 987 acres with money obtained through the Preservation 2000 Communities Trust. This purchase included nearly 450 acres of former lake bottom that were diked and drained for agricultural practices in the 1950's and 1960's. Several sinkholes are located in the north and south basins of the lake which provide direct connection to the aquifer. One of these sinkholes has been responsible for frequently draining the northern lake basin. This results from increased hydraulic pressure upon sinkhole sediments as groundwater levels subside during periods of drought. During these events, the southern areas of the lake retain water, as a shallow connection exists between north and south basins. Columbia County's Alligator Lake Park opened in April 2002. The entrance to the park can be found off of Old Country Club road in Lake City. A small boat launch on the north marsh central drainage canal and walking access or boatless fishing will provide unique angling opportunities. Note: Alligator Lake is a Fish Management Area (license is required to fish in north and south lake basins and north and south marshes). (Local contact: Greens Marine and Sporting Goods, Lake City 386-755-5390) *): The north basin of this lake remains dry. South basin water levels are down but two areas within this area have deeper water and therefore hold fish. Using shallow drafting skiffs it is possible to reach the northern cypress dome location which is less fished and harbors all gamefish species. Ensure you have a stout push pole for when you are navigating the shallows between the ramp and the cypress trees to the north. As for the southerly section most boats should have no mobility issues there. Bank fishing access is available which drives the effort up in this area. Black crappie are often caught in the deeper water associated with an inactive sinkhole to the south. The vegetated islands that have become established in this basin are being considered for removal or modification. Hamilton County Phosphate Pits (Eagle and Lang) (Hamilton County):Both of these lakes are Fish Management Areas (license is required to fish). Both are green and fertile and deeper than average north Florida lakes, but typically grow more fish per acre due to abundant forage. Eagle Lake -Eagle Lake (200 acres) is old and very fertile. Steep sides, a maze of narrow cuts with points and sand bars and cattails in the coves characterize the lake. No concrete boat ramps exist. Largemouth bass fishing is best in spring; bluegill, redear sunfish and brown bullhead catfish are best in the summer; black crappie and stocked sunshine bass are best in fall and winter. Eagle Lake produces the fastest sunshine bass growth in this region. Fish up to 8 pounds have been reported at only 23 months of age. Trolling motors only may be operated on Eagle Lake, although gasoline motors may be attached to the boat. *In an effort to maintain the current vegetation levels, grass carp will be stocked again. An improved grass carp fence has been installed around the outflow structure to keep these valuable fish from being washed into Swift Creek. Lang Lake -Lang Lake Fish Management Area (86 acres) is a reclaimed pit, meaning all the islands and shoreline have been graded to create gradual slopes with deep water only in the center of cuts. The vegetated shelf thus created is a fertile fish factory with cypress trees, cattails and hydrilla out to about eight feet, dropping like a wall to 20 feet. An 18 inch minimum size provides quality largemouth bass fishing. Large bluegill are caught mostly in late spring through fall. Trolling motors only are allowed although gasoline motors may still be attached to the boat. A minimum size of 10 inches has been established for black crappie. *Dissolved oxygen levels are good from top to bottom and water levels are higher than normal. Topped out hydrilla is not a problem for navigation purposes, but the boat ramp continues to require four-wheel drive for most trailer-launching. Black crappie reports have been favorable with most fish longer than 10 inches. Upon interviewing one angler about his choice of fishing locations in the lake, he replied “I was watching another fellow catching specks here the other day”. He happened to be fishing over a mid-water rise with topped out hydrilla growing on it. (Local contact: Powell's Bait & Tackle, White Springs 386-397-2500) Doctors Inlet, St. Johns River, and Black Creek (Clay County):Both the inlet and the hard sand bottom areas in this stretch of the St. Johns (south of I-295) support healthy stands of eelgrass and great fishing for largemouth bass and redear sunfish. Schooling bass are present all year and redear are caught spring, summer and fall. If you enjoy wade fishing, this is a great stretch of river. Nearby Black Creek is deep with vegetated shorelines. It is a good water body for black crappie year-round and all riverine panfish (especially redbreast and bluegill sunfish) during spring, summer and fall. Striped bass utilize Black Creek as a cool weather refuge in summer and are present here and around St. Johns River bridge pilings commonly during winter months. (Local contact: Whitey's Fish Camp 904-269-4198) The coming months are some of the best if you are looking to fish for striped bass in the St. Johns River. Many of the bridge pilings around the Jacksonville area and farther south to Green Cove Springs provide excellent cover that attracts stripers. Fishing live bait or jigs in deep water is a great way to catch this species. Shallow running plugs can also be effective when they are worked along pilings using a stop-and-start retrieve. Black bass and bream will still be feeding and can be caught on live bait or artificial lures. If you are fishing in Black Creek during the winter, you will want to target the creek mouths, small holes and vegetated areas where the fish tend to congregate. *These areas may hold some large estuarine fish such as snook and redfish looking for warmer water during winter. Be prepared for some unexpected catches because you just never know what might bite. This section of the St. Johns River is tidally influenced, so fish tend to move where cover is optimal for feeding. Look for structure that allows fish to rest in the current, while feeding on passing items being carried by the rising or falling tides. When the tide is moving, work artificial in the direction the current is flowing. Black Creek is another great spot to fish for bass and bream. The spatterdock edges that line Black Creek provide great cover and attract fish to the shallower areas. Standard artificial baits are great for pulling in bass, while live bait, such as worms and crickets, is very effective for bream, especially redbreast sunfish. Lochloosa Lake (Alachua County):Lochloosa Lake (5700 acres) is designated as a Fish Management Area and located 5 miles south of Hawthorne near the town of Lochloosa. Most of the shoreline is bordered by old-growth cypress trees, and knotgrass and spatterdock (bonnets) are the predominant aquatic plants in the lake. A public boat ramp provides access to the lake from U.S. Highway 301 in the town of Lochloosa, and at Lochloosa Harbor Fish Camp just north of the town of Lochloosa, also accessed from U.S. 301. In addition, a public pier is located south of the town of Lochloosa on Burnt Island and is a popular fishing site for those without a boat. Lochloosa Lake offers good bluegill, redear sunfish and warmouth (bream) fishing during April through September; however, some bream can be caught year-round. Anglers targeting bream should fish with grass shrimp in deep-water spatterdock or deeper grass patches. Black crappie fishing is best from January through April in the spatterdock with grass shrimp and minnows. During summer and fall, crappie anglers should drift open water with grass shrimp and minnows. For more and updated information please call: *The crappie fishing on Lochloosa and nearby Orange Lake continues to be above average relative to other local lakes. Black crappie anglers have had success drifting open water with live minnows and artificial jigs during the fall months. As February approaches, black crappie will move into the pads and grasses around the lake to spawn, where grass shrimp and live minnows will be your best bet. Bass anglers can have success in the knotgrass patches on the south and west shores of the lake. In the later winter and early spring months, largemouth anglers should target the cypress trees in the southwest corner of the lake and the west shoreline, assuming the trees are inundated. Bluegill, redear sunfish, and catfish can also be caught on grass shrimp and live minnows in the pads at Caraway Landing, Little Lochloosa and the south end of the lake, and in the knotgrass on the east shore and Burnt Island. For those anglers without a boat, keep the fishing pier at Burnt Island in mind (located south of the town of Lochloosa off of Hwy 301). Newnans Lake (Alachua County):Newnans Lake (5800 acres), designated as a Fish Management Area, is located about two miles east of Gainesville on Highway 20. The lake is surrounded by cypress trees that provide good angling when water levels are high. Sparse areas of emergent grasses, bulrush, and spatterdock (water lilies) are found around the shoreline of Newnans Lake. The most consistent fisheries on Newnans Lake are catfish and bream, and these can be caught year-round in deeper areas of the lake and the lake shoreline, respectively. For a map of local lake features click here. For updated information please call: *Water levels are still below the cypress trees around the perimeter of the lake, but cold fronts should increase levels during the winter months. Reports of large bluegill and creels of 50 per person have not been uncommon over the last several months, and catfish catches have been steady throughout the majority of the lake, especially near Palm Point. Although black crappie catches have been off-and-on over the last several months, the crappie bite is expected to improve as they make their way to the shoreline with the decline in temperatures. The east shoreline from Powers boat ramp to Hatchet Creek has been the most productive area. Anglers should also be aware of tagged black crappie and largemouth bass with reward values ranging from $5 to $200. Orange Lake (Alachua County):Orange Lake is the largest lake in the North Central Region at 12,550 acres. It is designated as a Fish Management Area and is located about 20 miles southeast of Gainesville. Orange Lake averages 5.5 feet deep with a maximum depth of 12 feet. Water levels fluctuate an average of 2 feet, annually. Outflow is controlled by a fixed-crest weir located at Highway 301 (southeast portion of lake). Orange Lake receives inflow from Newnans Lake through River Styx and from Lochloosa Lake through Cross Creek. Cross Creek (1.8 miles) is navigable to most boats during normal water levels. Orange lake has an extensive aquatic vegetation community, dominated by spatterdock (lily pads) and periodically hydrilla. Shallow marsh areas are inaccessible to anglers due to the dense growth of vegetation. Bluegill, redear sunfish, black crappie and largemouth bass are generally caught in the deeper spatterdock, emergent grasses and hydrilla. Marion County and the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission allocated funds to establish a fishing pier at Heagy-Burry Park (southwestern part of the lake). The pier is handicap-accessible. A fish attractor is located near the pier, which provides for good fishing. For updated information please call: * The largemouth bass fishery has been steady over the last year, and bass anglers currently enjoy catches of 1 to 2 pound bass around the majority of the lake shoreline. Reports of trophy-sized fish in the 8 to 10 pound range have also become quite common on Orange Lake. As the cooler months pass, largemouth bass anglers should target the perimeter of the spoil islands south of the Marjorie Rawlings boat ramp and the islands east of Sportsman’s Cove during the spawn. Spinnerbaits work well where the vegetation permits, while jerkbaits and plastic worms will be the top baits in heavily vegetated areas. Catches of bream have also been outstanding over the last several months amongst the emergent vegetation, and more notable has been the black crappie fishery, which has shared its success with nearby Lochloosa Lake. As the water temperature begins to drop in the months of January and February, black crappie will move to the shoreline edges. Crappie anglers should drift or troll minnows and/or jigs along vegetation edges near Red Bird Island and along Sampson’s Point. Liver and worms are your best baits for catfish, while grass shrimp, crickets and minnows are your best baits for warmouth, shellcrackers and bluegill sunfish. Lake Rousseau (Citrus, Marion and Levy counties):An impoundment of the Withlacoochee River, as part of the original Cross Florida Barge Canal project, this large lake is full of cypress trees, hyacinth and pennywort islands and sometimes hydrilla. Abundant cover and structure grow plenty of bluegill, redear sunfish, catfish, black crappie and largemouth bass. The deeper river channel is always good to locate and fish underwater bends. The rest of the lake is referred to as the "flats" or the backwaters. (Local contacts: Big Bass Village 352-447-3474, toll free 1-877-463-4742, bigbassvillage.com; Lake Rousseau RV Park/Fishing Resort 352-795-6336, lakerousseaurvpark.com); Dunnellon Bait and Tackle (352) 465-2755) *This time of year water clarity can go either way. Assuming that it is clear and the amount of hydrilla stays about the same through these cooler months, long casts with weedless plastics should be a good bet for largemouth bass. The forage fish abundance in this system remains low; expect this fish to be hungry. Fishing overcast or slightly choppy water conditions will make targeting fish somewhat easier when clear water conditions exist. Expect bass to be in 6-10 feet of water and panfish slightly less. For black crappie, drifting through the stump fields or at the channels edge should be productive. St. Mary's and Nassau Rivers (Nassau County):This 125-mile river starts in the acid swamps of Okeefenokee and becomes a tidal river below US 17 north of Jacksonville. Upstream is redbreast sunfish and small largemouth bass territory. The salt marsh zone is famous for striped bass (the same is true for nearby Nassau River). (Local contacts: Charlie's Fish Camp 904-225-0102; St. Mary's River Fish Camp 904-845-4440) *Both of these coastal rivers give anglers the opportunity to catch a variety of freshwater species. In the upper reaches of these rivers black bass, bream, and catfish can all be taken. The St. Mary’s River is known for its healthy populations of bluegill and redbreast sunfish. The shallower, vegetated banks are the most productive sunfish habitats in these rivers. Live baits, such as worms and crickets, are great choices for sunfish. Both the Nassau and the St. Mary’s have good populations of largemouth bass as well, most being in the 2 to 3 pound range. Targeting cypress stands and other woody structure along river shorelines is a great way to fish for bass. Good largemouth fishing can be found in the areas around King’s Ferry, Boulogne and St. George. During cooler months, even some snook and striped bass may be found up river. In the lower stretches of these rivers anglers can fish for a variety of saltwater species including drum, sea trout, and flounder. Live bait is an effective way of taking these species, with mud-minnows, shrimp, and crabs being popular choices. Lake Sampson and Lake Rowell (Bradford County):This two-lake chain near Starke provides good habitat diversity. Rowell Lake (364 acres) is upstream, has a cypress border, is shallow with a mucky bottom and usually cycles from dense to moderate hydrilla growths. Largemouth bass grow large in this fertile lake. Sampson Lake (2042 acres) is connected to Rowell by a canal. This lake has a sand bottom, several 14-foot deep holes and FWC permanent plastic fish attractors. The hard sand bottom makes wade fishing enjoyable and is one of the best places in the northeast region to enjoy flyfishing and wading (also try Ocean Pond in the Osceola National Forest, Baker County if you enjoy this sport). The entire lake is ringed by a marsh of cattails, water lilies and a band of maidencane grass. The marsh is mucky and only the outer edge holds fish except during high water. (Local contact: The Slab 904-964-9374). *Good numbers of bluegill and redear sunfish can still be found in the south and southwest side of the lake. As of late December, Mike at The Slab Fish Camp says all fishing is good, especially specks. Live bait, such as earthworms and crickets, is a good choice for bream and specks and can be fished around vegetation or deeper in open water for specks. Forage fish are abundant in the northern portions of the lake which may attract largemouth bass and pickerel. Remember to try fishing deeper and more slowly during cold weather. Bass anglers still tend to head into Lake Rowell where numbers for larger fish may be better, but keep looking for new areas in Lake Sampson as well. Texas-rigged soft plastics and crankbaits are some of the most popular choices. At the time of this writing, water levels in these lakes were still high enough to allow boat anglers to easily access Lake Sampson. Additionally, water levels were high enough to prevent some anglers from passing under the railroad trestle to access Lake Rowell; however, most low or small boats can still pass. Lake Santa Fe (Alachua County):This 5850-acre lake has a "little" northern area and a "big" southern arm connected by "the pass" where shad school and fishing is usually good for schooling largemouth and stocked sunshine bass. Numerous homes surround the lake, most with docks and ski boats; fishing is always best early and late or at night and on weekdays. In spite of development, the fish habitat is outstanding with many areas of cypress and healthy maidencane grass beds. (Local contact: Chappini's Bait & Tackle (352) 475-9496). *Water levels and conditions are excellent. Local reports of gamefish using near-shore habitat are again encouraging for this quarter. Chunky bluegill and redear sunfish have been feasting on invertebrates washed into the lake or in areas flooded by recent rain events. Crickets, earthworms, and grass shrimp are always good choices of bait for panfish. Plastic worms or suspending jerkbaits fished along the maidencane edge can be very effective on largemouth bass and chain pickerel. Fishing over submerged structure in the deeper portions of the lake can also be a productive approach. As with other areas, remember to work artificials more slowly in cold water. Suwannee Lake (Suwannee County):This 63-acre man-made, state-owned impoundment is filled with cypress trees and largemouth bass. It is a Fish Management Area and a license is required. Two fishing piers, one fully handicapped accessible, and several earthen fishing fingers provide boatless angling opportunities. The lake is shallow around the edge with good vegetative cover and several old sink-holes out in the trees providing deep cover. Perennial tactics, depending on the season, include pitching jigs and spinners up into "no-man's land"--the brush around the edge, shiner fishing in winter and very early spring, cranking shiner imitators between the trees, and fishing topwater lures and dark plastic worms anywhere. Good fishing for bluegill and redear sunfish occurs during spring and summer. Note: Special harvest regulations are in place on Suwannee Lake. Minimum size limits of 10 inches for crappie and 18 inches for largemouth bass allow more fish to grow to desirable sizes. (Local contact: Greens Marine, Lake City 904-755-5390; Powell's Bait & Tackle, White Springs 386-397-2500) *The majority of fish will be found in the northern more wooded lobe of Suwannee Lake. However, the submerged structure of the southern lobe also holds good-sized sportfish. These isolated logs and stumps are in comparatively shallower water, but serve as the best available cover in this relatively empty lobe. Larger than average bluegill were observed while electrofishing in November with most fish in the 6-9 inch range. As for largemouth bass, this system is dominated by small 10 to 12 inch fish. This abundance has driven available forage numbers down, so catching the resultantly hungry bass should be relatively easy. Live or artificial baits fished close to structure or lipless crankbaits steadily retrieved over submerged logs are ideal tactics for successful bass fishing. Just to keep you interested, a 13.3 pound, 26 ½ inch bass was surveyed and released by FWC biologists during this November survey. Suwannee and Santa Fe Rivers (Columbia, Hamilton, Madison, Lafayette, Gilchrist, Alachua, Suwannee, Levy and Dixie counties):The Suwannee drains from the Okeefenokee Swamp through limestone shoals stretches to become a large flood plain river in the lower reaches. Drastic water level fluctuations characterize the river and keep the fishery dynamic. The Santa Fe is the major tributary, heavily influenced by springs and unlike the Suwannee, has vast areas of submerged vegetation in the middle and upper reaches. These areas harbor abundant freshwater shrimp, waterscuds and aquatic insects, thus producing excellent growth rates for fish, particularly abundant redbreast sunfish and pugnacious spotted sunfish (stumpknockers). The upper Suwannee has only tree roots and rocky shelves for fish structure. The lower Suwannee has a band of waterlilies and eventually in the tidal portion, numerous wooded and marsh-lined feeder creeks. High tide fishing is always slow with best fishing during lower tides. It is also helpful to remember that the outer bends are always deeper, sand bars are on inside curves and lilies on outer bend means the current has left the bank and panfish like to spawn here. Both Suwannee and largemouth bass occur. Large fish are not the rule and remember that all bass in the river, especially Suwannees, prefer to feed on crawfish, so crawfish-colored lures prevail. (*Local upper Suwannee contacts: Suwannee River State Park 386-362-2746, Canoe Outpost 1-800-428-4147, Spirit of Suwannee Park 386-364-1683; *Local middle Suwannee and Santa Fe contacts: Sandy Point Marina 386-935-0615, Gene's Bait & Tackle, Ft. White 904-497-2248; *Local lower Suwannee contacts: Sid's Treasure Camp at Fowler's Bluff 352-493-2950) The enacted "No Wake" zones from Dowling Park downstream to the upper estuary have been lifted. *Lower Suwannee River tidal creeks at low tide corral panfish into deeper holes. Locate these holes, typically on outside bends of the channel, and use small spinners tipped with shrimp. Good catches of spotted and redbreast sunfish are possible with these methods. As a result of the water temperature and tidal influence saltwater fish species utilize more of the river during this season. In both rivers, black bass (largemouth and Suwannee), will be feeding in preparation for the spring spawn. This season marks the traditional time of year to catch bigger fish; fish outer bends of either river for both types of bass with soft plastic baits (crayfish colors). Target fallen treetops, logjams, and spatterdock edges realizing that where the emergent vegetation stops there is deep water or currents that prevent growth. These areas would be likely spots to try. Warmer water from spring run or feeder creek mouths makes for likely areas that will attract fish. A degree or two of difference in water temperature might be the key to locating fish that are ready to feed. Note: Boaters should be extremely cautious on both rivers, as low water has made clearance over sand bars and other underwater hazards less certain. Use low water periods to develop better understanding of what exposed areas look like under normal river levels. Also available are current water levels throughout Florida on the Internet a www.usgs.gov Tsala Apopka Chain (Citrus County):Lake Tsala Apopka is 19,111 acres of shallow, heavily vegetated marshes intermingled with open water pools. Water control structures separate the lake into three main pools named after nearby towns: Floral City, Inverness and Hernando. Public boat ramps are available 1/4 mile east of the intersection of U.S. Highway 41 and S.R. 200 (Hernando Pool); ΒΌ mile east of City of Inverness on S.R. 470 (Inverness Pool); and on Duval Island Road off C.R. 48, one mile east of U.S. Highway 41 (Floral City Pool). Local Contacts: River Land Bait and Tackle (352) 465-2755) or The Art of Fishing (Fly Fishing Specialist) Hernando (352) 637-3316 for more up-to-date information. *Angler interviews from last quarter were typical concerning black crappie. Expect continued average fishing within the chain this quarter. A recent fish population survey of Lakes Hernando, Croft and Van Ness showed lower-than-expected fish abundance in all three pools. Numerous schools of threadfin shad were observed in Hernando and were some opportunistic feeding by bass lends evidence that fish are holding in deeper water. Shad were no longer than 2-3 inches, so using diving shad imitations in this size would be an accurate representation of the available forage. Panfish numbers were low as well; however, large adult fish (both bluegill and redear) were seen in mixed vegetation of maidencane and assorted pads. Wauberg Lake (Alachua County):This fertile 254-acre lake in a state park (electric trolling motors only) is famous for black crappie more than any other species. The fertile green water supports shad and a deep grass line is good to hold fish. Big largemouth bass are caught in spring, and redear sunfish and bluegill during spring and summer. There is a nice campground here for a relaxing fishing vacation. (Local contact: Tackle Box Gainesville 352/372-1791) *Panfish species will seek the overhanging woody brush along the banks in shallow water, possibly trying to avoid predation by hungry migratory cormorants. Black crappie fishing is always better during the winter months and jigging rubber-skirted tube baits (yellow with white) under a float or flipping minnows close to structure is productive. Although the catfish bite slows down during cooler temperatures, brown bullheads will continue to feed on chicken liver or earthworms fished on the bottom. Mid-day is the most productive time for targeting catfish this quarter. Jazz up your earthworms by adding crushed garlic cloves to your holding container for some added scent. Withlacoochee River (Citrus, Marion, Sumter, Levy, Hernando counties):This 157-mile stream originates in Green Swamp in Hernando County and flows north to the Gulf at Yankeetown. The stream has many limerock areas and associated swamps. Water levels fluctuate except in Lake Rousseau and the area just above the influence of Rainbow River. Water color is dark during the rainy season and clear during low water. Public ramps are located at S.R. 44 in Rutland, C.R. 470 north of Lake Panasofkee, the Outlet River west of Lake Panasofkee on C.R. 470 in Sumter County, C.R. 39 north of SR 200 in Citrus County, U.S. Highway 41 at Dunnellon and SR 40 at Yankeetown. (Local contacts: The Art of Fishing (Fly-Fishing Specialist) Hernando 352-637-3316; Anglers Resort Dunnellon 352-489-2397. *Expect some sections of this river to be better than others, as water levels upstream of Rt. 200 are very low. Good fishing can still be found within these reaches but navigating to locate them will be better suited for airboaters. Flowing water seems to be a real magnet for largemouth bass, panfish, and catfish lately. Aggressively worked topwater baits fished at dawn and dusk will continue to be a productive means for bass. Bluegill, warmouth, and redear sunfish along with those channel catfish will take baits fished on the bottom. | ||
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Our mission: Managing fish and wildlife resources for their long-term well-being and the benefit of people.
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