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Seasonal Fishing Calendar

The following fishing calendar is a generalization. By clicking on the regional headings you will be taken to the region's  fishing sites/forecast page which has more specific fishing information for the current quarter, local weather links, and links to where you can learn more about what is happening in a particular area. Solunar theory can help predict fishing activity based on the moon phase as well as information about "peak-fishing" times. The US Geological Survey provides Florida water resource data on water levels and flow as well as water temperature that can be very useful as well for planning your fishing. You can also check monthly temperature averages for some key Florida cities, along with preferred feeding and spawning temperatures for some freshwater fishes.

In the table below, typical peak fishing times for major freshwater fishes are listed.

*** = Excellent Fishing
** = Good Fishing
* = Some Fishing

Month Northwest North Central Northeast Southwest South
January

Bass *
Bluegill *
Redear *
Specks***
Stripers ***
Sunshines **
Catfish **

Bass *
Bluegill *
Redear *
Specks ***
Stripers **
Sunshines **
Catfish **

Bass *
Bluegill *
Redear *
Specks ***
Stripers ***
Sunshines ***
Catfish **

Bass *
Bluegill *
Redear *
Specks ***
Sunshines **
Catfish **

Bass **
Bluegill *
Redear *
Specks ***
Sunshines ***
Catfish **
Peacocks*
February

Bass **
Bluegill *
Redear *
Specks ***
Stripers ***
Sunshines **
Catfish **

Bass **
Bluegill *
Redear *
Specks ***
Stripers ***
Sunshines **
Catfish **

Bass **
Bluegill *
Redear *
Specks ***
Stripers ***
Sunshines ***
Catfish **

Bass ***
Bluegill *
Redear *
Specks ***
Sunshines ***
Catfish **

Bass ***
Bluegill **
Redear**
Specks ***
Sunshines ***
Catfish **
Peacocks*
March

Bass ***
Bluegill **
Redear **
Specks **
Stripers **
Sunshines **
Catfish ***

Bass ***
Bluegill **
Redear **
Specks **
Stripers **
Sunshines **
Catfish **

Bass ***
Bluegill **
Redear ***
Specks ***
Stripers **
Sunshines ***
Catfish **

Bass ***
Bluegill **
Redear ***
Specks **
Sunshines **
Catfish **
Tilapia **

Bass ***
Bluegill ***
Redear ***
Specks ***
Sunshines **
Catfish **
Peacocks**
April

Bass ***
Bluegill **
Redear **
Specks **
Stripers **
Sunshines
Catfish ***

Bass ***
Bluegill ***
Redear ***
Specks **
Stripers **
Sunshines
Catfish **

Bass ***
Bluegill ***
Redear ***
Specks **
Stripers **
Sunshines
Catfish **

Bass ***
Bluegill ***
Redear ***
Specks *
Sunshines *
Catfish **
Tilapia **

Bass ***
Bluegill ***
Redear ***
Specks **
Sunshines **
Catfish **
Peacocks **
May

Bass ***
Bluegill ***
Redear ***
Specks **
Stripers *
Sunshines **
Catfish ***

Bass ***
Bluegill ***
Redear ***
Specks **
Stripers **
Sunshines **
Catfish **

Bass ***
Bluegill ***
Redear ***
Specks **
Stripers **
Sunshines **
Catfish **

Bass ***
Bluegill ***
Redear ***
Sunshines *
Catfish **
Tilapia **

Bass ***
Bluegill ***
Redear ***
Specks *
Sunshines *
Catfish **
Peacocks ***
June

Bass **
Bluegill ***
Redear ***
Specks **
Stripers *
Sunshines **
Catfish ***

Bass **
Bluegill ***
Redear ***
Specks **
Stripers **
Sunshines **
Catfish **

Bass **
Bluegill ***
Redear ***
Specks **
Stripers **
Catfish **

Bass **
Bluegill ***
Redear ***
Sunshines *
Catfish **
Tilapia **

Bass **
Bluegill ***
Redear ***
Specks *
Sunshines *
Catfish **
Peacocks***
July

Bass *
Bluegill ***
Redear ***
Specks **
Stripers *
Sunshines **
Catfish ***

Bass *
Bluegill ***
Redear ***
Specks **
Stripers **
Sunshines **
Catfish **

Bass *
Bluegill ***
Redear ***
Stripers **
Catfish **

Bass *
Bluegill ***
Redear ***
Sunshines *
Catfish **
Tilapia **

Bass **
Bluegill ***
Redear ***
Specks *
Sunshines *
Catfish **
Peacocks ***
August

Bass *
Bluegill ***
Redear ***
Specks **
Stripers *
Sunshines **
Catfish ***

Bass *
Bluegill **
Redear **
Specks **
Stripers **
Sunshines **
Catfish **

Bass *
Bluegill ***
Redear ***
Stripers **
Catfish **

Bass **
Bluegill ***
Redear ***
Sunshines *
Catfish **
Tilapia **

Bass **
Bluegill ***
Redear ***
Specks *
Sunshines *
Catfish **
Peacocks ***
September

Bass **
Bluegill **
Redear **
Specks **
Stripers ***
Sunshines ***
Catfish ***

Bass **
Bluegill **
Redear **
Specks **
Stripers **
Sunshines **
Catfish **

Bass **
Bluegill **
Redear **
Stripers **
Sunshines *
Catfish **

Bass *
Bluegill **
Redear **
Sunshines *
Catfish **
Tilapia **

Bass ***
Bluegill **
Redear ***
Specks **
Sunshines ***
Catfish **
Peacocks **
October

Bass **
Bluegill **
Redear **
Specks **
Stripers ***
Sunshines ***
Catfish ***

Bass **
Bluegill ***
Redear ***
Specks **
Stripers **
Sunshines **
Catfish **

Bass **
Bluegill **
Redear **
Specks **
Stripers **
Sunshines **
Catfish **

Bass **
Bluegill **
Redear **
Specks *
Sunshines *
Catfish **
Tilapia **

Bass ***
Bluegill ***
Redear ***
Specks **
Sunshines ***
Catfish **
Peacocks **
November

Bass *
Bluegill *
Redear *
Specks **
Stripers ***
Sunshines ***
Catfish ***

Bass *
Bluegill **
Redear **
Specks **
Stripers **
Sunshines **
Catfish **

Bass *
Bluegill *
Redear *
Specks **
Stripers **
Sunshines ***
Catfish **

Bass *
Bluegill **
Redear **
Specks **
Sunshines **
Catfish **
Tilapia *

Bass ***
Bluegill **
Redear **
Specks **
Sunshines ***
Catfish **
Peacocks **
December

Bass *
Bluegill *
Redear *
Specks **
Stripers ***
Sunshines ***
Catfish **

Bass *
Bluegill **
Redear **
Specks **
Stripers ***
Sunshines **
Catfish **

Bass *
Bluegill *
Redear *
Specks ***
Stripers ***
Sunshines ***
Catfish **

Bass *
Bluegill *
Redear *
Specks ***
Sunshines ***
Catfish **

Bass ***
Bluegill *
Redear *
Specks ***
Sunshines ***
Catfish **
Peacocks *

Note: Peacock Bass fishing is only successful during daylight hours.

Bass refer to largemouth bass, specks to black crappie, stripers to striped bass, sunshines to sunshine bass, peacocks to peacock bass and catfish to channel catfish (unless otherwise specified).

In the Northwest region April-November is the prime time for big flatheads and blue catfish. April-June are the best time for big channel cats statewide.