Orange Lake

Orange Lake water levels had remained at a good condition early this year; however, above average temperatures and minimal rain in early Spring have the water levels 1-1.5 feet below the level at this time last year. Despite lower water, there is still plenty of water to launch at any boat ramp and access one of the best fisheries Florida has to offer. Pads have continued to spread throughout the lake, and they are looking especially good around Grassy Point and the southern part of the lake and that’s great news for all anglers! Hydrilla coverage had expanded to almost 50% of the lake in the fall but seems to have dropped back this Spring with fewer areas completely topped out, so your favorite fishing hole might be easier to access than last year. Although it has made access tougher, the Hydrilla is providing great habitat for fish throughout the lake. FWC spring electrofishing samples have revealed strong year-classes of Largemouth Bass each year since 2020 that rival the cohorts documented prior to the lake dewatering over a decade ago! Those 2020 fish in particular are up to 2 to 3 lbs and have already produced a lot of fun, high number fishing days with some anglers reporting catches of 30 to 40 fish a day! One thing Orange Lake is known for is big bass and there are lots of trophy fish just waiting to cause a commotion. There have already been 30 bass over 8 pounds approved by FWCs TrophyCatch Program in the first 3 months of 2023, which is almost 4 times more trophy bass than had been approved at this time in 2022! Topwater plugs and soft plastics are the bait of choice for many bass anglers fishing Orange Lake. Orange Lake produced a decent crappie bite in the winter and spring, but many anglers reported having to move around quite a bit to catch larger bags. There are lots of big bream waiting to get on a hook for the summer. As the water gets warm, try moving in shore near vegetation where bream will be gathering up to spawn. They should devour a grass shrimp or a cricket under a cork.

For more information on FWC management activities at Orange Lake, visit the Orange Creek Basin Working Group webpage.