Ocklawaha River

The Ocklawaha River, although water levels are low currently, presents an excellent opportunity to catch Panfish and Catfish in the summer. When fishing here, anglers can catch Redbreast Sunfish, which reside in rivers and creeks. Anglers also can catch Spotted Sunfish (stumpknockers) in abundance. The best way to fish in the river is to find structure, which can come in the form of fallen trees, vegetation, deep holes, or tree roots. The entire river is typically good for this type of fishing. Catfishing at night during the warmer months can produce good results on this waterbody. Chicken livers, live worms, or even cut bait work well for White or Channel Catfish. Generally, the bigger the bait, the bigger the Catfish you will usually catch. Target deep holes, outside bends, or deeper creek mouths that have some type of additional cover (i.e., logs, aquatic plants, docks, etc.). Be patient if at first you don’t catch fish. Catfish hunt primarily using their sense of smell, so it may take them a little longer to locate your bait. There are also large numbers of Tilapia and Striped Mullet in the river this year.