Osborne Chain-of-Lakes
Palm Beach County
Lake Osborne is a 356-acre water body located in Palm Beach County. Aquatic vegetation consists of cattail, spikerush, willow and hydrilla. Nine fish attractors have been installed in the lake and are marked with buoys. Fish present in Lake Osborne include largemouth bass, sunshine bass, butterfly peacock bass, black crappie, bluegill, redear sunfish, catfish, and Mayan cichlids.
Because much of the lake is surrounded by John Prince Park, bank access is plentiful. The park has a public boat ramp and fishing dock. Picnic pavilions, a campground and public restrooms are also present. There are no marinas, fish camps, or bait and tackle stores on the lake. An Osborne-Ida Chain of Lakes map and brochure is available. Numbers to call for information or guide service on Lake Osborne are Xtreme Rods, Inc. (561-296-7637) and fish guide Butch Moser (561-732-5996).
The Osborne Chain-of-Lakes can offer great opportunities to reel in some Butterfly Peacock Bass and Largemouth Bass during this season. Fishing for Largemouth Bass remains productive as they finish spawning. In the following months, bass will begin to migrate offshore after spawning and feed heavily. Crankbaits, jigs, and plastic worms are effective fishing lures for targeting these fish.
The Butterfly Peacock Bass can be caught using several techniques, including in-line spinners, feather jigs, flies, and live shiners. Anglers targeting Peacock Bass should fish around structures like docks, trees, snags or areas with sparse aquatic vegetation. In addition, Sunshine bass are being regularly caught in deeper areas of both lakes using live bait like shiners and shad.
The Osborne Chain-of-Lakes is also an excellent place to target a variety of panfish including Bluegill and Redear Sunfish. Anglers should target patches of vegetation using small jigs or live worms, while exploring different areas of vegetation until fish are located.
The Osborne Chain-of-Lakes provides opportunities for anglers to catch several non-natives species, including Mayan Cichlids, Clown Knifefish, and Bullseye Snakeheads. Cichlids can be effectively pursued by focusing on vegetation, like the approach used for panfish. Clown Knifefish are commonly found near deeper water or structures such as bridges, where they are often caught using shiners. Additionally, rattletraps can be effective in catching Clown Knifefish in the deeper pockets of water. Bullseye Snakeheads can often be found near shorelines or in areas with dense vegetation, where they seek out shallow cover for protection.
FWC personnel are responsible for managing fish attractors in these lakes. Utilizing fish attractors in these water bodies is a great method to catch native fish, as they provide cover in areas with sparse vegetation in the deeper parts of the lakes. For more information about the attractors and their exact locations visit the FWC Fish Attractor Web Page.
Popular Species
Fish graphics by Duane Raver, Jr. and Diane Rome Peebles
More species information is available for:
Largemouth bass, Bluegill, Redear sunfish, Mayan cichlid, Peacock bass, Sunshine bass, Clown knifefish
TrophyCatch Tracker
TrophyCatch is FWC's citizen-science program that rewards anglers for documenting and releasing trophy bass 8 pounds or larger. The following TrophyCatch bass have been submitted from the Osborne Chain-of-Lakes:
Lunker Club (8 – 9.9 pounds): 4