Top Five Fishing Spots In Florida:
1 — St. Johns River: salty and fresh
2 — When it’s on, West Lake Toho hard to beat
3 — Sebastian Inlet is tricky, but worth the lost tackle
4 — Indian River Lagoon’s calm water boasts array of fish
5 — You’ll find it’s the redfish that bite at Mosquito Lagoon
Other Great Fishing Spots in Florida
GENEVA – Meandering through Central Florida, the St. Johns River is a top-notch fishery and a scenic getaway for any angler. There are many lakes along the river loaded with fish, attracting all types to try their luck. The hardcore bass anglers tap Lake Monroe in Sanford and Lake George in Astor for trophy fish. Puzzle Lake is good for those wanting to get in on the shad run. But it’s the river that draws the most attention. This is a place all walks of life can fish. Those with high-performance bass boats and those with pontoon boats can cruise along at their own speed and find plenty of places to put a few in the bucket. Family outings are common and if you want to keep the kids involved – look for areas holding lots of bluegills, shellcrackers and bream; odds are you won’t have to look too long. While in Geneva, try a family fun cabin rental for a unique lodging experience.
THE KISSIMMEE CHAIN OF LAKES from 200 to more than 40,000 acres. Lake Kissimmee weighs in as the biggest lake at 44,000 acres. West Lake Tohopekaliga is one of the most popular lakes, and is the host lake for Bassmaster Elite Series events on the chain. With the numbers of anglers on the lake, and the constant pressure, you have to use varying tactics to find out what the fish want on the day you fish. “The old adage is, if the fish are active on West Lake Toho, that’s the place you want to be,” said John Bitter, owner of Bitter’s Bait and Tackle in Longwood. “Of course, when they’re off, it’s really off, but it’s the best place to be when they’re on.” Other lakes include Lake Cypress, Hatchineha and East Lake Tohopekaliga.
Kissimmee grass and hydrilla are always good places to start your search. The lakes are filled with vegetation and plenty of ambush points. The time of year and the water temperature should be the deciding factors on your tactics. The thoughts of snook, redfish, tarpon and a wide variety of possible catches dance through the mind. As you near the bridge and enter the park, the blood starts pumping quickly when you finally see the water. When you hook up on one of the inlet’s bruiser redfish, huge snook or maybe a Goliath grouper, you understand just why you made the trip.
TITUSVILLE – With miles of flats to pick and choose from, the Indian River Lagoon gives anglers the perfect place to fish. The river, which stretches along the Atlantic Coast from Ponce Inlet to Jupiter Inlet, offers a huge variety of fish to target. “The Indian River Lagoon is the most diverse estuary in the world,” said Jim Ross, a veteran captain. “A lot of offshore and inshore fish breed in the river. You can find snapper, grouper and tarpon as well as the normal species.” In the northern portion of the river, from Titusville to Scotts-moor, redfish are the main draw. Not just any redfish, but big schools of large redfish. These fish have long been targeted and are strictly catch-and-release. The slot-size for redfish is 18 to 27 inches. Most fish in these schools are well over 40 inches. Look for a vacation rental for your Titusville fishing experience.
MERRITT ISLAND – The Mosquito Lagoon is a flats fishing paradise. Labeled as the redfish capital of the world, the lagoon lives up to its billing. Tailing redfish can be found all over this stretch of water that runs from the southern tip of New Smyrna Beach to the north end of Merritt Island. It’s a very shallow body of water. In simple terms, it’s a 20-plus-mile flat. “One of the best things about the lagoon is that you don’t have to worry about the tides,” said Jon Lulay, a captain who fishes the lagoon. “You can come out here anytime and find fish.” Merritt Island is a great place to find a bed and breakfast, pet friendly vacation home or vacation rentals.
From freshwater to saltwater, Florida offers a wide range of fishing opportunities for the most avid fisherman. It was impossible to explore all the fishing opportunities, within this article, but I have tried to at least point you to the highlights of any fishing trip to Florida.
Editor’s Note: Also published here.
…
For your next fishing vacation, consider a lakeside country inn or beach bed and breakfast, to situate you closer to your favorite fishing hole. Jeb Maxwell writes about travel for: http://www.findvacationrentals.com/ and http://www.findbedandbreakfast.com/
Read more articles written by Jeb Maxwell
Related posts:
- Florida Is A Fisherman’s Vacation Paradise
Florida is the one state in the United States that offers Sportsmen a crack at saltwater fishing in its backwaters without once making a wish for a more comfortable environment. Balmy, warm and breathtakingly beautiful the sunshine state is the perfect contender for a fishing vacation. A Florida fishing vacation... - An Introduction To The Paradise Coast of Florida, Surrounding Fort Myers, Florida
A Guide to Must-See Beaches in SW FLA: A wonderful place to visit and enjoy is southwest Florida, using Ft. Myers as a base for your explorations. Ft. Myers is 90 minutes south of Tampa on the coast of the Gulf of Mexico. Ft. Myers and the surrounding communities boast... - Where To Go In Florida, If You Want To Take Your Dog To The Beach
Florida has four of the top ten Dog Friendly Beaches in the United States. In this article, we describe what you may need to know if you want to take your dog with you on your next Florida beach vacation. Cape San Blas, Florida – It was easy to choose... - Entertain Yourself In West Virginia’s Great Outdoors, In Grant County, WV
Grant County, West Virginia is situated in northeastern West Virginia, between Maryland on the north and Virginia on its southern side. It is jam-packed with outdoor entertainment options that will please even the most hard-to-please vacationer. West Virginia offers a wide selection of lodging, in the form of Bed and... - Longboat Key Florida: How to Make the Most of Your Visit
Longboat Key Florida is an 11-mile long island that borders the Gulf of Mexico to its west and the calm waters of Sarasota Bay on to its east. The 8,000 permanent residents of Longboat Key live in a variety of residential styles from condominiums, townhouses, small single-family homes to luxury... - Sea World Orlando Florida – A Tour Of The Attraction
Sea World Orlando Water Park is central Florida’s premier marine life park, accepting visitors year around and presenting its guests with an sea wildlife experience that will be enjoyed by children and adults alike. Theatrical Performances Shamu, the killer whale, performs in the Shamu Stadium in Sea World’s signature performance... - Get Your Hiking Boots Ready For Your Florida Hiking Vacation
Hiking one of the many trails in the State of Florida offers a great probability of giving the hiker an experience to remember. Once you go on one hike, then you are ready for your next hike. The hiking is both interesting and marvelous, on the dozens of hiking trails... - Panama City Beach, Florida Offers One Of The Best Beaches In America And More
Located in the panhandle of Florida, Panama City Beach, Florida is a popular destination for many travelers. Less than an hour’s drive to the east of Pensacola, Florida, Panama City is located just west of the Apalachicola National Forest. Panama City Beach, Florida was said to be a desolate wasteland... - Sarasota Florida: Top Ten Reasons to Visit in 2009
An abundance of visitors from around the world visit Sarasota each year to enjoy all of the amenities this small city on the Gulf Coast of Florida has to offer. Each year, Sarasota’s warm climate attracts “snowbirds” down to the Sunshine State for its high season from January through March.... - Understanding the State-Mandated Minimum Auto Liability Insurance
It has been estimated that as many as 15% of all drivers on the road in the United States do not have liability insurance for their vehicle. Of course, that estimation does not take into account drivers in New Hampshire and Wisconsin, who in previous years were not required by... - Northcentral Florida: It’s The Land That Time Forgot
Driving through the Fabulous Fun Capital of the World at Orlando, I was struck by the thought that Florida should probably add to the list a planetary title for human perversity. There is something wondrously upside-down about a state to which people flock, purportedly for its climate and natural loveliness,... - How to Get Great Traffic to Your Website
In Internet marketing, there are essentially 2 major ways of building traffic on a website. There are the free methods which consume time and energy and offer a continuous stream of visitors with little or no upkeep, and there are paid methods such as cost per action and cost per... - Do’s And Don’ts Of A Great Relationship!
The other day I asked a couple I had coached to consciously model a great relationship for his younger brother and girlfriend. I realize a lot of us never knew what a great relationship looked like. We didn’t know what to do and not do. We only had in our... - Answering the Question: What Makes You So Great?
The other day I was discussing marketing options with a client and she said something which took me completely by surprise. “Well, I guess I could be shameless and promote myself more when I’m doing a presentation but it’s not like I have anything special or interesting to say…” I... - Best Cologne Gift Sets Are A Great Idea For Men
Hair, clothing and looks are important, but the right cologne transforms a man. Giving him the confidence to know he smells good when approaching beautiful women in a club or giving a presentation for work. When it comes to fragrances for men companies now understand that men want to smell...