Hot Spots
Fishing in Florida
By Captain Chuck Simpson
President GAFF Entertainment, LLC
Winter's grip can seem tight and unrelenting in certain regions of the United States - often tempting avid anglers to trade their much-needed time on the water for hours in front of a warm fire daydreaming. But why? A warmer, more temperate climate awaits; a land of limitless aquatic possibilities; a paradise which boasts bountiful opportunities for the angler willing to travel—Florida.
Florida's stats scream “fishing destination”—salt and freshwater. Much of the state's border is defined by water: 1,197 statute miles of coastline, 2,276 miles of tidal shoreline and 663 miles of beaches; approximately 4,500 islands of 10 acres or greater lie among its coastal regions. Interlacing Florida’s interior are 11,000 miles of rivers, streams and waterways, and over 2,900 separate impoundments dot the state's landscape.
The state's coastal waters play host to numerous species of saltwater gamefish, thus offering a world-class destination—inshore and offshore. Shallow flats to the south and in the Keys offer opportunities to fish for bonefish, sharks, permit and tarpon among many other species. The estuarine rivers and bays are also teaming with gamefish. Depending on where you visit, snook, trout, redfish and black drum can be extremely plentiful. Offshore, winter opportunities can range from billfish, dolphin and mackerels to numerous reef-fishes, such as grouper and snappers—the possibilities are almost endless.
If saltwater angling is not your forte', freshwater lakes and rivers throughout the state provide plenty of excitement on the water. Florida has always been famous for its quantity and quality of largemouth bass and the impoundments in which they inhabit. Generally, largemouth spawning activity begins much earlier in Florida than in other portions of the U.S., thus offering a late-winter shot at a once-in-a-lifetime bucket-mouth. Striped bass fishing can be phenomenal in the tailraces below dams in the northern part of the state—like the Jim Woodruff Dam at Lake Seminole—which is home of the current state record of just over 42 pounds. Plenty of panfish populate the lakes and waterways found throughout the state for those seeking some excellent table-fare, and if you are in the mood for exotics, peacock bass are an established fishery in many of South Florida's lakes and canals.
With the vast number of recreational fishing opportunities and diverse fisheries Florida represents, it isn't any wonder the state is home to a large community of professional guides and charter operators who are willing to provide an angling adventure of a lifetime. But, if you prefer the do-it-yourself approach, there is plenty of information available to help you judiciously prepare for your own foray into Florida's aquatic wonderlands.
So the next time you are sitting around that fireplace wondering when the snow will melt or when the cold winds will cease, think about heading south to a place that boasts a great winter climate and even greater fishing.
Find more information about fishing in Florida on TakeMeFishing.org.
