Florida Bass Fishing Guides, Florida Peacock Bass

Most everyone knows that Florida has some awesome saltwater fishing, and thousands of anglers visit the state each year in the hopes of landing a billfish, a giant grouper, or some other finned sea monster. Non-residents oftentimes don’t realize what amazing freshwater fishing the state provides. The warm climate and the big bodies of freshwater produce a large number of trophy largemouth bass, making it a true mecca for bass fishermen.

Peacock bass

You won’t have to make a trip to the Amazon for peacock bass – you can catch them in South Florida! They were introduced to the lakes and canals around Miami in 1984 to help control other fish species. These are beautiful fish that are even more aggressive than the largemouth, and once hooked, they put on a great show. While fishing for peacocks, you’re likely to catch largemouths, too. For best results, hire a fishing guide who specializes in peacock bass fishing.

Other species

If, for some reason, you should tire of bass fishing, Florida has other tempting freshwater fish species to target. These include bluegill, shellcracker, catfish, and crappie.

Best Florida Lakes For Bass Fishing

Lake Okeechobee – This is the most famous largemouth bass lake in the world. It spans 154 miles, including parts of central and southern Florida, and covers 451,000 acres. The lake is a resort in itself. Along the shore and nearby are numerous hotels, marinas, fishing lodges, bait shops, restaurants, and fishing guide services.

Lake Tohopekaliga – Located in central Florida, “Lake Toho” covers almost 19,000 acres. There’s lots of vegetation, and lots of big bass. 10-pound bucketmouths are not uncommon. You’ll need a fishing guide to help you find the hot spots on this sprawling lake.

Lake Weohyakapka – Another central Florida lake, this one is called “Walk in Water” by the locals. It covers 7,528 acres, with submerged eelgrass, cattails, and hydrilla. You won’t find a lot of fishing pressure here, but you will find a good population of lunker largemouths. Bass fishing guides are available.

Stickmarsh – This central Florida lake covers 6,500 acres. It was created by flooding orchards and farms, so there’s lots of submerged timber and brush. This lake is incredibly fertile, with an amazing growth rate for bass. Many bass anglers consider Stickmarsh as the best chance to catch a trophy largemouth.

Everglades – If you want to catch a lot of bass, head to the ‘Glades. This wilderness area covers millions of acres and holds the Florida record for the most bass caught per fisherman, per hour. The ‘Glades consist of grassy flats, canals, islands, sloughs, and hidden coves that are hard to navigate without an experienced fishing guide. This is a beautiful region, and you’ll get to view all kinds of wildlife and colorful birds as you haul in some bass.

Orange Lake – Located in north-central Florida, Orange Lake covers 12,550 acres. It’s loaded with healthy vegetation – and healthy bass. The average depth is about five feet, but the water level fluctuates. Hire a bass fishing guide to navigate for you and to put you on the “hawgs.”