The Sunshine State offers hundreds of lakes, ponds, and rivers where you can fish for your favorite Bass. Do whatever it takes to make them bite, because once they do, the real action begins. Some prefer to hook Bass in and around grass, reeds, and docks, while others head to open water.īass can be targeted with casting and spinning tackle, as well as fly gear. Anglers swim a spoon in grass, chug a frog across surface vegetation, and use a plethora of lures, hooks, and everything in between. Speaking of bait and lures, Largemouth Bass are usually taken on surface plugs, crankbaits, shiner minnows, plastic worms (which Peacock Bass don’t like, by the way!) and spinnerbaits, as well as live bait. The Bass is famous for its aggressive attitude and will easily strike your bait or lure as hard as it can. The Best Techniques to Hook a Big Bassīass is arguably the most popular freshwater game fish in Florida (if not in the US), so there are various fishing methods and techniques that local professionals have adopted throughout the years. They prefer cooler waters in North Florida, although you can also fish for them as far south as Lake Osborne in West Palm Beach. Then there’s native White Bass which is fun to catch on light tackle in the Apalachicola and Ochlockonee rivers.įinally, there are Sunshine Bass, hybrids that look like both Striped and White Bass. Head to Lake Seminole and the Apalachicola River, and you might find freshwater Striped Bass. There are other Bass beyond the Largemouth and Peacock Bass. Just take a look below to see how beautiful these fish are:įlorida Peacock Bass are usually caught in the warm waters of the Snapper Creek and the Tamiami Canals System in Miami, West Palm Beach, Fort Lauderdale, and the Golden Gate Canal System in Naples. Peacock Bass are iconic in South Florida and are sometimes called “the other Bass.” There are around 15 different species of this fish, with the Butterfly Peacock being the most common. Largemouth Bass prefer depths less than 20 feet and water temperatures up to 85 degrees. They live in brackish to freshwater habitats along underwater structure and vegetation.
Where can you find Largemouth Bass in Florida? Everywhere! Largemouth are found statewide in rivers and lakes, as well as upper estuaries, reservoirs, and ponds.