NORTH CENTRAL FLORIDA FISHING FORECASTS
Over time, we have discovered that fish do not read calendars or follow an exact schedule. Instead, their behavior and abundance are determined by factors such as water temperature, bait movements, and weather patterns. Similarly, fish do not pay attention to geographical boundaries as outlined on maps.
When using our regional forecasts as a reference, it's a good idea to consider the conditions in nearby regions along the East Coast or the Gulf Coast. This will give you a better understanding of what species of fish might be biting before, during, and after your fishing trip. Additionally, local fishing guides who are on the water almost daily can provide more accurate and up-to-date information on current catches.
Our regional forecast takes a broader approach and focuses on the most sought-after gamefish in the region during each season. For example, bass fishing has a longer season and can be found throughout much of Florida. In such cases, we provide more detailed information on popular and productive fishing spots, such as streams and bodies of water.
NORTH CENTRAL FLORIDA SALTWATER FISHING FORECASTS
Please keep in mind the migratory patterns of fish along with near shore and offshore currents. Search nearby locations for a full picture on forecasts for the area you're looking to fish.
FISH FLORIDA NORTH CENTRAL REGION MONTHLY SALTWATER FORECASTS
| JANUARY | FEBRUARY | MARCH | APRIL |
| MAY | JUNE | JULY | AUGUST |
| SEPTEMBER | OCTOBER | NOVEMBER | DECEMBER |
JANUARY NORTH CENTRAL FLORIDA SALTWATER FORECAST
Excellent
Grouper
Speckled Sea Trout
Black Snapper
Mingo Snapper
Red Snapper
White Snapper
Trigger Fish
Good
Sheepshead
Flounder
Red Drum (Redfish)
Black Drum
FEBRUARY NORTH CENTRAL FLORIDA SALTWATER FORECAST
Excellent
Grouper
Speckled Sea Trout
Black Snapper
Mingo Snapper
Red Snapper
White Snapper
Trigger Fish
Good
Sheepshead
Pompano
Flounder
Red Drum (Redfish)
Black Drum
MARCH NORTH CENTRAL FLORIDA SALTWATER FORECAST
Excellent
Grouper
Scamp Grouper
Spanish Mackeral
Speckled Sea Trout
Pompano
Black Snapper
Mingo Snapper
Red Snapper
White Snapper
Trigger Fish
Bonito
Good
Sheepshead
Wahoo
Red Drum (Redfish)
Black Drum
Cobia
Blue Fish
APRIL NORTH CENTRAL FLORIDA SALTWATER FORECAST
Excellent
Grouper
Bonito
Cobia
Black Drum
Red Drum (Redfish)
Scamp Grouper
Spanish Mackeral
Speckled Sea Trout
Pompano
Black Snapper
Mingo Snapper
Red Snapper
White Snapper
Trigger Fish
Sheepshead
Good
Wahoo
Red Drum (Redfish)
Black Drum
Bonito
King Mackerel
Amberjack
Bluefish
MAY NORTH CENTRAL FLORIDA SALTWATER FORECAST
Excellent
Coming Soon!
Good
Coming Soon!
JUNE NORTH CENTRAL FLORIDA SALTWATER FORECAST
Excellent
Coming Soon!
Good
Coming Soon!
JULY NORTH CENTRAL FLORIDA SALTWATER FORECAST
Excellent
Coming Soon!
Good
Coming Soon!
AUGUST NORTH CENTRAL FLORIDA SALTWATER FORECAST
Excellent
Coming Soon!
Good
Coming Soon!
SEPTEMBER NORTH CENTRAL FLORIDA SALTWATER FORECAST
Excellent
Coming Soon!
Good
Coming Soon!
OCTOBER NORTH CENTRAL FLORIDA SALTWATER FORECAST
Excellent
Coming Soon!
Good
Coming Soon!
NOVEMBER NORTH CENTRAL FLORIDA SALTWATER FORECAST
Excellent
Coming Soon!
Good
Coming Soon!
DECEMBER NORTH CENTRAL FLORIDA SALTWATER FORECAST
Excellent
Coming Soon!
Good
Coming Soon!
FISH FLORIDA NORTH CENTRAL REGION "LOCAL EXPERT" SALTWATER FORECASTS
The following is our curated list of local saltwater fishing forecasts in North Central Florida. We share links and informations from "locals" to give you the best resource to plan your next fishing excursion. Check back before your next trip for the current fishing forecasts to the area.
Steinhatchee, Florida - Sea Hag Marina
Gainesville, Florida - Gary's Tackle Box
NORTH CENTRAL FLORIDA FRESHWATER FISHING FORECASTS
Florida's freshwater fisheries comprise more than 8,000 lakes, ponds and reservoirs, and approximately 12,000 miles of fishable rivers, streams and canals—with no closed seasons. The recreational fishery resources alone in these waters provide entertainment for more than 1.2 million anglers annually.
FISH FLORIDA NORTH CENTRAL REGION FRESHWATER PLANNERS
| BLACK BASS | |||
BLACK BASS
Largemouth bass are found in almost every body of freshwater in Florida. With more than 8,000 lakes and other waters available, anglers sometimes face a tough decision about where to fish. The following list of Top Spots for Black Bass aims to help anglers find a quality place to catch either good numbers of bass or to catch a trophy bass.
The largemouth bass is the best known and most popular freshwater game fish in Florida. Found statewide, largemouth bass have excellent growth rates, particularly in the productive waters of central Florida. Historically known for huge bass, Florida remains an outstanding destination to catch a trophy.
When to Fish: Spring is the best time of year to catch bass, when fish move into shallow water to spawn. Spawning may occur as early as January in extreme south Florida and as late as May in the panhandle, but March and April are peak months. Most large bass are taken at this time; after spawning, many large females move to offshore areas.
Range: Although the largemouth bass is by far our most common black bass, other species are found in Florida. The smaller Suwannee bass occurs in the Suwannee River and its tributaries, and in the Ochlockonee River. Favoring rock outcrops and moving water, Suwannee bass prefer crayfish to many prey items of largemouth. Crayfish-imitating crankbaits worked through deep-water bends will attract these hard fighting fish, as will plastic worms, plastic lizards or crayfish. The Santa Fe River is another good spot, and trophy-sized Suwannee bass up to three pounds can be found in the Ochlockonee River north of I-10.
These are the sites in North Central Florida most likely to be best for black bass fishing in 2023.
Wildcat Lake
(in Ocala National Forest)
(Lake & Marion counties)
Features: Bass size, TrophyCatch submissions
Wildcat Lake (467 acres) is a small lake in the Ocala National Forest off of State Road 40. The boat ramp is owned and operated by the U.S. Forest Service, and there is a $7 launch fee. Wildcat is a tannic, dark colored water lake with emergent vegetation around the shoreline but limited submersed aquatic vegetation. There is a catch and release only regulation for largemouth bass. Anglers should not expect to catch high numbers of bass at Wildcat, but there is a good chance that when they catch a bass it is going to be a lunker. During Season 10 of the TrophyCatch program there were 26 approved submissions, which is around the average number of approved submissions seen on a yearly basis at Wildcat. March through May is the best time to hook into a lunker at Wildcat. Anglers find the most success fishing with live shiners along the spatterdock pads. Swimbaits and Texas-rigged soft plastics are the best bet for artificial lures. Two fish attractor sites were also created this past year to create some offshore habitat.
Orange Lake
(Alachua County)
Features: Bass size, bream numbers
At nearly 13,000 acres, Orange Lake is the largest public lake in the North Central Region. This shallow lake is designated as a fish management area (FMA) and is located roughly 20 miles southeast of Gainesville. Public boat ramps at Heagy-Burry Park and Marjorie Kinnan Rawlings Park provide easy access. Heagy-Burry also has a fishing pier. The large open water area is surrounded by shallow, heavily vegetated areas and extensive marsh. Diverse habitat is abundant and this fishery is presently thriving. Periodic drought and subsequent refilling at Orange Lake can ultimately result in tremendous growth in both numbers and size of fish in the lake. This is what we’ve been seeing the last couple years. For example, one bass collected in March of 2017 weighed 9.5 pounds and when recaptured 8 months later weighed a whopping 13 pounds! Of the 32 eligible bass submitted to FWC’s TrophyCatch program during season 9, 2 qualified as Hall of Fame (>13lbs) fish, with another 4 fish weighing in over 12 lbs. In 2019, the largest TrophyCatch bass of Season 7 and the second largest TrophyCatch bass ever (15 lbs 13 oz) came from Orange Lake. If stable water levels persist on the lake, the habitat and fishing should be even better this year. Bass anglers on Orange typically do well flipping soft plastics in and around emergent pads and floating vegetation mats, especially during the springtime spawn. Anglers should also target submerged vegetation such as coontail and hydrilla beds with spinnerbaits, lipless crankbaits, soft plastics, and topwater lures.
Biologists captured on average 1 quality-sized bluegill every minute and it’s not unusual to find a near dinner-plate size bluegill or redear (“shellcracker”) in Orange Lake! While fishing at Orange Lake, you may have the opportunity to participate in the management process. Creel surveys take place on random days throughout the entire spring on Orange Lake to collect information on the fishery and ask anglers their opinions about management.
Lake Rousseau
(Levy and Citrus counties)
Features: Bass size and numbers
Lake Rousseau, located just west of Dunnellon, is an interesting and dynamic system inviting seemingly endless exploration. The dam (and popular fishing spot) is at the west end and at the opposite, the quiet, winding Withlacoochee River. Several boat ramps provide access to the lake and river. For more boat ramp information, see the FWC Boat Ramp Finder. Navigation lanes connect the two ends, taking you through wide open water and secluded curving channels. Tons of plants, including dense eelgrass and hydrilla patches, and structure provide excellent fish habitat and refuge outside of navigation lanes. Use extreme caution when venturing into these areas as submersed stumps provide a constant reminder that the lake is a flooded woodland. Plastic worms or weedless frogs can be fished through these patches of vegetation, and topwater baits in areas of open water should tempt hungry bass. When fishing deeper water, live shiners or crankbaits fished along the edges of hydrilla should also produce bites. The bass have been getting larger each year since the small fish kill that resulted from Hurricane Irma in 2017. There were 31 approved TrophyCatch submissions for season 9 (Oct. 2020-Sept. 2021), up from 11 in season 8. Tournament anglers had another productive year as the average winning bag weight in 2021 was 18.49 lbs., including a 30.50 lb. bag. In 2019, bass catch rates in Lake Rousseau were second only to Rodman Reservoir according to our most recent creel survey data. That’s higher than both Orange and Santa Fe Lakes! In 2021, anglers may have the opportunity to participate in the management process. Creel surveys will take place on random days throughout the entire spring on Lake Rousseau to collect information on the fishery and ask anglers their opinions about management.
Hernando Lake
(Citrus County)
Features: Bass size
The Hernando Pool (contains Hernando, Todd, Dodd, Bellamy, Croft, Van Ness, and Point Lonesome lakes) is the northernmost of the three main open water pools that make up the Tsala Apopka Chain of Lakes. Thick marsh and swamp surround the lakes which helps to produce some monster bass when water levels remain high. In fact, the Tsala Apopka chain brags 250 approved TrophyCatch submissions. The Hernando pool produced 53 TrophyCatch submissions during Season 9, with 43 of these coming from Lake Hernando. Lake Hernando ranked #5 in all of Florida for submissions during TrophyCatch Season 9! Eight bass over 10 lbs. were submitted, with the largest being 13 lbs. 11 oz (caught and submitted twice!). Live shiners work well here, as do plastic worms. Remember to check weather reports. During cold or hot days, the fish are likely to move into deeper water. On a warm winter’s day or cooler summer night, look for fish in the shallows. The Hernando public ramp provides the access you need for a great day of fishing.
Eagle Lake
(Hamilton County)
Features: Bass numbers, sunshine bass numbers
Eagle Lake is non-reclaimed phosphate pit located on Nutrien property in White Springs, designated as an FMA and open to the public. A gravel boat ramp is located on a dirt road off SE 78th Place. Please note that trolling motors are allowed in Eagle Lake but using gasoline motors is not. Eagle Lake is a unique Florida lake and a quiet escape from the world. Travelling through the lake is a journey through a maze of open water, narrow cuts and bends, secluded coves, and varying habitat. This lake is deeper than the average Florida lake, has steep drop-offs and produces a lot of big fish. Largemouth Bass are abundant throughout the lake and at good sizes. What the lake lacks in Trophy fish production (only one TrophyCatch Season 9 submission), it more than makes up for in 3, 4, and 5 lb. bass. Anglers should bring a variety of tackle and plan to target shallow and deep-water habitats. Target edges of coontail and hydrilla with spinnerbaits, soft plastics, topwater lures, and crankbaits.
Another thing that makes Eagle Lake special is its abundant Sunshine Bass (Striped Bass x White Bass hybrid), stocked every other year. Abundant forage and habitat help the Sunshine Bass in Eagle Lake experience the fastest growth in the region! Fishing for Sunshines is best in the fall and winter. These fish tend to school and inhabit the deep open water. You can also try fishing the faster flowing cuts. If you notice commotion on the surface or gatherings of birds, those would be good places to start. Trolling shad imitations or live shiners work well on these fish.
FISH FLORIDA NORTHWEST REGION "LOCAL EXPERT" FRESHWATER FORECASTS
The following is our curated list of local freashwater fishing forecasts in Northwest Florida. We share links and informations from "locals" to give you the best resource to plan your next fishing excursion. Check back before your next trip for the current fishing forecasts to the area.
North Florida - FWC Fishing Regional Forecasts
FISH FLORIDA ALLIANCE
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