Florida is one of the best fishing places in the southern half of the United States. It offer Freshwater fishing, which is what most of the continental US is accustomed to and Saltwater fishing, which is in the Ocean or Gulf of Mexico, depending on what side of Florida you are in. They are governed by two types of fishing licenses, as well, so you need to decide what fish and where you are fishing as to what type of license you need.
In Freshwater fishing many of the fish that are found are the same as other parts of the United States, such as bass, catfish, perch, freshwater trout, gar and pickerel. Don’t get me wrong; there are 250 different freshwater fish breeds in Florida. The baits used are similar, although I have found you can catch almost anything, (freshwater or saltwater) in Florida on shrimp. Not the kind in restaurants, but a whole, with it’s head on type of shrimp and they sell them everywhere. Florida is full of small, inland lakes, and also has some larger ones such as Lake Okeechobee, the champion bass tournament lake.
Most of the Freshwater fishing can be done from shores, although be careful, as alligators are natives of the Florida inland waterways and you may catch more than a fish. I have witnessed an alligator chase a caught catfish all the way to shore and snap it into its jaws
as it is being hoisted to land. Alligators are very aware of what fishing involves, and knows when a fish is caught, so it is best done fishing from a dock or pier and what ever you do, DO NOT reach your hand in the water, to get the fish out.
In saltwater fishing in the Ocean, Florida keys and Gulf of Mexico and many of the bays, since it is where freshwater pours to saltwater, that is where the different kind of fishing comes in. While I have seen many ocean catfish pulled out one after another on bait fished off the beach on the ocean floor, I have also seen just as many string-rays caught. Here again, many people are using shrimp, although, most of the pier attendees know the bait of choice for the day. You can catch Redfish on the flats, sharks, puffer fish, groupers, tarpon, barracudas and dolphin as in mahi-mahi, (not the kind like Flipper, that is a porpoise when you are in Florida).
Most Saltwater fishing is either done off of the beach, or a pier, and the best way if you are on vacation is to take a deep sea charter, these are a wonderful experience and great fun. The captains know what is biting and where and communicate to each other. Many of them are very reasonable and will provide the licenses, gear, bait and help you bait, and even clean your catch for you. Evening shark fishing expeditions are a few hours long, and normally the cheapest. They are certainly worth it if you catch one.
Florida offers many types of memorable fishing trips and adventures that are beyond comparison. So next time you visit Florida, take advantage of the wonderful fishing opportunities, you won’t regret it!
Florida Boats
Florida Boating
Fishing in Florida can be divided into two types, freshwater and saltwater. I will give you the most popular boating locations in Florida where the fishing is the best. Florida’s Freshwater fish consists of many different types. All of these fine fresh water fish can be found in the Florida Rivers, such as the St. Johns River, the Ochlockonee River, Lake Okeechobee, Blackwater River, St. Marys, and Nassau Rivers. The most popular is the Largemouth Bass. They are most sought after during the springtime. They are many huge Largemouth Bass in Florida because the water temperature makes the growth rate perfect for them to breed.
The Striped Bass is a colder natured bass that cannot reproduce well in temperatures above 75 degrees. The best fishing time for these is from the fall until springtime. Strippers can weigh as much as 60 pounds.
Of course, Florida is also known for its Pan Fish and huge catfish as well. Black Crappie is also a well sought after fish, and Florida has some of the largest.
Florida is a very strict state when it comes to catching and keeping undersized fish, or fish that have a particular size limit that you cannot keep fish that are too big. Florida is also very strict about not having a fishing license or the wrong type of license. The fines are very severe.
The salt-water fishing in Florida is Fantastic, and you can take your boat out in the blue water of the Atlantic from Jacksonville, and the Gulf, in Panama City. Here you can catch Speckled Sea Trout, Redfish, Flounder, Drum, and Tarpon, Snapper, Amberjack, Grouper, and many more.
Daytona is home to some Blue Marlin, Sailfish, and Dolphin as well as the one that have already been mentioned.
When taking your boat out on any of Florida’s waterway, regardless if it is fresh water or salt water. Due to so many accidents on the water, Florida Fish and Game Commission have put their foot down on many situations. Most all of the offences are due to Reckless and Careless operation of a vessel. Operating a vessel under the influence, this includes Jet Ski’s as well, which has an article of regulations all to themselves.
Boats have to have their own lighting, and cannot interfere with any other boat’s navigation. Boaters are to be aware of manatee, and sea grass awareness. Harassment of manatees or any other marine mammal is punishable up to $50,000 fines. Boats that do not adhere to the NO WAKE law can also be penalized.
I hope that these few tips will help you in having a good time while you are in some of the most popular boating locations in Florida.