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Fly Fishing in Florida

35 featured rivers, lakes and streams in Florida, each with target species, a hatch chart and a map of nearby access.

Alafia River (Largemouth Bass, Snook, Tilapia)
Flowing into Tampa Bay, the upper reaches offer steep banks and rocky bottom stretches ideal for streamers.
Alexander Springs Creek (Bluegill, Largemouth Bass, Warmouth)
A slow-moving, wide spring run with lush eelgrass beds perfect for sight-casting topwater bugs to panfish.
Arbuckle Creek (Largemouth Bass, Bluegill, Bowfin)
Flowing between Lake Arbuckle and Lake Istokpoga, this creek features ancient cypress canopies and aggressive bass.
Aucilla River (Suwannee Bass, Largemouth Bass, Sunfish)
A wild river that disappears underground and resurfaces; the rocky shoals are perfect for targeting redbreast sunfish.
Biscayne Bay Flats (Bonefish, Permit, Tarpon)
World-renowned clear water flats just miles from Miami, famous for large, wary bonefish and occasional permit.
Black Creek (Largemouth Bass, Striped Bass, Longnose Gar)
A deep, tannin-stained tributary of the St. Johns River with overhanging trees requiring accurate sidearm casts.
Bulow Creek (Largemouth Bass, Snook, Redfish)
A scenic, slow-moving blackwater creek shaded by ancient oaks, offering shots at largemouth bass and saltwater species near the ICW.
C-100 Canal (Butterfly Peacock Bass, Largemouth Bass, Clown Knifefish)
A South Florida canal system known for exotic species like Butterfly Peacock Bass and Clown Knifefish.
Chassahowitzka River (Largemouth Bass, Snook, Tarpon)
A remote spring-fed river that transitions from freshwater jungle to saltwater marsh, hosting a diverse mix of species.
Chipola River (Shoal Bass, Largemouth Bass, Striped Bass)
Famous for being the primary home of the rare Shoal Bass, this river features limestone outcroppings and swift current.
Deep Creek (Largemouth Bass, Striped Bass, Bowfin)
A tributary of the St. Johns River with deep bends and significant structure, requiring heavy sink-tip lines.
Ding Darling National Wildlife Refuge (Snook, Tarpon, Redfish)
Mangrove-lined backcountry tidal creeks and impoundments perfect for targeting snook and baby tarpon on light fly gear.
Econfina Creek (Suwannee Bass, Largemouth Bass, Chain Pickerel)
A crystal clear spring-fed river in the panhandle that provides excellent sight-fishing opportunities for bass in deep karst windows.
Econlockhatchee River (Largemouth Bass, Redbreast Sunfish)
A hidden gem near the St. Johns, this blackwater river is very narrow and provides excellent canopy-shaded fishing.
Fisheating Creek (Largemouth Bass, Crappie, Bluegill)
The only free-flowing tributary to Lake Okeechobee, this tea-colored waterway is a wilderness fly fishing paradise.
Ichitucknee River (Largemouth Bass, Bluegill, Suwannee Bass)
Famous for tubing, but in the off-season, the crystal clear waters offer incredible sight-fishing for sunfish.
Juniper Creek (Largemouth Bass, Redbreast Sunfish, Bluegill)
A narrow, twisting spring-fed creek within the Ocala National Forest, offering technical casting for aggressive stump-knocker and largemouth bass.
Lake Istokpoga (Largemouth Bass, Black Crappie)
A large, shallow lake with extensive weed beds that are perfect for frog and popper fly patterns.
Lake Jackson (Largemouth Bass, Bluegill)
A unique prairie lake near Tallahassee that periodically drains into a sinkhole, concentrating massive bass for fly anglers.
Lake Kissimmee (Largemouth Bass, Bluegill)
An expansive lake at the head of the Kissimmee Chain, offering massive grass flats and lily pad fields for fly rodders.
Lake Talquin (Largemouth Bass, Striped Bass, Black Crappie)
A reservoir created by a dam, known for its flooded timber and exceptional crappie and bass populations.
Little Withlacoochee River (Largemouth Bass, Warmouth, Pickerel)
A remote and swampy tributary that provides a true wilderness experience for adventurous fly anglers.
Loxahatchee River (Snook, Largemouth Bass, Tarpon)
Florida's first federally designated Wild and Scenic River, featuring ancient cypress swamps and brackish transition zones.
Myakka River (Largemouth Bass, Bluegill, Gar)
One of the most scenic rivers in the state, offering expansive marshes and high densities of alligators and bass.
Newnans Lake (Largemouth Bass, Sunfish)
A large, cypress-fringed lake near Gainesville known for productive panfish action and heavy-bodied largemouth bass on topwater poppers.
Oleta River (Snook, Tarpon, Jack Crevalle)
A mangrove-lined urban river in Miami that allows for kayak-based fly fishing for juvenile tarpon and snook.
Peace River (Largemouth Bass, Snook, Gar)
A slow-moving river famous for fossil hunting, but also excellent for targeting bass and snook in the lower reaches.
Santa Fe River (Suwannee Bass, Largemouth Bass, Mullet)
Known for its numerous springs and limestone bluffs, this river is a top destination for the hard-fighting Suwannee Bass.
Sebastian Inlet State Park (Snook, Redfish, Bluefish)
A high-energy tidal inlet famous for massive snook and redfish feeding in the surf and around the jetty rocks.
Shoal River (Largemouth Bass, Striped Bass, Sunfish)
A high-gradient Panhandle river featuring sandy bottoms and fallen timber, home to the unique and aggressive shoal bass.
St. Marks National Wildlife Refuge Flats (Redfish, Snook, Tarpon)
Expansive, shallow seagrass flats offering exceptional sight fishing for redfish and seasonal speckled trout in a remote coastal wilderness.
Suwannee River (Upper) (Largemouth Bass, Sunfish)
The limestone bluffs of the upper river provide a unique setting for Suwannee bass, which strike streamers with ferocity in the current.
Ten Thousand Islands (Snook, Tarpon, Redfish)
A massive labyrinth of mangroves and oyster bars that serves as a world-class nursery for snook and resident tarpon.
Wekiva River (Largemouth Bass, Redbreast Sunfish, Bowfin)
A pristine spring-fed system near Orlando that offers intimate fly fishing for multiple sunfish species and heavy bass.
Yellow River (Largemouth Bass, Sunfish, Chain Pickerel)
A sandy-bottomed river in the panhandle that offers a peaceful escape for targeting bass and panfish.

Fly Fishing in Florida

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