Best Florida Fishing Spots: Freshwater and Saltwater Favorites

Updated November 2, 2026 · By the Florida Rednecks team

Florida is one of the best fishing states in the country, with thousands of lakes, big rivers and two very different coastlines. For freshwater, the top destinations include Lake Okeechobee, the Kissimmee Chain of Lakes, Rodman Reservoir and the St. Johns River, all famous for largemouth bass. For saltwater, look to Mosquito Lagoon for redfish, Tampa Bay and Charlotte Harbor for snook and tarpon, Boca Grande Pass for tarpon, the Florida Keys for bonefish and permit, and the Panhandle for offshore snapper and grouper.

Freshwater fishing spots

Lake Okeechobee

"The Big O" covers roughly 730 square miles, making it the largest freshwater lake in Florida. It's famous for largemouth bass, especially in winter and early spring when bass move shallow to spawn. Fish the grass lines, reeds and lily pads with plastic worms, swimbaits and live wild shiners. Crappie (called "specks" locally) are a winter favorite too. Towns around the lake, like Clewiston and Okeechobee, have ramps, guides and bait shops. Be aware of weather: the lake is shallow and can get rough fast in wind.

Kissimmee Chain of Lakes

Lakes Tohopekaliga ("Toho"), Kissimmee, Cypress and others, south of Orlando, are well known for big bass and regular tournaments. Hydrilla and eelgrass beds hold fish, and the lakes are connected by canals so you can cover a lot of water.

Rodman Reservoir

Formed on the Ocklawaha River in north-central Florida, Rodman is full of standing timber and stumps from the flooded forest, which makes for great bass cover. Go slow and watch for obstacles when running a boat.

St. Johns River

The longest river entirely in Florida, the St. Johns flows north for about 300 miles. It offers bass, bream (bluegill and shellcracker), catfish and crappie, plus a winter run of American shad in the stretch between Lake Monroe and Lake Harney. Lake George, a wide spot on the river, is known for bass and striped bass.

Southeast Florida canals

The canals around Miami, Fort Lauderdale and the Everglades hold butterfly peacock bass, introduced by the state's fisheries agency in the 1980s to control other non-native fish. They hit hard, love warm water and are a bucket-list fish for many anglers. You'll also catch largemouth, snakehead and oddball exotics.

Saltwater fishing spots

Mosquito Lagoon and the Indian River Lagoon

On the Atlantic coast near Titusville and New Smyrna Beach, Mosquito Lagoon is one of the best places in the world to sight-fish for redfish in clear, shallow water. Spotted seatrout, black drum and snook are also common. Parts of the lagoon are within Canaveral National Seashore and Merritt Island National Wildlife Refuge, which have their own rules. Some areas restrict motorized boats.

Tampa Bay and Charlotte Harbor

These Gulf coast estuaries are snook, redfish, trout and tarpon country. Wade the grass flats, fish mangrove shorelines on a moving tide, or try the bridges and piers at night. The Skyway Fishing Pier State Park, built from the old Sunshine Skyway bridge approaches, lets you fish deep water without a boat.

Boca Grande Pass

Between Gasparilla Island and Cayo Costa, Boca Grande Pass is famous for its tarpon run, which peaks in late spring and early summer. Tarpon over 100 pounds are common. Tarpon are a catch-and-release species in Florida except for anglers holding a special tarpon tag to harvest or possess a fish in pursuit of a record. Handle them carefully and keep big fish in the water.

The Florida Keys

The Keys offer every kind of saltwater fishing: flats fishing for bonefish, permit and tarpon (catching all three in a day is a "Grand Slam"), reef fishing for snapper and grouper, and offshore trips for mahi-mahi, sailfish and tuna. Much of the area is within the Florida Keys National Marine Sanctuary, which has protected zones where fishing is restricted.

The Panhandle: Destin, Panama City and Pensacola

Destin calls itself the "World's Luckiest Fishing Village" because deep water is close to shore. The Panhandle is a hotspot for red snapper during the federal and state seasons, along with grouper, amberjack, king mackerel and cobia, which run along the beaches in spring. Piers in Pensacola Beach, Navarre and Panama City Beach are popular and productive.

The Big Bend: scalloping and redfish

The Big Bend coast from Steinhatchee to Homosassa is less developed, with grass flats that support bay scallops. Scallop season runs in summer, with dates that vary by zone. Snorkeling for scallops in knee-to-chest-deep water is a classic Florida family outing. Redfish and trout thrive here too.

Best time to fish in Florida

Know before you go

• License: Most anglers need a Florida freshwater or saltwater fishing license, though there are exemptions. See our license guide.
• Size and bag limits: Species such as snook, redfish, trout and snapper have slot limits, bag limits and closed seasons that differ by region. Check FWC's current regulations or the Fish|Hunt Florida app.
• Fish advisories: The Florida Department of Health publishes advice on eating fish from some waters because of mercury. Check before you keep fish to eat.
• Gators: Freshwater means alligators. Don't clean fish at the water's edge, keep pets away from the bank, and never feed gators (it's illegal and dangerous).
• Weather: Summer afternoon thunderstorms bring lightning. Get off the water when you hear thunder.
• Release with care: Use circle hooks when fishing natural bait, minimize time out of the water, and use a descending device for reef fish showing signs of barotrauma.