When you visit Florida for a fishing trip, you have a variety of choices, unlike other places you’ll find. There is freshwater fishing at inland lakes, saltwater fishing in the Ocean or Gulf and Inter-coastal river channels offer a different kind of fishing that combines both. Florida boasts some of the most unique varieties of fish and they grow plenty large, whether freshwater or saltwater.
For freshwater fishing, several large lakes offer some of the best bass fishing. Lake Okeechobee, Lake Kissimmee and Lake Weohyakapka are favorite spots and Okeechobee has hosted several national fishing tournaments. When it comes to ocean fishing or salt water fishing, there are all kinds of sports fish, including marlin, sailfish or swordfish and shark fishing can be exciting and it is popular among those that want a different kind of fishing.
When it comes to river fishing, the Indian River is a mixture of freshwater that spills into the saltwater bays, offering a combination of fishing options. The shallow flats around the river channels make Florida one of the best places for catching Redfish and there are all kinds of other freshwater fish, such as crappie, catfish and perch that grow large because of the year round warm weather and abundance of underwater insect and plant life.
Deep sea fishing charters can be found all over the coastline of Florida, but from Miami through the keys offer some of the best fishing opportunities. Some of the most affordable fishing charters are found in Key West, but all of the Florida Keys offer great ocean fishing. You can catch some of the freshest Mahi Mahi you’ll ever eat. Islamorada Key is known as the Sports fishing capital of the world, but you can catch great fish off the shores of Miami, as well.
If you like to fish and be near the action, the Pier at Cocoa Beach is a favorite place. You catch fish several stories below the Pier and the friendly tiki bar crew will help you hoist them up to the deck to an interested audience. In fact, they have their own wire mesh hoisting mechanism that gets the fish up the climb so you can show off your catch to the people on the pier and fishing deck. Many people think this is a fun way to enjoy Florida fishing and you can expect to catch everything from a shark, stingray or a grouper.
Florida fishing licenses for non-residents include a saltwater fishing license and a freshwater fishing license. If you are unsure of where you are going to fish, you might want to wait until you are ready to fish because you can get them almost anywhere. Many of the fishing charters will include the fishing license in the price, along with the deep sea fishing rigs you will need.
Florida fishing offers three distinct fishing options, freshwater, saltwater and the mixture of the two. For the avid fishermen, you will want to try all three types of water, and be sure to enjoy the Gulf side, as well as the Atlantic, for the most varied experience. Three Florida fishing experiences are available, no matter what part of Florida you visit and they are all different from the other. For the avid fisherman, Florida is a fishing vacation you will never forget.
Article by Dan Carson, Specializing in