OTHER WATER BODIES

Hal Scott Preserve (approx. 5 acres): This clear borrow pit is a FMA located in the extreme northeastern portion of Orange County. The St. John’s Water Management District manages the property and anglers are known to put small boats in the pit in pursuit of largemouth bass. Others choose to combine camping with the fishing in this relatively remote section of Orange County. All black bass must be released immediately. No gasoline motors are allowed.

Lake Lawne (156 acres): This FMA in west Orlando is found within Barnett Park (the same park that houses the URBAN POND) right behind the Central Florida Fairgrounds. Within Barnett Park, a fishing pier and cleared shoreline on the west shoreline is available for bank fishing. The boat ramp is located in the northwest corner of the lake within Barnett Park, but due to its shallow location, periods of low water limit boat usage to small craft. Due to poor habitat and water quality, the lake is primarily a black crappie lake. Crappie surveys in 1998 indicated Lawne had some of the highest trawling (a sampling method where a net is dragged behind a boat) catch per unit efforts in the state. Like most places in Florida, the majority of crappie fishing on Lawne is done from November through April. For boat fishermen, drifting minnows through the deep-water trough that runs along the east shore of the southern half of the lake is a good bet. Bank fisherman need not despair, as specks have been known to move within casting distance of the piers in Barnett Park and the Central Florida Fairground.

Lake Fairview (401 acres): In the past, stocked grass carp decimated the vegetation in this 401-acre lake. More recently, however, area homeowners have worked with the FWC to remove some of the carp. This combined with natural grass carp mortality and revegetation efforts have allowed eelgrass and other vegetation to return to the lake. The result has been some good bass fishing. The lake has little to no public bank access but boat access is available via a City of Orlando park off Lee Road (SR 423). In the summer, largemouth bass can be caught on black/grape Texas-rigged worms fished on the grassy saddles and points that connect to deep (20’ – 30’) water (Try the saddle between the main lake and the lobe on the east shoreline). Fairview receives heavy Jet Ski traffic, so fish either early in the morning, late into the evening or after dark. Please note that the boat ramp closes at 11 p.m.

Lake Baldwin (225 acres): Like Fairview, previous overstocking of grass carp decimated aquatic vegetation of this lake. However an adjacent wetland marsh along its northern shoreline appears to have provided positive benefits during high water episodes. Furthermore the natural grass carp mortality combined with revegetation efforts has improved the habitat. Located in Winter Park (northeast Orlando), the lake has a boat ramp via a small city park on the south shore. However, boats with motors of 10 H.P. or more have to abide by a no wake restriction. Currently the bank access is limited to the same park that has the boat ramp. For some decent bass fishing, try presenting a senko or soft jerk bait on the edge of the hydrilla found throughout the lake.

Little Econlockhatchee River: Probably one of the best panfishing secrets in Orlando. Located in northeast Orlando, bank access can be found via Orange County’s Blanchard Park located off Dean Road (SR 425). Canoes and kayaks can also be launched along the riverbank in the park. For your best bet, fish behind the dam when the water is flowing after a big rain. Night crawlers, wigglers and grass shrimp fished beneath a split shot is all you’ll need to catch quality to trophy-sized panfish (bluegill, redear sunfish, redbreast sunfish). Don’t be surprised if you hook into a large white or channel catfish as well.

Winter Park Chain (2,781 acres): This chain is located in downtown Winter Park. Lakes Virginia, Mizell, Osceola, Maitland and Minnehaha are interconnected with narrow, but relatively deep channels. A ramp located behind Rollins College provides boat access, but you must purchase a ramp-use permit from the City of Maitland or Winter Park. Water skiers and sightseers in pontoon boats may give anglers the illusion that the chain is not a good fishery but largemouth bass, and black crappie populations are decent and can provide good angling in an urban setting. Lake Virginia is best for crappie, while Osceola and Maitland are known more for largemouth bass. Anglers fishing for crappie should drift with live minnows using several poles at various depths. Live shiners work best for bass. Lake Maitland has several pondweed beds. Texas or Carolina-rigged plastics are better in deeper water and pondweed beds; topwater baits work better in the shallows.

Johns Lake (2, 424 acres): This water body lies in Lake and Orange counties on SR 50 west of Winter Garden. Hit especially hard by Florida’s drought, lake water levels were extremely low until 2003 and much of the once-outstanding fishery was lost. Subsequently, heavy rainfall refilled the lake. Such natural water level fluctuations and irregular bottom contours create habitat that produces excellent fisheries. Anglers should be ready for good action to return in several years as fish populations expand rapidly. The FWC stocked over 200,000 Florida largemouth bass fingerlings in 2003 to aid in recovery of the sport fishery. Expect largemouth bass, bluegill, redear sunfish, and maybe black crappie to again become plentiful, although larger bass won’t be available for several years. As emergent vegetation re-establishes, these areas act as natural fish attractors and again will become good places to fish for largemouth bass and panfish. Plastic worms, weedless spoons, and topwater lures fished around emergent vegetation and flooded brush during high water periods will be effective for bass during the early spring. During summer months, most bass will be caught in deep open-water areas using shad-imitating crankbaits. Try for black crappie during winter and early spring, drifting open water with a minnow slip-bobber rig. Fly fishermen and live- bait anglers using worms can expect to do well on bedding bluegill and redear sunfish during springtime in the lake’s many shallow bays and coves. Public bank access is almost non-existent but a FWC boat ramp located just south of SR 50 provides boat access. If extremely low water conditions return, access will be limited to small Jon boats or canoes.

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