Florida bass in Florida
Where to catch Florida bass, plus limits and records.
- 20.13 lbrecord
- 90lakes
Photo: USFWS Mountain Prairie, Public domain
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Florida bass fishing in Florida
Florida bass (Micropterus salmoides) is managed by FWC as a freshwater species. FWC’s Big Catch program recognizes Florida bass from 24 inches or 8.0 lbs. The Florida record Florida bass weighed 20.13 pounds (Big Fish Lake, 1923).
FWC lists Florida bass in 90 lakes with fishing pages on this site. FWC hatcheries stocked 1,125,510 Florida bass in the fiscal years on file.
Know your Florida bass
Home water for Florida bass
“The Florida largemouth bass is the state freshwater fish.”
“Found statewide in lakes and rivers, they are commonly found along vegetation, or underwater structure, but schooling bass are also found in the middle of lakes.”
How Florida bass feed and spawn
“Black bass spawn in spring, when males fan out a bed and then protect the eggs and fry.”
“The baby fish eat zooplankton (microscopic animals that drift in the water column), and when about an inch long begin eating other small fish.”
“Adults eat a wide variety of fish, crustaceans and larger insects.”
Quoted from the FWC species profile.
Florida Florida bass limits
| Where | Bag | Size | Season |
|---|---|---|---|
| Statewide | 5 a day | none | Open year round |
5 black bass (Florida, largemouth, Suwannee, spotted, Choctaw and shoal bass, individually or in total), only one of which may be 16 inches or longer in total length. There is no minimum length limit for Florida bass or largemouth bass.
FWC freshwater regulations, checked October 2026. All Florida limits.
Florida record Florida bass
| Category | Weight (lb) | Where | Year |
|---|---|---|---|
| Freshwater | 20.13 | Big Fish Lake | 1923 |
| Freshwater | 17.27 | Polk County | 1986 |
FWC freshwater state records and Catch a Florida Memory saltwater records. Angler names left out.
Florida lakes for Florida bass
- Rodman ReservoirMarion County, 1,447 TrophyCatch bass, 9,500 acres
- Lake TohopekaligaOsceola County, 608 TrophyCatch bass, 18,810 acres
- Lake IstokpogaHighlands County, 597 TrophyCatch bass, 27,692 acres
- Fellsmere ReservoirBrevard County, 590 TrophyCatch bass, 10,000 acres
- Lake OkeechobeePalm Beach County, 572 TrophyCatch bass
- Orange LakeAlachua County, 456 TrophyCatch bass, 12,700 acres
- Lake RousseauCitrus County, 367 TrophyCatch bass
- Kenansville LakeBrevard County, 236 TrophyCatch bass, 2,500 acres
- Lake WeohyakapkaPolk County, 196 TrophyCatch bass, 7,528 acres
- Lake GeorgeVolusia County, 190 TrophyCatch bass, 46,000 acres
- Lake PanasoffkeeSumter County, 179 TrophyCatch bass, 4,460 acres
- Farm 13/Stick MarshBrevard County, 171 TrophyCatch bass, 6,500 acres
- Alligator LakeColumbia County, 138 TrophyCatch bass, 800 acres
- Lake WeirMarion County, 103 TrophyCatch bass, 5,685 acres
- Lake TalquinGadsden County, 99 TrophyCatch bass, 8,800 acres
- Lake JacksonLeon County, 81 TrophyCatch bass, 4,000 acres
- Tenoroc Fish Management AreaPolk County, 73 TrophyCatch bass, 242 acres
- Lochloosa LakeAlachua County, 57 TrophyCatch bass, 5,700 acres
- Lake GarciaIndian River County, 51 TrophyCatch bass, 3,149 acres
- Lake Santa FeAlachua County, 45 TrophyCatch bass, 5,850 acres
- Crescent LakePutnam County, 34 TrophyCatch bass, 15,960 acres
- Saddle Creek Park LakesPolk County, 23 TrophyCatch bass, 740 acres
- Lake MonroeVolusia County, 19 TrophyCatch bass, 9,406 acres
- Lake TraffordCollier County, 18 TrophyCatch bass, 1,500 acres
- Lake TarponPinellas County, 16 TrophyCatch bass, 2,500 acres
- Lake Seminole13 TrophyCatch bass, 37,500 acres
- Newnans LakeAlachua County, 12 TrophyCatch bass, 5,800 acres
- Blue Cypress LakeIndian River County, 12 TrophyCatch bass, 5,500 acres
- Edward Medard ReservoirHillsborough County, 10 TrophyCatch bass, 770 acres
- Deer Point LakeBay County, 8 TrophyCatch bass, 5,000 acres
- Karick LakeOkaloosa County, 8 TrophyCatch bass, 58 acres
- Lake VictorHolmes County, 6 TrophyCatch bass, 130 acres
- Ocheesee PondJackson County, 4 TrophyCatch bass, 2,225 acres
- Lake ManateeManatee County, 4 TrophyCatch bass, 1,400 acres
- Bear LakeSanta Rosa County, 4 TrophyCatch bass, 107 acres
- Suwannee LakeSuwannee County, 4 TrophyCatch bass, 63 acres
- Hurricane LakeOkaloosa County, 2 TrophyCatch bass, 318 acres
- Lake StoneEscambia County, 2 TrophyCatch bass, 130 acres
- Lake KissimmeeOsceola County, 34,948 acres
- Tsala Apopka Chain of LakesCitrus County, 19,111 acres
FWC top spots for Florida bass
- Orange Lake2026 Black-Bass list: Bass size and numbers, bream numbers
- Fellsmere Reservoir2026 Black-Bass list: Bass size, bass numbers, TrophyCatch submissions
- Lake Dora2026 Black-Bass list: Bass size, bass numbers
- Lake Beauclair2026 Black-Bass list: Bass size, bass numbers
- Lake Tohopekaliga2026 Black-Bass list: Bass size, bass numbers
- Lake Panasoffkee2026 Black-Bass list:
- Turkey Lake2026 Black-Bass list: Bass special opportunity, bass numbers
- Lake Talquin2026 Black-Bass list:
- Lake Okeechobee2026 Black-Bass list: Trophy bass and TrophyCatch submissions, crappie numbers, catfish numbers
- Lake Osborne2026 Black-Bass list: Unique opportunities for Peacock Bass and Sunshine Bass
Lakes where the FWC site page names Florida bass.
Where FWC stocks Florida bass
| Water | County | Fish | Years |
|---|---|---|---|
| Lake Talquin | Gadsden | 423,420 | 2021-22, 2023-24 |
| Lake Trafford | Collier | 183,861 | 2021-22, 2022-23 |
| Lake Talquin – Stoudamire Landing | Gadsden | 136,406 | 2022-23 |
| Lake Talquin – Wainwright Landing | Gadsden | 112,141 | 2022-23 |
| Lake Talquin – Talquin Lodge Ramp | Gadsden | 67,412 | 2022-23 |
| Lake Talquin – Hopkins Landing | Gadsden | 52,500 | 2022-23 |
| Trafford | Collier | 52,042 | 2023-24 |
| Lake Talquin – Halls Landing | Gadsden | 38,633 | 2022-23 |
| Lake Talquin – Whippoorwill Landing | Gadsden | 35,709 | 2022-23 |
| Bobby Hicks Park Pond FMA | Hillsborough | 2,500 | 2022-23 |
| Dover District Lake FMA | Hillsborough | 2,500 | 2022-23 |
| Camp Gilead | Polk | 2,000 | 2022-23 |
| Al Lopez Park FMA | Hillsborough | 1,500 | 2021-22, 2022-23, 2023-24 |
| Bear Creek Park | Orange | 1,420 | 2022-23, 2023-24 |
| Barnett Park | Orange | 1,363 | 2021-22, 2022-23, 2023-24 |
FWC Completed Stockings reports, fiscal years 2021-22 to 2023-24.
Other Florida freshwater fish
Questions about Florida bass in Florida
What are the Florida rules for keeping Florida bass?
5 a day (Statewide), size: none.
What does the Florida record Florida bass weigh?
It went 20.13 pounds, set in 1923.
Which Florida waters hold Florida bass?
FWC names Florida bass in 90 lakes, including Rodman Reservoir, Lake Tohopekaliga and Lake Istokpoga.
Are Florida bass stocked in Florida?
FWC stocked 1,125,510 in recent fiscal years.
What size Florida bass counts for a Big Catch certificate?
24 inches or 8.0 lbs.
What is the taxonomic name of Florida bass?
Micropterus salmoides.
Can I fish for Florida bass without a license?
Yes, a Florida freshwater license from age 16 unless exempt.
Can I keep Florida bass year round?
FWC lists no closure for Florida bass.
What sources cover Florida bass here?
FWC, which sets Florida fishing rules.