Know your catch

Central Florida freshwater species

Identification and technique notes are educational starting points. Always check the current Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission rules.

Game fish

Largemouth Bass

Green to olive body, dark horizontal stripe and a mouth extending beyond the eye. Target vegetation edges, docks, shell and current breaks.

Good betsWorms, frogs, spinnerbaits
Prime periodsDawn, dusk, prespawn
Panfish

Black Crappie

Silvery body with irregular dark speckles. Often schools around brush, docks, submerged trees and deeper basin edges.

Good betsMinnows, small jigs
Prime periodsCooler months
Panfish

Bluegill

Deep-bodied sunfish with a dark ear flap. Common near vegetation, docks and shallow bedding areas.

Good betsWorms, crickets, tiny jigs
Prime periodsSpring through fall
Panfish

Redear Sunfish

Often called shellcracker, with a red or orange margin on the ear flap. Feeds heavily on snails and bottom-dwelling prey.

Good betsWorms near bottom
Prime periodsSpring bedding cycles
Catfish

Channel Catfish

Forked tail, spotted younger fish and prominent barbels. Look for channels, holes, creek mouths and feeding flats.

Good betsCut bait, stink bait
Prime periodsEvening and night
Native predator

Bowfin

Long dorsal fin, rounded tail and powerful jaws. Found in vegetated, slow-moving, low-oxygen water.

Good betsLive bait, moving lures
HandlingUse sturdy tools
Sport fish

Sunshine Bass

A stocked hybrid with broken horizontal stripes and strong schooling behavior, often feeding in open water.

Good betsSpoons, minnows, shad lures
Find themBirds and bait schools
Non-native

Blue Tilapia

Deep-bodied fish common in warmer waters. Identification and harvest rules can differ from native game fish.

Good betsSmall natural baits
ConfirmCurrent FWC guidance