Freshwater Species
Please check FWC regulations before harvesting any species listed here.
Peacock Bass: are found primarily south of Venice, FL but throughout the Everglades fresh water system. They readily hit baitfish pattern flies and topwater poppers.
Largemouth Bass: are commonly found in most freshwater lakes and ponds throughout the state. Some get to enormous size and are a blast on a fly rod. Largemouth Bass eat almost any baitfish or topwater popper pattern.
Oscar (Invasive): are found throughout the Everglades freshwater system. They readily eat small flies as do most of the invasive species listed here. On occasion they will also hit small topwater flies and poppers.
Jaguar Guapote (Invasive): are found throughout the Everglades freshwater system. The readily eat small flies as do most of the invasive species listed here. On occasion they will also hit small topwater flies and poppers.
Mayan Cichlid (Invasive): are found throughout the Everglades freshwater system. The readily eat small flies as do most of the invasive species listed here. On occasion they will also hit small topwater flies and poppers. This species is now being found in the Sarasota area.
Sunfish/Bluegill: there are several “sunfish”. You may encounter fishing flies freshwater. Spotted sunfish, copperhead sunfish warmouth and bluegill to name a few. Small sub-surface and topwater flies will catch them. The infamous Myakka Minnow fly catches all the fish listed in the Freshwater section.