South Florida Canal

[SoFloBass]

Decided to throw a Zman Pop Frog right at dusk a few nights ago on the banks of a local canal. Just a few casts in and I was very happy with the results. It's not a monster but not bad for January either. Sorry for the terrible pic I had to use my broken camera phone and I wear a size 12 shoe for size comparison.

 

upload pics

[Joedodge]

Very nice man! Glad to see others catching in the cooler months

[SirSnookalot]

Nice fish.

 

Been doing a lot of bass fishing lately, my canal bite has been terrible, but ponds are red hot for me.  Glad to see someone doing well in the canals, I've caught more larger bass in canals than ponds.

[BassinLou]

Nice fish.

[geo g]

Lakes in Weston and Vista View Park in Davie have been pretty good for both size and numbers this week.  You have to fish slow and deep.  Stick worms have been doing the job.

[BDAWGIN]

Guys I was wondering if anyone could share any helpful information on Shore fishing in South Florida?  I am coming From Minnesota for vacation end of March and staying in Hollywood FL for a week. I am trying to figure out where to go for a couple hours in the morning each day I am down there.  I have done a lot of research to find areas that are accessible by foot! I read to fish golf course ponds, and the canals. Could anyone help?  

[SamTheHam]

If you are in Hollywood I would try vista view park, cb smith park, and maybe thr canal that's along side Griffen rd.

[geo g]

Guys I was wondering if anyone could share any helpful information on Shore fishing in South Florida?  I am coming From Minnesota for vacation end of March and staying in Hollywood FL for a week. I am trying to figure out where to go for a couple hours in the morning each day I am down there.  I have done a lot of research to find areas that are accessible by foot! I read to fish golf course ponds, and the canals. Could anyone help?  

Since almost all the water bodies in south Florida are connected to the South Florida Water Management System there are bass almost everywhere you look.  Along with the bass there are snakes, frogs, turtles, and gators.   If its deep enough to have water all year, there are bass in there!  Whether you can catch them is another story.  Some of the best fishing around are little ponds with limited access, some have monster bass in them.  Don't pass up a road side pond, a golf course pond, or any other body of water.  I'm always amazed at the possibilities all over South Florida, from Orlando, South to the Keys..

[BDAWGIN]

Srome002  & Geo G

 

Thanks guys for all the good information!!! 

 

"Some of the best fishing around are little ponds with limited access, some have monster bass in them.  Don't pass up a road side pond, a golf course pond, or any other body of water."    Are there any restrictions to fish the ponds other than the FFWCC Regs? Are most of the public or are there private waters to look out for? Do I need permission to fish golf courses?  

 

Sorry for all the questions but there are not the same opportunities in Minnesota! 

[SFL BassHunter]

Most ponds and lakes down here in my area are private. I think some parks were mentioned a few posts up. Those parks are public parks that allow fishing as long as it is catch and release for the Bass. There are canals you can fish but usually there won't be anywhere to park, or there will be signs up that say no parking. You could park there and risk it or try and find parking nearby.

 

Google Maps is going to be your best friend. I've spent hours and hours on Google Maps looking at every inch of my area to find fishing spots. I've never fished at a golf course, if I was going to I would probably ask for permission just because I don't like being threatened with "we will call the police if you don't leave". I fished a pond in Boca that I was kicked out of. There was a park across the street where I parked my car. I fished a little while before being threatened. The pond wasn't even inside of the community gates it was in front of it, but they do own the property so they have the right to kick you out.

 

I'm sure some of the other guys on here can give better advice than me though.

[BDAWGIN]

Thank you! This is very good information.... Is there any signage on the ponds that would indicate that the waters are private? 

[geo g]

There are loads of parks and canals to fish and you will not have a problem.  Anywhere you find current in a canal or pond you should find fish.  Look for vegetation close to a drop off that almost always holds bass.  Almost all these ponds have culvert pipes that connect them to the Management System.  Fish the culvert pipes slow and hard, they almost always hold fish.  If you go into Dade County you got a better shot at catching a peacock bass.  You will need a spinnerbait, #9 rapala jerkbait, chug bug, or rattle trap.  All hard to fish from shore if there is vegetation.  For bass from the bank, I would throw a 4"senko type bait in watermelon red, or junebug.  Flukes in W/M red also work well and are weedless.  Use the least weight the weather will permit.  I often throw weightless and fish very slow.  With all the weeds you will need at least 15 pound test, to muscle them out, and surf them through the thick shore cover.  Always wear boots there are lots of snakes, and a few poisonous ones.  I see snakes almost every trip while bank fishing and I bank fish often.  Just be vigilant, and you will not have a problem, but remember you in the tropics.

[BassinLou]

Thank you! This is very good information.... Is there any signage on the ponds that would indicate that the waters are private? 

 

Yes. It will either say No Trespassing, Private Property, or No Fishing. See fence, go somewhere else. See a home, either ask for permission, or find land that has no homes around it. 

[Mike L]

Since almost all the water bodies in south Florida are connected to the South Florida Water Management System there are bass almost everywhere you look.  Along with the bass there are snakes, frogs, turtles, and gators.   If its deep enough to have water all year, there are bass in there!  Whether you can catch them is another story.  Some of the best fishing around are little ponds with limited access, some have monster bass in them.  Don't pass up a road side pond, a golf course pond, or any other body of water.  I'm always amazed at the possibilities all over South Florida, from Orlando, South to the Keys..

Ain't that the truth!!

Mike

[SirSnookalot]

As a "stranger" you can give up on most of the golf courses, either in private communities or private country clubs.  There are some public courses but if there are golfers there the rangers won't let you fish, South Florida has become very restrictive.

Being in Hollywood you can start at Old Griffin rd, the snook and jacks are getting a little active now (I'm back into saltwater mode) and there are places to park roadside.  Going west on Griffin you get to the spillway at 441, salt one side and fresh on the other.  Staying on Griffin alongside the canal there are plenty of places to park, not only can you fish the canal but you'll see some ponds you can fish too.  From Hollywood along Griffin all the way to I-75 there is a lot of water that can be fished.

[HookdUP]

Mmm In Hollywood you can fish west in Weston Pembroke Pines or north in broward ... Honestly the 84 canal has many 10lb fish and it runs probably twenty miles ... Take 95 to 595 west and get off on Davie road or university drive and fish it as long as you want ... Plastics and your usual will get the job done .. Bigger baits are what h wanna use there .. In there you can catch a snook a tarpon a largemouth and a peacock and a snakehead in consecutive casts ... It's full of fish .. Pm me for more secret areas and people to talk to orale cheap purchases ....

[BDAWGIN]

Thanks everyone for sharing all the information!!  This should be all I need to be able to land some fish and it sounds like the same approach as fishing in MN as far as tackle goes. The shore fishing opportunities down there seem like a lot of fun and an inexpensive way to experience South Florida's fishery's.   I will probably go with 30lbs braid and 15lbs flouro leader just to ensure I can horse them out of any slop.  I plan to have about the same arsenal as Geo G stated above combination of Florida rigged soft plastics (Trick worms & lizards), Skirted Jigs/crawdad combo, Topwater, Spinners, Jerkbaits, lipless and square bill cranks. 

 

SNAKES I will assume all snakes are poisonous. I think I have only seen 1 snake in my entire life outside the zoo. Any concern about Gators? I don't want to be lunch! 

 

I am very excited to get down there and do some fishing.  Our game fish season closed last weekend and it will be several weeks until open water. its currently -8 degrees outside and our lakes have 15"+ of ice.  

 

Again Thanks everyone! 

[CHugh]

As everyone said before, fish everything. All the canals should be good to go as long as you park in a ok spot.

 

WARNING

 

We are absolutely against any form of illegal fishing
and will not allow any such threads or posts advocating such activity. All such posts are deleted. In addition, any material or posting that advocates or discusses illegal activities, with or without the intent to commit them, is prohibited.

[geo g]

Thanks everyone for sharing all the information!!  This should be all I need to be able to land some fish and it sounds like the same approach as fishing in MN as far as tackle goes. The shore fishing opportunities down there seem like a lot of fun and an inexpensive way to experience South Florida's fishery's.   I will probably go with 30lbs braid and 15lbs flouro leader just to ensure I can horse them out of any slop.  I plan to have about the same arsenal as Geo G stated above combination of Florida rigged soft plastics (Trick worms & lizards), Skirted Jigs/crawdad combo, Topwater, Spinners, Jerkbaits, lipless and square bill cranks. 

 

SNAKES I will assume all snakes are poisonous. I think I have only seen 1 snake in my entire life outside the zoo. Any concern about Gators? I don't want to be lunch! 

 

I am very excited to get down there and do some fishing.  Our game fish season closed last weekend and it will be several weeks until open water. its currently -8 degrees outside and our lakes have 15"+ of ice.  

 

Again Thanks everyone!

Gators could be almost anywhere. I have been startled by them several times while walking the bank, even in residential Weston. They are usually more scared of you then the other way around. With that said a good size one moving in toward where I'm standing, I will give up some ground. Once they get within 10 feet I will switch spots. That has only happened once.

[Dwight Hottle]

As everyone said before, fish everything. All the canals should be good to go as long as you park in a ok spot. Tips for fishing on golf courses: Wait until later in the day, golf starts as soon as the sun is up in the morning so fishing in the morning won't work. Call the course you're thinking about fishing and ask when the last Tee Time is. This will give you a rough estimate as to when you can start fishing the first couple holes on the course. Don't worry about trespassing later in the day because most of the security guards are relaxing or changing shifts.

That is absolutely the worse piece of advice I have seen in a while. If you don't have permission you can be arrested for trespass.

 

We are absolutely against any form of illegal fishing

and will not allow any such threads or posts advocating such activity. All such posts are deleted.

In addition, any material or posting that advocates or discusses illegal activities, with or without

the intent to commit them, is prohibited.

 

-Kent  a.k.a. roadwarrior

Global Moderator

[g13ronan]

 

SNAKES I will assume all snakes are poisonous. I think I have only seen 1 snake in my entire life outside the zoo. Any concern about Gators? I don't want to be lunch! 

 

 

hahahahahahaha.  the majority of snakes are NOT poisonous and having grown up in FL, walking and fishing canals, ponds, lakes, etc. it is not like snakes are raining down on you. you may go your entire trip down here and not even see a snake depending on where you go fishing. gators, unless you are fishing in the glades or right along the glades can be even harder to come across unless it is heavy drought season.