Best Lake Nobody Knows About

[FloridaFly]

I often fish Lake Manatee, a 4,000-acre reservoir located nine miles east of I-75 in Manatee County, Fla. It can be a tough lake to fish -- if you don't know how to fish it. That's the reason it gets little pressure and I often have it to myself. The lake is full of big bluegill, bass, speckled perch (black crappie), channel catfish, sunshine bass and shellcracker. There are times when the fishing is tremendous.

I usually start out with a No. 10 popper, but I end up using a No. 12 nymph under a strike indicator. You wouldn't believe the fish I catch on the nymph. Not only do I catch numbers of fish, but also some sizeable ones, too.

Right now, the speckled perch bite is pretty amazing. They're in the shallows and spawning. Most of them are fairly large, with a small one going at least a pound.

Haven't caught any channel catfish in the past three trips which is surprising. Usually, I'll land or hook at least 4-5 cats per outing.

Surprise of the last trip was the largest tilapia I've ever caught. I estimate it at 4-5 pounds. Hit the No. 12 nymph. Quite a battles on my 2 weight!

[James Smith]

You're fortunate to have a special lake like that to fish. I live on a small 50 acre lake that has fishing much like that minus the Tilapia of course. There are large catfish that I see from time to time as well as huge grass carp, but I have yet to entice one to taking a fly. For me, an evening out in my kayak fly fishing in an excellent warmwater fishery is the most fun fly fishing I've ever had.

Jim Smith