Withlacoochee River Fishing Guides and Conditions, Florida

About the Withlacoochee River

The Withlacoochee starts in the Green Swamp east of Dade City and runs north and west about a hundred and forty miles to the Gulf at Yankeetown, which makes it another of Florida rare north-flowing rivers. Most of its length is narrow, dark and hemmed in by cypress and tupelo, with the Withlacoochee State Forest along much of the middle river and the Cross Florida Greenway lands below Dunnellon. It is a quiet river, better suited to a kayak or a small jonboat than a bass boat over most of its length.

Fishing is a classic southern warmwater mix. Largemouth bass hold on cypress knees, laydowns and the outside of bends. Bluegill and redear sunfish are abundant and are the reason a lot of local anglers come, especially around the full moons of late spring. Chain pickerel ambush from the grass edges, channel catfish work the deeper holes, and black crappie stack in the slower stretches in winter. Below Dunnellon the Rainbow River joins and brings clear spring water in, which changes the character of the lower river completely, and sunshine bass and Gulf species enter the tidal reaches near Yankeetown.

The Croom gauge sits on the middle river inside the state forest and swings a long way between seasons. Low readings mean skinny water, exposed logs and a paddle trip rather than a motor trip, with fish concentrated in the remaining holes. After a wet summer the river spreads into the surrounding swamp, fish scatter, and the current picks up enough to make upstream travel real work. Moderate levels between the two are the sweet spot.

Nobleton, Istachatta, Dunnellon and Inverness are the towns along the corridor, and the Withlacoochee State Trail runs beside much of the river for bank access.

Access

Silver Lake, Hog Island and Croom: state forest ramps and campgrounds near the gauge.
Nobleton: canoe outfitter and public landing on the middle river.
Istachatta and Rital: quiet upper-middle access points.
Lake Rousseau and the Inglis area: the impoundment on the lower river.
Dunnellon: the Rainbow River confluence and town ramps.
Yankeetown and the Barge Canal: tidal lower river and Gulf access.
Withlacoochee State Trail: bank access along much of the corridor.

Seasons

Spring: the best bedding bluegill and redear fishing of the year, plus prespawn bass.
Summer: hot and often high; fish early, work shade lines and cypress edges.
Fall: dropping water concentrates fish in the holes; the most comfortable float months.
Winter: crappie in the slow water and pickerel in the grass; low, clear and quiet.