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Freshwater Fishing Offices - Orlando - Fab Five

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Starke Lake (225 acres)

Species focus: Largemouth bass

Partner: City of Ocoee

Target constituency: Ocoee residents

Amenities: The FWC and the City of Ocoee have partnered together to make this one of the most "angler-friendly" lakes in the area. Facilities include: a two-lane boat ramp with adjacent outdoor bathrooms; an ADA accessible fishing pier (equipped with fish feeders that activate in the morning and evening); an enhanced shoreline area aquascaped for bank fishing; four oak-brush fish attractors (one which can be reached on a long cast from the pier); picnic tables and a fountain.

Work History:

Fall 1998:	Stocked 33,895 striped-nose black crappie (151/acre).
Spring 1999:	Conducted effort creel to assess angler usage of lake prior to management efforts.
Fall 1999:	Stocked 45,500 striped-nose black crappie (202/acre).
Spring 2000:	FWC Commissioners approved "No cast net" regulation in an attempt to increase the size of golden shiners found in the lake. The goal of the regulation was to provide large baitfish (previously missing) for largemouth bass.
Spring 2000:	Removed nuisance vegetation along Ocoee public shoreline to create bank access and optimal fisheries habitat.
Summer 2000:	Planted beneficial aquatic plants (soft rush and maidencane) along shoreline to replace pre-existing nuisance vegetation, restoring fish habitat. Planting was conducted in such a way as to create "casting" lanes for bank fishermen.
Fall 2000:	Installed 2 informational kiosks on shoreline to educate anglers about Fish Orlando! program.
Fall 2000:	Built aluminum pier and installed state-of-the-art davits with fish feeders to attract fish.
Fall 2000:	Installed 4 brush fish attractors in strategic areas of the lake, marked with yellow "Fish Attractor" buoys.
Winter 2001:	Stocked 2,025 brood lake chubsuckers (9/acre). This baitfish has been shown in FWC studies to be associated with trophy largemouth bass populations.
11/00 - 4/01:	Conducted angler creel to help assess 1998 and 1999 striped-nose black crappie stocking and evaluate largemouth bass catch rates.
11/01 - 4/02:	Conducted second angler creel to help assess 1998 and 1999 striped-nose black crappie stocking and evaluate largemouth bass catch rates.
Spring 2005	Conducted effort creel to assess angler usage of lake following management activities.
Ongoing:	Fisheries assessment, aquatic plant management and maintenance of fish feeders, kiosks and fish attractors.

Fishery: This lake is known among FWC biologists as a "bass factory". However, although bass less than 24 inches are abundant, the number of trophies (> 24 inches) caught is relatively few. FWC biologists have tried to improve trophy numbers by protecting golden shiners (banning cast netting) and stocking brood lake chubsuckers in an attempt to provide larger baitfish (forage) associated with trophy bass fisheries.

Although the management focus on Starke Lake is largemouth bass, Starke also has black crappie (speck), bluegill, redear sunfish (shellcracker), redbreast sunfish, warmouth and brown bullhead catfish. The black crappie population is characterized by moderately low numbers of average size individuals (most 8 - 11 inches) and the bluegill and redbreast sunfish are very abundant but are generally less than 6 inches in length. Large (10 - 13 inches in length) shellcracker have been sampled by FWC biologists but not in large numbers. Good catches of brown bullhead have been reported in evening hours into the night on the City of Ocoee fishing pier.

General Fishing Tips: Largemouth bass are abundant in this lake, but at times fishermen report difficulty catching them due to the lake's relatively deep water (compared to most Florida lakes). In the winter/spring, flipping soft Texas-rigged craws in the Kissimmee grass and cattails is deadly. Also try running lipless crank baits along the outside edges of the emergent vegetation. In the warmer months those that keep an eye on their depth finder are the most successful [Starke Lake topographical map (1MB)]. Carolina rig plastics fished over drop-offs with associated submerged vegetation will fool its fair share. FWC fish attractors are another good place to concentrate during the late spring, summer and early fall. A Texas-rigged worm is a good standby for fishing the attractors.

Regulations: Statewide regulations apply on the lake (14 inch minimum size on largemouth bass, 5 fish bag, only 1 > 22 inches; 25 black crappie, no size limit; 50 panfish, no size limit) with the exception that possession of cast nets is prohibited. For convenience, the regulations have been posted at informational kiosks at the City of Ocoee boat ramp and at the City of Ocoee fishing pier.

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