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Freshwater Fishing Calendar

Freshwater Fishing Tips

The following fishing calendar is a generalization. By clicking on the regional headings you will be taken to the region's fishing sites/forecast page which has more specific fishing information for the current quarter, local weather links, and links to where you can learn more about what is happening in a particular area. Solunar theory can help predict fishing activity based on the moon phase as well as information about "peak-fishing" times. The US Geological Survey provides Florida water resource data on water levels and flow as well as water temperature that can be very useful as well for planning your fishing. You can also check monthly temperature averages for some key Florida cities, along with preferred feeding and spawning temperatures for some freshwater fishes.

In the table below, typical peak fishing times for major freshwater fishes are listed.

*** = Excellent Fishing
** = Good Fishing
* = Some Fishing

A moon emblem means that fishing on the full or new moon should be especially productive, and a bed icon means the fish are in spawning mode and typically will be found near the shoreline on beds.

Fishing Calendar	Northwest	North Central	Northeast	Southwest	South
January	Bass * Bluegill * Redear * Specks* Stripers * Sunshines Catfish	Bass * Bluegill * Redear * Specks * Stripers Sunshines Catfish	Bass * Bluegill * Redear * Specks * Stripers * Sunshines * Catfish	Bass * Bluegill * Redear * Specks * Sunshines Catfish **	Bass ** Bluegill * Redear * Specks * Sunshines * Catfish ** Peacocks*
February	Bass ** Bluegill * Redear * Specks * Stripers * Sunshines Catfish	Bass ** Bluegill * Redear * Specks * Stripers * Sunshines Catfish	Bass ** Bluegill * Redear * Specks * Stripers * Sunshines * Catfish	Bass *** Bluegill * Redear * Specks * Sunshines * Catfish **	Bass * Bluegill Redear Specks * Sunshines * Catfish Peacocks*
March	Bass * Bluegill Redear Specks Stripers Sunshines Catfish ***	Bass * Bluegill Redear Specks Stripers Sunshines Catfish **	Bass * Bluegill Redear * Specks * Stripers Sunshines * Catfish **	Bass * Bluegill Redear * Specks Sunshines Catfish Tilapia **	Bass * Bluegill * Redear * Specks * Sunshines Catfish Peacocks**
April	Bass * Bluegill Redear Specks Stripers Sunshines Catfish *	Bass * Bluegill * Redear * Specks Stripers Sunshines Catfish	Bass * Bluegill * Redear * Specks Stripers Sunshines Catfish	Bass * Bluegill * Redear *** Specks * Sunshines * Catfish Tilapia	Bass * Bluegill * Redear * Specks Sunshines Catfish Peacocks **
May	Bass * Bluegill * Redear * Specks Stripers * Sunshines Catfish *	Bass * Bluegill * Redear * Specks Stripers Sunshines Catfish **	Bass * Bluegill * Redear * Specks Stripers Sunshines Catfish **	Bass * Bluegill * Redear *** Sunshines * Catfish Tilapia	Bass * Bluegill * Redear *** Specks * Sunshines * Catfish Peacocks *
June	Bass Bluegill * Redear * Specks Stripers * Sunshines Catfish *	Bass Bluegill * Redear * Specks Stripers Sunshines Catfish **	Bass Bluegill * Redear * Specks Stripers Catfish	Bass Bluegill * Redear *** Sunshines * Catfish Tilapia	Bass Bluegill * Redear *** Specks * Sunshines * Catfish Peacocks*
July	Bass * Bluegill * Redear * Specks ** Stripers * Sunshines Catfish *	Bass * Bluegill * Redear * Specks Stripers Sunshines Catfish	Bass * Bluegill * Redear * Stripers Catfish	Bass * Bluegill * Redear * Sunshines * Catfish Tilapia	Bass Bluegill * Redear *** Specks * Sunshines * Catfish Peacocks *
August	Bass * Bluegill * Redear * Specks ** Stripers * Sunshines Catfish *	Bass * Bluegill Redear Specks Stripers Sunshines Catfish	Bass * Bluegill * Redear * Stripers Catfish	Bass Bluegill * Redear *** Sunshines * Catfish Tilapia	Bass Bluegill * Redear *** Specks * Sunshines * Catfish Peacocks *
September	Bass Bluegill Redear Specks Stripers * Sunshines * Catfish ***	Bass Bluegill Redear Specks Stripers Sunshines Catfish **	Bass Bluegill Redear Stripers Sunshines * Catfish **	Bass * Bluegill Redear Sunshines * Catfish Tilapia	Bass * Bluegill Redear * Specks Sunshines * Catfish Peacocks **
October	Bass Bluegill Redear Specks Stripers * Sunshines * Catfish ***	Bass Bluegill * Redear * Specks Stripers Sunshines Catfish **	Bass Bluegill Redear Specks Stripers Sunshines Catfish **	Bass Bluegill Redear ** Specks * Sunshines * Catfish Tilapia	Bass * Bluegill * Redear * Specks Sunshines * Catfish Peacocks **
November	Bass * Bluegill * Redear * Specks Stripers * Sunshines * Catfish *	Bass * Bluegill Redear Specks Stripers Sunshines Catfish	Bass * Bluegill * Redear * Specks Stripers Sunshines * Catfish	Bass * Bluegill Redear Specks Sunshines Catfish ** Tilapia *	Bass * Bluegill Redear Specks Sunshines * Catfish Peacocks **
December	Bass * Bluegill * Redear * Specks Stripers * Sunshines * Catfish	Bass * Bluegill Redear Specks Stripers * Sunshines Catfish	Bass * Bluegill * Redear * Specks * Stripers * Sunshines * Catfish	Bass * Bluegill * Redear * Specks * Sunshines * Catfish **	Bass *** Bluegill * Redear * Specks * Sunshines * Catfish ** Peacocks *

Note: Peacock Bass fishing is only successful during daylight hours.

Bass refer to largemouth bass, specks to black crappie, stripers to striped bass, sunshines to sunshine bass, peacocks to peacock bass and catfish to channel catfish (unless otherwise specified).

In the Northwest region April-November is the prime time for big flatheads and blue catfish. April-June are the best time for big channel cats statewide.

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