Lake Dias
A 711-acre Fish Management Area on U.S. Hwy. 17, 8-1/2 miles north of Deland A GFC boat ramp is the only public access. This is a dark, tannin-stained lake with little aquatic vegetation. Largemouth bass, bluegill, and redear sunfish are available to anglers. Speckled perch fishing is usually good and large fish are occasionally produced. A former state record of 3 lbs. 8 oz. was caught on a beetle spin in 1988.
Lake George
This 46,000-acre natural impoundment of the St. Johns River has been touted as the premier bass fishing lake in Central Florida. It has extensive vegetation that provides excellent habitat for bass and bream. Jetties located on the south end of the lake where the St. Johns River enters the lake is a hot spot for sunshine bass fishing in the spring and fall. Wooden structure bombing targets in the east side of Lake George produce good striped bass catches from October through April. Little Lake George, downstream of Lake George, is the site of a sub-surface spring called the Croaker Hole that provides fast and furious striper fishing from May through September.
Puzzle Lake
A 1,300-acre maze of the St. Johns River and side channels. American shad are caught during their spawning run from January through April between Puzzle Lake and Lake Monroe. Best baits are shad darts, small spoons and fly fishing with shad flies. Boat access is available at a GFC ramp at S.R. 46.
St. Johns River
The river connects a series of relatively small lakes in this area. Lakes Beresford (800 acres), Woodruff(2,200 acres) and Dexter (1,902 acres) periodically produce excellent catches of bass, crappie, bream, sunshine bass and stripers, depending upon water levels and season. The St. Johns River proper between the lakes provides a well protected area with good success for bass, crappie, and bream along the edges of vegetation and near structure such as channel markers. Striped bass and sunshine bass also can be caught from areas where small streams or creeks such as Spring Run and Get-Out Creek meet the river.
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