Florida Freshwater Fly Fishing Charters

My name is Capt Jim Klopfer and I offer anglers Freshwater fly fishing charters in Florida. I was a saltwater guide in the Sarasota, Florida area for over 30 years, I moved to the Inverness Florida area to concentrate on the extensive and often overlooked freshwater fly fishing opportunities, While saltwater fishing gets most of the attention from visiting anglers, freshwater fishing has some advantages as well.

Call Cap Jim at (941) 371-1390 email CaptJimKlopfer@gmail.com

4 hour charter is $300 for 1 angler, $350 for 2 anglers

6 hour charter is $400 for 1 angler and $450 for 2 anglers 

I base my freshwater fly fishing charters out of the Inverness area. It is 40 minutes from Ocala and an hour from Orlando. It is quiet and peaceful, the waters that I fish offer some terrific fishing and great scenery. This is particularly true on the Withlacoochee River. I fish Lake Panasoffkee often as well as the Tsala Apopka chain and Lake Rousseau.

Largemouth bass are the top target for anglers freshwater fly fishing in Florida. For the most part, this is pretty easy fishing. anglers do not need to make long casts and we can find protection if it is breezy. I use a 9wt outfit with a floating line most of the time. Surface flies such as popping bugs and deer hair flies are used most often. They draw explosive strikes and are easier to fish over the submerged vegetation.

I will use sub surface flies as well. Clouser minnow patterns work well in open water when bass are schooling on shad and other bait fish. black Zonker type flies look very buggy and produce bass, too. They are quite produvtive in rivers. However, where possible I stick with the surface patterns if for no other reason than they are so much fun to fish!

Freshwater fly fishing charters in Florida

Anglers looking for a lot of action will often choose to target bluegill and other panfish on my Florida freshwater fly fishing charters. These are locally called “bream”, (pronounced “brim”) and include bluegill, stumpknocker, shellcracker, crappie, and warmouth. Exotic invasive species such as tilapia will take the fly once in awhile as well.

Like when bass fishing, I often start out chasing panfish using a surface ply. Poppers and foam rubber spiders work very well. I do use sinking flies quite often with great success as well. I tie a small gold bait fish pattern that really produces a lot of fish. Black wooly buggers are also very effective. I usea 4wt outfit with a floating line as this gives anglers a fighting chance if a larger bass or other species takes a fly meant for bream.

Waters fished on Florida freshwater fly fishing charters

There are several lakes and one river that I fish on my charters. These are Lake Panasoffkee, the Tsala Apopka Chain, Lake Rousseau, and the Withlacoochee River. Each has advantages and disadvantages.

Lake Panasoffkee

Lake Panasoffkee is an excellent lake for both bass and panfish. It is conveniently located just west of Interstate 75 and is the closest to Orlando. Lake Panasoffkee is a typical shallow, weedy lake. It does not get much deeper than 6 feet or so in most places. this makes it a fairly easy lake to fish. Bass will school early and late in the day. It has a good population of 3 to 5 pound bass as well as a few true lunkers. Lake Pan as locals call it also is one of the best panfish lakes in the state. the key is water level, it becomes difficult to fish and get around when the water is low. I usually meet clients at Marsh Bend Outlet Park where there is a nice ramp, parking, and a rest room.

Withlacoochee River

The Withlacoochee River is perhaps my favorite body of water to fish. The scenery is spectacular and it is a relaxing, peaceful environment, other than an airboat or two. The fishing can be good as well, often with decent numbers of bass though less in terms of size. Bluegill are plentiful, especially in the warmer months. Crappie fishing can be quite good in the winter. Rivers often offer fly anglers some protection from the wind, and the Withlacoochee is no exception. There are several decent ramps that I use based on local conditions.  Marsh Bend Outlet Park provides good access to both the river and Lake Panasoffkee.

Tsala Apopka Chain of lakes

The Tsala Apopka chain of lakes runs right through Floral City, Inverness, and Hernando. It is amrshy area with several deeper pools or lakes. These are Floral City pool, Lake Henderson, and Lake Hernando. They offer decent fishing, but can be tough at times as well. Bass are the top species, with bluegill, crappie, and even pickerel being available. There are nice ramps on all three lakes.

Lake Rousseau

Lake Rousseau used to be a top lake for trophy bass. It is full of stumps and aquatic vegetation. A few years ago a hurricane really had a negative effect on fishing and the lake was in tough shape. However, conservation measures are working and the lake is bouncing back. It is a bit more remote and off the beaten track. There are multile spots to launch, depending on the stretch of river being fished.

In conclusion, this article on freshwater fly fishing charters in Florida will help anglers understand the options available to them.