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Headwaters Fishing Guide Service

Headwaters Fishing Guide

Fellsmere:

central ★★★★★ 5 32 reviews
5 1

Bass Online Headwaters Fishing Guide Service offers all the freshwater fishing services you need when fishing Headwaters lake. Many consider it the latest and maybe the best fishing destination in America.

Bass Online has been guiding the area for more than 15 years before Headwaters lake opened. As a result, the Fellsmere fishing guides below are the most seasoned and well-respected in the industry. We have the experience and do it differently than all the others; read our reviews; no one has more.

Choose to fish with a proven local professional; you won’t be disappointed, and we have a trophy bass waiting for you!  Read the complete details.

Capt Bill Goudy Jr

Bill Goudy ★★★★★ 5 221 reviews
5 1

USCG Verified

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Angler’s Top Choice

Angler's Top Choice

Capt Bill Goudy Jr is a licensed Master Captain. Born in southeast Iowa and raised on the Mississippi River. A master captain and a full-time guide at Headwaters fishing guide in Central Florida…[Read More]

Bass Boat Red Central Florida Fishing Guides
19’ Ranger
1 to 4 people
Guide Calendar
Full Time

Capt Steve Spatafora

Steve Spatafora ★★★★★ 4.9 54 reviews
5 1

USCG Verified

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Angler’s Top Choice

Angler's Top Choice

Capt Steve Spatafora grew up in Orlando, making him a native Headwaters fishing guide. He is a Licensed Captain who has fished his entire life in Orlando for many freshwater species [Read More]

Bass Boat Red
21’ Falcon
1 to 4 people
Guide Calendar
Full Time

Capt Paul Dampier

Paul Dampier ★★★★★ 5 36 reviews
5 1

USCG Verified

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Angler’s Top Choice

Angler's Top Choice

Capt Paul Dampier is also a Native Headwaters fishing guide that has navigated and fished Florida’s lakes, ponds, and canals most of his life. He has a strong passion for fishing and is well-versed in the different kinds of lures. [Read More]

Bass Boat Red
21’ Xpress
1 to 4 people
Guide Calendar
Full Time

Capt Mike Groshon

Mike Groshon ★★★★★ 5 103 reviews
5 1

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Angler’s Top Choice

Angler's Top Choice

Capt Mike Groshon was raised in Northern Virginia, he grew up fishing lakes and rivers in Virginia, Maryland, and West Virginia then as most headed south for warmer weather and…[Read More]

Bass Boat Red
21’ Phoenix
1 to 3 people
Guide Calendar
Full Time

Capt Dan Hamilton

Dan Hamilton ★★★★★ 5 3 reviews
5 1

USCG Verified

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Angler’s Top Choice

Angler's Top Choice

Capt Dan Hamilton is a Florida native and has called South Florida his home for over 50 years. He grew up fishing lakes and ponds for Largemouth Bass and saltwater for Snook and Redfish. A Army veteran (Military Police) [Read More]

Bass Boat Red
19' Nitro
1 to 3 people
Guide Calendar
Full Time

Capt Brian Sweeney

Brian Sweeney ☆☆☆☆☆ 0 0 reviews
5 1

USCG Verified

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Angler's Top Choice

Capt Brian Sweeney a fishing guide on Fellsmere Reservoir, Lake Osborne, and the Florida Everglades. Originally from Maryland, Brian grew up fishing the rivers and lakes in the mid-Atlantic area before studying at the University of South Carolina [Read More]

Bass Boat Red
19' Crestliner
1 to 3 people
Guide Calendar
Full Time

Capt Spencer Cookson

Spencer Cookson ★★★★★ 5 6 reviews
5 1

USCG Verified

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Angler's Top Choice

Capt Spencer Cookson is a full-time fishing guide in Florida from September – May and in New England during the summer months. While in Florida he will be guiding for Peacocks, Largemouth, and Clown Knifefish on the Lake Ida [Read More]

Bass Boat Red
20' Skeeter
1 to 3 people
Guide Calendar
Full Time

Capt Justin Carriker

Justin Carriker ★★★★★ 5 7 reviews
5 1

USCG Verified

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Angler’s Top Choice

Angler's Top Choice

Capt Justin Carriker is a full-time fishing guide in Florida – He lives on Lake Okeechobee and fishes Clewiston, Belle Glade & Okeechobee City. Also, significantly, they can fish for trophy largemouth bass as well as crappie, also known as speck. Interested in having a fun time and catching fish Capt Justin could be your guy [Read More]

Bass Boat Red
20' Nitro
1 to 4 people
Guide Calendar
Full Time

Capt Mark “Turtle” Hilles

Mark Hilles ★★★★★ 5 10 reviews
5 1

USCG Verified

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Angler’s Top Choice

Capt Mark Hilles originally from Berea, Ohio. Now retired, very blessed to have fished in various bass fishing tournaments. Learn a lot, catch fish, so let’s go fishing and have a blessed day![Read More]

Bass Boat Red
21’ Storm
1 to 3 people
Guide Calendar
Full Time
Saltwater Fishing Charters

Fellsmere fishing guides Reviews

We are #1 rated on Tripadvisor for Headwaters fishing guide service. We give you the authentic Headwaters Lake bass fishing experience you desire! Learn more about catching more fish and the latest and best resources. The best local fishing guides do our Headwaters bass and crappie trips on Headwaters Lake Fellsmere, Florida.

Central
★★★★★
Great time on the water with bill he will put you on the fish
- Chris Cerminaro

Caught Bass in a Cold Front

central
★★★★★
Capt. Bill knows his stuff. I was in Florida in Dec ‘22 and booked a trip with him. The entire souther US was blanketed by an extreme cold snap and it was in low 30’s the day of the trip. Capt Bill took me to Headwater’s Lake and we still caught them. Had 40 fish that morning with two over 5lbs and 2 over 4lbs. You definitely need to book a trip with Capt Bill because you can catch nice bass in any conditions.
- Greg Haddix

Lake Toho Dec 29

central
★★★★★
Not only did Capt. Leech put me on multiple big fish, he was extremely kind, respectful, and knowledgeable. I think of myself as a fairly experienced Angler, but John taught me things that I had never even thought of. For example, while setting the hook, he was explaining to me the different angles in which you can do it, and the difference in hook placement in the fishes mouth it will cause. Being from up north, I had not done much shallow water fishing. Capt. Leech introduced me to the differences in techniques and how important it was to adjust. The knowledge he bestowed upon me in this fishing trip helped me win an MLF College event last Spring on Clear Lake, CA. The shallow water fishing I practiced on Lake Toho transferred over tremendously and played a big role in my victory. If you want to not only be put on massive Florida Largemouth Bass, but wish to become a better angler, I highly suggest you book a trip with Captain John Leech.
- Matt Kavanaugh
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Headwaters Lake

Headwaters fishing guide, in many respects, has its new look and feel and offers excellent chances of catching the trophy bass for your personal best! The fishing at Headwater lake is outstanding, but the wildlife is worth the trip. Headwaters fishing guide is located between Fellsmere and Palm Bay in Indian River County, Florida, called the Treasure Coast.

Quite a few minute’s drive from Vero Beach south and Palm Beach east. It’s an initiative that now has an impoundment open to public fishing, but our Headwaters guides call it the bass factory as they have daily catches by the dozens up to 10-12 pound bass. Why bass fishing is second to none, the crappie anglers have equal success based on the induvial fishing techniques.

Today many people drive to Fellsmere lake year-round for the new fishing and aquatic habitat, making it the best fishing in the world. Even experienced anglers can catch monster bass using a professional local fishing guide from Bass Online.

Fellsmere Reservoir Bass Fishing

Is Fishing in Fellsmere good, or is it all hype? In simple terms, most fish lakes have natural highs and lows, while Fellsmere Reservoir is a good fishing site year-round. It remains an impressive bass population using artificial bait or live bait.

The fishing facility has underwater vegetation and is a habitat-rich environment for topwater lures. There is often a rumor about catching numbers of triple digits per day, which has often happened to Bass Online customers and has been witnessed by FWC fisheries biologists.

The fact so many people want to fish the fishery keeps our Headwaters lake guide service the bustiest on the water and sometimes hard to book. The fishing guides are busy because the odds are good that customers will be pleased! The fishing catch is unlimited until the most significant fish comes or the time runs out. The possibility of targeting only big giant bass is real; the technique can involve artificial lures like flipping or using wild shiners. It’s your choice!

What to throw?

Because this Headwaters fishing guide has so much potential, it is not uncommon to find a few thousand largemouth bass. Unfortunately, it’s difficult to go wrong in the river water management district called Lake Egan because the bass seems not to care for a variety of food.

Plastics, jerk baits, spinnerbaits, and swimbaits are excellent fishing methods due to the ample green vegetation sticking on weed-less lures until you find them in your area. Imagine extensive habitat work Headwaters Lake has no wonder Vero Beach anglers are the vegetation abound. The deepwater ponds and lakes surrounded by aquatic vegetation on Fellsmere Reservoir provide many places for trophy bass to hide. Your options are limiest, with lily pads, cypress trees, submerged trees, and access canals that have the capacity and vegetation for unlimited use of Topwater.

Best Techniques for Big Bass

Hundreds of acres are covered by a vast array of aquatic vegetation and submerged tree species. In addition, thousands of acres of emerging animals and their visual appearance can lead to confusion about which area you should take on next.

Capt Bill will tell you the Fellsmere Reservoir basic fishing rules of fishing this bass factory. Find something to flip or pitch and throw it in. Fish an area fast but hard, catch two of size, slow down and give yourself some luck. Catch two, here and there; that’s no patterns, key moving. Keep an eye on how bass setup, where you catch them, and look for more of these areas and structures. Where do bass fishing anglers go? Look for the good stuff to start.

Is Headwaters Lake Catch and Release only?

No, it is not! But, a new law has just passed in 2022, making it a total catch and release. That also means that all YouTubers want that big shot at the end of the day. You can no longer do this; each fish has to be released as they are caught. You cannot hold them in your live well.

That also means no bringing fish to the boat ramp. There is no walking up the levee to get an Instagram shot, catch, or photo release. Instead, all bass must be released in the nearby wetlands where they were caught. Headwaters Lake follows catch-and-release rules starting in 2022.

Headwaters Lake Fishing Report

Maybe you use a Headwaters fishing guide, or maybe not. Perhaps you’re a professional fisherman? A local angler who wants to experience a bass fishing trip on Headwaters Lake by himself wants to know the best fishing technique for largemouth bass. Capt Bill can discuss a few suggestions to find the perfect style.

All right, first off, follow Capt Bill and Capt Steve on Facebook to see daily catches. Also, visit our Instagram page for daily catches. But to see the massive success we have seen the years of photos in our Fellsmere photo galley on Fellsmere is now very common and incredibly successful.

Fellsmere Reservoir Directions

Headwaters Lake is situated west of Sebastian, Florida, and south of Melbourne on the Treasure Coast. The local Bass Pro Store is named after local fishing “Stick Marsh Outposts”? The Fellsmere Grade road is located between Brevard County and Indian River County along the C54 canal.

As you drive up Fellsmere Grade road, also known as Stick Marsh Road. About 5 miles down on the left, you will see the entrance to the Fellsmere Reservoir area. If you continue on Fellsmere road to the end, about two more miles, it dead-ends into the Stick Marsh parking area by the boat ramp.

I95 offers you a great choice of travel from the north and can be accessed from the south. Due to its interstate access, the reservoir shows the perfect drive for everyone in every direction.

Fellsmere Reserve Boat Ramp

A partnership has been established with the FWC Fish & Wildlife fisheries biologists, River Water Management District in Central Florida, to provide land previously for anglers with boat ramp access to Fellsmere Reservoir, which was once cow pastures. All hotels are located in Indian River County, Vero Beach, Palm Bay, or Sebastian by the water. The boat ramp is open from dawn until dusk for visitors.

The boat ramp has a floating dock with complete ADA-accessible parking areas. No tackle stores or shops; ice or gasoline is available. The basin by boat ramp is idle speed only; the access canal to the lake also has a speed limit.

Recreational Outdoor Activities

Naturally, fishing offers daily seasonal hunting, hiking, bicycle routes on levees, wildlife viewing, kayaking, or fishing charters. The access canal is narrow with blind corners; boating speed cannot exceed 25 mph. These speed limits are on channels with designated portions marked “disable speed” without wakes set by the river water management district.

Things to Remember

This was created as an act to develop better water quality projects. The reservoir covers an area of ten thousand acres for flood control. Enjoy Headwaters Lake waters if you can. Fishing is not a priority for these agencies. Safety is number one, and managing the bass factory is number two.

The Florida Boating Improvement Program limited parking and accessed the 10000-acre reservoir. Take care of this fishery. Keep your fingers crossed for more success in the future. Keep coming back.

Trophy Catch Tracker

Trophy Catch was the citizen-science government program run by the FWC to reward anglers who document trophy bass up to 8 pounds and release them. Visit our website to see Trophy Catch bass submitted and caught on Fellsmere Reservoir.

Accessible in Indian River County

As usual, hunters and anglers have the same hours as the rest of their customers — even in the old kayak launch zone. The Headwaters Lake boat ramp gates cannot be opened until one hour before sunset.

Popular Species & Summary

The list below contains a variety of Florida fish species that Capt Bill regularly catches: largemouth bass, black crappie, bluegill, and redear sunfish other species.

We believe everyone involved wants Headwaters Lake to catch and released. But FWC didn’t do that. But as we mentioned, it will finally be changing. So if you catch a PB bass, you can take a photo and purchase a replica of your catch. So why are we advocating for freshwater fish trophies lake?

Indeed Fellsmere reservoir is worth a trip if available; let me show you why it’s so unique!

We are continuously adding new Florida fishing guides to this page. If you have gone with a guide before and he is not listed please call the office for details; they have most likely got moved to a different page. If you are a bass fishing guide in the Headwater fishing guide region of Florida, tired of struggling and wanting to work with a team, please contact us by using this guide contact form!

Headwaters Fishing Guide Service these locations

Celebration * Bradenton * Kenansville * Jupiter * Kissimmee * Lake Wales * Maitland * Mount Dora * New Smyrna Beach * Okeechobee * Orlando * Tampa