Lake Dora Fl

Lake Dora, Central Florida FishingLake Dora, located in Mount Dora, is known as “the New England of the South” to many people. In keeping with the combination of Southern hospitality and New England charm, this theme does not stop at the entrance to this spectacular community in Leesburg.

About Lake Dora

Mount Dora’s city surrounds Lake Dora and embraces this theme with its milder climate, sophisticated shopping, and vibrant cultural life, which makes it a unique Florida destination. It has won many awards for being such a wonderful place to live and fish; some others are:

  • “Top Places to Live Today” by Money magazine
  • “50 Best Places in the World to Ride a Bike” by Bicycling magazine
  • “Best Antique Shopping” in the state by Florida Living
  • “Friendliest Small Town”
  • “Best Romantic Escape”
  • “100 Great Towns of America”

Lake Dora, a 4,500-acre lake, is one of the seven lakes of the Harris Chain of Lakes located in Lake County in central Florida. The lake is a favorite location for fishing and recreational boating. The Dora Canal connects Lake Dora to Lake Eustis to the north, and Lake Dora is connected to  Lake Apopka to the south by way of Lake Beauclair and the Apopka-Beauclair Canal.

Things to Do in Dora

So many options are available in My Dora for getting a birds-eye view of the waterways, including a private fishing charter, rental boats, and the popular Dora Canal tour offered by locals.

The choice is yours; the options are endless. Rent a boat by the hour, be sit along with passengers on a local tour, or interact with the outdoor on a private charter. There are higher-end tours that exist, like a seaplane ride of the waterways. Potentially much less expensive is renting a paddleboard, kayak, or canoe. 

Dora has many scenic areas, as there is a lot to take in. A prominent local hot spot is the pathways at the Palm Island Boardwalk .

Leesburg and Lake County have over 130 miles of usable waterways; there is no lack of things to do.

Lake Dora Boating

Lake Dora’s southwestern shore consists of a wetland, with the southeastern coast consisting of a narrow piece of land that separates Lake Dora from Lake Beauclair.

Lake Dora is teeming with wildlife, including many types of fish, waterfowl, reptiles, and mammals. The famous Dora Canal is a popular area for bird-watching and is the main focus of guided tour boats that maneuver the waterways.

 Location: latitude 28° 47’21.733″, longitude 81° 41’51.643″, GPS datum—WGS-1984 Station DMR is located near the center of Lake Dora.

Boat Ramp

There are two public boat ramps for direct access to Lake Dora: the first one is on the northern shore in Tavares, and the other is on the eastern coast in Mount Dora. Both are very useable ramps with plenty of parking for vehicles and boat trailers. 

A public boat ramp is located one mile off U.S. 27 on S.R. 630-A at Keene Park Road; refer to the map below for directions.

Summary

Anyone interested in fishing Lake Dora or the Harris Chain of Lakes should consult with local guides and resources before heading out to fish. Additional local Mt Dora resources can be found here!

We hope you enjoy exploring the website. It is primarily about fishing for bass but has excellent information on all freshwater topics, like bluegill, crappie, snakehead, peacock bass, and catfish throughout the U.S.

Lake Dora Map