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Dead Lakes Wewahitchka Florida Dead Lakes are reported to have been formed when sand bars were created by the current of the Apalachicola River blocking the Chipola River.
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Top Target Species on Dead Lakes
Bluegill
Channel Catfish
Florida Gar
Largemouth Bass
Crappie
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Frequently Asked Questions about Dead Lakes
What kind of fish can I catch in the Dead Lakes?
The Dead Lakes are known for quality largemouth bass, bluegill (bream), redear sunfish (shellcracker), black crappie (specks), and several catfish species. Anglers also report stumpknockers (spotted sunfish) and redbreast sunfish around cypress knees and snags.
Where do I launch a boat or fish from shore?
You can launch at Dead Lake Recreation Area just off SR‑71 north of Wewahitchka, which has a ramp, campground, and small ponds, as well as at other ramps and fish camps around the lake. Shore and pier fishing are available at some campgrounds and at the recreation area’s ponds and pier.
Is boating difficult with all the stumps?
Yes, navigation requires caution: the lake is full of old cypress stumps, snags, and shifting channels, so running on plane outside marked or obvious channels can be risky. Most boaters idle when exploring new areas and watch water levels closely, especially when the Chipola River is high or low.
When is the best time to fish the Dead Lakes?
Spring is prime for bluegill and shellcracker bedding in 2–4 feet of water around cypress trees and willow islands, while crappie fishing tends to be good much of the year in deeper channels. Bass fishing often slows in winter but picks up from late winter into spring along old river channels, stumps, and dead tree lines.
What baits and tactics work well?
For panfish, many locals use ultralight tackle with red wigglers or crickets on small hooks, fished near cypress knees and overhanging limbs. Bass anglers rely on soft‑plastic worms and lizards, spinnerbaits, jigs, chatterbaits, or live shiners worked slowly around deeper holes, stump fields, and tree lines.
Are there other activities besides fishing?
Yes—campgrounds, RV parks, and fish camps around the Dead Lakes offer camping, kayaking, boating, hiking, bird‑watching, and guided eco‑tours. The scenery of drowned cypress forests and the adjacent Chipola River make the area popular for photography and quiet paddling as well as serious fishing.
Fishing Dead Lakes
Dead Lakes are reported to have formed when sandbars created by the Apalachicola River’s current blocked the Chipola River. The ensuing high water killed thousands of trees in the floodplain, giving the area its name….but who knows!
About Dead Lakes
The dead lake’s history has several theories as to what happened; one theory was years ago, a temporary flood of saltwater killed the cypress trees; another is, as we meant earlier the Apalachicola river’s current made a sand bar where the Chipola empties and blocks the river and flooded the swamp. Who knows? We think the dam that was built caused the death of these majestic cypress trees. Now, only the stumps are left to rot away. That is how the “Dead Lakes” got its name.
The Dead Lakes is an 83-acre area well-known as a fishing impoundment on the Chipola River. Freshwater species regularly caught include shell crackers, bluegill, and bass. Anglers find spring fishing to be the most successful. Several small man-made ponds that are former fish hatcheries offer excellent fishing opportunities. Anglers may fish from shore or launch a motorboat, kayak, or paddleboat.
Dead Lakes Fishing
The Dead Lakes and surrounding areas are home to some of the finest and most unique fishing you will ever experience. The area is home to wildlife, including many subspecies of the largemouth bass family, big catfish, and hundreds of other species. Anglers should always exercise caution while boating due to the many snags, the ever-changing water levels, and stumps in the lake.
Black crappie fishing is best throughout this quarter of the year. Try trolling for “specks” in the main channel of West Arm Creek using crappie minnows and jigs. FWC sampling in the fall indicated good numbers of bream (bluegill and redear sunfish) in the lake. These fish will be found by fishing near willow tree islands associated with stumps and cypress knees.
Shellcracker (redear) and bluegill anglers should fish an ultralight rod with a number 10 gold hook on the bottom with a wiggler. Stumpknockers (spotted sunfish) and redbreast sunfish can also be caught near stumps and snags with worms or beetle spins.
Patterns & Timing
Largemouth bass fishing is good year-round, but it will slow down during the winter, and should pick up in February. During winter, try fishing the old river channels,
curves, and cuts near snags and stumps in the lake. Work your artificial baits slowly, as the bass will be less active. The best baits for fishing artificial are spinnerbaits, 3/8oz jigs, 8″ rubber worms, chatter baits in the off-color water, and live shiners.
While dead lakes are considered a conservation area, they are not part of the state park system. There is very little information on the area, and you must go out of your way to explore it; within seconds of arriving, you will know the journey was worth the time and effort. What a wonderful place, the Dead Lakes, surrounded by mighty rivers. You are in an area where cell phones are worthless, and time doesn’t change. The stillness and power of the scene reminded you of the third scary movie. But unlike in the film, there weren’t droves of wildlife; instead, only the occasional local fisherman disengaged from life.
Whether the Dead Lakes were formed when sand bars created by water flowing from the Apalachicola were blocked up by the Chipola River, who knows, but what’s left is one of the most beautiful rivers of the Florida Panhandle, along with a thriving ecosystem for plants, trees, and wildlife.
Dead Lakes Locations
Dead Lakes offers fishing, boating, camping, and nature study. A boat ramp is available.
The uplands are covered mainly by longleaf pines, with sweet bay, magnolia, and cypress trees bordering wetlands. Animal life includes foxes, cotton rats, raccoons, opossums, deer, rabbits, skunks, beavers, turtles, snakes, and alligators.
Dead Lakes State Recreation Area
P.O. Box 989
Wewahitchka, FL 32465
(850) 639-2702
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Dead Lakes Sportsman Lodge
2001 Lake Grove Road
Wewahitchka, FL
Phone: (850) 639-5051
Office Hours:
Monday – Friday, 5:30 AM to 7:30 PM
Weekends 5:30 AM to 8:00 PM
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