Johns Lake

About Johns Lake FL

John’s Lake is located in North Park, just northwest of Orlando, Florida. Historically, Johns Lake has produced bass over 10 pounds, ranking it among the top 10 lakes in Florida. The lake has recently experienced low water conditions, but it continues to produce well. 

The largemouth bass is the primary species here, but Crappie and Bluegill are also present. The lake provides a lot of structure with weed beds and can be readily fished from shore in some areas, but mostly only accessible by boat.

The John’s Lake boat ramp is about 6 miles east of the City of Clermont on Highway 50. Even with most of the shoreline’s development and its proximity to Orlando, this lake offers excellent bass fishing opportunities due to its minimal activity during the week.

• • Region: Deland Florida
  • Duration: 4, 6, 8, & 12 hrs
  • Cancellation: 8 hrs in adv.
  • Weather-Related: Full refund
  • Instant Online Confirmation
  • Includes All State Taxes

• All Fishing Equipment
• Professional Captain
• Boat & Fuel
• Cooler & Ice
• Bottled water
• Photos

• Florida Freshwater Fishing License for those ages 16+
• Live bait, if desired, is also additional and is purchased the morning of the trip. (optional)
• Food or Specialty beverages

Amenities:

• Fishing Chairs
• GPS & Fishfinder
• Life Jackets
• Catch and Release Allowed
• Keep Fish Allowed within Laws

About this Tour:

• Boat Specs: 20+ ft
• Boat Capacity: 4 People
• All Fishing Equipment
• Boat & Fuel
• Photos

Fishing Techniques:

• Light Tackle
• Heavy Tackle
• Livebait
• Fly Fishing
• Artificial Lures

Fishing Equipment:

• Spinning Rods
• Baitcasting Rods
• Left & Right Handed
• Fly Rods (request only)
• Braid & Mono Line

Top Johns Lake Fishing Captains

To see a complete list of great Central Florida Fishing Guides, please click here!

Fishing Johns Lake

Fishing on Johns Lake is always a blast; it seems we consistently put people on excellent-quality bass. Some of our biggest bass of the year actually are caught right here in Johns Lake. Another nice feature is that there’s no big, long boat ride to get to the fish, a few minutes of idling, or a short run, and we’re at our first spot!

Everything about this lake is right for the average angler to enjoy, and the bass fishing is fantastic. The watercolor is slightly stained, which is a good thing for Florida. There are several rocky structures, a coral rock type bottom throughout the lake, and adequate cover despite high-dollar homes around the shoreline. 

Water levels have fluctuated, but always return to their standard levels. Florida restocked the lake with 500,000 bass in the early 2000s with great success. These bass have now reproduced, and new bass are now reaching trophy size. The lake continues to uphold its reputation as an excellent bass fishery.

Johns Lake Fishing Tips

According to our Johns Lake fishing guides in the area, Captain Gino, Captain Devin, Captain Steve, and Captain John, anglers will succeed with various lures on Johns Lake. Plastic worms and rattling lipless crankbaits are beneficial. The canal that connects the two leading lakes quite often holds schooling bass early and late in the day.

The areas just outside either end of the channel can be productive during midday as well. Topwater lures are always fun, a favorite on Johns Lake by all of the guides because of the explosive strikes in spring and fall. Still, slower, more subtle presentations tend to catch the most bass during the summer months.

Things to know about Johns Lake

The average depth is less than 10.5 feet; Johns Lake is on the west side of the Florida Turnpike, just South of Lake Apopka, and part of the Ocklawaha River Watershed. The lake encompasses 2580 acres of public land in Winter Garden. 

The large island on the far north side of the lake is multiple lakes in one. During lower water it can be diffcut to navigate from lake to lake, but either way a great fishery all year long. 

Johns Lake Access

The boat launch is at the John’s Lake boat ramp, located about six miles east of Clermont on Highway 50. The area around the lake is mostly developed, but an open shoreline exists on the southeast end. The map below provides details and driving directions here.

Lake Level History

Historical lake levels show the highs and lows of the last 60 years. Like most lakes in Florida, the all-time high occurred during the 2004 hurricanes, and the lows were during the 2001 droughts.

However, all noted dramatic changes, Johns Lake flourishes like a reservoir and provides essential water control functions. For the past decade, the trend has been higher, but it is currently very accessible and fishing very well.

Where’s it located?

It is positioned between Jacksonville to the north, Daytona Beach to the east, and Orlando to the south. Lake George is a beautiful escape, back to old, Florida. Astor to the south has widespread access to Lake George; it offers all the basic town amenities, and it’s situated on the river.

Palm Coast and Daytona are a straight shot away and offer a wide range of housing options, restaurants, and stores, all within minutes of Deland Municipal Airport. 

Added Bonce Scrub Point Preserve

Lake County Water Authority owns and manages Scrub Point Preserve. Located on the southern shore of the Lake County side of the lake, a Preserve peninsula that juts into Johns Lake and accounts for 93 acres. The preserve hosts seven threatened or endangered species, as well as many endemic species. Some exotic plant species are typically found around boundaries and along roads, which staff work to control. 

A common practice is to use prescribed fire to manage some of the drier habitats on the property. Fire is a crucial tool for managing habitats for endemic species. The preserve is periodically used for field trips. In the past, it has been a host to the Festival of Flight and Flowers and other Florida Native Plant Societies. 

Partnering with Lake County Parks Department and the Water Authority has led to groups of kayaking enthusiasts. These groups leave from the boat ramp on Highway 50 and paddle to the preserve. Providing guided hiking tours on the preserve before returning to the boat ramp.