Lake Monroe

Lake Monroe is a 9,406-acre lake part of the St. Johns River System. It’s located halfway between Orlando and Daytona Beach. Along the southern shore of Lake Monroe is Sanford’s port city and along the northern coast are Debary and Deltona.

Monroe is one of the St. John River’s leading lakes and a hot spot for anglers looking to catch a Florida trophy bass, along with quality panfish.

Lake Monroe Fishing

Lake Monroe is considered one of the best fishing spots in the St John’s system. Bass fishing on Lake Monroe is good all year, but offers incredible Spring bass catches. The other popular thriving species are black crappies, bluegill, and redear sunfish. The St. Johns River and all of its lakes are known for producing tournament-winning largemouths, but it’s also a top area for these other panfish, most of them growing larger than anywhere else in Florida.

Fishing from the Sanford part of the lake is your best chance at catching a nice bass that’s received minimal pressure.
Eelgrass is the essential aquatic plant in the St. Johns River, and it’s the most important to establishing a great fishery like Monroe. You can find over 100,000 individual eelgrass plants throughout the fishery that hold fish.

BASS FISHING LAKE MONROE

Lake Monroe

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 Species

Largemouth Bass

The Sanford side of the lake offers the best spawning areas. The spawning season runs from late November through April, but the peak months for consistent spawning activity in shallow water are January, February, and March. The post-spawn months are still full of action. Using a wild shiner as bait is the best way to catch a Florida trophy.

Other productive techniques include weedless soft-plastic baits, such as flukes or plastic worms. Topwater lures are often effective on aggressive spawning fish. Underwater structures, drop-off areas, and docks are known to hold quality largemouths.

Black Crappie

Lake Monroe is known for having large crappie, especially during the cooler months. They typically move into shallow waters to spawn near brush piles, cypress trees, and other cover. It’s not uncommon to catch one over 12 inches and two pounds. The best methods to finding schools are trolling or drifting near the river channel, or off the northwest shore near the power plant. Anglers can also try using a jighead spinner on ultra-light tackle. In late winter into early spring, crappie usually move more inshore to spawn.

Bluegill and Redear Sunfish

Both bluegill and sunfish spawn in spring near vegetation and structure. The best time to fish for them near shore is earlier in the day, before the sun heats up; otherwise, they are in deeper, cooler locations.

Fishing With A Local Expert

Your Lake Monroe guide knows where all the best spots are holding fish and the techniques to catch them. Lake Monroe is one of the best fisheries to catch a Central Florida trophy. A guided charter is ideal for anglers of all ages, groups, or solo to experience catching Florida fish and seeing the local wildlife. On all freshwater guided trips, you will need to purchase a Florida fishing license.

Your captain will have everything you need for a successful trip, including all gear and tackle. Your guide is a local expert who knows the lakes and surrounding areas, the habits of the fish, and the top methods to catching your targeted species any time of year. Going on a guided charter on the St. Johns system’s productive lakes provides fishers with their highest chances at catching a trophy bass.

Top Monroe Fishing Guides

To see a complete list of great St Johns River Fishing Guides, please click here!

Surrounding Area

There are many things to do close to Monroe. There is no swimming in the lake because of alligators; however, there are plenty of biking paths, walking trails, a dog park, and a playground around the lake. The area around Monroe is full of shopping, restaurants, nightlife, and family-friendly activities. The historic downtown Sanford has numerous antique shops, books, music, and tasty cuisine.

Popular Attractions

Some of the more popular attractions in the area include the Central Florida Zoo, the St Johns Rivership Company, the Wayne Densch Performing Arts Center, and the Museum. Ft Mellon Park, on the east side of town, offers a view of the lake, a splash pad and playhouse for the kids, picnic tables, and basketball courts.

Boat Ramps

There are two boat ramps at the lake. One is in the southwest corner, north of the intersection of U.S. 17/92 and I-4. The other ramp is in the northeast corner of Enterprise Road, south of the Enterprise town.

Nearby Lake Destinations

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