Best season for camping and fishing inland begins now

We are at the beginning of the finest time to venture into interior Florida for fishing and camping. The dry and now colder weather has erased the high humidity with its nearly unbearable clouds of mosquitoes and no-see-ums which makes outdoors pursuits an uncomfortable challenge to most folks.

The cooler weather really turns on our native sweetwater species appetites. As we progress through to early spring, most species will be bedding and bringing on some top-notch light tackle and fly angling for the whole gamut of fin fish that call central Florida home.

Speckled perch (crappie) are highly sought after, especially due to their most pleasing palatability. Throw in an array of other panfish, catfish, bass and even the lowly gar and bowfin (mudfish) and you have the makings of many a fun outing. One of the biggest bass I ever hooked into turned out to be a mudfish.

West Central Florida has a plethora of stunningly beautiful rivers with exceptional angling opportunities. Not only can you find most of the above-mentioned freshwater critters but numerous saltwater species, which wend their way far upstream from salty estuaries in search of warmer waters and plentiful food. Premier Florida gamefish as snook and tarpon are two species of note along with less glamorous types as red and black drum, mangrove snapper and jack crevalle.

To me, there is nothing more enjoyable than a beautiful cool day on a river as the Myakka, Peace, Manatee, Little Manatee and others right here in our backyards. One cast with a top-water lure to a tree studded riverbank can be inhaled with gusto by a hefty snook or juvenile tarpon, followed up by a bucket-mouthed black bass on another cast, is something to behold.

Many of our rivers are blessed with a number of county and state parks with exceptional camping opportunities ranging from rustic, wilderness type campsites to more comfortable sites with running water, electricity and modern facilities for the less adventurous. During winter and early spring, the woods are usually dry and fairly devoid of blood-sucking insects.

Our tidal rivers and streams are ideal for the canoeist and kayaker, both for fishing or just a simple idyllic paddle to soak up the beauty all around.

There is a huge demand this time of year for campsites, so make sure and contact the park of your choice early to reserve a space.