Anglers: Battle of the Lakes - Fellsmere vs.Orange Lake - participate through Sept. 30, submit by Oct. 15
Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission (FWC)
Anglers continue to compete for the title of 'the best' in the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission’s (FWC) Battle of the Lakes 2023, between two lakes in Florida - the Fellsmere Water Management Area, also known as Headwaters and Egan Lakes (visit myfwc.com/fishing/freshwater/sites-forecasts/ne/fellsmere-reservoir) and Orange Lake (visit myfwc.com/fishing/freshwater/sites-forecasts/nc/orange-lake).
Bass fishing enthusiasts can join the battle - with rods and reels as the friendly competition approaches the Sept. 30 deadline - to determine which Florida water body will be crowned the victor. The lake that tallies the heaviest weight of trophy size bass (8 pounds or larger) will be the winner, and one angler from the winning side will be randomly selected for prizes from professional anglers Shaw Grigsby or J.T. Kenney.
At the end of July, Fellsmere was ahead with 84 trophy largemouth bass catches totaling 750 pounds. Orange Lake had 56 trophy catches totaling 546 pounds, and claims the only (and four) Hall of Fame bass weighing 13 pounds or heavier. All bass catches must be submitted to, and approved by, the FWC’s TrophyCatch citizen-science program, to qualify, and the minimum weight is 8 pounds. Learn about the TrohpyCatch program here: https://trophycatchflorida.com/.
“Conservation and research are the real prizes in this competition,” said Tom Graef, Director of FWC’s Division of Freshwater Fisheries Management. “Information gathered from each submission helps guide our trophy bass management activities on these waters as well as statewide.”
Echoing the FWC’s choice of Fellsmere and Orange Lake for the contest, Bassmaster recently listed both waters alongside Lake Okeechobee on its prestigious “Top 10 Best Bass Lakes of 2023,” making Florida the most represented state on the list. Learn more here: myfwc.com/news/all-news/bass-lakes-723/
The catch deadline for Season 11 of TrophyCatch also ends on Sept. 30 - and anglers must submit catches from this season by Oct. 15.
For more information about how the FWC is focusing efforts to grow bigger bass, visit MyFWC.com/TrophyBass. To learn more about the TrophyCatch program, visit TrophyCatch.com.
For general waterbody information, fishing forecasts, virtual tours, plant control operation schedules and annual workplans, boat ramp information, and more, visit the “What’s Happening on My Lake” website at MyFWC.com/Lake.
To learn about Fellsmere, Orange Lake, and other top destinations to go freshwater fishing, visit myfwc.com/fishing/freshwater/sites-forecasts.
For more information about the FWC’s Division of Freshwater Fisheries Management, contact Michelle Kerr by phone at 850-510-4776 or by email at Michelle.Kerr@MyFWC.com.