HAMILTON COUNTY PHOSPHATE PITS Fishing
HAMILTON COUNTY PHOSPHATE PITS Eagel and Lang (Hamilton
County):
Closest town Lake Hamilton the lake is 2,162
acres, Public Boat Access located off Hwy. 27.
Both of these lakes are Fish Management Areas
(license is required to fish). Both are green,
fertile, and deeper than average north Florida
lakes, but typically grow more fish per acre due
to abundant forage.
Eagle Lake (200
acres) is old and very fertile. Steep sides, a
maze of narrow cuts with points and sand bars
and cattails in the coves characterize the lake.
No concrete boat ramps exist. Largemouth bass
fishing is best in spring; bluegill, redear
sunfish and brown bullhead catfish are best in
the summer; black crappie and stocked sunshine
bass are best in fall and winter. Eagle Lake
produces the fastest sunshine bass growth in
this region. Fish up to 8 pounds have been
reported at only 23 months of age. Trolling
motors only may be operated on Eagle Lake,
although gasoline motors may be attached to the
boat.
Lang Lake Fish
Management Area (86 acres) is a reclaimed pit,
meaning all the islands and shoreline have been
graded to create gradual slopes with deep water
only in the center of cuts. The vegetated shelf
thus created is a fertile fish factory with
cypress trees, cattails and hydrilla out to
about eight feet, dropping like a wall to 20
feet. An 18 inch minimum size provides quality
largemouth bass fishing. Large bluegill are
caught mostly in late spring through fall.
Trolling motors only are allowed although
gasoline motors may still be attached to the
boat. A minimum size of 10 inches has been
established for black crappie.
Eagle Lake and Lang Lake specializing in Largemouth Bass, Bluegill and
Black Crappie.
Eagle Lake catch hybrid striped bass presents
the opportunity to hook into some of these
hard-fighting fish. Hybrids feed on a variety of
offerings ranging from live bait to chicken
liver. A best bet for locating these free
roaming fish is to target flow areas where
hybrids stage while waiting for unsuspecting
prey.
Lang Lake: lake has topped out coontail and
hydrilla with sun baked filamentous algae mats
choking it. Ideal water levels are about four
feet down and two solar-powered bottom up
aeration systems that were proposed have been
nixed. Spring fishing generally supports poor
numbers of sportfish but an outstanding brown
bullhead population. These fish will likely be
very hungry and should make for
some enjoyable early morning and late afternoon
fishing. For piece of mind at the ramp, a 4x4 is
always a safe bet.
Please
note special quality regulations are in effect
on Lang Lake: largemouth bass
- minimum size 18 inches; black crappie -
minimum size 10 inches. Note: The daily bag
limits for bass - only one over 22 inches;
crappie - 25 fish per day and panfish - 20 fish
per day remain unchanged
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