Most visitors come to the Emerald Coast for saltwater fishing, but a short drive inland leads to quiet lakes, tea-colored rivers and some of the best bass and bream water in the Panhandle. This guide covers where to go freshwater fishing near Destin, Pensacola and Panama City, what you’ll catch, the best seasons, and the Florida license rules and bag limits you need to know.
Quick answer
- Best all-round spot: the three fishing lakes in Blackwater River State Forest: Bear, Hurricane and Karick.
- Biggest water: Deer Point Lake, about 5,000 acres, north of Panama City.
- Near DeFuniak Springs: Juniper Lake (665 acres) and Lake DeFuniak in town.
- Best rivers: the Blackwater, Yellow, Shoal, Choctawhatchee and Escambia rivers, plus Holmes Creek.
- License: a Florida freshwater license is $17 a year for residents. Nonresidents pay $17 for 3 days, $30 for 7 days or $47 for a year.
Florida freshwater fishing licenses
Anyone 16 or older needs a Florida freshwater fishing license, unless they’re a Florida resident 65 or older. Kids under 16 don’t need one. A saltwater license is separate, so if you plan to fish both, you’ll need both.
- Resident annual: $17
- Nonresident 3-day: $17
- Nonresident 7-day: $30
- Nonresident annual: $47
Buy online from the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission (FWC) or at most bait and tackle shops. Prices don’t include small processing fees.
Bag limits to know
- Black bass: 5 a day, and only one can be 16 inches or longer.
- Crappie: 25 a day.
- Panfish (bluegill, redear and other sunfish): 50 a day combined.
- Catfish in Fish Management Areas: 6 a day, including the Blackwater River State Forest lakes.
Rules change, and some lakes have their own, so check FWC’s current regulations before you go.
Blackwater River State Forest lakes
North of Milton and west of Crestview, Blackwater River State Forest has three stocked lakes, all managed as Fish Management Areas with no gas motors allowed.
- Bear Lake (107 acres): near Munson, with a ramp, an accessible fishing pier, and jon-boat and canoe rentals (850-957-6140). Largemouth bass, bluegill, redear, black crappie, hybrid striped bass and catfish.
- Hurricane Lake (318 acres): the biggest of the three, about 12 miles northwest of Baker, with campgrounds on both ends.
- Karick Lake (65 acres): about 8 miles north of Baker, with lots of flooded timber for bass and crappie cover.
Swimming isn’t allowed in the lakes because of alligators. The forest has campgrounds at all three lakes, so it’s easy to make a weekend of it.
Lakes near DeFuniak Springs and Panama City
- Juniper Lake: a 665-acre lake just north of DeFuniak Springs, known for bass and bream.
- Lake DeFuniak: the round, 40-acre lake in the middle of downtown DeFuniak Springs. Only electric motors of 1 horsepower or less are allowed. Pair it with our DeFuniak Springs day trip.
- Deer Point Lake: about 5,000 acres north of Panama City, and the biggest freshwater lake in the area. It’s known for shellcracker (redear sunfish), which bite best from April to June.
Rivers and creeks
- Blackwater, Yellow and Shoal rivers: sand-bottom rivers in Santa Rosa and Okaloosa counties with bass, bream and catfish. Fish from a canoe or kayak with Blackwater Canoe Rental or Adventures Unlimited, or from the sandbars at Blackwater River State Park. Our Blackwater River canoe guide covers the put-ins.
- Choctawhatchee River: a big, wild river that runs through Walton and Washington counties to Choctawhatchee Bay.
- Holmes Creek: a spring-fed creek near Vernon, known for the Choctaw bass, a species found only in this part of the Gulf Coast.
- Escambia River: north of Pensacola, with bass, bream and catfish in the river and its backwaters.
For a trophy trip, Merritt’s Mill Pond in Marianna holds the Florida state record redear sunfish, 4.86 pounds.
Best time for freshwater fishing
- Crappie: best in the cool months, from late fall through winter.
- Largemouth bass: the spawn peaks in March and April in the Panhandle, the best time for a big fish.
- Bream and shellcracker: spring and early summer, with shellcracker at Deer Point Lake peaking April to June.
Where to stay
For the Blackwater lakes and rivers, stay in Milton at the Holiday Inn Express & Suites Milton East I-10 or in Crestview at the Holiday Inn Express & Suites Crestview South I-10, or camp in the state forest. For Juniper Lake and Lake DeFuniak, try the Holiday Inn Express DeFuniak Springs. See our Crestview guide for more in the area.
Want saltwater instead?
If you’d rather chase snapper and redfish, see our guides to Destin fishing charters, the Navarre Beach Fishing Pier and Grand Lagoon fishing charters in Panama City Beach.
Freshwater fishing FAQ
Do I need a fishing license for freshwater in Florida? Yes, if you’re 16 or older, unless you’re a Florida resident 65 or older. A nonresident license starts at $17 for 3 days.
Where is the best freshwater fishing near Destin? The lakes of Blackwater River State Forest (Bear, Hurricane and Karick) and Juniper Lake near DeFuniak Springs are the top picks.
Can you use a gas motor on Bear Lake or Hurricane Lake? No. The Blackwater River State Forest lakes don’t allow gas motors.
What is the bass limit in Florida? Five black bass a day, and only one of them can be 16 inches or longer.
When is the best time to catch crappie in the Panhandle? The cool months, from late fall through winter.