Bear Lake in Monroe County: How and When to Fish It

• Overview

  Bear Lake is one of the Monroe County waters in Florida. It stands 3 feet above sea level. Surface area runs to roughly 891 acres, so plan for one area rather than the whole. The shoreline runs about 5.0 miles, so it pays to pick a stretch and stay with it. It ranks high for size among our Monroe County listings. Nearest town is Islamorada, 27 miles off. The big place round here is Miami, 63 miles distant. This one is safely inside the county line.

• Where to Fish on Bear Lake

  Depth is unmeasured here, so let the shoreline guide you. This is tidal water: the state of the tide decides where fish sit, so plan the session around it. Weed, then depth: that is the order to fish a water of this kind. The productive water is a rod length or two out, not a hundred. Documented catches and surveys in the area cover warmouth, spotted seatrout and black acara. Use it to know what is possible here, not what is certain. At Bear Lake light and wind decide more than tackle does.

• Seasonal Patterns

  Averages here run 83°F at the top of summer and 67°F at the bottom of winter. Cold never becomes a factor on this one. The cooler months are the comfortable ones to be out. The cooler months are the comfortable ones to fish here. Time your trip to Bear Lake by conditions rather than dates.

• Tackle & Baits

  Access status is simply unknown for this water. Records list it as a natural water body rather than an impoundment. Formal access is not mapped, so the last stretch is likely on foot. For the trout, small spinners and a box of nymphs cover both approaches. Read any posted signs at the access point rather than assuming. Fishing rules and camping rules are set separately here. Should this one be busy, Mud Lake is 1.9 miles off. For Bear Lake in particular, ask before you travel.