Bonnet Lake Fishing near Keystone Heights, Florida

• Overview

  The Alachua County end of Florida holds Bonnet Lake. The bank gives way to scrub and brush. The water covers some 37 acres, so pick a bank rather than trying to cover it all. Compared with other Florida water on our list, it sits high. Head to Keystone Heights, 5.7 miles away, for anything you forgot. Then Waldo, 6.2 miles, and Hawthorne, 9.2 miles. It sits near the edge of the county, so check which rules apply.

• Where to Fish on Bonnet Lake

  Nothing we hold settles how deep this runs. Bays and points beat straight shoreline every time on water like this. A soft bed grows weed late into autumn, which keeps fish shallow. Species logged nearby in open biodiversity records include bluegill, largemouth bass, warmouth, black crappie and dollar sunfish. The list reflects reported sightings and surveys rather than what is stocked. On Bonnet Lake the obvious spot is not always the productive one.

• Seasonal Patterns

  Between January at about 54°F and July at about 80°F, the water has a wide range to work through. The whole calendar is open, with dawn and dusk the productive hours in summer. Late winter and spring fish steadiest here. April and May are the settled weeks, with October close behind. On Bonnet Lake that shapes the whole year.

• Tackle & Baits

  Whether the bank is open is not something our records settle. No made access appears within a short radius, so plan to park on a verge and walk. For the bass here, soft plastics worked slow along cover and a spinnerbait for searching do most of the work. Local rules can differ across the county line, so check where you stand. Rules for boats are stricter than rules for the bank in many places. Should this one be busy, Santa Fe Lake is 1.6 miles off. Treat access at Bonnet Lake as something to verify.