Fishing Hurricane Lake in Okaloosa County, Florida

• Overview

  Hurricane Lake is set in Okaloosa County, Florida. It sits at 135 feet above sea level. It measures some 326 acres, and wind has room to build across it. The shoreline runs about 5.2 miles, so it pays to pick a stretch and stay with it. Of the waters listed here in Okaloosa County, this is the largest. Crestview lies 17 miles from the water. East Brewton is 21 miles away, with Brewton at 22 miles. Local rules may differ a few miles either side of here.

• Where to Fish on Hurricane Lake

  Depth figures are not published for this one. Rip-rap along the wall holds fish that the open bank never does. Held water runs deepest at the wall and shallows back to the inflow. Fish reported in the area, according to open records, include bluegill, largemouth bass, warmouth, redear sunfish and blackbanded darter. Use it to know what is possible here, not what is certain. On Hurricane Lake a short move beats a long cast.

• Seasonal Patterns

  July runs about 80°F on average, January about 49°F. Heat, not cold, decides when to be on the water. The first and last hours carry the summer; the middle is slow. April and May are the settled weeks, with October close behind. Expect Hurricane Lake to follow that timing. Wind direction matters more than wind strength.

• Tackle & Baits

  The rules here are undocumented as far as public sources go. No slipway, car park or made path shows up nearby in mapping, so treat access as rough. Bass water: a Texas-rigged worm near cover, a spinnerbait when you need to cover ground. A phone call first saves an afternoon. Some water is controlled locally without a sign saying so. Should this one be busy, Bear Lake is 6.8 miles off. Check the current arrangement for Hurricane Lake.