Fishing at Lake Hiawatha, Hillsborough County, Florida

• Overview

  Lake Hiawatha is one of the Hillsborough County listings for Florida. The coast is 11 miles away. The water covers some 137 acres, so pick a bank rather than trying to cover it all. The bank runs about 1.7 miles all the way round, so one visit can cover most of it. Size puts it in the front rank of our Hillsborough County list. You are 2 miles from Odessa. Tampa sits 17 miles out, and it is the nearest city worth the name. The boundary is near enough that local access rules are worth double-checking.

• Where to Fish on Lake Hiawatha

  Nothing in our records gives a depth for this one. Still water like this holds fish on the edges rather than out in the open. Read the surface for the wind lane, then fish the edge of it. Nearby survey and observation records mention largemouth bass, warmouth and bowfin. Local agencies hold the definitive list for this water. Lake Hiawatha fishes better once you know its edges.

• Seasonal Patterns

  The seasonal spread runs 59°F to 82°F. Warmth runs the whole year, so timing is about the hour, not the month. Heat pushes fish deep from June onwards, so start early. June to September is hot work, so the first and last hours are what count. That is the shape of the year on Lake Hiawatha.

• Tackle & Baits

  Who may fish here is not settled in anything we hold. No dam controls it, and the level follows the season. Expect a half a mile walk in from where the car goes. For the bass here, soft plastics worked slow along cover and a spinnerbait for searching do most of the work. Rules for this water may differ from the county norm. Signs go up and come down, so check on the day. Should this one be busy, Lake Seminole is 0.6 miles off. Nothing on Lake Hiawatha should be assumed from this page alone.