Lake Lerla in Orange County: How and When to Fish It

• Overview

  Look for Lake Lerla in the Orange County part of Florida. The setting is warm bottomland on every side. The water covers some 31 acres, so pick a bank rather than trying to cover it all. The town to know is Mount Plymouth, 2.5 miles out. Orlando sits 19 miles out, and it is the nearest city worth the name. This one sits near enough to a boundary to be worth checking.

• Where to Fish on Lake Lerla

  Depth is unknown to us, and the shoreline is the better guide. Where the bottom changes texture, fish gather; find that line. Look for the band where the shallows give up and the bottom falls away. Fish reported in the area, according to open records, include redbreast sunfish, bowfin, largemouth bass and bluegill. Take it as evidence of what swims here, not a promise for one session. On Lake Lerla the first feature you find is usually worth a session.

• Seasonal Patterns

  On the long-term average, July reads 81°F and January reads 58°F. Heat, not cold, decides when to be on the water. The cooler months are the comfortable ones to be out. April and May are the settled weeks, with October close behind. It holds true on Lake Lerla more years than not.

• Tackle & Baits

  Whether you may fish here is not something records settle. You will be walking about half a mile from the nearest car park. Wekiva-Ocala Greenway covers ground next to the water; its rules will apply on that side. A small crankbait along the drop and a worm in the thick stuff cover the bass. Where access is informal, keep it that way by behaving. Some water is controlled locally without a sign saying so. Prays Pond at 0.9 miles is the sensible second choice. Nothing on Lake Lerla should be assumed from this page alone.