Fishing Lake Narcissus in Duval County, Florida

• Overview

  You will find Lake Narcissus in Duval County, Florida. It sits 6.6 miles in from the sea. At roughly 12 acres, the whole thing is within casting reach of a single walk. Some 7 miles away sits Atlantic Beach, the nearest settlement. Neptune Beach is 7.8 miles away, with Jacksonville Beach at 8.6 miles. One jurisdiction covers this water end to end.

• Where to Fish on Lake Narcissus

  Federal mapping classes it as a reservoir, so the level is managed rather than natural. Look for the band where the shallows give up and the bottom falls away. A natural lake fishes on cover, and cover here means weed and timber. Fish reported in the area, according to open records, include largemouth bass, flathead grey mullet, bluegill, spotted sunfish and threadfin shad. Reported species tell you what lives around here, nothing more. Lake Narcissus gives up more to patience than to distance.

• Seasonal Patterns

  Climate records put July near 82°F and January near 54°F. Fish feed through every month here. Heat pushes fish deep from June onwards, so start early. Late winter often fishes better here than midsummer does. Lake Narcissus fishes to that pattern most years. After a storm, the water clears from the edges inwards.

• Tackle & Baits

  Whether you may fish here is not something records settle. Mapping shows parking within half a mile. For the bass here, soft plastics worked slow along cover and a spinnerbait for searching do most of the work. Some banks are open only from a marked point. Rules for boats are stricter than rules for the bank in many places. Failing this one, try Holly Oaks Lake, 2 miles away. For Lake Narcissus, the notice at the access point is the final word.