Fishing at Lake Susan, Marion County, Florida

• Overview

  Lake Susan lies within the bounds of Marion County, Florida. The water sits 85 feet up. It runs to roughly 94 acres — big enough to hold fish away from the bank, small enough to learn. Bank access stretches around 1.4 miles in total. 7.1 miles away sits Hawthorne, the nearest town. Then Interlachen, 8.9 miles, and Citra, 11 miles. The boundary is close enough to be worth checking before you fish.

• Where to Fish on Lake Susan

  No published figure covers depth, so learn it as you fish. A soft bed grows weed late into autumn, which keeps fish shallow. Still water like this holds fish on the edges rather than out in the open. Species logged nearby in open biodiversity records include bluegill, blackbanded darter, spotted sunfish, brown darter and speckled madtom. Take it as evidence of what swims here, not a promise for one session. Treat Lake Susan as a water to read rather than to cover.

• Seasonal Patterns

  The year swings from about 55°F in January to roughly 81°F in July. The year runs unbroken and warm. Heat pushes fish deep from June onwards, so start early. April and May are the settled weeks, with October close behind. The season on Lake Susan rarely departs from it. A rising level usually fishes better than a falling one.

• Tackle & Baits

  Nothing we hold confirms whether access is permitted. No dam controls it, and the level follows the season. There is no mapped parking or launch nearby, which keeps numbers down. Bluegill and other panfish take small jigs or worms under a float near any cover. A phone call first saves an afternoon. Where the way in crosses private ground, ask first. Bull Pond sits 0.8 miles off and takes the overflow. Confirm before you fish Lake Susan.