Lake Toni Fishing near Land O' Lakes, Florida

• Overview

  Hillsborough County, Florida, is where Lake Toni sits. Land around it is open low country. It covers about 16 acres, so this is small water you can walk round in under an hour. Land O' Lakes lies 2.2 miles from the water. Lutz follows at 2.7 miles, then Cheval at 4.8 miles. Not far off: Catfish Lake near enough 0.3 miles, Lake Jo Ann about 0.3 miles, Bird Lake near enough 0.6 miles, Myrtle Lake about 0.6 miles and Saxon Lake near enough 0.7 miles. Local rules may differ a few miles either side of here.

• Where to Fish on Lake Toni

  Depth is unknown to us, and the shoreline is the better guide. This is a lake, so the margins and the first drop matter most. Still water like this holds fish on the edges rather than out in the open. Records collected within a few miles name largemouth bass, bluegill, bowfin and Florida gar. The records cover the area rather than this water alone. The near bank of Lake Toni is often the one people ignore.

• Seasonal Patterns

  Seasonal averages run from 59°F in January up to 82°F in July. The season is continuous, with heat as the only real check. The cooler months are the comfortable ones to be out. February into May fishes hardest as the water warms. Lake Toni runs to its own calendar within the local pattern.

• Tackle & Baits

  Who may fish here is not settled in anything we hold. A carry of half a mile from the nearest parking is the price of fishing here. A small crankbait along the drop and a worm in the thick stuff cover the bass. Parking is often the real limit rather than the bank itself. Some ground is open by custom rather than by right, so tread carefully. Catfish Lake, 0.3 miles away, makes the obvious fallback. Check the current arrangement for Lake Toni.