Fishing Moss Lee Lake in Alachua County, Florida

• Overview

  The Alachua County end of Florida holds Moss Lee Lake. The land about it is warm bottomland. The water covers some 83 acres, so pick a bank rather than trying to cover it all. With about 1.2 miles of edge, you can try several depths in one session. Nearest town is Hawthorne, 3 miles off. It is 17 miles to Gainesville, the nearest city. Rules can differ a short way off, since the county line is near.

• Where to Fish on Moss Lee Lake

  No depth figure appears in our records, so the bank has to tell you. Look for the band where the shallows give up and the bottom falls away. Where the bottom changes texture, fish gather; find that line. Records collected within a few miles name warmouth, bluegill, bowfin, Florida gar and redear sunfish. It is a record of sightings and surveys, so use it as a guide. On Moss Lee Lake a short move beats a long cast.

• Seasonal Patterns

  The seasonal spread runs 55°F to 81°F. Heat, not cold, decides when to be on the water. Heat pushes fish deep from June onwards, so start early. Autumn steadies things again once the heat lets go. On Moss Lee Lake the same rules apply, with local timing. Water temperature lags the air by a week or so.

• Tackle & Baits

  Nothing on record says whether the bank is open or closed. No dam controls it, and the level follows the season. Public mapping records no formal access here, so plan for a walk and soft ground. For the pike, wire up and throw larger lures along the weed edges. Some banks are open only from a marked point. Fishing rules and camping rules are set separately here. Holdens Pond sits 0.6 miles off and takes the overflow. What applies at Moss Lee Lake may have changed since it was mapped.