Mud Lake in Hillsborough County: How and When to Fish It

• Overview

  Set in Hillsborough County, Mud Lake is a Florida water. It lies 128 feet above sea level. The water covers some 63 acres, so pick a bank rather than trying to cover it all. The edge runs 1.2 miles or so, easy to work in an afternoon. On our Hillsborough County list it sits near the top for size. The closest town, Plant City, is 2.9 miles away. Brandon is the closest city, 9.3 miles away. This one sits near enough to a boundary to be worth checking.

• Where to Fish on Mud Lake

  There is no recorded depth, so work from what you can see. The productive water is a rod length or two out, not a hundred. On a natural lake the weed line and the shelf beyond it do the work. Public wildlife records from this area list brown bullhead, warmouth, bluegill and Florida gar. Records show what people reported, so treat the list as a guide to what lives in the area. Take Mud Lake a stretch at a time.

• Seasonal Patterns

  Seasonal averages run from 60°F in January up to 82°F in August. Every month fishes, though midsummer narrows the useful hours. October and November give a second good stretch as it cools. Spring and autumn carry the year; summer squeezes it into the ends of the day. That is the shape of the year on Mud Lake.

• Tackle & Baits

  There is no clear statement anywhere on who can fish it. No dam controls it, and the level follows the season. You will be walking about half a mile from the nearest car park. For the catfish, fish bottom baits into the deeper holes and let them sit. Where access is informal, keep it that way by behaving. Some ground is open by custom rather than by right, so tread carefully. The nearest alternative is Moore Lake, 4.7 miles out. Signs at Mud Lake carry more weight than any list.