Reedy Lake in Polk County: How and When to Fish It

• Overview

  You will find Reedy Lake in Polk County, Florida. Warm bottomland runs right down to the water. This is big water, about 5.5 sq miles, and in a wind it behaves like a small sea. The outline measures near 10 miles, so local knowledge counts. It ranks high for size among our Polk County listings. The nearest place of any size is Frostproof, 2.2 miles away. Further out sit Babson Park (6.5 miles) and Crooked Lake Park (8.1 miles). It sits well inside the county, so one set of rules covers it.

• Where to Fish on Reedy Lake

  Depth figures are not published for this one. Read the surface for the wind lane, then fish the edge of it. Bays and points beat straight shoreline every time on water like this. Biodiversity records within roughly six miles include largemouth bass, blue tilapia, bluegill and Florida gar. That is what has been logged nearby, not a stocking list, so check local rules before you plan around any one species. On Reedy Lake the quiet end is the one worth the extra effort.

• Seasonal Patterns

  Averages here run 82°F at the top of summer and 61°F at the bottom of winter. Summer is the season to work around, not winter. Heat pushes fish deep from June onwards, so start early. The hot months push the fishing to dawn and dusk. Plan around that when you fish Reedy Lake. Long dry spells drop the level and concentrate them.

• Tackle & Baits

  Our records carry no access rule either way. It formed naturally, so levels move with rainfall rather than with a gate. Nothing formal is recorded here: no ramp, no car park, no marked path. For the bass here, soft plastics worked slow along cover and a spinnerbait for searching do most of the work. Local rules can differ across the county line, so check where you stand. Close seasons apply to some species and not others. Lake Ida sits 2.2 miles off and takes the overflow. Confirm before you fish Reedy Lake.