Trout Lake near Interlachen: Fishing Spots, Seasons and Access

• Overview

  Putnam County, Florida, is where Trout Lake sits. Open low country runs right down to the water. Small at around 6 acres: two anglers spread out cover most of it. It is a small entry by Putnam County standards. Nearest place of any size is Interlachen, 2 miles away. It is 25 miles to Gainesville, the nearest city. This one is safely inside the county line.

• Where to Fish on Trout Lake

  Depth here is unknown, so count the lead down before committing. Bays and points beat straight shoreline every time on water like this. Read the surface for the wind lane, then fish the edge of it. Records collected within a few miles name blackbanded darter, largemouth bass, brown darter and speckled madtom. Records show what people reported, so treat the list as a guide to what lives in the area. On Trout Lake the obvious spot is not always the productive one.

• Seasonal Patterns

  In an average year July sits at 81°F and January at 55°F. The whole calendar is open, with dawn and dusk the productive hours in summer. October and November give a second good stretch as it cools. Late winter often fishes better here than midsummer does. Keep it in mind when planning a trip to Trout Lake.

• Tackle & Baits

  No access rule appears in what we hold. We find no slipway, car park or made path within a short radius, so treat access as rough. For the bass here, soft plastics worked slow along cover and a spinnerbait for searching do most of the work. Parking space is the usual limit rather than the bank itself. Fishing rules and camping rules are set separately here. For a change of water, Lovers Lake is 1.1 miles distant. None of that is settled for Trout Lake in what we hold.