Fishing at Upper Memorial Lake, Okaloosa County, Florida

• Overview

  In Florida, Upper Memorial Lake belongs to Okaloosa County. It sits 0.5 miles in from the sea. At 16 acres it is the sort of place you fish for an evening rather than a day. Eglin Village sits 0.7 miles from the bank. Eglin Air Force Base is 1.4 miles away, with Lake Lorraine at 2.9 miles. Close by you have: Lower Memorial Lake (0.6 miles), Jack Lake just 1.1 miles, Trout Lake (4.5 miles), Pine Lake just 4.6 miles and Plew Lake (4.8 miles). Rules here are straightforward: one county, one set of rules.

• Where to Fish on Upper Memorial Lake

  No figure exists for depth, so let the water show you. Look for where the old bank line still shows under the surface. Held water runs deepest at the wall and shallows back to the inflow. Open occurrence data for the surrounding area lists speckled madtom, blackbanded darter, spotted sunfish and brown darter. Local agencies hold the definitive list for this water. Fish Upper Memorial Lake to its features, not to its size.

• Seasonal Patterns

  Temperature averages peak at 82°F in July and bottom out at 51°F in January. Nothing shuts down for cold, so the question is when in the day to go. Late winter and spring fish steadiest here. The hot months push the fishing to dawn and dusk. It holds true on Upper Memorial Lake more years than not.

• Tackle & Baits

  We have no record of the rules that apply on this bank. The nearest mapped parking is half a mile away, so the last stretch is on foot. For the pike, wire up and throw larger lures along the weed edges. Ask in the nearest town if you are unsure. A polite question at the farm gate opens more banks than anything else. Should this one be busy, Lower Memorial Lake is 0.6 miles off. Nothing on Upper Memorial Lake should be assumed from this page alone.