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Natural lake

Lake Apopka

Orange & Lake Counties, Florida

Florida's fourth-largest lake, about 15 miles northwest of Orlando between Apopka and Winter Garden. Once a famous bass lake, it was badly polluted by farm runoff and is now recovering under a long-running restoration effort.

N5 mi
Air temp Loading current temperature…
Map data © OpenStreetMap contributors.
Current air temperature at Lake Apopka (National Weather Service) ↗
Surface area30,800 acres
Max depth—
Shoreline—
Boat motorsCheck local rules

Species

Fishery rating out of 5.

Largemouth Bass●●●○○

Fish vegetation edges and canals. Plastic worms, spinnerbaits and frogs; spring spawn is the peak.

Black Crappie●●●○○

Cooler months. Live minnows or small jigs around cover and drop-offs.

Bluegill●●○○○

Late spring and summer around shoreline plants. Crickets or worms.

Redear Sunfish●●○○○

Bedding fish in spring and early summer. Worms fished on the bottom.

Boat launches

4 launch sites from the Florida FWC public boat ramp inventory (checked October 2026). Fees and hours change, so confirm before you go.

  • McDonald Canal Boat RampFree
    Lake County · 1 lane · 19 trailer spaces · 24600 County Road 448A, Mount DoraDirections ↗
  • Lake Apopka West Shore Boat RampFree
    Town of Montverde · 1 lane · 3 trailer spaces · Osgood Road / ~17208 Abrams Avenue, MontverdeDirections ↗
  • Lakeview Park Public Boat Ramp - Winter GardenFree
    City of Winter Garden · 1 lane · 10 trailer spaces · 31 West Garden Avenue, Winter GardenDirections ↗
  • Magnolia Park Boat RampFree
    Orange County · 2 lanes · 13 trailer spaces · 2929 South Binion Road, ApopkaDirections ↗

Size & creel limits

Minimum size and daily limit for each species in Lake Apopka are published by the state. Look up the current size and creel limits for this lake directly: Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission ↗

Rules change, so confirm current limits with the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission before you fish.

Bait & tackle nearby

Bait and tackle shops closest to the lake. Call ahead for hours and what live bait is in stock.

Search more bait shops near Lake Apopka ↗

Local tips

  • The lake is shallow and gets rough quickly when afternoon wind picks up, so fish early.
  • Check Florida fish consumption advisories before keeping fish from this lake.
  • Alligators are common; keep hands and stringers out of the water.

View on interactive map

Zoom and pan on a street, satellite or terrain map. Red pins are boat launches.

More Florida lakes

Lake Kissimmee Lake Istokpoga Lake Tohopekaliga (Lake Toho) Lake Griffin Crescent Lake Lake Harris Orange Lake East Lake Tohopekaliga All Florida lakes →

Always wear a life jacket and check your state's current regulations before you fish.

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