Ever since I was introduced into the wondrous world of fly fishing by a well known and respected North Idaho fly fisherman by the name of Barnie Willis, I have come to enjoy fishing any and all bodies of water from the smallest puddles to the largest ocean with a fly rod. I have done spinning, bait casting, deep-sea fishing from Florida to Alaska, but until I got into fly fishing I never realized how calming and relaxing and just plain enjoyable fishing could be. Another part of fly fishing that was introduced to me by Barnie, is tying my own flies. Trying to match the hatch and color, but also that when all else fails be creative, imaginative and tie for fun, using an array of different materials and colors to form some interesting bugs of my own, because like humans fish are curious and who knows what might peak there interest.

I’ve gotten and still get plenty of looks and comments as I wonder the water’s edge with my small bug net, magnifying glass, vials, and note book in search of the perfect insect or bug that is hatching, flying, landing or just plain hiding under rocks or logs that might look enticing to a fish for my specimen design. I have to admit before I took up fly-fishing I used to think of insects and bugs as a nuisance, now I can’t see a bug without trying to see all the detail of it so as maybe being able to duplicate it onto a hook.

For the last 2 years from November till the end of May I have been staying in The Villages. Since I don’t have a boat, and only have a car available from time to time to have the chance to go to lakes and oceans I am resolved to fishing from a golf cart, which at first I thought would be rather boring after a time and limited. To my surprise I found that fishing in The Villages is actually rather satisfying and rewarding in several ways, one is I’ve caught a lot of fish but also I have met many great people and enjoyed some beautiful scenery while fishing. I have also had the opportunity to introduce people both young and old to fly fishing for it seems that when people see you doing it they always seem to come and ask questions, and since I always have two fly rods with me all the time I have been able to teach a few folks the joy of fly fishing, so it is pretty rewarding even though limited to The Villages.

Well now that I have rod, gear and flies its time to go fishing. I have about 18 lakes, ponds and puddles that I frequent in The Villages. Some of them have names and some I don’t know the names to or they might not have them but I will tell you where they are.

As far as the kind of fish I have been catching in The Villages lakes and ponds so far I have caught panfish, catfish, crappie and small bass in most of them.

First we will start on the historic side, the east side of 441/27; there are three nice lakes on this side to fish:

1st) Silver Lake, located on Dustin Drive near the Silver Lake Recreation Center, this is a small pond, but has good fishing, you can fish the entire lake. The casting is free and clear although it is a steep embankment getting down to the water so you need to keep you cast high or rolled. In the early evening here you can witness a nice hatching, and top water rising. I’ve caught quite a few panfish from here. I usually use a small beetle or ant here.

2nd) Golfview Lake, located on the back side of the Paradise Recreation Center, I’ve had some luck here with a few nice Bass under the piers. Using a muddler or mickey finn.

3rd) Paradise Lake, located by the golf cart bridge, there are really several nice spots on this lake, need to be careful with casting though lots of golf cart traffic, and in some areas trees. So always need to look back with each cast so as not to catch a golf cart. You can also fish this lake on Aloha Way by the decks, and on Kim on either side of the road. I’ve caught panfish, bass, and catfish from this lake to date. I have used a variety of flies on this lake and caught well on some.

Next we head west of 441/27 to the rest of The Villages:

4th) Lake Miramar, located behind the Hacienda Recreation Center. This lake is challenging yet fun with a lot of variety for the fly fisherman. Some of my favorite sports are under the trees on the highway side there are a few trees in the water that shelter a few fish that can be enticed into biting a fly. By the bridge casting under the tunnel yields a few surprises now and again. I’ve also caught a few nice crappies here as well. If you can get your cast out into the water fountain when it is on, the fish seem to like to hang out there. There are some panfish that hang out by the creek coming in from the parking lot, and a few nice fish have come from under the small dock that the remote control boats use. So this could be a rewarding lake as well as a frustrating one, for I have had more no catch days than catching ones.

5th) Chula Vista Lake, located on the Chula Vista golf course off of Avenida Central, you can fish half this lake opposite the course side, and I have fished it hard but caught few. They are there but seem to bite on the weirdest flies instead of the norm. Bright colors have worked here a few times. Bass and panfish.

6th) Mera Mesa Golf course has a pond that you can fish off of Rio Grande only a small part though, I’ve only caught one panfish here so far and don’t fish it often but it is there to fish if you like.

7th) There is a small lake in Hacienda East, go through the Morse Gate from 441 and take the first left into Hacienda East, go to the end of the road and there is a pond on the left, you can fish the two opposite ends of this lake where there are no houses or golf holes, This pond is a little murky so the only fly that I’ve been able to catch anything on has been a chartreuse chenille worm, and that was a catfish. If you have never seen a mass hatching before come here in the early evening on the far side of the lake near the golf course and you can witness an incredible mass hatching. Also be careful here for there have been a couple of gators hanging out here lately.

8th) Laguna Madre, located on Morse Boulevard on the right, enter Morse Gate from 441, go to Hacienda Country Club and park walk across the street, This is a nice size lake on either end of it there are some grass patches, on one end some trees both these spots yield some panfish now and again, There are some nice crappie here and you can see them swimming the length of the lake but they are very finicky and skittish. So to catch them you need to be persistent and diligent, so far I have only caught one of them. But the panfish are fun too. Like to use the beetles here.

9th) There is a small pond on Morse Boulevard between the tunnel under 466 and the tunnel under Morse, It is small but is a active fishing spot, I have never been skunked at this pond. The panfish seem to always be hitting top water and there are several nice bass beds that give up there guard now and then. Keep an eye out for the security gator that patrols this lake making sure you don’t keep any of his private stock. A fun pond for fishing. Small black knat and grass hoppers are good here.

10th) On Enrique Drive in the Village of Santo Domingo you can fish a very small portion of the pond on the El Diablo golf course from the road side. It is a small section and is hit and miss, Also a little finesse needed as you are casting over some weeds and stripping back over them. So far only caught a few small panfish here. Using small black knat.

11th) There are two small ponds on Buena Vista turn on Glenview Road and the ponds are on either side of Glenview Road. The upper pond is connected to the lower pond by a creek running underneath the road. This is one of my favorite fishing spots for I have never been skunked here and I’ve caught many panfish, catfish and a few bass from these ponds. I love fishing these ponds there are always folks coming around talking and interested in what you are doing. And it is a beautiful spot to be fishing during the sunset. I call this my experimental pond for I try all kinds of flies here and no matter what you give these fish they seem to love it. A couple of my best hits here are on a size 18 black nat with a green head, A size 16 black bead ant, and a triple black bead ant, beetles, grass hoppers, also the Willis Ba Squeto works well here too. I’ve fished here many times with other anglers and the flies by far out catch the others. All in all I love these two ponds.

12th) Turn down Southern Trace off of Buena Vista and then turn right on Woodridge go down to just before the gate and the Methodist Church and there is a small pond on the left that is good to go and watch water fowl, for so far my experience here I have decided that that is all it is good for. It is really murky and I’ve tried everything here with no results. But I haven’t given up on it yet every once in a while I stop and try again determined to find something that will work here.

13th) On Stillwater Trail off of Morse Boulevard on the right hand side there is a small puddle with a culvert in it, believe it or not there are some small panfish here, I used a size 20 black nat and caught three of them. Need to be able to do very short cast here.

14th) On Odell Circle by the Amelia Postal Station you can fish the pond on the street side only, need to park at the postal station and walk back, caught a few panfish here, and a catfish. Only fished here once but was successful. Used a black bead ant and a small green grass hopper.

15th) In the Village of Bonita across from the pool on Canal Street there is a small lake that offers a lot of shore line for fishing. It is shallow yet seems to yield well; I’ve caught small panfish and a small bass. Used a size 10 muddler and black knat here.

16th) On 466a on the North side of the street west of Canal Street there is a small lake that you can fish, but you need to park across the street and walk over to it. It is good for some panfish. Used a small black beetle here.

17th) Off of Buena Vista turn on St Charles Pl in Village of Liberty Park just after the Allamanda Recreation Center there is a small lake that yields some nice panfish and small bass, as well as catfish. Used black knat, small mickey finn and a black bead ant here.

18th) Sunset Pointe across from the Lake Miona Recreation Center is a lake where you can fish the entire lake. It is a pretty spot for fishing and yields nicely, panfish, catfish and bass. I’ve used a variety of flies here and fish here often. It is also a beautiful spot to be fishing during sunset hours.

Like I said this is not all the fishing available for you in The Villages but it gives you an idea of some places that are nice and have yielded fish.

In conclusion I guess you could say that fishing in The Villages can, on the right day with the right flies be fast, furious, satisfying and rewarding. Having found so much good fishing in The Villages I can only imagine what the rest of Florida has to offer and am anxious to someday explore farther reaches.