Florida has over 10,000 lakes around the state and many of them (most) have largemouth bass, catfish, and bluegill fish that can be caught. Some are on private property, but there are thousands of lakes you can fish from right now if you’re close by.
Miami, Florida has some fishing lakes that are close by and we’ll tell you about the 5 best fishing lakes you can visit right now to go fishing. If you’re in Miami for a vacation, a stop-over, or visiting friends or just driving through you can stop to fish at some of these lakes.
Yes, you need a freshwater fishing license so sort that out online here first.
#1 – Amelia Earheart Park in Hialeah, Miami
Just west of the beach and near the airport is a nice little park that is ideal for families, fishing, and all kinds of fun. They have lots of things to do including fishing lakes, a water park, horse (pony) riding, a petting zoo, mountain bike and hiking trails, and soccer fields.
The park is 515 acres in a triangle of 1.4 miles x 1 m. x 1.7 m.
Open Hours: 6 am. to sunset – around 9 pm.
Address: 401 E 65th St, Hialeah, Florida 33013. Located just south of the Miami Opa-Locka Executive Airport.
Phone: +1 305-685-8389.
GPS: 25.889637158898505 N, -80.281640022955 W (middle of the fishing lake)
Park Rating: 8,321 reviews and 4.6 out of 5.0 rating in Google Maps. That means it’s really good for most people who go. Sure, not everyone is fishing, but the park facilities are pretty epic. Of course, the park has Handicap Accessibility – wheelchair ramps to all areas.
Lakes: Peregrine Falcon Lake, Anhinga Lake, and a couple of smaller unnamed lakes. Peregrine Falcon is the biggest lake and the one you want to fish in. It is 1,072 yards long so it’s no tiny lake!
Best Time to Fish? The best time is probably early morning as soon as they open around 6 am. Miami gets warm right away and the fish in lakes will often eat in the morning and try to stay cool all day by not moving around until they’re hungry again at sunset. So fish during those two prime times.
This park is most crowded between 1 pm. and 7 pm.
Amenities
- Water Park!
- Petting Zoo
- Soccer field
- Public toilet
- Dog Park
- Mountain bike trails (walking too) and bike rentals
- Wakeboarding ($59 for a day pass)
- Skateboarding
Fish Catches at Amelia Earhart Lake (and best bait to use)
- Largemouth Bass – fish with Culprit plastic worms Texas rig style for best result.
- Butterfly Peacock Bass – plastic worms or small bait fish work great.
- Bluegill – tiny worms for bait!
- Mayan Cichlid – literally any small lure dragged through the water will get bites.
- Spotted Tilapia – bread molded to hook or small worms.
- Channel Catfish – something smelly on a hook on the bottom works for catfish.
- Longfin Tilapia – bread on small #4 hook or small worms.
- Spotted Bass – small worms or small plastic worms (3-5″).
When fishing in lakes for bass I always use the Culprit 7.5″ worms in Texas rig style. Check out our Largemouth Bass page to learn everything you need to know to catch these fish.
Warning – Alligators are lurking in some bodies of water, do be careful. Don’t let your kids wander.
#2 – Wolf Lake Park in Davie
This is a small lake north of Miami and west of Dania Beach Fishing Pier in Davie, Florida. To be honest, there are very few fishing lakes in Miami, and even fewer worth visiting! This one is close enough to reach quickly and satisfy any fishing urge you have.
Open Hours: 9 am. to 7 pm. (not the best hours for fishing lakes which is usually before 9 am.)
Address: 5400 SW 76th Ave, Davie (Broward County), Florida 33314. Located north of Miami up Highway 95. West of Dania Beach Fishing Pier.
Phone: +1 954-797-1147.
GPS: 26.054033002517528 N, -80.24596836248017 W (middle of the fishing lake)
Park Rating: 896 reviews and 4.7 out of 5.0 rating on Google Maps. The reviews say the park is really nice and filled with pine trees that separate it from the city and make you feel like you’re in a little campground in the northern USA. That is quite a compliment considering Wolf Lake Park is not that big.
Of course the park has Handicap Accessibility – with wheelchair ramps to all areas.
Lakes: Wolf Lake is a couple of hundred yards long and about a hundred wide in a couple of places. Just enough that you can move around the lake to fish in different areas if you wish.
Best Time to Fish? The best time here is probably going to be after a rain and before sunset as they close at 7 pm. This one is not an ideal place for fishing if you want to go early. But, it might be convenient to where you are and nearby your place in Miami where you’re staying.
Amenities
- Wildlife – there are red foxes, ducks, raccoons, iguanas, and lots of birds like swallow-tailed kites and horned owls at this lake park.
- Horse paths
- Dogs allowed on leashes and owners need to pick up after them.
- Playground
- Picnic areas with built-in BBQs
- Large shaded pavilion
- Lots of benches
- Kayak fishing allowed
Fish Catches at Wolf Lake (and best bait to use)
- Largemouth Bass – best to fish for bass with Culprit or Berkeley plastic worms Texas rig style.
- Butterfly Peacock Bass – plastic worms or small bait fish work great. Many peacock bass at this lake.
- Bluegill – small live worms work best for bluegill and other small perch.
- Spotted Tilapia – bread squeezed tightly onto a small #4 or #6 hook works well. Small worms may also work.
- Channel Catfish – cut fish with menhaden oil on it, or literally anything dead – shrimp, squid, or something that smells is best to get catfish.
Warning – Water moccasins (venomous snakes) may bite your bait or small fish as you reel it in. These are dangerous snakes and the line should be cut. Don’t attempt to remove the hook. Alligators may also be present. No swimming allowed.
#3 – Doral Glades Park in Doral (west of Hialeah)
Centrally located, Doral Glades Park has been there for decades. It has been updated to have a lot of different things to do and some people have been going here for many years, since childhood even.
Open Hours: 7 am. to 9 pm. on weekdays and they open at 8 am. on Saturday and Sunday.
Address: 7600 NW 98th Ct, Doral, Florida 33178. Located just northwest of Miami International Airport by 2 miles.
Phone: +1 305-593-6638.
GPS: 25.847503488521465 N, -80.35726959699 W (middle of the fishing lake)
Park Rating: 449 reviews and 4.8 out of 5.0 rating on Google Maps. People like the hidden oasis aspect of the park near the craziness of Miami City.
Of course, the park has Handicap Accessibility – wheelchair ramps to all areas.
Lakes: Doral Glades Park has 2 lakes. The larger lake is Roseate Spoonbill Lake. It is 525 x 900 yd. and has a trail around it. You can launch rental kayaks there and possibly your own. The smaller lake may be open for fishing too.
Best Time to Fish? Weekdays are best since the park opens at 7 am. Monday through Friday. On the weekend they open an hour later. Bring your own fishing rod and live or dead bait, and lures. This is a small park.
Amenities
- Fishing!
- Kayak rental & fishing. Kayak launch closes 4:30 pm.
- No Swimming!
- Playground
- Raised boardwalk over marsh
- Trails
- Volleyball, Basketball, Tennis,
- Wildlife
- Computer Center
- Food trucks outside restroom area and admin office.
- Dogs are allowed on leashes and owners need to pick up after them.
- Pavilion areas for birthday parties, BBQ
Fish Catches at Doral Glades Park (and best bait to use)
- Largemouth Bass – best to fish for bass with Culprit or Berkeley plastic worms Texas rig style.
- Butterfly Peacock Bass – plastic worms or small bait fish work great. Many peacock bass at this lake.
- Bluegill – small live worms work best for bluegill and other small perch.
- Spotted Tilapia – bread squeezed tightly onto a small #4 or #6 hook works well. Small worms may also work.
- Channel Catfish – cut fish with menhaden oil on it, or literally anything dead – shrimp, squid, or something that smells is best to get catfish.
Warning – Water moccasins (venomous snakes) may bite your bait or small fish as you reel it in. These are dangerous snakes and the line should be cut. Don’t attempt to remove the hook. Alligators may also be present. No swimming allowed.
#4 – Tropical Park in South Miami
This park has something for everyone, and the most important activity – fishing! They have largemouth and peacock bass in two of the big lakes. The smaller lake doesn’t have much.
Open Hours: Open 6 am. to 11 pm. is what the chart shows, but I’m not sure that’s right. Those are long hours. It looks as if the large quarry lake is open anytime as there is a road that goes straight back to it. Sunday.
Address: 7900 SW 40th St, Miami, Florida 33155. Located just west of the University of Miami.
Phone: +1 305-226-8315.
GPS: 25.72128129460583 N, -80.32272667816447 W (between 2 large fishing lakes).
Park Rating: 10,284 reviews and 4.6 out of 5.0 rating on Google Maps. This is a huge number of ratings, and this is one of or the most popular parks and fishing lakes in Miami, Florida.
Of course the park has Handicap Accessibility – wheelchair ramps to all areas.
Lakes: There are 3 lakes for fishing. one is an oddly shaped lake that is shallow and great for perch-like fish… bluegill. The other two lakes are more than 200 yd x 200 yd. and hold bigger fish like butterfly peacock bass and largemouth bass.
Best Time to Fish? Go early morning around 6 am.
Amenities
- Fishing!
- Paddleboat rental
- Camping
- Dog park
- Picnics, pavilions
- Running tracks and trails
- Basketball, baseball, tennis, soccer
- Playground for kids
- Boxing gym
- Wildlife – squirrels, muscovy ducks, Egyptian geese, and many iguanas.
Fish Catches at Tropical Park (and best bait to use)
- Largemouth Bass – for live bait, bring minnows – largemouth bass love them. Free-line them with a size 1 or 2 hooks and you’ll catch bass for sure.
- Butterfly Peacock Bass – use flexible rubber worms or real worms.
- Bluegill – small live worms or very small spinners.
- Spotted Tilapia – bread squeezed tightly onto a small #4 or #6 hook works well. Small worms up to the size of small nightcrawlers can catch fish depending how finicky they are.
- Carp – golden color. Bread?
- Channel Catfish – use a dead smelly shrimp (peeled) for best catfish action.
Warning – Water moccasins (venomous snakes) may take your bait or catch. If you see one, do not try to remove the hook, just cut the line. Alligators may be present.
#5 – C.B. Smith Park, Pembroke Pines, Miami
This is one of the most frequently visited parks in Miami and yet you’ll still have a place to fish as they have some big lakes that can hold a lot of anglers in one place. Most people are off doing something else anyway, so it’s pretty ideal for anyone near Miami to come west and fish at a great bass lake.
Open Hours: Open 6 am. to 11 pm. is what the chart shows, but I’m not sure that’s right. Those are long hours. It looks as if the large quarry lake is open anytime as there is a road that goes straight back to it. Sunday.
Address: 900 N Flamingo Rd, Pembroke Pines, Florida 33028. Northwest of North Miami Beach and west of Hollywood Beach.
Phone: +1 954-357-5170.
GPS: 26.01157367038415 N, -80.31669783808877 W (middle of the big lake south of the other big lake)
Park Rating: 10,284 reviews and 4.6 out of 5.0 rating on Google Maps. This is a huge number of ratings, and this is one of or the most popular parks and fishing lakes in Miami, Florida.
Of course, the park has Handicap Accessibility – wheelchair ramps to all areas.
Lakes: There are two large lakes for fishing. Large for Miami area, ok? Both are oddly shaped. One is about 1,000 yards long at longest, and the other is about 500 yards long.
Best Time to Fish? Go early morning around 6 am.
Amenities
- Fishing and fishing piers!
- RV Camping w/electric and water
- Waterpark – tubing
- Batting cages
- Grills and picnic areas
- 10 Tennis courts, racquetball, volleyball, basketball, mini-golf, archery
- Open spaces
- Jogging paths
- Fitness zone
Fish Catches at C.B. Smith Park (and best bait to use)
- Largemouth Bass – minnows and other small bait fish or even small bluegill or perch you catch on a Sabiki rig tipped with shrimp.
- Butterfly Peacock Bass – swim baits or small plastic worms work well. Even better are minnows!
- Bluegill – small live worms or very small spinning lures or grub lures. Something flashy – a silver spinning spoon can work for bluegill and Mayan cichlids.
- Spotted Tilapia – bread on small hooks either on the bottom or floated near the top can work well. Depends on the day. They can also go for worms and mealworms.
- Channel Catfish – use a dead smelly squid or old dead fish for best catfish action. Add Berkeley GULP attractant to really catch them.
Warning – Alligators are around here. Be careful. Venomous snakes can be in the water too. Don’t get close.