Photos available
The Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission (FWC), The Mosaic Company, and Hardee County are working on a new freshwater fishing destination in central Florida. The Florida Fishing Trail will include a series of freshwater lakes and is expected to be completed in the spring of 2024.
Anglers can cast a line along the shores of the nine freshwater lakes or from one of the provided fishing piers. There will also be ramps for launching boats and kayaks. Sport fish, including largemouth bass, crappie bream (spots) and catfish, swim in the water bodies, including these trophy-sized bass documented by biologists from the FWC on a recent sampling trip.
The project partners hosted a groundbreaking event on March 24 to celebrate this exciting new collaborative project where representatives from each organization highlighted their support.
“The Florida Fishing Trail will be a premier freshwater fishing destination in the region and will provide a variety of unique fishing opportunities all in one place,” said FWC Commissioner Gary Lester. “This exciting project brings new fishing opportunities to Sunshine State and is made possible by our fisheries management staff and dedicated partners in Mosaic and Hardee County.”
“The lakes that make up this phase of the trail provide a great example of the quality fish habitat found on reclaimed land,” said Russell Schweiss, Mosaic’s vice president of land and resource strategies. “This partnership will spur public use of this reclaimed land and become a growing economic engine for Hardee County as the trail continues to grow in future phases. We look forward to seeing the benefits this trail will bring to the area for years to come.
“Hardee County is honored and thrilled to have a local destination opportunity for our residents and visitors that will allow for outdoor exploration with great fishing lakes,” said Hardee County Executive Terry Atchley. “We appreciate the partnership with our local and state agencies for this incredible attraction. Hardee County is uniquely positioned to bring visitors to our beautiful community and to enhance, foster and implement positive growth that will be enjoyable for our current generations and future.
To learn more about the FWC’s freshwater fisheries management and conservation work, visit MyFWC/Freshwater.
