Fly Fishing Lakeland | Lake Parker at Sertoma Park
FLY FISHING FOR BASS is a great activity in Lakeland, Florida. Surrounded by a highway and a power plant, Sertoma Park offers fly fishers a surprisingly good outing. This fishery is easy to get to.
At the south end of Lake Parker, hard by highway 92, near Taco Bell and Mojo’s Restaurant, nature co-exists with urban development nicely. Heron work the shore, diving Ospreys point the way to fish, and our Big Swimming Lizards are ever present. Wading is not recommended here.
- Sertoma Park has approximately seventy yards of shoreline, with clear water, welcoming the fly caster.
- The shallow water on the shore is fronted by reeds.
- In addition, the dock of the concrete boat ramp provides access to deeper, tannic water.
- Kayak fishing is a good way to reach the other side of the reeds.
TO FLY FISH FOR BASS at Sertoma Park; a thirty to forty foot cast is all that is required. A 4 weight fly rod with a floating line will do well here. Try a small bass popper, or a slidder. From the dock, the water becomes cloudier and deeper. Tie on a flashy, sinking fly like a Clouser or a EP Minnow.
LAKE PARKER offers several other opportunities to fish. Check out our web site for future articles.
Photos and Articles By Chris O'Byrne, Director of Fly Fishing Schools
Allen Wyatt
Author