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Best permit lakes in Florida

31 Florida waters hold permit, 31 mapped with real state-agency depth surveys. Ranked below by size and depth-data quality — open any water to see exactly where to fish it: depth contours, scored spots with plain-English reasons, seasonal windows and bait picks. A wary flats and structure specialist that follows crabs across sandy shallows, channels and outer-bay reefs.

1. Boca Ciega Bay — 51 ft max · survey depth data · Red Drum (Redfish), Spotted Seatrout, Sheepshead, SnookWhy #1: survey-backed contours receive the ranking's data-quality boost · 29 public access sites, 16 carry-in or shore-oriented
2. Middle Tampa Bay — 60 ft max · survey depth data · Red Drum (Redfish), Spotted Seatrout, Sheepshead, SnookWhy #2: survey-backed contours receive the ranking's data-quality boost · 15 public access sites, 6 carry-in or shore-oriented
3. Lower Tampa Bay — 80 ft max · survey depth data · Red Drum (Redfish), Spotted Seatrout, Sheepshead, SnookWhy #3: survey-backed contours receive the ranking's data-quality boost · 10 public access sites, 6 carry-in or shore-oriented
4. East Central Florida Bay — 10 ft max · survey depth data · Red Drum (Redfish), Spotted Seatrout, Sheepshead, SnookWhy #4: survey-backed contours receive the ranking's data-quality boost · 1 public access site
5. Lemon Bay — 17 ft max · survey depth data · Red Drum (Redfish), Spotted Seatrout, Sheepshead, SnookWhy #5: survey-backed contours receive the ranking's data-quality boost · 12 public access sites, 7 carry-in or shore-oriented
6. South-Central Outer Biscayne Bay — 23 ft max · survey depth data · Red Drum (Redfish), Spotted Seatrout, Sheepshead, SnookWhy #6: survey-backed contours receive the ranking's data-quality boost · 13 public access sites, 7 carry-in or shore-oriented
7. North Banana River Lagoon — 42 ft max · survey depth data · Red Drum (Redfish), Spotted Seatrout, Southern Flounder, SheepsheadWhy #7: survey-backed contours receive the ranking's data-quality boost · 4 public access sites, 3 carry-in or shore-oriented
8. Upper Pine Island Sound — 38 ft max · survey depth data · Red Drum (Redfish), Spotted Seatrout, Sheepshead, SnookWhy #8: survey-backed contours receive the ranking's data-quality boost · 3 public access sites, 1 carry-in or shore-oriented
9. Hillsborough Bay — 55 ft max · survey depth data · Red Drum (Redfish), Spotted Seatrout, Sheepshead, SnookWhy #9: survey-backed contours receive the ranking's data-quality boost · 7 public access sites, 4 carry-in or shore-oriented
10. North Indian River Lagoon — 23 ft max · survey depth data · Red Drum (Redfish), Spotted Seatrout, Snook, PermitWhy #10: survey-backed contours receive the ranking's data-quality boost · 7 public access sites, 6 carry-in or shore-oriented
11. South-Central Mid-Bay Biscayne Bay — 14 ft max · survey depth data · Red Drum (Redfish), Spotted Seatrout, Sheepshead, SnookWhy #11: survey-backed contours receive the ranking's data-quality boost · 6 public access sites, 4 carry-in or shore-oriented
12. North Sarasota Bay — 23 ft max · survey depth data · Red Drum (Redfish), Spotted Seatrout, Sheepshead, SnookWhy #12: survey-backed contours receive the ranking's data-quality boost · 6 public access sites, 2 carry-in or shore-oriented
13. South Banana River Lagoon — 30 ft max · survey depth data · Red Drum (Redfish), Spotted Seatrout, Sheepshead, SnookWhy #13: survey-backed contours receive the ranking's data-quality boost · 6 public access sites, 3 carry-in or shore-oriented
14. San Carlos Bay — 31 ft max · survey depth data · Red Drum (Redfish), Spotted Seatrout, Sheepshead, SnookWhy #14: survey-backed contours receive the ranking's data-quality boost · 5 public access sites, 3 carry-in or shore-oriented
15. Card Sound — 18 ft max · survey depth data · Red Drum (Redfish), Spotted Seatrout, Sheepshead, SnookWhy #15: survey-backed contours receive the ranking's data-quality boost · 4 public access sites, 2 carry-in or shore-oriented
16. Lower Pine Island Sound — 24 ft max · survey depth data · Red Drum (Redfish), Spotted Seatrout, Sheepshead, SnookWhy #16: survey-backed contours receive the ranking's data-quality boost · 1 public access site
17. Estero Bay — 24 ft max · survey depth data · Red Drum (Redfish), Spotted Seatrout, Sheepshead, SnookWhy #17: survey-backed contours receive the ranking's data-quality boost · 10 public access sites, 7 carry-in or shore-oriented
18. Lakes Passage — 28 ft max · survey depth data · Permit, Atlantic Tarpon, Great Barracuda, BonefishWhy #18: survey-backed contours receive the ranking's data-quality boost · 4 public access sites, 1 carry-in or shore-oriented
19. Lower Choctawhatchee Bay — 46 ft max · survey depth data · Red Drum (Redfish), Spotted Seatrout, Southern Flounder, SheepsheadWhy #19: survey-backed contours receive the ranking's data-quality boost · 4 public access sites, 2 carry-in or shore-oriented
20. Central Banana River Lagoon — 53 ft max · survey depth data · Red Drum (Redfish), Spotted Seatrout, Southern Flounder, SheepsheadWhy #20: survey-backed contours receive the ranking's data-quality boost · 5 public access sites, 3 carry-in or shore-oriented
21. North-Central Outer Biscayne Bay — 25 ft max · survey depth data · Red Drum (Redfish), Sheepshead, Snook, Gray Snapper (Mangrove Snapper)Why #21: survey-backed contours receive the ranking's data-quality boost · 5 public access sites, 3 carry-in or shore-oriented
22. North St. Joseph Sound — 15 ft max · survey depth data · Red Drum (Redfish), Spotted Seatrout, Sheepshead, Gulf FlounderWhy #22: survey-backed contours receive the ranking's data-quality boost · 3 public access sites, 2 carry-in or shore-oriented
23. Roberts Bay — 18 ft max · survey depth data · Red Drum (Redfish), Spotted Seatrout, Sheepshead, SnookWhy #23: survey-backed contours receive the ranking's data-quality boost · 2 public access sites, 2 carry-in or shore-oriented
24. Bunces Pass — 30 ft max · survey depth data · Red Drum (Redfish), Spotted Seatrout, Sheepshead, SnookWhy #24: survey-backed contours receive the ranking's data-quality boost · 3 public access sites, 2 carry-in or shore-oriented
25. Southwest Sarasota Bay — 25 ft max · survey depth data · Red Drum (Redfish), Spotted Seatrout, Sheepshead, SnookWhy #25: survey-backed contours receive the ranking's data-quality boost · 4 public access sites, 3 carry-in or shore-oriented

…plus 6 more Florida waters holding permit.

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When to fish permit in Florida

• Spring 3–25 ft — Sight-fish clean sand beside grass and channels, or drift crabs over outer-bay structure on moving water.
• Summer 3–35 ft — Pole shallow flats in low wind or fish crabs around reefs, wrecks and channel mouths when current is established.
• Fall 5–45 ft — Follow fish toward passes and outer-bay structure while continuing to check warm sand flats on calm days.
• Winter 15–60 ft — Most fish shift deeper or offshore; treat winter bay spots as low-confidence opportunities on outer structure.

Also in Florida: best largemouth bass lakes · best crappie lakes · best bluegill lakes · best channel catfish lakes · best white bass & hybrids lakes · best longnose gar lakes · best red drum (redfish) lakes · best spotted seatrout lakes · best southern flounder lakes · best sheepshead lakes · best snook lakes · best gulf flounder lakes · best black drum lakes · best gray snapper (mangrove snapper) lakes · best gag grouper lakes