Pithlachascotee River Fishing Map & Spots (FL)

Hatch outlook

Willow fly (summer mayfly)Active window

Typical here: Apr 1 – Oct 31 · recurring broods all summer — the heart of it is June–July, famously around July 4th on the Tennessee River lakes; any one hatch lasts days to ~3 weeks

dunhatches at dusk — clouds of bugs just before dark, continuing into the night — after hatching they fly to shoreline foliage — trees near lighted docks get covered; the feeding zone is the water under bug-loaded overhanging bushes and willows
spinnerthe following days: mating, egg drop and spent flies falling from the overhangs — the bream bite under the bushes runs as long as the bugs do

A two-level event: bream stack under the bug trees, and the big bass stack under the bream. Fish the same bushes twice — small for bream, big for the bass just outside them.

Crickets or small poppers under a float tight to the bug-covered bushes for bream; beetle spins and hair jigs just under the surface; for the bass, run a bluegill-pattern topwater or squarebill down the outside edge of the overhangs.

The event happens over under and just outside overhanging willows and bushes on steep banks; trees near lighted docks after dark

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Next on this water

Spring crawfish emergence · forageFeb 15 – May 15 · in ~6 months

Recommendations come from depth structure and seasonal species behavior. Treat them as a starting point, not a guarantee. Contours here are interpolated from real agency depth surveys (state DNR / USACE). Never use for navigation. Always check local regulations.

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Recent catches at Pithlachascotee River

Shared by DepthScout anglers. Exact spots stay private, always.

No shared catches here yet — be the first.Log a catch from the map above and share it to put Pithlachascotee River on the board.

Fishing Pithlachascotee River: what the data says

8 km of the Pithlachascotee River navigation corridor, with channel depths from USACE hydrographic survey. The river tops out around 13 ft. The depth chart is built from real state fisheries GPS surveys, so the humps, channels and drop-offs you see are measured, not guessed. Species by species, here's what the data says the year looks like.

Traced from the shoreline, Pithlachascotee River runs 1,494 acres with 7.8 miles of edge. At index 1.4 the outline is almost a bowl — read the depth changes, not the shoreline. The whole water is littoral — nothing here runs deeper than ~15 ft, so it's all weed-and-bait territory. Figure 2.8 mi of water from one end to the other, 1.7 mi at the beam. The nearest mapped water is Lake Tarpon, 12 mi to the south.

Largemouth Bass fishing at Pithlachascotee River

Spring puts largemouth bass in skinny water — 2 to 10 ft is the zone. Warm water sends them out to 4 to 13 ft; cold water stacks them in 4 to 13 ft. Outside-bend hole (mile 1.9) is the standout, a creek channel at roughly 8 ft, rated prime for fall largemouth bass. Plan around early morning and the evening in the warm months. A texas-rigged 10" worm or a deep-diving crankbait covers the summer program.

Season	Depth	Best window	Start at	Go-to baits
Spring	2 to 10 ft	dawn & dusk	open water	Spinnerbait, Chatterbait
Summer	4 to 13 ft	dawn & dusk	open water	Texas-rigged 10" worm, Deep-diving crankbait
Fall	3 to 13 ft	midday & dawn	Outside-bend hole (mile 1.9) (8 ft)	Squarebill crankbait (shad), Spinnerbait
Winter	4 to 13 ft	midday	Outside-bend hole (mile 1.9) (8 ft)	Blade bait, Jigging spoon

Crappie fishing at Pithlachascotee River

In spring, crappie run shallow here, mostly 2 to 8 ft. Midsummer fish sit out in 4 to 13 ft before dropping to 4 to 13 ft for winter. Fall crappie concentrate at Outside-bend hole (mile 1.9), a prime-rated creek channel around 8 ft. Fish it in early morning and the evening and you'll meet the bite. You won't need more than a jig trolled/spider-rigged or a small crankbait (trolled) most summer days.

Season	Depth	Best window	Start at	Go-to baits
Spring	2 to 8 ft	midday & dawn	Outside-bend hole (mile 1.9) (8 ft)	1/16 oz jig + tube, Curly-tail grub
Summer	4 to 13 ft	dawn & dusk	Outside-bend hole (mile 1.9) (8 ft)	Jig trolled/spider-rigged, Small crankbait (trolled)
Fall	4 to 13 ft	dawn	Outside-bend hole (mile 1.9) (8 ft)	Jig + minnow combo, Small swimbait (1.5-2")
Winter	4 to 13 ft	midday	Outside-bend hole (mile 1.9) (8 ft)	Tungsten jig + soft plastic, Tiny jigging spoon

Bluegill fishing at Pithlachascotee River

Start shallow in spring: bluegill sit in 1 to 6 ft that time of year. Warm water sends them out to 3 to 13 ft; cold water stacks them in 4 to 13 ft. Fish it in early morning and the evening and you'll meet the bite. Throw a small sponge spider (fly) or a micro tube jig until the fish tell you otherwise.

Season	Depth	Best window	Start at	Go-to baits
Spring	1 to 6 ft	midday & dusk	open water	1/32 oz jig + micro plastic, Tiny popper (evenings)
Summer	3 to 13 ft	dawn & dusk	open water	Small sponge spider (fly), Micro tube jig
Fall	4 to 13 ft	midday	open water	Micro jig + waxworm, Small spoon tipped
Winter	4 to 13 ft	midday	open water	Tiny spoon

Channel Catfish fishing at Pithlachascotee River

Spring puts channel catfish in skinny water — 3 to 12 ft is the zone. Warm water sends them out to 4 to 13 ft; cold water stacks them in 4 to 13 ft. Outside-bend hole (mile 1.9) is the standout, a creek channel at roughly 8 ft, rated prime for summer channel catfish. Plan around after dark and the evening in the warm months.

Season	Depth	Best window	Start at
Spring	3 to 12 ft	dusk	Outside-bend hole (mile 1.9) (8 ft)
Summer	4 to 13 ft	night & dusk	Outside-bend hole (mile 1.9) (8 ft)
Fall	4 to 13 ft	dusk	Outside-bend hole (mile 1.9) (8 ft)
Winter	4 to 13 ft	midday	Outside-bend hole (mile 1.9) (8 ft)

Longnose Gar fishing at Pithlachascotee River

The spring pattern is a shallow one: longnose gar in 2 to 10 ft. Midsummer fish sit out in 1 to 12 ft before dropping to 4 to 13 ft for winter. The spot to know is Outside-bend hole (mile 1.9), a creek channel in about 8 ft of water that rates prime for longnose gar in fall. Plan around midday and the evening in the warm months. Summer baits: a rope lure or a small white spinner gets it done.

Season	Depth	Best window	Start at	Go-to baits
Spring	2 to 10 ft	midday	open water	Rope lure (hookless nylon), Inline spinner (slow)
Summer	1 to 12 ft	midday & dusk	open water	Rope lure, Small white spinner
Fall	3 to 13 ft	midday	Outside-bend hole (mile 1.9) (8 ft)	Rope lure, Small jerkbait (pause-heavy)
Winter	4 to 13 ft	midday	Outside-bend hole (mile 1.9) (8 ft)

Notable structure

The chart marks 2 structure features on Pithlachascotee River; the deepest is Riffle & run (mile 0.2) at about 8 ft.

Riffle & run (mile 0.2): rock pile, around 8 ft
Outside-bend hole (mile 1.9): creek channel, around 8 ft

Pithlachascotee River fishing regulations

Season dates, license requirements, and size and bag limits for Florida waters are set by the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission — and special regulations can apply to Pithlachascotee River specifically, so confirm the current rules before you fish.

Check the official Florida fishing regulations →

Common questions

How deep is Pithlachascotee River?

Pithlachascotee River is about 13 ft (4 m) deep at its deepest point. The depth chart here comes from real state fisheries GPS surveys, so the contours reflect measured depths.

What fish are in Pithlachascotee River?

Anglers target largemouth bass, crappie, bluegill, channel catfish, longnose gar on Pithlachascotee River. This isn't a survey of the water — none is published for it — but an informed estimate from the species common to the region, narrowed by this water's depth, size and each species' range.

Where is the best fishing spot on Pithlachascotee River?

Outside-bend hole (mile 1.9) is the top-rated area: a creek channel in about 8 ft of water that rates prime for crappie in fall. Open the map above to see every rated spot for each species and season.

When is the best time to fish Pithlachascotee River?

For largemouth bass, the summer bite is best in early morning and the evening. Each species page section below lists the seasonal windows, and the map shows a live NOW badge when you're inside one.

What are the fishing regulations for Pithlachascotee River?

Fishing on Pithlachascotee River is regulated by the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission. Check the official Florida regulations for current license requirements, season dates, and size and bag limits — special regulations can apply to this specific water.

Nearby waters

Lake Tarpon 12 mi · Lake Thonotosass 32 mi · Kings Bay 43 mi · Lake Parker 52 mi · Lake Hollingsworth 52 mi · Lake Panasoffkee 52 mi · Lake Rousseau 53 mi · Lake Rousseau 53 mi · Manatee River 55 mi · Banana Lake 56 mi · Mud Lake 56 mi · Lake Okahumpka 59 mi

See how Pithlachascotee River stacks up: best largemouth bass lakes in Florida · best crappie lakes in Florida · best bluegill lakes in Florida · best channel catfish lakes in Florida

Browse all Florida fishing maps or see every water on DepthScout. Bathymetry credit: state fisheries survey programs. How we build these maps. Fish here with a sonar unit that logs? Send us your depth data and we'll improve this chart, credited to you. For fishing guidance only, never navigation.