Fishing in The Villages
 

I can’t say that I’ve spent much time fishing in the past. I have a relative coming down next month and he expressed an interest in fishing some of the local ponds. He asked about using minnows. Is this the best type of bait/lure to use for the ponds here in The Villages? Where is the best place to fish? He lives out of state. Is a fishing license required (68 years old)?

This PDF from the district web site should answer at least some of your questions:
https://www.districtgov.org/wp-conte...ation-0623.pdf

Keep in mind that alligator mating will be starting and it would be wise to stay away from the ponds as they are much more active in the spring. A great place to fish is in Leesburg at the public park on one of the chain lakes, you can also rent pontoon boats over there.

Any non-Florida resident is required to have a valid fishing license regardless of age,

It happens.

Gator Bites Off Fisherman's Hand on a Florida Golf Course | Outdoor Life

Lake County is full of great lakes for fishing. And you can eat what you catch. Some very close like in Leesburg.

Then there's also going west, like around Inverness.

Take a Firearm
 

It wouldn’t hurt to have the old Judge or Glock in a holster just in case you encounter an undesirable gator attack. It’s always better to be prepared than dragged in.

People might want to be aware of "Laws Protect American Alligators And Crocodiles".

Just don’t grab your fish at the edge of the pond. Pull it up onto land to unhook. Common sense and gators aren’t gonna be a problem.

Wood that be stand your ground laws? :undecided:

Schmith.....BEWARE of alligators in the ponds....and don't bring a dog with you

I hope you guys have a great time during his visit.

Here are a couple things to remember.. DO NOT keep the fish you catch in TV. Have fun catching and releasing but DO NOT keep them to eat.

The ponds in TV are retention ponds. That means EVERYTHING wet that is put on the ground and makes it to the street drains - car wash chemicals, insecticides, fertilizers, pond water treatment chemicals (to keep them nice) goes right back into the ponds...and into the fish.

If you're catching and releasing - have a great time. But, if you're
wanting to keep the fish, I highly suggest some of the larger lakes, rivers and true fresh water ponds in the nearby area.

Have fun!

Don’t know about minnows, but the best fishing isn’t in TV’s, it’s in Lake Dora.

...And Lake Dora would be an area your guest would love to experience.
It's a very pretty town, fantastic chain lakes and great places to have lunch after fishing.

I wish it were closer, much like "beaches" for our northern guests.
It's all an easy 'day trip" but not the immediate, instant gratification. Wish it was! Smile!

I can't say exactly how good it is, but there is a Lake Deaton Boat Ramp off of 155 with a dock for fishing. You can get there by taking 44 (between Brownwood and The Villages Grown) to 155. See the pic. I happened upon it one day as I was just exploring. If you don't want to deal with a boat or the ponds this may be an easy alternative.

https://i.imgur.com/UISdbhil.png

A lot of people make the mistake of THROWING a fish through the air when they return them to water. That bursts some of their internal organs and eventually kills them. To return them properly you have unhook them and place them gently back into the water. Personally, I think that any alligator over 3 ft should be captured and sold to restaurants.

Not one of those laws prevents self defense.

I use nightclawlers but shiners are better. I fish way up north. Glenview has been good for bass

Goldfish
 

Goldfish work really well up north. I would imagine they work well in Florida Ponds.

Fixed your post for ya'...

2nd generation / lifetime Floridian here...my Dad has second homes on several lakes in Florida over the years--Lake Placid, Lake Owens, Lake Weir--and I've lived on a private (no public access) spring fed lake for nearly a decade now.

Alligator attacks are EXTREMELY rare, and generally-speaking the only time a gator becomes a problem is because ignorant people feed them and they lose their fear of man. Every puddle of water in Florida has an alligator (or 10) in it...they are just not a problem.

Statistically speaking, dogs and cows kill/injure WAY more humans every year than alligators, but hey, keep up the fear mongering...

The answer to your question you're really asking, which is "What's the best type of bait to use?", depends entirely on what species of fish you're trying to catch.

If it's bass he's interested in, there's nothing better than a wild golden shiner--that's caviar to bass!

Worms & nightcrawler are also good, but if it's bluegill & crappie he's after, heck, bread on a small hook works just fine.

I have no idea how good the fishing is in the retention ponds in & around TV, but I'm guessing not so great. There's a park near downtown Leesburg that has a nice dock that you can fish off of...I don't know how good the fishing is there, either, (it's likely over-fished) but you're guaranteed to have lots of turtles swim up to you looking for handouts!

Anyone on this forum that's a really good at catching bass? If you have a boat & trailer & are willing to teach me how to fish better (I'm easily the world's worst fisherman and it's not even close) I live on a private 100 acre lake that's rarely fished (no public access) and might be willing to allow you to put your boat in on my property in exchange for taking me out w/ you & teaching me how to actually catch something and not just caste. Plus I'll bring the beer!

I'm surpised dogs and cows kill ANY alligators.

I'm probably on your level as a fisherman, but I'd be glad to sit in a boat and drink your beer!

ha! nice catch...