Because of Florida's geographic location, saltwater fishing is obviously the focus of much of the fishing discussion in the state of Florida. The state of Florida has more than 3 million acres of lakes and 12,000 miles of rivers and streams that encompass the freshwater fishery in the state of Florida. In this article, freshwater fishing is going to be the focus, as saltwater fishing is in many ways an entirely different world to explore. As mentioned above, there is plenty of fresh water within the state of Florida for the freshwater angler to explore.

Two of the more popular freshwater fish to angle for in Florida have to be the Largemouth Bass and the Crappie. Largemouth bass for the shear sport and Crappie because they are considered such a delicacy. Largemouth Bass fishing in Florida is much like Largemouth Bass fishing anywhere in the southern United States. The largest lake to explore for Largemouth Bass in the state of Florida has to be Lake Okeechobee. The massive lake is a 730 square mile, relatively shallow lake with an average depth of nine feet, and is the second-largest freshwater lake in the continental United States. That's correct folks, the 2nd largest lake in the continental United States! That's a lot of water to hunt Largemouth bass in. There are also plenty of crappie within Lake Okeechobee for anglers to attempt to catch.

A very effective method of presenting live bait in Florida (especially worms and minnows) is to use what's called a set of gang hooks. A set of gang hooks is simply two small hooks tied in tandem, thus presenting the bait in a completely natural manner. Gang hooks are the best way to fish with worms, as many fishermen do, and aren't too bad for minnows either. The angler simply hooks the lips of the minnow through the top hook, and leaves the second hook free. Size 8 or 10 gang hooks work best for minnow fishing.

Florida fishing licenses are quite affordable as well. A resident fishing license will run about $15, and you can add a saltwater license as well for another $10. A non resident fishing license is under $35, and of course a weekly non resident license is available as well. You won't break the bank on your fishing license in the state of Florida, that's for sure. There are even lifetime licenses available for those anglers who fish a lot in Florida and don't intend on leaving.

The bottom line is that Florida is a great state for fishing. Not only is it affordable, but there are a ton of options as well. Who can argue with the 2nd largest freshwater lake in the United States? Not to mention the fact that this article didn't even touch on the incredible saltwater fishing opportunities that Florida has to offer. Florida is a virtual fishing paradise.