Any good place to catch aquarium fish in Florida?

[gu2high]

I will go to Florida for two weeks. Do you know any good place I can catch aquarium fish or collect aquarium plants?

 

[Algenco]

25 years ago the canals in So Fla were full of Oscars

 

[flamingonhot]

I don't know specific areas, but last time I was there I went fishing for gar, tilapia, and I was trying to catch a few 2 foot plecos. The only real thing I "caught" was a large florida gar that I only got out of the water when it fell off the line. I know peacock bass are in the lower areas also.

 

[Purrbox]

Make sure to check local laws before collecting anything. Many areas are likely to be protected.

 

[Zagz]

I have to agree with Joy, make sure to check before fishing anywhere. It may be illegal to catch native species.

 

[MyCatsDrool]

FYI: Recently moved from FL after 11 years living there.

Fishing (for sport, collection or dinner) is HUGE down there. You will definately need to get a license to even collect, especially from brackish or salt waterways. They DNR down there patrols everything, and you WILL get caught. Be especially careful around the Everglades area and in the reefs. They are Nat'l and State parks, and very, very protected. There are areas you absolutely cannot take any flora OR fauna.

That being said:

Provided you have a license, you could try some of the following areas:

Lake Okeechobee area (South, near Sebring)
Sante Fe River and springs area (Mid North, near Ginnie Spgs/Ocala Nat'l Forest)
Wachiva and Econolachee (sp) River areas (Near Orlando)
Jetty Park (saltwater, Cape Canaveral)

Fish you might find worth collecting:

FL Flag Killies
Least Killies
Plecos (common)
Some types of Farowalla
Oscar Cichlids
Livebearers (Mollies, Gups, Platies, Vers)
Crawdads

Plants:
Hydrocotyle
Hygros
Lyschamachia
Anacharis
Calurpa (SW/Brackish)

You cannot remove mangrove shoots. They are protected in all of FL so be careful. Also, live rock and reef structures are heavily protected. Limit yourself to castoff shells from the beach.

 

[Gillie]

Ditches, small ponds, creeks and springs are where I would go when I lived down there.

You will also find these neat fish:
Bluefin Killi
Golden Topminnow (these are one of my favorites)
Pygmy Sunfish
various darters
alot of Central American cichlids and a few South Americans.

 

[gu2high]

Good inform, thank you guys.

I won't collect anything from National Parks. Maybe just collect from ditches, creeks around Orlando if I have chance. I am in a busy schedule, may be not have any chances to collect anything.