Best Lakes in Florida

(mango) · (mango) **Join Date: Mar 2004** 08-08-2005, 8:26 PM

What are the best Lakes in Florida to wakeboard at or live near?

(timmy) · (timmy) **Join Date: Jul 2001** 08-08-2005, 8:53 PM

i can't say!

(taylormade) · (taylormade) **Join Date: Jun 2001** 08-09-2005, 5:54 AM

heh heh... me either... but mine's starting to get crowded on the weekends...grrrrr.

(mango) · (mango) **Join Date: Mar 2004** 08-09-2005, 7:16 AM

awesome your home lake is Mango

(taylormade) · (taylormade) **Join Date: Jun 2001** 08-09-2005, 8:31 AM

yeah, I laughed when I saw your screenname.

(tparider) · (tparider) **Join Date: Aug 2003** 08-09-2005, 10:41 AM

Just check out a zipcode map of Florida from Winter Haven moving east to Orlando. Pick a lake, then pick a zip. Then go to realtor.com and enter the zip and specify "lakefront" on your selection page. You're done.

fl_girl 08-09-2005, 11:04 AM

Lake Conway has nice clean clear water, but over populated. It is also close to OWC.

(wakeguru) · (wakeguru) **Join Date: Feb 2003** 08-09-2005, 11:11 AM

I love the Conway chain. We would go there all the time before we moved to a lake. The water is soooo nice...one of the best as far as clarity.

(timmy) · (timmy) **Join Date: Jul 2001** 08-09-2005, 5:38 PM

I can tell you however, that it is not in south florida!

(dreevs) · (dreevs) **Join Date: Jul 2002** 08-19-2005, 5:48 AM

Weir gets a little overcrowded and "red" on Sundays, but during the week and early mornings you can typically find some butter somewhere - even if you take the canal to little lake weir.

(jhoward) · (jhoward) **Join Date: Nov 2004** 08-19-2005, 8:30 AM

One lake so far. Lake Tarpon.

wakegal02 08-19-2005, 9:59 AM

There is one nice lake in South Fl. it's near lake okeechobee though kinda in the middle of nowhere. I think it's called lake clay it's over in the lake placid area. I'm sure there are some other lakes over that way I just haven't been to any others. It's nice for a long weekend or something but not for just a day trip.

(wakeriderixi) · (wakeriderixi) **Join Date: Jan 2004** 08-19-2005, 10:04 AM

ORLANDO WATERSPORTS COMPLEX

(mango) · (mango) **Join Date: Mar 2004** 08-21-2005, 7:46 PM

What is the cleanest lake down there? I'm looking for a nice lake outside Orlando, maybe Winter Haven i hear has lots of good lakes?

Also, What is the most popular lake everyone goes to in Central Florida?

This may be a dumb question but do they lakes down there have water snakes and alligators or what do you need to look out for?

(taylormade) · (taylormade) **Join Date: Jun 2001** 08-22-2005, 6:19 AM

Every fresh water lake or river I know about has both snakes and alligators, yeah. Some are worse than others, but they all have them. BUT that shouldn't deter you. This little (6') guy was hanging out no more than 100 yards from my house on a sidewalk that fronts a retention pond. The canal I live on is about 30 yards away from him here and is presumably where he came from. I rode the next day without thinking twice about it. They typically aren't out in full force until late April timeframe... that's their mating season. It isn't like you'll go out every time and have to ollie over gators and snakes, I've lived on my lake for 4 years and have only seen three gators in that time.
gator

(tige_n_it) · (tige_n_it) **Join Date: Nov 2004** 08-22-2005, 6:42 AM

One with no skeeters,

(wakeguru) · (wakeguru) **Join Date: Feb 2003** 08-22-2005, 7:42 AM

Man, don't be harrasin' that gator. He's a smart one...sitting on the sidewalk waiting for an unsuspecting stray cat or dog to walk by.

Mango, there are just so many lakes I don't think the questions can be answered and as Scott and Mike were saying...there are a ton of dangerous gators, snakes and mesquitos 'round them all.

Winter Haven is nice and has a big chain of lakes. The water is clean, although it doesn't look it. It has a brown color from the tanic acid that the cypress trees produce. However, once again I must warn you of the dangers lurking beneath the surface and in the air surrounding the lakes.

wakegal02 08-22-2005, 8:31 AM

Dude you're gonna make Mango not want to board anymore. You're probably scaring him to death

The fact is that basically every lake in Fl. has the potential of having snakes in them. You should never worry about the snakes because all the gators will be sure to get them for you. Be safe and have fun.

(taylormade) · (taylormade) **Join Date: Jun 2001** 08-22-2005, 8:40 AM

Yeah, well, I don't want any more people on my lake!! :-)

heh heh... just kidding, Mango can come to Lake Mango anytime he wants. I see a lot more gators playing golf than I ever do riding or just hanging out in the boat.

(mango) · (mango) **Join Date: Mar 2004** 08-22-2005, 8:59 AM

lol, I'll make sure I wear five Drysuits incase I get attacked by the alligator.

(wakeguru) · (wakeguru) **Join Date: Feb 2003** 08-22-2005, 9:47 AM

That's a great idea, but unfortunately the gators don't like the cold water too much so the winter months are safer for boarding. LOL

You can sell that to one of your NE crew if you move down. You could use it maybe 3-4 days out of the year and on those days there's usually a stiff North wind blowing and the conditions suck anyway.

The lakes are pretty warm right now - I felt like I was sweating yesterday after 5 minutes into my run. Fall is always welcome 'round here, as I always say.

(birger_celis) · (birger_celis) **Join Date: Aug 2005** 09-03-2005, 5:03 PM

Stillwater Lakes in Palm Bay. It is private and there are no alligators!

(jhoward) · (jhoward) **Join Date: Nov 2004** 09-04-2005, 5:00 PM

I've seen one gator out of the ten or so time's I've been to lake Tarpoon. It's North of Saint Petersburg, which is east of Tampa. It's shape like a banana so what ever ways the wind blow you can find at least two calm places. Thats if and a BIG IF all those inconciderit boaters don't going speeding through the calm water.

gtroit 09-05-2005, 9:04 AM

lake jesup in sanford, no boats always butter

(timmy) · (timmy) **Join Date: Jul 2001** 09-05-2005, 1:11 PM

drew you are right, you'll have all the butter to yourself at jessup

(scottyb) · (scottyb) **Join Date: Sep 2002** 09-05-2005, 1:42 PM

People from florida have a code that states they have to tell you there are gators and snakes and fresh water eels but really they dont bother you at all just dont feed them. Some idiot a while back was kayaking and fed a gator marshmellows but when he ran out he got a good portion taken out of him.

(hypedrider7) · (hypedrider7) **Join Date: Jun 2004** 09-08-2005, 2:11 PM

Lake Tarpon can be good early in the mornings or evenings. Its pretty bad on weekends during the day time. We get out there at 7 am to ride on Saturday and Sundays. We usually see a gator each time we ride, but we are out there when they are moving around.