Lake Osborne fishing: Butterfly Peacock, Jaguar Guapote, Oscar
Target species: Butterfly Peacock, Jaguar Guapote, Oscar, Sunshine Bass
Best months: May, Jun, Jul, Aug for Butterfly Peacock
Second window: May, Oct for Jaguar Guapote
Boat: 2 ramps and launches on file for this water.
Start here: Launch at John Prince Park Public Boat Ramp, 3 lanes, concrete.
The lake
Lake Osborne covers 391 acres in Florida, across Palm Beach County. It is a lake: 96.2% of it is 12 feet deep or less; the deepest point measured is at least 25 feet (7.6 m). Our records hold 24 species for this water.
Depth and bottom
Deepest measured point: at least 25 ft (7.6 m). That is the deepest contour line: the bottom goes deeper. 96.2% of the water is 12 feet or shallower. We hold 32 depth contour lines for this water.
- 0–2 ft: 7% of the water
- 2–4 ft: 21% of the water
- 4–6 ft: 32.1% of the water
- 6–8 ft: 17.9% of the water
- 8–10 ft: 10.2% of the water
- 10–12 ft: 8% of the water
- 12–14 ft: 3.5% of the water
- 14–16 ft: 0.3% of the water
4 target fish, led by Butterfly Peacock
- Butterfly Peacock (peacock bass, peacock) — Best months: May, Jun, Jul, Aug. Spawns Apr, May, Jun, Jul, Aug, Sep. Usually 1.5–3 lb. A trophy starts at 4 lb. Nonnative. Holds in canals, bridges, timber and stumps and weed beds. What works here: golden shiner, topwater, crankbait, jerkbait and jig.
- Jaguar Guapote — Best months: May, Oct. Spawns Mar, Apr, May, Jun, Jul, Oct, Nov. A trophy starts at 1.5 lb. Nonnative. Holds in canals. What works here: beetle-spin, worm and live bait.
- Oscar — Best months: Mar, Apr, May, Oct. Usually 0.75–2 lb. Nonnative. Holds in canals, marsh and weed beds. What works here: cricket, worm, cut bait, jig and spinnerbait.
- Sunshine Bass (hybrid striped bass, hybrids) — Best months: Oct, Nov, Dec, Jan, Feb, Mar, Apr. A trophy starts at 5 lb. Holds in open water, drop-offs, current and canals. What works here: lipless crankbait, spoon, swimbait, jig and jerkbait.
Also recorded here: Clown Knifefish, Blue Tilapia, Gizzard Shad, Threadfin Shad.
Water and conditions
Water temperature averages 81°F across the year. The coldest single reading we hold is 67°F and the warmest is 93°F; the warmest monthly average is 89°F. pH averages 8.1. These readings span 2016–2025.
Stocking: 69,988 fish, 2012–2019
FWC records list 69,988 fish released into this water from 2012 to 2019. The latest stocking on record is from 2019, more than three years ago.
- Sunshine Bass: 69,988 fingerlings, phase I fish in 2012–2019
2 ramps and launches on this water
On this water we hold 2 trailer ramps and 4 fishing piers.
- John Prince Park Public Boat Ramp — 3 lanes, concrete, parking for 49 trailers (paved), no fee, daylight hours, flush restrooms, dock, wheelchair access. Lake Worth, Palm Beach County. 2520 Lake Worth Road 33461 · website discover.pbcgov.org/parks/Locations/John-Prince.aspx
- John Prince Park Campground Boat Ramp — 1 lane, concrete, no fee, daylight hours, flush restrooms, dock. Lake Worth, Palm Beach County. CAMP SITE ROAD, Lake Worth 33462
Fishing piers
- John Prince Park, North - Osborne Drive — Lake Worth, Palm Beach County. 2520 Lake Worth Road, Lake Worth, Florida 33461
- John Prince Park, North - Pavilion 3 — Lake Worth, Palm Beach County. 2520 Lake Worth Road, Lake Worth, Florida 33461
- John Prince Park, South - Playground — Lake Worth, Palm Beach County. 4759 South Congress Ave., Lake Worth 33461
- John Prince Park, South - Square Lake — Lake Worth, Palm Beach County. 4759 South Congress Ave., Lake Worth 33461
2 of the 6 places listed have both a fee and opening hours on file: a blank means we hold no such field, not that it is free or always open, and this list may not be complete.
What is hard here
With 96.2% of the water 12 feet or less, low level turns the flats into hazards. Only 2 public ramps are on file, so the launch decides where you fish. Alligators live in Florida fresh water. Keep clear of the bank edge at dawn and dusk, and keep pets away from it. Summer water sits at 89°F: heat and afternoon lightning are the real risks, not the fishing.
Where this data comes from
- Florida FWC — FWC Florida lake bathymetry: class A, a survey of the bottom.
