Lake Trafford fishing: Largemouth Bass, Redear, Oscar
Target species: Largemouth Bass, Redear, Oscar
Best months: Mar, Apr, May for Largemouth Bass
Second window: Apr, May, Jun, Jul for Redear
Boat: 1 ramp or launch on file for this water.
Start here: Launch at Lake Trafford - Ann Olesky Park, 1 lane, concrete.
The lake
Lake Trafford covers 1,630 acres in Florida, across Collier County. It is a lake: the deepest point measured is at least 8 feet (2.4 m). Our records hold 19 species for this water.
Stocking: 121,935 fish, 2010–2023
FWC records list 121,935 fish released into this water from 2010 to 2023.
- Largemouth Bass: 80,785 phase II fish, fingerlings in 2020–2023
2 more species on the stocking list.
Depth and bottom
Deepest measured point: at least 8 ft (2.4 m). That is the deepest contour line: the bottom goes deeper. We hold 15 depth contour lines for this water.
- 0–2 ft: 9.1% of the water
- 2–3 ft: 7.1% of the water
- 3–4 ft: 12.1% of the water
- 4–5 ft: 13.9% of the water
- 5–6 ft: 23.1% of the water
- 6–7 ft: 19.4% of the water
- 7–8 ft: 15.3% of the water
3 target fish, led by Largemouth Bass
- Largemouth Bass (Florida bass, black bass) — Best months: Mar, Apr, May. Spawns Jan, Feb, Mar, Apr, May. A trophy starts at 8 lb. Holds in weed beds, open water and drop-offs. What works here: golden shiner, plastic worm, soft plastic, crankbait and topwater.
- Redear (shellcracker, bream) — Best months: Apr, May, Jun, Jul. Spawns Mar, Apr. What works here: worm.
- Oscar — Best months: Apr, May, Jun, Oct. Usually 0.75–2 lb. Nonnative. Holds in canals, marsh and weed beds. What works here: cricket, worm, cut bait, jig and spinnerbait.
Also recorded here: Grass Carp, Blue Tilapia.
Water and conditions
Water clarity runs 0.7–1.6 feet on our readings, averaging 1.2 feet, from 395 readings. Water temperature averages 78°F across the year. The coldest single reading we hold is 62°F and the warmest is 91°F; the warmest monthly average is 87°F. pH averages 8.3. These readings span 2016–2024.
Monthly average water temperature: Jan 66°F · Feb 73°F · Mar 74°F · Apr 78°F · May 82°F · Jun 84°F · Jul 87°F · Aug 86°F · Sep 84°F · Oct 81°F · Nov 72°F · Dec 70°F
1 ramp or launch on this water
On this water we hold 1 trailer ramp and 1 fishing pier.
- Lake Trafford - Ann Olesky Park — 1 lane, concrete, parking for 8 trailers (paved), paid, dock. Immokalee, Collier County. Lake Trafford Road, Immokalee 34142 · website collierparks.com/collier_park_category/boat-launch-parks
Fishing piers
- Ann Olesky Park — park entry fee, open 8am–10pm. Immokalee, Collier. End of Lake Trafford Rd., Immokalee 34142
Only one of the 2 places listed has 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.
Season by season
- Winter (Dec, Jan, 66–70°F) — Steady but no peak: Largemouth Bass, Redear, Oscar.
- Spring (Feb, Mar, Apr, May, 73–82°F) — Biting: Largemouth Bass, Redear, Oscar.
- Summer (Jun, Jul, Aug, Sep, 84–87°F) — Biting: Redear, Oscar.
- Fall (Oct, Nov, 72–81°F) — Biting: Oscar. Steady but no peak: Largemouth Bass, Redear.
What is hard here
Only 1 public ramp is 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 87°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.
- EPA NLA — EPA National Lakes Assessment: class B, a depth figure measured and published by an agency, without a bottom map.
