Lake Walk-in-the-Water also known as Lake Weohyakapka, is a 7,528 acre natural lake located roughly 10 miles east of Lake Wales, Florida. Lake Walk-In-Water is in Polk County and nationally known for largemouth bass and its great fishing. Don’t be surprised if you have not heard of this lake, you will start hearing more about Lake Weohyakapka (A.K.A. Lake Walk-In-Water), Polk County’s largest body of water and “best kept fishing secret”. While conversation amongst anglers frequently center on lakes like Okeechobee, Kissimmee, Toho and the Everglades, Lake Walk-In-Water has quietly and consistently turns fantastic catches of largemouth bass. Please contact Bass Fishing Central Florida Guide Services for freshwater adventure.
The Lakes vegetation is cattail, bulrush (buggy whips), Kissimmee grass, and hydrilla. Tiger Creek flows in from the southwest and Weohyakapka Creek flows from the north end of the lake. Maximum depth is 12 feet. Nationally known for trophy largemouth bass fishing, Lake Walk-in-Water provides both large numbers and trophy size bass fishing. Drifting live shiners over offshore hydrilla is the most consistent technique, but many bass are caught on artificial as well, particularly topwater lures. There is a county boat ramp on the west shore at the end of Boat Landing Road.
It’s not unusual for Florida’s Game & Fresh Water Fish Commission (FWC) staff to receive reports of individual anglers landing and releasing anywhere from 15 to 30 fish per day, even during the hot, humid months of summer when bass commonly sulk in deeper waters while attempting to stay cool.
On a clear day when the surface is smooth, a person can clearly see the lake’s bottom structure, even without polarized sunglasses. Spring fed, Lake Walk-In-Water receives few pollutants from urbanized or agricultural runoffs because of a scarcity of housing developments and an absence of husbandry operations along its shores. Vegetation consists of 15 to 20 percent emergent or submerged hydrilla of Aquatic Plant Management, plus numerous stands of beneficial bulrush, shrimp and eel grass.
Feeding into the Kissimmee chain via Weohyakapka Creek and Lake Rosalie, Walk-In-Water’s major feeder stream is Tiger Creek located at the lake’s southeast corner. Flippers relish the dense, offshore, isolated reed patches, while those working hydrilla beds near the lake’s center often enjoy spectacular success with buzzbaits, topwater plugs, spinnerbaits, lipped diving lures and four to six-inch plastic worms rigged Texas or Carolina style.
Lake Walk-In-Water certainly has its share of 10-pound and above bass. However, most bass caught will vary from two to four pounds, with a liberal number of five to seven pounders mixed in for good measure. A particularly pleasing bonus for those fishing here is the impressive number and size of chain pickerel. One Florida writer who recently fished Lake Walk-In-Water with a pair of tournament competitors said his trio “accumulated more chain pickerel in one day than I’ve ever seen.”
Others pluses include copious and healthy black crappie, bluegill, shellcracker and catfish. The roster of forage
