Fishing Turkey Lake: One of Florida's Fab Five Bass Lakes in MetroWest
The deed-restricted lake hiding in plain sight — and why anglers from across Central Florida still find a way to fish it
Turkey Lake is a freshwater lake in southwest Orlando designated by the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission as one of the Fab Five lakes in its Fish Orlando program, alongside Starke Lake, Lake Underhill, Lake Ivanhoe, and Clear Lake. Due to private deed restrictions, there is no public boat ramp; the only legal watercraft access is renting one of four Bass Tracker Grizzly boats at Bill Frederick Park at 3401 South Hiawassee Road, MetroWest, for $32 per morning. Boat rentals run Thursday through Sunday, 7 a.m. to 11 a.m. Turkey Lake is managed catch-and-release for largemouth bass, with five fishing piers (one fixed, four floating) available during park hours, and gasoline motors are prohibited.
Here's something most people moving to Orlando don't realize: the freshwater bass fishing here is genuinely world-class. The greater Orlando area sits on more than 60,000 acres of freshwater, and five of those lakes — the Fab Five, designated by the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission — are managed to give urban anglers a shot at quality fish without driving an hour out of town.
One is in our backyard. Turkey Lake sits along the southwestern edge of MetroWest, with the only public access through Bill Frederick Park off Hiawassee Road. And here's the twist: this is the one Fab Five lake you can't just back a trailer down at. The reason involves a quirky bit of Orange County land history.
What Makes the Fab Five "Fab"?
The Fab Five program launched in 1998 as an FWC partnership with several Central Florida cities to turn urban lakes into managed bass fisheries. The five — Turkey, Starke, Underhill, Ivanhoe, and Clear — each get stocked baitfish, planted vegetation, marked fish attractors, and special regulations that prioritize quality over quantity. Turkey Lake is the only one without a public boat ramp, and that scarcity is exactly what keeps the fishing pressure low.
The Deed Restriction Story
So why can't you just launch your own bass boat here? The parcels around Turkey Lake carry deed restrictions that prohibit public boat access from private shoreline. Bill Frederick Park, which opened in 1978 on land that once held more than 2,000 orange trees, sits on one of the only stretches of shoreline the public can legally reach.
To solve the boat problem, the FWC partnered with the City of Orlando and Bass Pro Shops on a rental program. Four Bass Tracker Grizzly boats — each rigged with a trolling motor, livewell, anchor, depth finder, and park radio — are loaned out from the park concession. Four boats on the entire lake at any given time.
How to Actually Fish Turkey Lake
The Boat Rental Program
Rentals run Thursday through Sunday from 7 a.m. to 11 a.m. at $32 per morning per boat. You need to be 21 with a valid driver's license, three people maximum per boat. Reservations are essentially required — regulars recommend calling about a month ahead, especially in spring spawn season. Park concession: 407-246-4486. Park entry is $5 per car, or $75 for a Family Annual Pass. A Florida freshwater fishing license is required for anglers 16 and older.
Bank Fishing the Piers
If the boats are booked, the park has five fishing piers — one fixed, four floating. The fixed pier has fish feeders, lights, and a fish cleaning station. Shoreline fishing is open anytime the park is, and campers can fish around the clock. For families easing into Florida freshwater fishing, the piers are the best starting point.
The Rules That Matter
Turkey Lake is catch-and-release for largemouth bass. Panfish bag limit is 20, channel catfish 6. Gasoline motors are prohibited except for sanctioned events. Cast nets are not allowed.
What's Biting and How
Largemouth bass are the headline species, with bluegill, redear sunfish, crappie, gar, and channel catfish rounding out the catch. According to FWC forecasts, productive techniques shift seasonally. During the winter and early-spring spawn, fish the deeper lily pads, grassy bottlenecks, and main lake points with lipless crankbaits, Carolina-rigged plastics, Texas-rigged worms, and soft jerkbaits. When water temperatures climb past 80°F, fish move tighter to emergent grass — a Zara Spook worked over the marked FWC fish attractors is a local favorite.
The lake produces solid numbers of 2-5 pound bass, with double-digit fish caught every year.
Why MetroWest Anglers Have a Real Advantage
If you live in MetroWest or along the Hiawassee, Conroy, or Kirkman corridors, Turkey Lake is essentially a neighborhood amenity. Many Dr. Phillips residents in subdivisions along Turkey Lake Road are within five minutes of the park, and nearby Windermere and Gotha aren't much further. Ocoee anglers heading down Hiawassee can reach the boat launch in under 20 minutes.
For wildlife beyond bass, our blog on birdwatching at Big Sand Lake and Turkey Lake covers the herons, egrets, and raptors worth visiting for on slow fishing days.
The Honest Pros and Cons
The Pros
- Genuinely low pressure — never more than four rental boats plus a handful of pier anglers on the water
- $32 for a fully rigged Bass Tracker is among the best deals in Florida freshwater fishing
- Catch-and-release management keeps the bass population healthy
- Bill Frederick Park is a 183-acre recreation hub with disc golf, RV camping, and a swimming pool
- Quick MetroWest, Dr. Phillips, Windermere, and Ocoee access via Hiawassee and Conroy
The Cons
- No private boat launch — if you own a bass boat, you can't use it here
- Limited rental window (Thursday-Sunday, 7-11 a.m.) means you have to plan ahead
- Reservations book up fast in spawn season
- No gas motors limits how quickly you can move between spots
- Catch-and-release for bass — if you wanted dinner, this isn't your lake
Getting There from Around the Metro
Bill Frederick Park sits at 3401 South Hiawassee Road, 32835. Approximate drive times:
- Central MetroWest — 5-10 minutes
- Downtown Orlando — 15-20 minutes via the 408
- Universal Orlando — 10 minutes via Kirkman
- Dr. Phillips — 10-15 minutes via Conroy or Turkey Lake Road
- Windermere — 15-20 minutes
- Walt Disney World — 20-25 minutes via the Turnpike or I-4
The entrance is on Hiawassee just south of Conroy, with the boat concession signed once you're inside. For more on getting around southwest Orlando, our guide on Interstate 4 covers the highway most regional trips eventually involve.
How Turkey Lake Stacks Up Against the Other Fab Five
For perspective: Starke Lake in Ocoee covers 225 acres with a public boat ramp — biologists call it a "bass factory." Lake Underhill (147 acres) and Lake Ivanhoe (125 acres) sit in the urban core. Clear Lake covers 339 acres and is the only Fab Five lake stocked with hybrid striped bass. Turkey Lake is the quiet one — no tournament boats, no jet skis, closer to a private club experience at public-lake prices.
What the Locals Know
If you're house-hunting in MetroWest, Dr. Phillips, or anywhere along the southwest Orlando corridor and you've wanted to learn freshwater bass fishing, Turkey Lake is the easiest on-ramp in Central Florida. The combination of low pressure, cheap rentals, and managed quality is genuinely rare.
The advice that comes up from regulars: book your boat early, be on the water at 7 a.m. sharp, bring more soft plastics than you think you need. The rental window closes hard at 11.
For current rental hours, reservations, and park information, visit Bill Frederick Park at Turkey Lake. For Fab Five regulations and the latest from the Fish Orlando program, see the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission.
Thinking about a southwest Orlando neighborhood with quick access to Turkey Lake and the rest of the Fab Five? Browse our MetroWest and Dr. Phillips listings, or contact us for a personalized look at homes near the parks and lakes that make this corner of Orlando worth choosing. 🎣
