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Peace River

Charlotte County, Florida. Peace River midpoint in Ona, Florida. Peace River ends in Port Charlotte, Florida. 108.99 miles long (175.40 kilometers) 29827365.91 miles (48002507.21 sq kilometers)

About The Peace River

Peace River is a River located in Charlotte County, FL. Starting in Bartow, FL the Peace River flows 115 miles through Ona, FL before ending in Port Charlotte, FL. Find maps, fishing guides, weather and recreation information at Guidesly.


About Peace River, FL

The Peace River is a 106-mile river located in the southwestern part of the Florida peninsula and has a drainage basin of 1,367 square miles. It starts at the convergence of Saddle Creek and Peace Creek northeast of Polk County in Bartow and runs through Fort Meade, Hardee County to Arcadia in DeSoto County and eventually southwest into the Charlotte Harbor estuary at Punta Gorda in Charlotte County. The cities of Wauchula and Zolfo Springs and U.S. Highway 17 also runs along the river. 

On 16th century Spanish charts, the river was called Rio de la Paz meaning River of Peace. Later maps show that the river was labeled as Peas Creek or Pease Creek. Muscogee and Seminole Indians call the river Talakchopcohatchee, which means River of Long Peas. The river’s fresh water is crucial in maintaining the feeble salinity of Charlotte Harbor which is the home of several endangered species as well as commercial and recreational harvests of shrimp, crab, and fish. The Peace River is also a popular destination for canoeing and is famous for fossil hunting as many Pleistocene and Miocene fossils, as well as phosphate deposits, are found here, especially in an area in its northern watershed called Bone Valley.

Peace River Fishing Description

All About Fishing in Peace River, FL

The Peace River’s swamp area offers excellent fishing as it has a mixture of freshwater and saltwater. The most common targets throughout the river are largemouth bass, bluegill (bream) and catfish. Snook, spotted sunfish, tarpon, tilapia, stingrays, redfin pike, chain pickerel (jacks), carp and panfish can also be found in the river’s freshwater swamp area while redfish, gar, flounder, sea trout, mullet and bull sharks can be caught in its brackish waters. Specks along with some of the other listed species can be caught through inshore fishing as they abound at the mouth of the river. 

Anglers fishing inshore find it best to apply fly fishing, with most of the fish swimming through the river’s channels and canals. Popping is a popular way to fish for reds, bass and trout while catching carp, gar, tilapia, stingrays, and mullet can be done with bowfishing. Additionally, one can still have a good chance of catching fish by using live baits, jigs or spinners. Canoes are a popular way to move through the river and one can find several nearby charter services. During low water levels, it’s best to find fish where there are pools, snags and deep holes. The lower part of the river and its mouth are the most popular spots to fish. Chumming for sharks is allowed from a boat but not if one is chumming from the beach.

Peace River Seasonal & Other Description

Fishing Seasonality

Fishing for bass, bluegill, tarpon, carp, gar and catfish are best done during the spring and summer months, with the period beginning in March and possibly extending until fall for some species. Snook, redfish and sea trout can be caught from June to October with a catch and release period due to state regulations. Tilapia can be caught all-year round while sunfish are best targeted in the winter. September is the peak month for redfish while species of jack and pickerel have no closed season. Anglers wanting to fish for flounder can do so from October to November while mullets are generally better caught in September and October. Bull sharks are commonly caught from January to mid-April. Anglers are advised to check local fishing regulations and daily catch and bag limits for specific species. It’s also recommended to check the river’s weather and water conditions.

Temperature and Optimal Seasons

Fishing Seasonality

Fishing for bass, bluegill, tarpon, carp, gar and catfish are best done during the spring and summer months, with the period beginning in March and possibly extending until fall for some species. Snook, redfish and sea trout can be caught from June to October with a catch and release period due to state regulations. Tilapia can be caught all-year round while sunfish are best targeted in the winter. September is the peak month for redfish while species of jack and pickerel have no closed season. Anglers wanting to fish for flounder can do so from October to November while mullets are generally better caught in September and October. Bull sharks are commonly caught from January to mid-April. Anglers are advised to check local fishing regulations and daily catch and bag limits for specific species. It’s also recommended to check the river’s weather and water conditions.

Peace River Fish Species

All About Fishing in Peace River, FL

The Peace River’s swamp area offers excellent fishing as it has a mixture of freshwater and saltwater. The most common targets throughout the river are largemouth bass, bluegill (bream) and catfish. Snook, spotted sunfish, tarpon, tilapia, stingrays, redfin pike, chain pickerel (jacks), carp and panfish can also be found in the river’s freshwater swamp area while redfish, gar, flounder, sea trout, mullet and bull sharks can be caught in its brackish waters. Specks along with some of the other listed species can be caught through inshore fishing as they abound at the mouth of the river. 

Anglers fishing inshore find it best to apply fly fishing, with most of the fish swimming through the river’s channels and canals. Popping is a popular way to fish for reds, bass and trout while catching carp, gar, tilapia, stingrays, and mullet can be done with bowfishing. Additionally, one can still have a good chance of catching fish by using live baits, jigs or spinners. Canoes are a popular way to move through the river and one can find several nearby charter services. During low water levels, it’s best to find fish where there are pools, snags and deep holes. The lower part of the river and its mouth are the most popular spots to fish. Chumming for sharks is allowed from a boat but not if one is chumming from the beach.