About Wingate Creek, FL

Wingate Creek is a 7.4-mile stream located in Manatee County in Florida, United States, approximately 25 miles east of Bradenton. The name “Wingate” originated from the Wingate family, who settled in the area in the 1890s. At some point, Wingate Creek was referred to as Beker B, acquired together with South Fork by a mining enterprise called Beker Properties in 1988. However, no one ever mined its lands except for some portion on its north. To date, Wingate Creek constitutes about 614 total acres of land, accessible through State Road 64. And it consists of bottomland forest wetlands, mesic flatwood, bayhead, and scrubby flatwood.

The Lake Manatee State Park, also owned by the Beker Properties, operates the Wingate Creek State Park, where residents and visitors enjoy fishing, camping, hiking, biking, and wildlife viewing. Wingate Creek intersects with Johnson Creek at the park, forming a tributary to the upper Myakka River.

All About Fishing in Wingate Creek, FL

A typical day of fishing at Wingate Creek could give you largemouth bass, crevalle jack, sheepshead seabream, flagfish, snook, channel catfish, and bluegill. For wildlife viewing adventure, some of the animals you may encounter include white-tailed deer, gray fox, wild turkey, gopher tortoise, great-horned owl, Sherman’s fox squirrel, bobcat, eastern coachwhip, woodpecker, and red-tailed hawk. These animal species thrive at Wingate Creek because of the natural communities in the area, such as scrublands, bottomland forests, blackwater streams, and depression marsh. Some Wingate Creek plants supported by its ecosystem include ferns, pines, grasses, orchids, maples, vines, berries, palms, sunflowers, oaks, and wildflowers.

Largemouth bass fishing is popular in Wingate Creek, successfully executed through the light tackle and tiny lures, such as minnow imitations, spinnerbaits, and plastic worms. Fly fishing anglers may use medium-sized popping bugs and streamers for an excellent bass fishing experience. To catch bluegills in Wingate Creek, master the fly-fishing technique using a popping bug on a 4-weight rod and a 7-foot leader. Wet flies and nymphs work with bluegills, as well. Seasoned anglers also recommend small jigs, live worms, tiny spinners, and beetle spins for bluegills fishing. And you may most likely find them nearby vegetation or structure and around fish feeders. Beef livers and stink baits are effective lures for channel catfish. Remember that anglers rarely catch channel catfish on baits. So, trap them directly from the bottom of the water. You may also practice drifting in Wingate Creek for efficient fishing. The trick is to cast slowly and not too aggressively. You may want to use a powerboat for drifting instead of trolling. The use of boats will make your fishing adventure easier, plus you can cover more water. 

Fishing Seasonality

The winter season is the best time to catch largemouth bass and snook in Wingate Creek and its neighboring water bodies, including Myakka River and Manatee River. Snook proceeds to creeks, rivers, and canals during winter as part of their unique seasonal migration. They cannot tolerate water temperature below 55 degrees for a prolonged period. So, they travel into creeks like Wingate Creek to survive the harsh Florida winter. Snook mostly spend their summer and spring at nearshore bays and inlets and spawn in open water. The cold temperature allows them to avoid extreme conditions in flats. If you get lucky, you may catch up to 44 pounds of snook in the upper Myakka River and Manatee River.

Fishing Seasonality

The winter season is the best time to catch largemouth bass and snook in Wingate Creek and its neighboring water bodies, including Myakka River and Manatee River. Snook proceeds to creeks, rivers, and canals during winter as part of their unique seasonal migration. They cannot tolerate water temperature below 55 degrees for a prolonged period. So, they travel into creeks like Wingate Creek to survive the harsh Florida winter. Snook mostly spend their summer and spring at nearshore bays and inlets and spawn in open water. The cold temperature allows them to avoid extreme conditions in flats. If you get lucky, you may catch up to 44 pounds of snook in the upper Myakka River and Manatee River.

All About Fishing in Wingate Creek, FL

A typical day of fishing at Wingate Creek could give you largemouth bass, crevalle jack, sheepshead seabream, flagfish, snook, channel catfish, and bluegill. For wildlife viewing adventure, some of the animals you may encounter include white-tailed deer, gray fox, wild turkey, gopher tortoise, great-horned owl, Sherman’s fox squirrel, bobcat, eastern coachwhip, woodpecker, and red-tailed hawk. These animal species thrive at Wingate Creek because of the natural communities in the area, such as scrublands, bottomland forests, blackwater streams, and depression marsh. Some Wingate Creek plants supported by its ecosystem include ferns, pines, grasses, orchids, maples, vines, berries, palms, sunflowers, oaks, and wildflowers.

Largemouth bass fishing is popular in Wingate Creek, successfully executed through the light tackle and tiny lures, such as minnow imitations, spinnerbaits, and plastic worms. Fly fishing anglers may use medium-sized popping bugs and streamers for an excellent bass fishing experience. To catch bluegills in Wingate Creek, master the fly-fishing technique using a popping bug on a 4-weight rod and a 7-foot leader. Wet flies and nymphs work with bluegills, as well. Seasoned anglers also recommend small jigs, live worms, tiny spinners, and beetle spins for bluegills fishing. And you may most likely find them nearby vegetation or structure and around fish feeders. Beef livers and stink baits are effective lures for channel catfish. Remember that anglers rarely catch channel catfish on baits. So, trap them directly from the bottom of the water. You may also practice drifting in Wingate Creek for efficient fishing. The trick is to cast slowly and not too aggressively. You may want to use a powerboat for drifting instead of trolling. The use of boats will make your fishing adventure easier, plus you can cover more water.