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Overview
Lake Istokpoga is Florida's fifth-largest lake at about 27,700 acres in Highlands County near Lake Placid and Sebring. It is a shallow Kissimmee Basin lake regulated by the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers Jacksonville District with the South Florida Water Management District for flood control and water supply. Primary inflows are Arbuckle Creek and Josephine Creek; outflow leaves through the Istokpoga Canal (C-41) toward the Kissimmee River and ultimately Lake Okeechobee.
Despite its size, Istokpoga averages only about 4 feet deep and reaches about 10 feet in the southwest corner, with roughly 42 miles of shoreline. Spatterdock, bulrush, cattail, Kissimmee grass, and two interior islands (Big and Bumble Bee) create extensive littoral structure across a broad, wind-exposed basin.
The lake is renowned for high catch rates of largemouth bass and strong black crappie (speck) fishing, with fisheries managed by the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission. Multiple public ramps and fish camps ring the lake, drawing tournament and recreational anglers from across Florida.
USACE operates Istokpoga under a seasonal regulation schedule commonly held near 37.5 to 39.5 feet above mean sea level (NGVD29). Because the lake is so shallow, small stage changes expose or flood large marsh areas and affect boat access, so monitoring current lake levels is especially important for safe navigation and fishing.
Lake Istokpoga is a 27,692-acre reservoir on the Arbuckle Creek and Josephine Creek managed by U.S. Army Corps of Engineers.