PHOTOS SUBMITTED BY JIM HOBART
Our “Neighborhood Watch” series features photos and tips provided by our readers. If you see something, say something, and send us an email at News@OrlandoShine.com so we can look into it and maybe even write a story like this one.
“Due to the drought, the water level in Lake Eola is really low, so you can see these perfectly round pits along the south side by the raised walkway. I believe they are the nests of some kind of fish? Normally the water is too deep/dark to really notice these. What do you think they’re from?”
– Jim Hobart
Hey, Jim. Thanks for writing in. These bowl shapes that you saw in Lake Eola are most definitely created by fish. Some fish, like largemouth bass, create these circular depressions, called “beds,” by fanning away debris and sediment with their tails in shallow water. The male clears a spot in the sand or substrate where the female will lay eggs, and then he guards the nest. Very butch.
Largemouth bass are common in Florida lakes and typically spawn from late winter through spring when water temperatures reach the low to mid-60s Fahrenheit. The nests are usually built in 1-6 feet of water near vegetation or some sort of structure, likely for added shade.
Other fish that create similar nests in Florida freshwater lakes include bluegill and other sunfish species, which also make circular spawning beds. Tilapia, an invasive species in Florida waters, also creates nests, though these tend to be smaller.
I ran the photos by my fishing buddy and local nature dude Dave McKinney, who confirmed the two below are tilapia (terribly invasive), and the main photo above is a bass.
