HomeFloridaPolk County

Reedy Lake

Polk County, Florida Natural Lake Connected Water
3,506.9 acres18 ft deep1 rampFree ramp available
DOH-Polk issued a blue-green algae caution for Reedy Lake at the Frostproof City Pier on June 27, 2025 (bloom observed June 26): do not drink, swim, wade, or use personal watercraft in visibly affected water. No rescission has been published — check DEP's algal-bloom dashboard for current status. — check the current advisory source for updates.
The Polk Water Atlas also flags a standing (2021) fish-consumption advisory for the lake — check the current DOH guide before keeping fish. — check the current advisory source for updates.
Reedy Lake Access Map 1 ramp
Depth Map → Click markers for details
Boat Ramps on Reedy Lake
Lake Reedy Public Boat Ramp
Polk County · Concrete ramp, 1 lane, 16 trailer spots
Open Motorboat Kayak Free
View ramp details →
Good to Know
Bait & Tackle
Frostproof's shops in town.
Fish Species
Largemouth Bass Black Crappie Bluegill Redear Sunfish Channel Catfish
Connected Waterways

Reedy Lake fills 3,500 acres against the east side of Frostproof, the Ridge citrus town that kept its name and its pace — with Lake Clinch across town to the west (where Crooked Lake's historic high-water outfall arrives) and the Frostproof chain of quiet waters all around. The county's Lake Reedy Boulevard ramp anchors the public shoreline on the northwest corner.

Seasonal Conditions

Standard-issue in the best way: bass on the reed lines and vegetation edges that named the lake, shiner mornings for the heavy ones, crappie over the open water in winter, bream through the warm months — a working small-town fishery under working small-town pressure. Open Polk water; wind rules the afternoons.

Local Watercraft Rules

Plain English Summary

Largemouth bassStatewide regulations apply: five black bass daily, only one 16 inches or longer.
Residential marginsFrostproof's docks line stretches of shoreline — wake courtesy near town, open throttle in the middle.
Full legal textOfficial boating regulations →
Frequently Asked Questions
What's the boat ramp like on Reedy Lake?
Quietly one of south Polk's best public facilities: a concrete lane with a staging dock, sixteen trailer spots, flush restrooms — rare at a county single-lane — free, 5 AM to 10 PM, on North Lake Reedy Boulevard. Frostproof takes care of its lake, and it shows at the water's edge.
What's nearby if I want to make a day of it?
The Frostproof cluster: Lake Clinch across town, Lake Buffum's brand-new county ramp fifteen minutes west, and Crooked Lake's public access ten minutes north at Keen Park Road — three distinct waters inside a short drive, with the town's cafés between them. South Polk quietly assembled a lake-hopping circuit and never advertised it.
Can you swim in Reedy Lake?
There are no permitted public swimming areas on the lake, and DOH-Polk issued a blue-green algae caution at the Frostproof City Pier in June 2025 — the standing advice during blooms: do not drink, swim, wade, or run personal watercraft through visibly scummy water. Boating and fishing carry on; check DEP's bloom dashboard if the water looks green.
Is it Reedy Lake or Lake Reedy?
Both, depending on who's printing the sign: the county and the state ramp inventory say 'Lake Reedy,' USGS and most maps say 'Reedy Lake.' Same water — Frostproof's front yard, with the city pier on the north shore and the county ramp on North Lake Reedy Boulevard. Don't confuse it with Orange County's Reedy Lake near Disney, any of Florida's several Reedy Creeks, or this lake's own outlet, Reedy Creek east of Frostproof.
Scout's Notes
Lake Vibe & Fishing Intel

Reedy Lake is Frostproof's front yard: 3,500 acres against the little Ridge citrus town whose name promised frost-free groves right up until the Great Freeze of 1895, with the reed lines that named the water and a shoreline pace set somewhere in the mid-twentieth century. It doesn't make lists and doesn't need to — the fishing runs classic: bass along the reeds and vegetation edges, shiners for the spring heavyweights, winter crappie over open water, bream all summer, and pressure that stays light.

The ramp outclasses lakes twice as famous: one county lane with a staging dock, sixteen trailer spots, and flush restrooms — free, 5 a.m. to 10 p.m., on North Lake Reedy Boulevard. It also anchors a quiet lake-hopping circuit: Lake Buffum's new ramp fifteen minutes west, Crooked Lake's public access ten minutes north, Lake Clinch across town. Launch early, work the reed edges before the afternoon wind claims the open middle, and get lunch in town between lakes.

Sources: FWC boat-ramp inventory (PO00099FN), Polk County, town of Frostproof context