Gone Fishing: The Very Best, Most Magical Disney Day Ever

There’s no such thing as a bad day of fishing on Bay Lake. It all started out as a simple bucket list item for our Fort Wilderness trip during the 2020 pandemic. And it wrapped up with 40 fish, 187 pictures, one very happy family, and a river of memories.

This, my friends, was the Fishing Excursion that leaves from Disney’s Fort Wilderness. Not the picturesque freebie fishing from the Meadows dock. Or the Huckleberrry Finn-style fun in the canals behind Loop 300. This was fishing like we’ve never experienced before.

If you don’t believe me, just ask my favorite angler (aka Captain Bacon). He’s been on 2-week salmon fishing trips in Alaska. Returned from Kentucky’s famed Cumberland River with enough rainbow trout to last for six months. And knows the best nooks and crannies for scoring the “terrific trio” in the Gulf of Mexico. But Bay Lake was pure pirate’s gold for bass.

How we got hooked on this excursion

Bay Lake Fishing — All three kids said this was even better than a day at the Magic Kingdom.

Never mind that it was a hot day in Orlando. Our captain met us right on time at the Fort Wilderness marina and within a few minutes we were already catching fish. One after another. We didn’t stay in one spot for very long, and there was plenty of shade on the pontoon boat.

The guides are magically friendly and pros at knowing exactly where to go, what to say, and how to get you to want to practically beg to come back. We started in the tall grass areas near Clementine’s Beach and proceeded to a few other quiet spots on Bay Lake.

Fort Fishing Polynesian — Part of the excursion took us over to Seven Seas Lagoon and the Polynesian. The fish weren’t as large there, but the scenery was grand.

During the second hour, we made our way over to Seven Seas Lagoon and the Polynesian and Grand Floridian. This made for lots of scenic picture taking and oohs and aahs from other vacationers observing from the docks. Our guide gave us lots of Kodak moment tips, such as how to hold the fish and the best way to turn for lighting. The only challenge is that we were catching so many fish that it was difficult to keep up with picture-taking.

Fort Wilderness fishing guide — You don’t have to get your hands dirty if you don’t want to. Guides will do as much or as little as you wish.

Don’t want to bait your hook or take off the fish? No problem. Your guide will do it all if you want. But this is catch-and-release.

this is one bass-kicking bargain

fishing seven seas lagoon — The relaxation of fishing on Seven Seas Lagoon is quite a contrast to the bustle of the Magic Kingdom in the background.

Our party of five included three children, ages 8, 11 and 16. It was one of those days that they will likely remember their entire lives and was far less expensive than a day at one of the parks. At the time we went, it was $270 for a two-hour morning adventure. That comes down to less than $60 per person. And by the way, two hours was perfect – although he did keep us out a bit longer.

There are also four-hour trips available, and the two-hour excursion in the afternoon is usually discounted as mornings are far more popular.

Bait (minnows and more), rods, reels, life vests and sodas/waters are provided.

the magic of bay lake

Big fish Bay Lake — Size matters at Bay Lake.

For many of you, this will be the most fish you will ever catch in one outing. Additionally, many experienced fishermen have had their largest Bass catch of all time. It’s not unusual to catch a 5-pound bass in the 578-acre lakes, and the average catch is around 2.5 pounds.

Bay Lake/Seven Seas is a controlled paradise, with no drainage in or out. In the early days of Disney, more than 70,000 bass fingerlings were released into the lake, and decades go by without the need for any restocking.

In addition to largemouth bass, there is also an abundance of other fish, including catfish, bluegill, black crappie and redear sunfish.

save your spot

If there’s any imperfection in all of this, it’s the difficulty of making reservations. You can currently make reservations 60 days in advance by calling 1-407-939-2277. Prepare to be on hold for quite some time, although it’s helpful to call early in the morning. Also, many people find it faster to make the reservation through the chat feature at the MyDisneyExperience website.