Lake Istokpoga
Encyclopedia
Lake Istokpoga is a 28000 acres (113.3 km²) freshwater lake
in Highlands County, Florida
. The oblong
-shaped lake is 5 miles (8 km) wide by 10 miles (16.1 km) long. Despite its area, it is very shallow, with an average depth of only 4 feet (1.2 m). Maximum depth is 10 feet (3 m). As a result, boaters must be cautious to not become stranded in muck near the shore line. Bass and Pontoon boats are the most commonly used watercraft, with some use of air boats. With such shallowness, this lake is extremely dangerous for boaters during windstorms, as the waves get quite high.
Boating and fishing are popular activities at this lake. There are at least half a dozen fish camps on Lake Istokpoga. Several of these fish camps book visitors for fishing trips and they also have cabins and hook up for campers, for overnight stays. The amenities on the lake are 5 public boat ramps and 2 public parks, one on the lake's north side and the other on the south east corner. Most of the shoreline is undeveloped and there are 2 islands, Big and Bumble Bee, in the lake's interior. Some residential properties and private boat docks and beaches dot areas on the shore.
Istokpoga is Seminole Indian for "our people died there" because a group of Seminole Indians attempted to cross the lake and were bogged in the mire and swallowed by whirlpools.
Lake
A lake is a body of relatively still fresh or salt water of considerable size, localized in a basin, that is surrounded by land. Lakes are inland and not part of the ocean and therefore are distinct from lagoons, and are larger and deeper than ponds. Lakes can be contrasted with rivers or streams,...
in Highlands County, Florida
Highlands County, Florida
Highlands County is a county located in the U.S. state of Florida. The U.S. Census Bureau 2006 estimate for the population was 97,346. Its county seat is Sebring, Florida. The county comprises the Sebring, Florida, Micropolitan Statistical Area.- History :...
. The oblong
Rectangle
In Euclidean plane geometry, a rectangle is any quadrilateral with four right angles. The term "oblong" is occasionally used to refer to a non-square rectangle...
-shaped lake is 5 miles (8 km) wide by 10 miles (16.1 km) long. Despite its area, it is very shallow, with an average depth of only 4 feet (1.2 m). Maximum depth is 10 feet (3 m). As a result, boaters must be cautious to not become stranded in muck near the shore line. Bass and Pontoon boats are the most commonly used watercraft, with some use of air boats. With such shallowness, this lake is extremely dangerous for boaters during windstorms, as the waves get quite high.
Boating and fishing are popular activities at this lake. There are at least half a dozen fish camps on Lake Istokpoga. Several of these fish camps book visitors for fishing trips and they also have cabins and hook up for campers, for overnight stays. The amenities on the lake are 5 public boat ramps and 2 public parks, one on the lake's north side and the other on the south east corner. Most of the shoreline is undeveloped and there are 2 islands, Big and Bumble Bee, in the lake's interior. Some residential properties and private boat docks and beaches dot areas on the shore.
Istokpoga is Seminole Indian for "our people died there" because a group of Seminole Indians attempted to cross the lake and were bogged in the mire and swallowed by whirlpools.