The Myakka River is a 72-mile long waterway that flows through Manatee, Sarasota, and Charlotte counties in Florida's mid-section. Beginning near the Hardee-Manatee county line, it flows southwest, then southeast through three counties before emptying into Charlotte Harbor, an arm of the Gulf of Mexico. The river has a drainage basin of about 315 square miles and is divided into three distinct sections - the Upper, Middle, and Lower Myakka. Designated as a Florida Wild and Scenic River, the Myakka offers some of Florida's most spectacular natural scenery as it flows through unspoiled prairies, hammocks, and wetlands. Despite being largely undeveloped, it provides excellent fishing opportunities with its diverse habitats supporting a wide variety of freshwater and saltwater fish species.