| Florida Fishing
Reports
Lake Blue
Cypress Florida Fishing
Lake Blue Cypress
has a strong bass bite. Anglers using Senkos for the
most part and catching a BUNCH of bass, Bluegill are
hitting crickets. Most all the action is near
wood which is downed trees for the most part, but also
around the standing cypress trees. Indian County River Florida Fishing
Clearwater
Florida Fishing
Trout are still
the mainstays on the flats and around the spoil islands.
Warmer weather should bring the snook out to play.
Redfish are eating and whitebait is available, but
shrimp is still a good bait to use.
Crescent Lake
Florida
Fishing
Crescent Lake
has been strong for bass fishing. Fishing guides are
throwing topwater lures early and late, but you had
better have shiners the remainder of the day.
Docks in deeper waters along the
western shore of the lake are the best bet for
largemouth bass anglers using either artificial baits or
live shiners. Numerous deadfalls scattered on the
eastern shore often hold bass. Try the deeper edges of
the bulrush and grass patches along the west shore of
the lake. Cooler temperatures bring out the black
crappie (speckled perch). Anglers should have good luck
drifting or trolling minnows or crappie jigs,
particularly in the southern end of the lake. Flagler
County Florida Fishing
Florida
Waterfront Homes
Deerpoint Lake
Florida Fishing
Try fishing in early morning or late afternoon along the
weedlines of the old creek channels in Bear, Econfina,
and Cedar Creeks and along the south side of Bayou
George. Try fishing for bass with dark-colored
artificial worms, live shiners, and weedless lures. Bay
County Florida Fishing
Everglades Fishing
Erratic fishing
for peacock bass. Despite rising water levels in
Everglades canals, lots of largemouth bass were still
biting lures fished tight to the lily pads lining the
canals.
Florida
Everglades Fishing
Lake Harney
Florida Fishing
Try Lake Harney
for crappie, bluegills and bass. Crappie are holding in
deeper waters and will hit jigs and minnows. Bluegills
and other panfish are near lily pads in 2-to-4 feet of
water. The normal baits will produce steady action. Bass
are in grassy waters and near most cover. Use trick
worms, spinnerbaits or prop baits.
Harris Chain of
Lakes Fishing
Try Lake Harris
and Lake Eustis for bedding bass.
Beds can be found in shallow waters. Shiners and soft
plastics both will produce strikes. Please release these
fish close to their beds as quickly as possible.
Double-digit fish are possible. Bluegills and
shellcrackers can be found near docks, creeks and lily
pads. Use crickets and redworms.
Lake
County Florida Fishing
Florida
Lodging
Indian River
Florida Fishing
The Indian
River from Titusville to Scottsmoor
has been good for big trout. Fish near sand holes at
midday with soft plastic jerkbaits, shrimp and shrimp
imitation lures. A few redfish will be in the mix as
well. You can also find big schools of black drum and
slot-sized redfish.
Florida
Bass Fishing
Lake Monroe
Florida Fishing
Fish Lake Monroe
near reeds and in shallow waters for bass. Topwater lures,
buzzbaits and spinnerbaits are all effective.
Florida Bay/10,000
Islands Fishing
Mangrove
snapper have been biting in the bay. Lots of shots at
tarpon in rivers, creeks and bays in the backcountry.
Florida Keys
Fishing
Steady catches
of yellowtail snappers during the day trips, along with
black groupers and mutton snappers. At night, the
mangrove snapper season has started.
Florida
Keys Fishing
Florida Gold Coast
Fishing
Kingfish 5-8
pounds were biting in 120-160 feet from Pompano Pier to
Anglin's Pier and a few cobia, which have been cruising
the beaches, were caught. Lots of kingfish were biting
in 90-120 feet off Delray Beach and Boynton Beach, along
with a few sailfish and dolphin.
Lake Kissimmee Fishing
Running-water
pattern at mouth of river into lake drawing a bunch of
boats. Fishermen casting lipless crankbaits and Model 7A
and 8A Bomber firetiger crankbaits, which have been
working better than Carolina rigs or plastic worms. An
occasional big bite flipping outside grass lines for
those covering a lot of shoreline. And topwater bite
before sunup, with Horny Toads good option. Specks
biting around brush piles in North Cove on
red/chartreuse and chartreuse/white 1/32-ounce jigs,
with some 2 pounds. Also specks on outside edge of
Grassy Island near No. 8 marker. Good catches of
bluegill with some shellcracker mixed in at Brahma
Island, with frequent limits in lily pads. Bluegill also
good around pads at Gobbler Ridge. Big blue catfish, a
few over 20 pounds, biting south of bridge toward lake
in river channel drifting large red worms and cut bait
over drop-offs, letting baits roll down current.
Florida
Lodging
Lake Istokpoga
Florida Fishing
Specks are us,
day and night, and you can plan to stay awhile. Bass
action has been fair with the cooler weather. Fishing
that worm slower will enhance your catch. Shiners will
be the bait to use after the cold front this weekend.
Troll with jigs for specks and you can still catch a few
shellcracker. Bass catches are pretty good and are
getting better. This lake normally produces fish 6 to 8
pounds.
Lake Lochloosa
Florida Fishing
Catches of quality largemouth bass have been steady, and
bass anglers should have success in the knotgrass
patches on the south and west shores of the lake in the
months to come. Bluegill and redear sunfish can be
caught on crickets, grass shrimp and live minnows in the
pads at the northwest side of the lake, most of Little
Lochloosa and the south end of the lake. The knotgrass
patches on the east shore and around Burnt Island are
also worth a try. Alachua County Florida Fishing
Miami Dade
Fishing
Good kingfish
action during the morning and afternoon trips, along
with bonitos and mutton snappers. At night, the boats
are scoring on mangrove, mutton and yellowtail snappers
on the reef.
Mosquito Lagoon
Florida Fishing
No shortage of
slot-sized redfish at Mosquito Lagoon. Reds in 3
feet or less taking variety of jerkbaits or live shrimp.
Fresh chunks of mullet or ladyfish on circle hooks also
working well for reds and black drum along deeper
drop-offs near Haulover Canal. Large jacks up to
30 pounds crushing live shrimp, jerkbaits and topwater
plugs around jetties at Port Canaveral.
Lake Okeechobee
Florida Fishing
Bass fishing is
excellent, with anglers catching 25 to 50 fish per
outing. Best baits have been skinny dippers, spinner
baits, flutes, crank baits and 10-inch worms. The best
areas to fish have been the outside edges of the cover
because of low water levels in areas around Ritta
Island, South Bay, Observation Shoal and the north
shore.
Okeechobee County
Florida Fishing
Lake
Okeechobee Florida Fishing
Orange Lake
Florida Fishing
Catches of bluegill
and black crappie have been outstanding over the last
several months amongst the emergent vegetation and open
water, respectively. Largemouth bass anglers can
currently enjoy catches of 1 to 2-pound bass around the
majority of the lake shoreline, although catches of
larger fish have become more abundant. Spinnerbaits,
jerkworms and plastic worms will be the top baits.
Alachua County Florida Fishing
Orange
Lake Florida Fishing
Sarasota Florida
Fishing
Great trout
catches, with up to 30 fish taken in deep, fast-running
water at night. Snook fishing in Venice (Snook Alley)
has been hot.
Sebastian Inlet
Fishing
Oversized redfish
returned to inlet, taking live bait and crabs. Mangrove
snapper improving in inlet on mojarra around north jetty.
Also Spanish mackerel, sheepshead and black drum in inlet,
and bluefish at night. Plenty of snook, but few targeting
them with season closed. Trout and redfish on shallows in
river early on live bait and artificials.
Tampa Bay North Fishing
Good-sized
trout consistent on deeper flats. Mangrove snapper
around rocks at Courtney Campbell and Howard Frankland.
Lake Talquin
Florida Fishing
Try fishing live minnows or jigs
in 12 to 17 feet of water at the mouths of the creeks
and deeper water. Crankbaits or plastic
worms should work well. Striped bass fishing should
improve in the deeper waters of the reservoir,
especially close to the dam due to their movement out of
the thermal refugia. Try crankbaits and anything that
resembles a shad from Ocklawaha creek to the dam.
Gadsden County Florida Fishing
Lake
Talquin Florida Fishing
Lake Toho
Florida Fishing
Bass biting around
mouths of Shingle Creek and St. Cloud Canal on Carolina
rigs and crankbaits, around open-water hydrilla on
lipless crankbaits, 10-inch worms and wild shiners, and
along deeper grass lines with flipping sticks. Chance
for bigger bite early before sun comes up on topwater —
prop baits, Spooks and frogs — around shoreline cover
and hydrilla beds. Shiner guides releasing good numbers
up to 6-8 pounds, Bluegill in St. Cloud Canal and at
bridges on Shingle Creek.
Lake Tarpon Florida Fishing
Work those
artificial worms very, very slowly. Rat-L-Traps are
taking smaller bass. Live shiners are the best for bass.
Speckled perch are turned on.
Lake
Tarpon Florida Fishing
Lake Panasoffkee
Florida Fishing
Bluegill can
still be caught in one of the best bluegill lakes. Bass
action is still good; most are 2 to 4 pounds, with an
occasional larger one. Artificial lures and live bait
are working.
Lake George
Florida Fishing
You can catch
bass, bluegills and a few crappie in Lake George. Work
near any cover for bass. Try near lily pads and trees
for bluegills and work drop-offs for crappie. Putnam
County Florida Fishing
Lake
George Florida Fishing
Tsala Apopka Chain
of Lakes Fishing
Live golden shiners are always good in this system for
largemouth bass. Use crickets and worms on the bottom
for bluegill and redear sunfish. Water moving through
any canal (whether by wind or current) is a likely spot
for largemouth bass to congregate. However, until water
levels rise these canals can be very shallow and
difficult to navigate. Continue to target submerged
willow tree bases for these sanctuaries are known
holdouts for largemouths. Texas-rigged plastic worms
with no weight will allow anglers to flip baits within
the security of these shaded environs. Black crappie
fishing picks up this time of year and many successful
anglers dip hooked minnows close to lily pads. Citrus
County Florida Fishing
Tsala
Apopka Lake Florida Fishing
Lake Seminole
Florida
Fishing
Seminole is
currently producing some truly outsized bass for a lake
so far north. We're seeing a lot of 5- to 6-pound fish
on a regular basis. The lake has a huge shad population,
so there's lots of forage. Those shad play a key role
for fall anglers on this lake. So too, does hydrilla.
Though any deep hydrilla edge can hold fish, savvy
anglers often find them faster by concentrating on
irregularities along the edge. Bends in a creek channel,
points where one channel intersects with another, or the
sharp end of a drop from a shoreline flat can all pay
off. Bass actively feed on shad, but may not be chasing
them in open water. Often, the largemouths are ambushing
from the edge of the hydrilla. Frogs or white Trick
Worms have proven deadly when twitched over those edges.
Topwater plugs like the venerable Zara Spook or
virtually any of the "chugger" baits like the Rebel
Pop-R or Storm Chug Bug can be effective. Jackson
County Florida Fishing
Lake
Seminole Florida Fishing
Lake
Walk-In-Water Fishing
Rat-L-Traps and
diving crankbaits good search baits for bass.
St. Johns River
Fishing
Try the St.
Johns River near Lemon Bluff for bass. Fish near lily
pads with plastic worms, spinnerbaits and crankbaits.
Action has been very good following rain storms when you
can find any places with runouts. Bluegills, bream and
shellcrackers can be found near vegetation and turns in
the river. Use redworms, crickets, doughballs and small
spinnerbaits or popping lures. Catfish can be caught
near the banks on minnows and night crawlers.
St. Johns County Florida Fishing
Enjoy An Amazing Florida
Fishing Vacation In The Sunshine State Of
Florida!
Top
Florida Bass Fishing Hot Spots
1. Lake Tohopekaliga
Most anglers here target the larger
trophy bass. Anglers here use live golden shiners during
early spring. These shiners are fished inshore near to the
vegetation or topped-out hydrilla . Plastic baits such as
worms or crawfish pulled along grass edges, hydrilla, and
bulrush will also catch quality-sized bass. Spinners, soft
jerk baits and chugging baits can also prove very
productive.
2. Lake
George
Lake George is a beautiful natural lake
situated on the St. John s River. It has extensive
vegetation that provides an excellent habitat for bass.
Here at Bass Fishing Techniques we recommend wader fishing
in the eelgrass with plastic worms fished on the surface,
and other top water artificial lures prove very productive
time and time again. Fishing with live shiners is an
excellent method for catching yourself a trophy bass
during the spring spawning season.
3. Lake
Walk-In-Water
This lake is situated just south of
Orlando and to the east of Lake Wales. It is just south of
S.R. 60. This lake has an outstanding reputation for its
largemouth bass. 4 – 8 pound bass are common and bags of
25+ frequent. Anglers regularly report catching trophy
bass of over 10 pounds. There are some rules in place
here. There is a 15 - 24 inch slot limit and anglers are
allowed may keep 3 bass per day, which are either under or
over the protected slot range. Only one bass greater than
or equal to the 24 inch slot range is allowed.
4. Stick
Marsh Reservoir
Summer hurricanes in 2004 drastically
reduced the levels of hydrilla throughout this reservoir.
This affects the location of the bass and anglers should
keep this in mind when trying to pattern fish. Bass can be
located throughout this reservoir among a variety of
habitats including submerged canals and woody stump
fields. Plastic worms, spinners, crank baits, soft jerk
baits, and top water propeller baits are effective. Wild
golden shiners are the top choice for anglers looking to
catch that trophy bass.
5. Deer
Point Lake
Deer Point Lake is a popular largemouth
bass fishing destination in Florida s panhandle area near
Panama City. Plastic worms, spinners, crank baits, soft
jerk baits, and top water propeller baits are most
effective on this lake.
6.
Suwannee River
The Suwannee River is an excellent black
water stream that flows 213 miles in Florida from the
swamp-like region at the Georgia border to salt-marsh
tidal creeks at the Gulf of Mexico. This river has an
excellent reputation for its trophy largemouth bass.
7. Lake
Kissimmee
Lake Kissimmee is the largest of the 5
main lakes on the renowned Kissimmee River of central
Florida. Lake Kissimmee is famous for producing high
quality fishing. Many tournament anglers on Lake Kissimmee
are boasting winning weights of 18 to 20 pounds of bass.
The results of a survey indicated that bass anglers had an
excellent catch rate of 0.54 fish per hour during spring
2004.
8.
Rodman Reservoir
Rodman Reservoir, east of Gainesville
and south of Palatka, covers over 9,500 acres of prime
largemouth bass habitat. Since the reservoirs creation in
1968, Rodman Reservoir has been known for trophy
largemouth bass.
9. The
Everglades
The Everglades are situated in the south
Florida marshlands and they are intersected with over 200
miles of canals. Most anglers prefer to fish the canals
rather than the marsh. Anglers will often work canal edges
with plastic worms, soft jerk baits, and minnow
imitations. Flipping the vegetation is also a popular
technique and yields good results.
10. Lake
Tarpon
Anglers who frequent this lake are most
successful when flipping or pitching plastic worms along
canal and bulrush edges. Offshore bass fishing is very
productive for anglers who fish around ledges, humps,
coontail, and eelgrass beds. Popular lures to use offshore
include shad-imitating jigs, crank baits, jerk baits and
top water baits. Fishing with wild shiners and live shad
is also very effective.
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