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Published Thursday, February 2, 2006
Fishing: Around Polk County
1. Around Lakeland, Vince Strawbridge of Lakeland weighed a 10-pound bass at Big Fish Outfitters, caught on deep-diving crankbait in private pit. Bass up to 23 inches at Tenoroc, with lakes 2, 4 and 5 producing best, reports Brian Fleming. Bass perking up at Lake Gibson on extended warming trends between fronts, hitting plastic lizards (Zoom Smokin' Blue), craws and Horny Toads. At Saddle Creek Park, bass up to 3-6 pounds, and buck bass on beds, reports Lee Phillips. Speckled perch biting at County Road 540 bridge at Lake Hancock, said Phillips. Lake 5 at Tenoroc yielding nice-sized specks, along with lakes 4, 5 and B. Specks good at Lake Parker, reports Big Fish Outfitters, but Crago has tapered off.
2. At Auburndale, bass in shallows in area lakes like Ariana, Juliana, Alfred and north Winter Haven chain. Warm days before fronts best opportunity.
3. At Winter Haven, Chris Sheridan caught a 91/4-pound bass Sunday in a tournament on south chain, where bass in various stages of spawning process. Big females not bedding yet, but shallow inside grass lines on south chain and small lakes like Elbert and McLeod.
4. At Lake Hamilton, bass pre-spawning around shallow vegetation, fanning beds, with fish up to 6 pounds on shiners, reports Chain O'Lakes Bait and Tackle (863-439-3885) in Dundee. Speck fishermen catching 15-20 goodsized perch per trip close to grass lines in middle lake on jigs and minnows.
5. At Lake Marion near Haines City, Cliff Isaacs of Virginia reports bass up to 5 pounds Tuesday afternoon. Former Haines City resident flipping Charlie's black grape worm in 31/2-4 feet of water. Specks just fair, with one boat getting 17 up to 11/2 pounds from daylight to 9 a.m. next to grass on minnows, reports Ray Chase at Bannon's Camp. Jigs also producing, dipping them in grass, with yellow head/yellow body Hal Flys effective.
6. At Lake Pierce, speck fishermen catching up to 20 per trip per boat on minnows, and size is good, reports Jennings Camp.
7. At Lake Hatchineha, Jim Russell, who works at Port Hatchineha Restaurant and Marina, caught five bass 3-11 pounds on shiners last week during warming trend, and broke off on even bigger one, reports Tim Lawhorn at the Port. Speck fishermen filling limits when it's not too windy, trolling around submerged hydrilla in Gator Cove area with 1/12-ounce Hal Flys (red head/yellow or chartreuse body) and 1/32-ounce Super Jigs (chartreuse). Leo Cosce at Camp Lester suggests trying lily pads inside reeds in 4 feet of water on north shore (across from port).
8. At Lake Toho, bass up to 6-8 pounds caught in Saturday's BFL Gator Division tournament, topped by Troy Olivier's 8-pound, 14ouncer. Don Demott, the winner, was flipping Gambler's BB Cricket in Goblets Cove. 9-pounder came in Monday on shiner, reports Marc Detweiler at Big Toho Marina. Specks up to 1.81 pounds weighed at Crappie USA tournament Saturday, with one team using brown and chartreuse Triple Ripple jigs in 5-8 feet along edges of Southport Canal.
9. At Lake Kissimmee, big-bass parade still waiting to start, not many over 10 pounds yet. Tournament weights remain relatively low, with only one stringer over 20 pounds in four tournaments Saturday and Sunday. But a few fish 5-81/2 pounds flipping and pitching into and around matted Kissimmee grass. Jay Morgan of Auburndale flipped a Gambler Crawdaddy, black with blue pincers, in thickest grass he could find to take second in BFL tournament with 19 pounds, 11 ounces, but had only five bites. Ron Murchie at Middleton's Fish Camp reports 9-pounder on shiner Wednesday. Couple of 9-pounders on shiners at Camp Lester, reports Leo Cosce. Cosce said specks probably best bet for weekend, with consistent bite in grass. Couple from Vero Beach boated limit Wednesday morning fishing in grass with chartreuse Pop-Eye jigs and Super jigs, said Murchie. One boat brought in 38 large specks Wednesday, and released that many smaller ones, on minnows in grass at Grassy Island, said Cosce.
10. At Lake Walk-in-the-Water, bass not as active as one might think, but a few nice fish hitting shiners on days it's not too windy.
11. At Crooked Lake at Babson Park, 91/2-pound bass on shiner Saturday, reports Cindy at Bob's Landing. Afternoons producing better for bass as water warms up. Speck boat got 20 quality fish Tuesday night on minnows.
12. At Frostproof, bass on verge of spawning in local lakes like Arbuckle, Reedy and Buffum, holding in grass and best approached with flipping sticks.
13. In the phosphate pits south of Mulberry and Bartow, bass running up to 7 pounds, starting to bed on sand bars, in cattails and grass.
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