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Stick Marsh & Farm 13
Capt. George Welcome
November 19, 2003
Stick Marsh-Farm 13 - Freshwater Fishing Report
Submitted by George, Imagination Bassin Guide Services
Date Fished: 11/19/03
Water Temperature: 69
Water Clarity: 2-3 feet
Scott and I went out to do a bit of scouting on Monday. Water temperatures are dropping and we checked several locations around the lake. We found a consistent 69.4 degrees all around the lake including in the spillway area.
Our objective was to locate some of the gals that are approaching or in pre-spawn condition and success came after 2.5 hours of tracing known routes of transition. They are moving off the ditches and it won't be long before the fishing gets super hot. The south end is the place to be, plastics are the bait to use, and slow presentations are the tactics to use.
A frequent question is, "what type of bait should I use"? Some say live and some say artificial, so which would be the best? These questions are usually prompted because of the high cost of shiners, or the real desire to go with artificial.
The legitimate answer is that shiners have their time and place and artificials have theirs also. Our policy on this is simple: if weather dictates shiners we will recommend them, under all other conditions we will recommend artificial. Weather conditions that precipitate the shiner recommendation would be: High winds, and sudden cold weather. At no time will we tell you that you must use one bait or the other.
Another frequent question is, "what if I catch a big one", "how do I know how big it is and do I have to put it back"? If you get a big one while fishing with us, it will be weighed on a Boga Grip, measured, and photographed, and then released. We will not just measure the fish and then guesstimate its weight. Before the Boga Grip came on the scene most weighing devices were no more accurate than the measuring method, but the IGFA certified Boga Grip has removed the inaccuracies of on the water weighing. If you do catch a trophy it is kind of nice to know that the weight was actually real.
We don't come across the big gals every time out there but when we do we have a working camera onboard to record it for you. (That is we almost always do.) Monday we didn't and Scott's first fish of the day topped the scale at 4 ounces shy of 12 pounds. Heavily laden with eggs and well fed she hit a #164 purple/w lg. blue Senko as it hit the water. She hit hard and ran hard, most unwilling to come to the boat. Scott had to take her around the boat 4 times before she finally yielded and came to the boat. She is back out there waiting for the next angler to come along and present the right bait.
Weather conditions are varying greatly from one day to the next and wind has played upon us heavily as to how we fish. The humidity trough is still hanging in, (this is a wet weather belt that runs roughly from Tampa to Melbourne) but dryer weather and more stable conditions should be here soon. Come prepared for anything. Have the rain gear, warm clothing, sun protection, and don't forget the mosquito protection. We only have mosquitoes during dawn at the ramp but you don't want to get bit.
Remember, clean water, think upcoming spawn, use Senkos, spinner baits, hard jerkbaits, and think big fish. See you on the water.
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