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Highlands Today

Morning, Afternoon Bites Look Dismal

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Dave Douglass

Published: December 13, 2007

On the subject of daytime fishing, I have bad news and I have worse news.

The bad news is the morning bite will be dismal at best, unless the weather changes dramatically, producing a barometric drop and lots of cloud cover during the day.

Now for the worse news: Afternoons offer much less chances at hooking into your favorite fish. Each day, the current type of weather pattern increases and combines with the lunar cycle to shut off the bite almost completely for the next three to four days.

I suggest cleaning your boat, or maintaining your rods and reels. Or better yet, go shopping at your favorite tackle shop and buy yourself and your friends an early Christmas gift — or, better yet, gifts.

However, having hit you hard with both options of bad news, if you happen to indulge in night fishing, you're in fishing heaven.

Again, the optimum period of the day happens to be from 2 to 4 a.m. With water in the upper 60s at noon, the oxygen levels stay much higher during the day and night. Plants don't consume oxygen at night this time of year enough to make a difference, but also provide ample oxygen production during the day. Now, factor in the lunar events occurring from sundown to sunrise, and you end up with perfect nighttime feeding migrations.

Fishing Facts

A good idea when you start thinking about nighttime fishing is to chart your course and record the coordinances by GPS during the day.

If you happen to be like me, you already have your daytime fishing holes and courses to those holes on a GPS system in your boat. This works well when attempting to plan the nighttime event so you don't miss-out on catching the big ones, which you used to locate during the day. Plenty of batteries, a GPS unit, required safety equipment and a partner should all be part of the nighttime expedition. This makes the hunt for the Florida "Boss Hawgs" that run rogue in the night that much easier.

Fishing Report

Lately I haven't heard much by way of reports which I can attempt to cheer you up. Fact is, all the news has been dismal with just a few reporting very moderate catches, whether we are talking crappie or bass.

Lake Istokpoga continues to produce a few large stringers of bass, but only if you really understand how to work the hydrilla in the right places as the right time — and I do mean you have to have it down exactly right.

There is enough hydrilla out there to enable bass to hide just about anywhere, south of the islands. Bass have so many choices that if the angler doesn't really do his homework and learn the lake bottom contours, he might as well stay home.

A few anglers have reported catching bass under three pounds — but only two or three per trip — on lakes Placid and June. Working brush piles and slopes into the shoreline areas yields a few mid-sized bass, but nothing to brag about.

Tournaments

The Wednesday Morning Black Bass Fishing Tournament is open to the public. Next Event is Dec. 19 on Lake June from 7:30 a.m. to noon.

Pay at ramp — entry fee is $30 per boat. One person may fish alone if you do not have a partner. For information, contact Paul Tardiff at 863-385-8007 (home), 863-446-1310 (cell) or e-mail bassbutchie60@aol.com. You can also contact Dwight Ameling at 863-471-3305.

Dave Douglass is a bass fishing guide and teacher, bass tournament fisherman and also an officer of SOS-Florida Lakes, Inc. You can reach him at 863-381-8474, e-mail davedouglass@sos-floridalakes.org or visit reds-bass-fishing-guides.com and sos-floridalakes.org.

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