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Highlands Today

'Dead-Sticking' Your Only Hope In This Weather

STORM THROWS FEEDING PATTERNS INTO UTTER CHAOS

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DAVE DOUGLASS

Highlands Today

Published: August 20, 2008

Anglers know that during the last quarter moon phase, fishing is not all that great.
When you add a tropical storm into the forecast mix, the results diminish to the point that you keep the boat under cover and plan a trip to the nearest fishing shop.
The daily major feeding migration cycle occurs between the hours of 3 p.m. and 6 p.m. and the minor migration occurs at the opposite side of the clock, 3 a.m. to 6:00 a.m. But as I said, this is completely trumped by the weather pattern which, more likely than not, has thrown the feeding pattern into complete chaos.
Best hope for anglers is to prepare for this upcoming weekend when the very early morning feeding migration should be back to normal or getting close to normal with a peak feeding time of safe-light and a secondary peak time at sunset.

Fishing Facts
When barometric pressure drops sharply to below 29.75 (inHg) fish feed heavily during the period of the drop and finish when the drop bottoms out. Immediately afterward, they'll migrate to the deepest cover possible and burrow into the lake bottom if possible.

Fishing Formula
The formula for success for the next three days if you happen to try fishing (some anglers can't skip a day without feeling like they have to left feet) is to downsize and slow down to the point of "dead-sticking" the bait in areas which always produced fish when times were hard.
The water clarity will be very poor at best in most lakes. However the deeper lakes would be the better bet with the current weather conditions due to fish having areas of less storm affected areas to reside in.
Even so, slow and small is the way to go.

Fishing Flash
A record number of lower units are being repaired, replaced, or in the process of experiencing one of the two events soon. Because of the extremely low lake levels boat props and the lower units which spin them have taken a beating. Insurance claims have hit record numbers in the last year as many anglers file claims to recover from props stopping suddenly on access ramp rock footers, favorite tree-piles, previously undiscovered submerged objects, and numerous lake-bottom launches from miscalculating how shallow their boat is able to get on plain.
Lake Istokpoga is currently was at 38.34 feet above sea level and rising as of Tuesday morning at 5 a.m.), and all three S-68 Spillway gates are open at 2.5 feet. The lake depth surge is eight inches on the west and southwest shorelines – 39 feet. So far, an inch of rain has fallen at the spillway structure.
Lake Okeechobee is at 11.5 feet above sea level and rising which is great news for those of us who have been limited to the rim canal for the last year or more. Kissimmee basin flood control structures S-57 through S-65 are all open which means more water for the "Big O."

Fishing Feature
In speaking to a fellow angler this week, he informed me that his latest trip on Lake Arbuckle was quite eventful, boating several bass with the largest in the seven-pound range. He reports the boat launch was easy to navigate through and the lily pads were healthy throughout the lake. Fish were in the usual places along the west and south shores, especially at the mouth of Arbuckle Creek.
He used plastics, topwater frogs, and crankbaits, and caught bass with them all. However, the larger bass hit the ugly otter being slowly retrieved through the pads in three feet of depth.

Fishing Fiction
My favorite "fisherman fiction" is: "Oh, this area must have fish in it, just look at it — it's picture perfect."
This is more fiction than fact because fish don't see what you see, unless you're looking at an accurate bathometric map of the lake.

Fishing Tournaments
The Wednesday Morning Black Bass Fishing Tournament is open to the public. Next event is today on Lake June. Time: 7:30 a.m. to noon. Pay at ramp — entry fee $30.00 per boat. One person may fish alone if you do not have a partner. For information, contact Paul Tardiff at (863)385-8007 Home, Cell (863) 446-1310 bassbutchie60@aol.com or Dwight Ameling at (863)471-3305.

Dave Douglass is a bass-fishing guide and bass tournament angler and CEO of S.O.S.-Florida Lakes, Inc. He can be reached at 863-381-8474, or e-mail him at davedouglass@sos-floridalakes.org.

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