Highlands Today
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Anglers Must Try Everything, Assume Nothing
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Published: August 31, 2008
The new-moon lunar phase provides two more days of great ideal fishing conditions for the Florida summertime angler.
Because of the rainless nights which most of the county lakes have experienced, the bite has started at the beginning of the peak feeding daytime period.
The daytime major feeding migration which the lunar phase triggers, starts at 10 a.m. and ends at 1:30 p.m. today. On Monday, this same peak period starts 40 minutes later and diminishes slightly.
Be expecting the bite to start suddenly and finish in the same manner. Just when you think you're in the wrong area after working the usual successful methods, you'll end up setting the hook several times over the next 30 to 40 minutes.
Water temperatures are in the upper 80s by the time the major migration starts, and this means only the highly oxygenated areas of the lake will produce results. This time of year, the angler must know exactly where oxygen levels are highest; there is no room for guesswork, there's a slim margin for error.
The larger bass are going to be forced to locate vegetation, which produces dissolved oxygen levels adequate for digesting food.
Winds for the next three days are forecasted to be stronger and out of an easterly, north-easterly direction. This means water clarity will naturally take place on the west sides of thicker vegetation and along the east shorelines. Look for these areas and then start with sections of the area which have the start of wind produced wave currents. The larger bass will be ready to ambush their prey from these locations.
As the week progresses, the major feeding migration will be switching from midday to very early morning. Today, an early morning bite starts but will only reach modest levels of intensity and duration; starting at 5 a.m. and finishing by 6:30 a.m., and occurring near the afternoon hot spots where fish will move to six hours later.
Fishing Facts
Anglers who do locate areas of feeding fish this time of year should log the exact location coordinates because they've discovered the bass' primary feeding migration route's main "hot spots" - areas that always hold fish, and therefore always produce in the majority of fishing situations.
Hot summer days are the toughest days of the year to achieve success, but when success is achieved it's exceptional because it reveals the prime holes; high level success areas only discovered by the most hard working anglers.
Fishing Formula
Fish migration routes are very short during the hot summer, so the angler needs to have one rig for three- to four-foot depths with moderate vegetation, such as lily pads not far from healthy new hydrilla in six to seven foot depths. Or Kissimmee grass or docks which have major lake bottom structure less than 200 yards away and 12 to 20 foot depths.
Top-water, spinner-bait, large plastic, small plastic, and crank baits, should all be tried. Use various depth control rig methods such as Carolina-rigs, Texas-rigs, drop-shot, and weightless small hook, should all be considered no matter which type of lake you choose to fish, shallow or deep.
Since there really is no distinguishable feeding pattern to rely on, the angler must be ready to try everything until success is discovered.
Try everything, assume nothing is the only strategy to use.
Fishing Flash
Lake Istokpoga is at 38.72 feet above sea level and dropping slowly with three gates opened at six feet. The high level schedule for this week is 38.5 feet ASL, but with the forecast of possible tropical storms to our southeast South Florida Water Management District might lower the lake below the high maximum mark to be on the safe side. As long as Arbuckle and Josephine creeks are flowing the ability to quickly drop the lake in case of a hurricane is greatly reduced even with gates opened to the maximum.
Lake Okeechobee is at 14.15 feet ASL and rising due to flow from the Kissimmee River and Lake Istokpoga.
The following is a statement from USACE Jacksonville Web site:
"Going into the holiday weekend, the rise in Lake Okeechobee's level, caused by the effects of Tropical Storm Fay, has slowed. In the last week, the lake rose 1.3 feet, with a rise of 0.09 feet. in the last 24 hours. This compares to the largest Tropical Storm Fay-related 24-hour rise of .42 feet. on Aug. 20. Currently, the lake level stands at 14.13 feet. NGVD and is not expected to reach 15 feet. NGVD in the near term without further precipitation. The historic average height for Aug. 29 of 14.18 feet. NGVD is slightly above the current lake level.
"The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers continues to keep its spillway gates at Moore Haven on the Caloosahatchee River and Port Mayaca on the St. Lucie Canal closed. By not releasing water from the lake, the Corps is helping to reduce the amount of flooding downstream from the lake in the Caloosahatchee and St. Lucie Canal drainage areas. Gates are open to release water at three Corps navigation structures downstream from the lake, to promote drainage of local basin runoff. These navigation structures are the St. Lucie Lock and Dam, Ortona Lock and Dam and the W.P Franklin Lock and Dam."
Fishing Fiction
"Bass like to sun their backs in the shallow water during the summertime."
No matter who says this, don't believe it.
Fact is, if the person saw a fish in the shallows in the heat of the day, with its back dorsal fin above the water's surface, it was definitely not a bass, but a gar or bowfin, which can tolerate much lower dissolved oxygen levels.
Fishing Tournaments
The Wednesday Morning Black Bass Fishing Tournament is open to the public. Next event is Sept. 3 on Lake Josephine. 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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