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Highlands Today

The Best Present For Christmas Is Daytime Fishing

Contributed photo

Dave holds up last year's Christmas bass.

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The Tampa Tribune

Published: December 21, 2008

This Christmas week brings anglers a new morning-bite migration, which increases in both intensity and duration each day until the new moon this Saturday.

Today and Monday will be better than Tuesday, because of a small cold front which will be moving through our area. But after that, from Wednesday into next weekend, daytime fishing will be excellent, which is the best Christmas present an angler can ask for.

If you have time to fish during the Christmas holiday and weekend and plan a fishing trip, you'll have timed it perfectly since the best daytime fishing conditions of the month occur during the last-quarter and new moon phases. That ever-coveted morning bite every angler loves to enjoy will improve daily until the day of the new moon, at which time the mid-morning to mid-afternoon bite reaches its peak.

Today's prime-time fishing hours occur from 6 a.m. to 9 a.m. and should rate at least a 4 or 5 on a scale from 1-10. Tomorrow's rating will increase 1 point, but expect Tuesday's rating to decline or remain unchanged. The moderate cold front should delay the daily feeding migration of all fish; who'll feed later then expected and a lot less.

For anglers who love to fish just after sunset, the nighttime feeding migration occurs from 7 p.m. to 9 p.m. If the winds are at a manageable speed, this bite session just might be the best of the entire day. Water temperatures should still be near the daytime high, and the areas where the daytime winds pushed all the vegetative type will have baitfish moving in to feed, which in turn causes the entire food-chain to join in the feast

This Christmas week, all things considered, should rate up there with the best Christmas weeks in some time. So don't forget to visit your favorite local fishing tackle supplier and buy some stocking stuffers and presents for your family to put under the tree. A new rod and reel, lures and plastic baits, tackle and fishing hats, are always great idea for the angling family. Hopefully my wife is taking note of this part of my column - and no, I don't already have too much fishing stuff.

Fishing Facts

During the weeks before new and full moons, a morning bite is created by the effects of a waning and waxing moon, respectfully. Anglers, therefore, have the opportunity to do their homework on various locations throughout the lake knowing that each day fish will feed for longer periods and in greater numbers where the recent weather has produced the best feeding areas. Identifying current feeding areas is easiest during these seven day periods.

Fishing Formula

The key to a successful day on the water is to establish how the weather and moon combined forces and affected your fish.

Be prepared to try several methods in order to promote your first fish strike. Work each area with, top-water, crank, and bottom-dragging type baits. Vary the speed and depth of retrieve with each bait type. Try weightless and weighted, noisy and silent, dark and light, until you present work works best.

The biggest mistake angler make is to use only their "go-to bait" no matter what. What separates the successful anglers from the unsuccessful - besides luck - is the willingness to do research work until the fish strike.

Fishing Fiction

"The moon does not affect fish and my level of success."

This is absolutely false. Every living being experiences various changes, just ask any hunter: He'll tell you his prey operates in accordance with the phase of the moon.

Just the fact that tidal changes occur means fish must migrate in harmony with water level changes, just as weather conditions produce various atmospheric pressures which then in turn change water pressure. It's all working together to change how human beings and wildlife operate in their daily lives.

Your Lake Manager's Contact Information:

Clell Ford, Highlands County Lakes Management Specialist - 4434 George Blvd, Sebring, Florida 33875. Phone: 863-402-6545, Email: Cford@hcbcc.org

Vicki Pontius, Highlands County Parks and Recreation Director - 4344 George Blvd. Sebring, Florida 33875. Phone: 863-402-6812, Email: VPONTIUS@hcbcc.org

Steven Gornak, Biological Scientist IV, Aquatic Habitat Restoration and Enhancement Sub-Section, Division of Habitat and Species Conservation - 3991 SE 27th Court, Okeechobee, FL 34974. Phone: 863-462-5190 (SunCom 761-5190), Fax: 863-462-5194 (SunCom 761-5194), Mobile: 863-697-6256, Email: steven.gornak@myfwc.com

Fishing Tournaments

The Monday Morning Lake Jackson Black Bass Fishing Tournament is open to the public and launches every Monday morning at 8 a.m. with weigh-in at 1 p.m. Entry fee is $10 per boat with a "winner-take-all" payout. One person or two per boat, three legal (more than 14 inch) bass per boat, and one bass over 22 inches per angler. For information, call Paul Tardiff at 863-385-8007 (home) or 863-446-1310 (cell).

The Wednesday Morning Black Bass Fishing Tournament is open to the public. Next event is Dec. 24 on Lake Placid. 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) or 863-446-1310 (cell), email bassbutchie60@aol.com or call 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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