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FISHING: Slow Week For Both Bass, Crappie

Contributed photo

Jim Grady holds up a 10.7-pound bass he caught this past week while using a Rattle Trap.

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Dave Douglass

Published: January 13, 2008

We are approaching the first-quarter moon on Tuesday at 7:46 p.m., and thank goodness for that, because the last week was very slow — and I mean real slow.

I tried everything short of explosives to get a fish into the boat, and the best I could come up with was a few bass the size of my Yum Dinger 7-inch worm. I believe the overwhelming majority of bass were feeding at night, despite the fact that the new moon occurred near noon last Tuesday.

With the first-quarter moon cycle comes a slowing down process of the nighttime feeding migration and this means many of the bass will feed during the day. Having said this, I also believe the daytime majority bite period will be form noon to sundown. This pattern will continue until Saturday.

Water temperatures have returned into the middle 60s from the middle 50s — a factor in the reason why last week's bite was off. Many of the beds which had males on them just before the severe cold front — which went through our area last week — have been abandoned, as the result of the quick drop forced both male and females to halt the first major spawn of 2008.

Fishing Facts

If you're having trouble figuring out which bait to use, keep one of your legal-sized Bass to eat. When you clean the fish, take note of what it was eating before you sit down to enjoy a nice bass dinner.
I recommend keeping a three-pound bass to eat. That size — in my opinion — is the best-tasting bass. Nothing turns off a person to eating bass more than the taste of a large female, which should have been released back into the lake anyway.

Fishing Report

Crappie reports also suffered along with the bass reports.

Half limits were the best daily catches out of 14 crappie anglers I spoke with during the last week. Bass anglers weren't boasting either, shaking their heads when asked how they did or complaining about bass less than two pounds.

Last Sunday was the only day of last week which seemed to cause bass and crappie to migrate into a feeding pattern in the early morning. Lake Istokpoga tournaments reported mid-20-pound five-fish stringers taking places one through three.

Hopefully this type of feeding migration returns today — I think we could all use a good day of fishing.

Other News

There has been no report on the SFWM Lake Istokpoga Deviation Request being approved by ACE South Atlantic Division in Atlanta, which is where the ACE Jacksonville District sent their recommended action of 36-feet above seal level. My guess is S.A. Division will be sending SFWM their final decision this week.

Tournament News

The Wednesday Morning Black Bass Fishing Tournament is open to the public. Next Event is Jan. 16 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.

Bass Champions Senior Tour Inc. is having their first Lake Istokpoga tournament on Friday, Jan. 18, launching at the Lake Istokpoga Marina — 155 Marina RV Drive, Lake Placid — at safelight, with the weigh-in at 3 p.m. Memberships and entry fees are accepted at the boat ramp. Contact Foy Underwood at 352-694-6272 or 800-416-4451 for all the information. Pay online at BassChampionsSeniorTour.com.

American Bass Anglers Istokpoga South District 28 will be holding their second tournament of the new season on Lake Istokpoga on Saturday, Jan. 19. This is a members-only tournament, and if you are interested in becoming a member or would like more information, contact Ted Moore at 863-946-0036. For more information, visit americanbassanglers.com. Weigh-in time is 3 p.m., however it's a good idea to get there early at the U.S. 98 Istokpoga Park ramp in Lorida. You may join at the ramp — cash only — prior to safelight launch.

Ridge Anglers Bass Club kicks off their new season on Lake Istokpoga on Jan. 20, launching out of the U.S. 98 Istokpoga Park County ramp. Event is from safelight to 2 p.m. weigh-in. This is a club-only tournament — to join and/or find out more information, contact Jerrel Mott at 863-494-3199 or 558-1244.

Extreme Crooked Lake Series Tournament kicks of their new season on Crooked Lake launching from Bob's Landing on Jan. 20 at safelight, with weigh-in at 3 p.m. For more information, contact Mike Blocher at 813-363-5266.

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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