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Highlands Today

FISHING: Low Levels Bring Battles To Shoreline

Contributed photo

Dave Douglass caught this six-pound bass using a fly rod from the shore.

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Dave Douglass

Published: June 8, 2008

This week, expect a fading afternoon feeding migration — which started with the new moon last Tuesday — and a rapid building of a new morning feeding migration brought on by the first quarter moon phase, which happens at 3:04 p.m. Tuesday.

If we experience rain during the night, the very early morning bite (5 a.m. to 7 a.m.) — should be very good. If not, the affects of the moon will trigger fish to move into feeding areas by 8 a.m. This new morning feeding migration will increase in intensity and duration dramatically each day for the next seven days.

Because of the slight drop in temperatures over the last two days, the larger fish should be in the shallows hunting throughout the vegetation until the sun is fully up. After sunrise, they'll move out a few feet in depth into their normal holding points.

The afternoon bite will be diminishing and starting later each day. However, because of the summertime winds increasing in the afternoons, some areas will have the highest oxygen level of the day — meaning the lake's largest bass won't be far away.

From 3 p.m. to 5 p.m. you'll have a very good chance at hooking into the larger, more aggressive bass.

Fishing Facts
During the Florida summer months, the very early and very late parts of the day are perfect for the louder, aggressive-action-type baits, such as spinnerbaits, buzzbaits, and topwater baits with rattles and lots of splash and flash. Working these types of baits, along vegetation and structures, will produce spectacular strikes as large female bass patrol their areas in a distinctive pattern.

Fishing Report
It seems to be the same report no matter which lake anglers fish — once the bite starts, it's fast and furious for 45 minutes, with at least two or three bass more than six pounds, striking within 50 yards of each other.

Then, it shuts off as if there is no fish in the lake at all.

I have also found this to be mostly correct, however, if the angler changes his approach, method, and changes to long-range casting with lighter lines and baits, smaller bass will still strike and an occasional medium-sized bass of four to six pounds.

Fishing News
I visited all the lakes in close proximity to U.S. 27 from Sebring to Avon Park without my boat over the last few days, and found that all of them are about seven feet below the normal lake level.

All the boat ramps were not usable for most bass boats, but the smaller boats with four-wheel drive tow vehicles should be able to access deeper water if the owner will wade and push for 20 to 30 feet. I don't have a smaller boat anymore so I took advantage of the situation to bring my fly rods along and walked and waded along the shorelines. All of the shorelines have broken glass and other garbage, so my old pair of boots came in handy.

Until the rains return to our area enough to fill our lakes again, working a fly rod along the shore provides excellent fishing. In half the lakes, I enjoyed several battles with two- to four-pound bass on both four- and six-weight rods.

The exercise and savings on gas also adds to the appeal.

Dave Douglass is a bass fishing guide and teacher, bass tournament fisherman and CEO 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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