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Highlands Today

It's Time To Go Fishing

OXYGEN, NOT HEAT SLOWS FISH DOWN

Contributed photo

John Woods of holds two five-pound bass which helped to give him the win at the eXtreme Bass tournament on Lake Toho.

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Dave Douglass

Published: June 11, 2008

The best moon phase during the Florida summer is the first quarter.

The moon influences fish to migrate into feeding areas very early in the morning. This phase occurred Tuesday at 3:04 p.m., and for the Florida angler, this translates into the "best bass angling time" of the month.

Usually I would promote the new or full moon phases as the best time of the month to head out onto the lake to perfect the art of bass angling, however, because of the intense summer heat and humidity and resulting extremely high water temperatures, the ideal conditions for fish and fisherman is the entire summer morning.

This week the Florida largemouth bass moves into their feeding migration from 6 a.m. to 11 a.m. with the peak period happening at 10 a.m. Because the moon is closer to the earth than a few months ago, the moon phase's profound affects are accentuated tremendously.

For this reason, the first and full moon phase's effects combine or overlap in the sense of influencing the feeding migration of aquatic life.

The full moon occurs in one week at 5:30 p.m., and its influences start in the early morning — which is happening right now during the first quarter moon phase — and continue until 2 p.m. and shut down quickly as the summer heat forces bass to the most oxygenated areas of the lake. They suspend there until sundown, and then briefly feed on and off all night long in prime feeding areas.

The forecast for this week therefore is the very best possible, all things considered.

The summertime angler has every reason (and excuse) to make plans to fish as much as possible, no matter how much yard work and other chores need to be done.

There is a time to go fishing and there is a time to not go fishing, and for the next 10 days, it's "A time to go fishing" — all morning long.

Fishing Facts
Many anglers believe that the heat slows fish down, just like it slows people down.
This is not true.

Rather, it's the lack of oxygen in the fish's environment which forces it to leave normal migration routes to the closest and best area holding the highest oxygen level.

The shallower the lake, the further the fish travels from the normal routes and fishing holes to discover the oxygen needed. In deeper lakes, fish need only to travel to lower depths along drop-offs to find the highest oxygenated levels. If submerged vegetation is anywhere near, they will take up residence there.

It is the oxygen and not the heat that forces bass to leave the coveted secret "hot spots" in the heat of the day.

A cold-blooded animal doesn't get cold or hot. Therefore another belief of many anglers is also not true, which is fish eat less when they're hot than when they're cold.

Fact is, the warmer the weather, the faster the animal's metabolism is, therefore requiring the animal to eat more often, larger meals than it eats during the other three seasons of the year.

Fish literally burn food up at the fastest rates during the summer months. The reason anglers don't find bass in the usual areas is because they are not taking into account the summertime migration changes due to oxygen levels.

Fishing Report
The report I'm getting from all anglers is very short and simple: Fish the open water structures and submersed vegetation. Forget the target casting, flipping, pitching methods and use open water methods. This is especially true this year due to the very low level of the majority of our lakes.

Fishing News
Lake Istokpoga is currently at 37.7 feet above sea level. The level has now dropped one foot total from the springtime high of 38.7 feet ASL.

I've heard reported that several feet of depth has been released from this lake and those claims are flat-out wrong. This lake and Lake Josephine are the two best lakes to access because of higher lake levels and better boat ramp conditions than the other lakes in our county.

Fishing Tournaments
The Wednesday Morning Black Bass Fishing Tournament is open to the public. Next Event is from 7:30 a.m. to noon today on Lake Josephine.
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.

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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