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Highlands Today

Best Fishing Of The Month Begins Today

Nighttime Rain Delays Best Bite Until Noon

Contributed photo

Leola Sobon, owner of Cypress Isle on Lake Istokpoga, holds a five-pound bass caught out in front of her place.

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Dave Douglass

Published: June 28, 2008

Since the new moon occurs in the very early morning hours this Wednesday at 2:19 a.m., today begins the best six days of fishing for the month of July.

Today the peak feeding migration will occur between the hours of 8 to 11 a.m. From Monday through Wednesday, this migration will increase in duration and intensity. If you don't have plans to be on the lake for the Fourth of July, you're making a mistake.

The water temperatures are now in the 80s all day, and this translates into fish feeding in the usual vegetation areas early in the day, before the temperatures reach the upper 80s. Bass will feed most aggressively from 8 to 10 a.m., and by Tuesday morning expect the best fishing to happen near noon.

With the weather pattern looking more like the usual rainy season we are accustomed to seeing, rain during the night will diminish the very early morning bite and delay the usual bite brought on by the moon phases. So, be expecting to experience the best fishing period of the day near the end of the projected fishing migration.

Fishing Facts
There are three rods and setups I try repeatedly to determine the mood of the bass during the summer: One with the traditional big plastic using the "Texas-Rig" method, the second with a "Carolina-Rig" or "Drop-Shot" method, and one with a lipless crankbait.

Truth be told, I would have to say I use two types of those three rigs — one with a heavy, braided line and the other with a 15-pound monofilament or fluorocarbon line and a very loose drag setting. So in reality, I'm using six rods and three rigs on two types of line.

Fishing Report
I have spoken with several Istokpoga anglers who are reporting catching trophy-sized bass in the pencil reeds first thing in the morning. Seems the larger bass are patrolling vegetative areas before the water temperatures rise.

On the deeper lakes, the brush piles are starting to produce by casting to them from all angles using weightless plastics, and crankbaits. The greater distance you stay away from them, the better your chances are of producing the natural strike of the territorial bass.

Fishing News
Lake Istokpoga is at a level of 38.2 feet above sea level and still very murky with all the decomposing hydrilla plant matter becoming suspended and moving back and forth with the wind change directions.

Many of the healthy hydrilla areas are experiencing "die-back" — which doesn't mean the plant is in a dying phase but that it is hindered by being shaded with lake muck. It will continue to grow and expand, but at a much slower rate.

SOS Florida Lakes Inc. representatives have been actively monitoring the lakes' condition since the hydrilla treatment six to seven weeks ago and concludes that the decomposition caused by Aquathol contact herbicide has significant affects on non-treated areas for the better part of six weeks.

If you're a Hydrilla angler, this is bad news, but if you're a lake management representative or an angler who hates the evasive plant, this is very good news. The bass will move from the areas where the wind has blown suspended plant matter and take up residence in the next available suitable vegetation — lily pads, pencil reeds, and cattails.

Fishing Tournaments
The Wednesday Morning Black Bass Fishing Tournament is open to the public. Next Event is from 7:30 a.m. to noon on June 2 on Lake June.

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.

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