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Highlands Today

Water Temperatures Right For Bass, Crappie In More Shallow Areas

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The Tampa Tribune

Published: November 12, 2008

The full moon occurs Thursday at 6:17 a.m., which is great news for the nighttime anglers, as long as there is no significant cloud cover. If, however, there happens to be cloud cover, daytime anglers will experience a much better daytime feeding migration.

Anglers also have more good news this week with the lunar perigee occurring on Friday at 10 a.m. For this reason the maximum lunar influence on fish will happen, so no matter if you head out on the water for a night of perfect fishing conditions or you plan to fish the best day for fishing this month has to offer, you'll have the best chances of boating your best stringer of the month.

The night and day fish migrations happen from 10 p.m. to 2 a.m., and 10 a.m. to 2 p.m., respectively. But as always, fish (generally speaking) feed all night. Add to that the accelerated feeding rate brought on by the full moon and the result is the best safe-light bite of the month.

The "safe-light bite" should rate a 9 or 10 because a full migration to shoreline areas during the night will result in large concentrations of fish starting to leave those areas for their secondary holding areas, usually further out or at the least, deeper water.
Water temperatures are perfect for crappie and bass to feed in more shallow areas with adequate vegetative cover. Crappie will be starting to move closer to shorelines and in some areas of the lakes, be in deeper shoreline areas - five feet or deeper.

Bass will be as shallow as two feet, providing those areas have some water movement close by. As I have stated during the past month, the spawn will start this month, and many have already reported catching pre-spawn bass with "football-shaped" girths not caused by over feeding.

Thursday should be the best day of the month overall. And with any luck, the weather will take some of the nighttime angler's good luck and move it into the daytime angler's good luck column, but providing a lot of cloud cover.

Fishing Facts

Bass feeding patterns become very aggressive during the month of November. The larger bass will chase down noisy bait more often this time of year. She'll be more territorial and therefore not allow intruders to come anywhere near her designated "home."

Anglers can "draw the fish out" by working a top-water bait five or 10 feet outside of thick vegetative cover. A rattling jig or chatter-type bait aggressively worked through the same area can also trigger the big girl's bad attitude - inflicting punishment on all who dare to disturb.

Fishing Formula

Early morning anglers should be on the water an hour before safe-light and in position (20 to 30 feet out from the shoreline) to greet the Bass starting to move out at the end of their nighttime feeding session.

Midday anglers should use the opposite technique and be in closer to shorelines and start by working the outside water to greet fish as they move into the area. But by 2 p.m., you should revert back to the early morning position.

Nighttime anglers should be able to work out and in, along vegetative shorelines. Every position and method should prove to be very successful.

Fishing Fiction

Since I was a kid learning to fish with my father and grandfather in Ontario, Canada every summer, I was told to not make any noise and keep quiet, "sit still or we won't catch anything."

However, when I started fishing here in Florida with anglers who have been here all of their lives, that time of advise seemed to not be followed by very many anglers. In fact at times it seemed that the more noise you made - grinding a trolling motor through thick pencil reeds - the more bass strikes you had.

In fact, I've seen my fishing partner flip a jig into an areas the trolling motor blade shredded a hole through, and set the hook the very second the jig hit the water, on a nine-pound bass that evidently wasn't deterred in the least at attacking what it thought was the culprit.

So is it fiction in some cases? I suspect it is in some lakes under certain conditions.

For the record, I've read where live bait fishermen use a bell to signal the fish in the area that they are serving dinner. They claim it works with great success.

Fishing Tournaments

The Wednesday Morning Black Bass Fishing Tournament is open to the public. Next event is today on Lake Jackson. 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, Cell (863) 446-1310, email bassbutchie60@aol.com or call Dwight Ameling at (863) 471-3305.

Triton Owners Tournament presented by Florida Triton Boat Dealers & Fishers of Men National Tournament Trail, will be held on Nov. 22, from safe-light to 3 p.m. launching from the Southport Ramp on Lake Toho. This is a team event for Triton Boat owners only. The entry fee is $100, with optional $20 big bass pot, and $5 raffle. Pre-registration is available until Nov. 14 or pay cash at the boat ramp. A pre-tournament meeting will be held at the ramp at 5:30 a.m. This is a 100 percent pay back event. For more information call Lake Placid Marina, Outback USA, Lorida Bait & Tackle, or Triton Boat dealers, or contact Don Hatcher at 863-655-0265, or 863-214-1740 for full details.

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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