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Highlands Today

Steady Forecast Provides Relief For Anglers

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Jack Dale holds a 7.45-pound big bass caught during the Coast Guard tournament on the Kissimmee Chain out of Camp Mack.

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By DAVE DOUGLASS

Highlands Today

Published: February 22, 2009

The week of the new moon has arrived, and weather forecasters are predicting a week of consistency; northerly winds at 5-10 mph, daily temperatures from a low of 45 to a high of 78 and a weak high pressure system to move through Central Florida tomorrow, which produces a dropping barometer on Tuesday and perhaps Wednesday.

After last week's weather conditions tired all of us out - but not to the point where we stopped fishing, right? - this forecast provides relief and reason to plan an above-average week on your favorite lakes.

The winds will be perfect, the water temperatures in the middle-60s, which is ideal for fish to feed, and most of all, there will be no extreme changes; this will result in fish developing a definable pattern anglers can more easily determine and work with.

It's about time.

I don't know about you, but I've had enough of the record-setting-low-temperature 2009 winter season, it's time to return to a normal Florida winter which instead produces record-setting fish catches that Florida freshwater lakes are famous for.

Today, according to the lunar influence, the major daytime feeding migration should occur from 9 a.m. to midnight, however because of yesterday's low temperatures this will start later than predicted, I'm betting on a time of 10 a.m. to 1 p.m.

Winds will be out of the west-northwest at 10-12 mph and the barometer will rise throughout the day. By this afternoon, temperatures will start to drop and fish will stop feeding.

Monday will be the least productive day of the week as the high-pressure system drops temperatures 5-8 degrees - but by the afternoon starts to return back to today's conditions which should consistently remain for the rest of the week.

The early-morning bite should be weak at best and the midday bite not much better, and the afternoon to evening bite pretty much non-existent.

Overall, Monday is a day to spend preparing for the rest of the week by doing tackle and boat maintenance.

Tuesday will mark the beginning of weather consistency and work with the lunar influence typical of the new moon.

The peak fishing period of the day will occur from 10 a.m. to noon and perhaps provide a moderate to weak early-morning bite from 6 a.m. to 7:30 a.m. The late-afternoon to evening bite will be moderate to weak at best as winds slowdown and shift, coming out of the northeast.

Nighttime fishing during the new moon week is generally the poorest of the month, which doesn't mean fish don't eat at night - they always eat at night - they just don't feed near as much as they do during the full moon. But if nighttime fishing is your "thing" then the best hours are from 4 a.m. to sunrise.

Fishing Facts

For fish to feed heavily and anglers to experience record catches which Florida is known for, weather conditions need to be consistent for at least three day or more.

Weather patterns combined with lunar events work to develop daily fish feeding migrations and if the weather constantly changes every few days, no pattern is formed because fish abandon natural adaptation and suspend in the first stage of hibernation instead. The only way to get fish to bite is by hitting them on the head with your bait and waiting for them to grow tired of your bait intruding in their area of suspension.

Fishing Formula

Working known feeding migration routes and areas very slowly and as unobtrusively as possible is the key. Long casts and slow retrieves using downsized baits and tackle will serve to achieve this.

If you are not familiar with the bathymetries of the lake you are at a great disadvantage. Maps of most lakes are available for print online at many Web sites, such as my web site, BassFishingAngler.com/R_LakeMaps.aspx

Fishing Fiction

I've heard this one many times this week so I will repeal it again: "Bass return to spawn where they were born, just like salmon do."

This is absolutely not true. If a bass, male or female, is miles away or even hundreds of yards away from where they were first spawned, they will not use the same area or spot to perform their spawn.

Instead they'll spawn in the first area suitable for a protected safe spawn within the area of the lake where they are at when the weather triggers them to spawn.

Your Lake Manager's Contact Information:

Clell Ford, Highlands County Lakes Management Specialist - 4434 George Blvd, Sebring, FL 33875. Phone: 863-402-6545, Email: Cford@hcbcc.org

Vicki Pontius, Highlands County Parks and Recreation Director - 4344 George Blvd. Sebring, FL 33875. Phone: 863-402-6812, Email: VPONTIUS@hcbcc.org

Steven Gornak, Biological Scientist IV, Aquatic Habitat Restoration and Enhancement Sub-Section, Division of Habitat and Species Conservation - 3991 SE 27th Court, Okeechobee, FL 34974. Phone: 863-462-5190 (SunCom 761-5190), Fax: 863-462-5194 (SunCom 761-5194), Mobile: 863-697-6256, Email: steven.gornak@myfwc.com

Tournament News

The Outback USA Crappie Tournament is open to the public and will be held monthly.

The third event will be announced in Wednesday's article. Entry fee is $5 and anglers can fish any lake of their choice and weigh-in on any day at Outback USA at 14021 US-27 South.

Application can be picked up at Outback USA which is half way between South Sebring and Lake Placid, on route 27S. Store hours are from 6 a.m. to 6 p.m. every day.

The Monday Morning Lake Jackson Black Bass Fishing Tournament is open to the public and launches every Monday morning at 8 a.m. with weigh-in at 1 p.m. Entry fee is $10 per boat with a "winner-take-all" payout. One person or two per boat, three legal (more than 14 inches) bass per boat, and one bass over 22 inches per angler. For information, call Paul Tardiff at 863-385-8007 (home) or 863-273-4062 (cell).

The Wednesday Morning Black Bass Fishing Tournament is open to the public. Next event is at Lake.Josephine Time: 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) or 863-273-4062 (cell), email bassbutchie60@aol.com or call Dwight Ameling at 863-471-3305.

Dave Douglass is a bass-fishing guide and CEO of S.O.S.-Florida Lakes, Inc. He can be reached at 863-381-8474, HighlandsBassAngler.com, or e-mail him at davidpdouglass@hotmail.com.

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