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Highlands Today

Morning Best Time For Catching Fish

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By DAVE DOUGLASS

Highlands Today

Published: March 22, 2009

It's finally here; the week of the new moon is upon us. It arrives on Thursday at 4:06 p.m. which means anglers have a full week of the most beneficial daylight lunar influences of the month assisting them by causing fish to feed heaviest during the day instead of the normal nighttime feeding.

The early-morning bite is the major feeding migration of the day. Today it starts at 6 a.m. and ends at 11 a.m. with a peak period of 8-10 a.m. Monday and Tuesday the bite should start about 30 minutes later and building in duration and intensity. The entire week's 1-10 scale rating should be 7-10, depending on weather conditions.

There is a declining late-evening bite starting at 6 p.m. and ending at 9 p.m. with a peak period of 6:30 - 8 p.m. It should reach a rating of 5-7 and perhaps higher if the wind dies down at this time and/or the barometer starts to drop.

The weather forecasts are predicting strong winds today and tomorrow out of the northeast and east, but by Tuesday there will be perfect wind at speeds of 5-10 mph out of the east southeast. For this reason, Tuesday should be the best of the next three days.

Fishing Facts

For many Florida lakes the bass spawn is at the halfway point with about six weeks to go before the traditional spawning season comes to a close - which in no way means bass won't spawn from May to November, it's a fact that the genetically superior bass spawn during these months.

Fishing Fiction

I had a rare week in that I didn't hear anything blatantly false to share with you as "fiction." Could it be fiction that anglers are becoming more educated, or is it that they don't want to read what they pontificate in my presence, here in this article? Only time will tell, but in the meantime, the identities of the pontificators will remain undisclosed in order to protect the innocent - or guilty, which ever way you see it - and provide anglers with a bit of humor..

Fishing Flash

Just a reminder to not hesitate in using the Lake Manager's contact information in order to know what areas of your lake were treated so that you don't waste your time and money fishing lake areas with no feeding fish in them. You worked hard to earn that money you're spending and I know you paid plenty of tax dollars to have access to that mapping information those three lake management agencies must provide for you "if" you ask for it.

The Outback Crappie Tournament on March 14 and 15 resulted in Gordon Tyler bringing 3.18 lbs to the scales to finish third. Cleadus Rose finished second with 3.34 lbs, and taking first place was Andrew Ponicki with 4.80 lbs, with one of his three fish weighing 1.76 lbs which was good enough to take the Big Fish prize.

Your Lake Manager's Contact Information:

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

Vicki Pontius Parks and Recreation Director - Highlands County, 4344 George Blvd. Sebring, Florida 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 fourth event will be on April 4 and 5. 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 on March 25 at Lake Jackson 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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