Moon Phases Bring Light To Anglers' Grins

I'm sure we've all heard or read somewhere that fishing is best three days before a full or new moon and three days after. What most people don't realize is about half the yearly moon events occur at night when most of us don't plan to fish.

Such is the case again in December.

The new moon happens on the Dec. 9 at 5:40 p.m. and the full moon on the 24th at 1:16 a.m.

So is there any good news to deduce from this fact?

The answer is yes.

The best monthly periods for daytime fishing are when the nighttime fishing declines, which happens to start about four days after the new- and full-moon events and continues for about four days. After that, the process starts swinging back to a nighttime event.

Having said all that, one of the best monthly fishing periods starts today and continues to Saturday. There will be a very early morning bite that increases in strength and duration each day until we reach the last quarter moon on Dec. 1.

So make your fishing plans during the waxing and waning moon periods and you'll place yourself in the best part of the moon cycles, making the best of a bad situation.

Fishing Facts

Because the water temperatures are remaining in the upper 60s to 70 degrees, the Florida largemouth bass change their normal habits gradually and prepare for the spawning season.

The seasonal wind direction change - predominately north - effects bass and causes them to move into lake areas with the cleanest water.

The north-shore vegetation, south of islands, and south of lake-bottom structures will be the seasonal home base for the next five months. Remember one key factor, however: Bass like to have a very mild current - wind-produced or not - through their bedding area. This provides proper oxygen and food, even though once on bed they don't feed much, if at all.

Fishing Report

I'd like to clarify a matter on the subject of Lake Istokpoga and the South Florida Water Management district's permitted water release schedule deviation request, which is still pending approval by the Army Corp of Engineers, who, in turn, is waiting on a report from U.S. Fish & Wildlife and recommendations from the Highlands County commissioners.

A "drawdown" event is not the same event as a "schedule deviation," and neither events share the same procedures, reasons and outcome.

A "drawdown" is in fact the opposite of a "deviation" because it has no real schedule - it just releases water from a current lake level to a pre-planned low level through one steady release event - pre-planned - for a strategic management plan to be initiated.

A "deviation" is the planned scheduling model approved to be used - depending on weather conditions such as rainfall - to provide water to permitted water users over a period of time in accordance with seasonal weather pattern norms per records.

The current "permitted-water-user schedule deviation request" has been brought to the ACE for approval because of an extremely rare one-in-a-hundred year drought event which is still at a severe-level alert for Highlands County all the way south of Lake Okeechobee.

If this deviation request is approved to be amended to the regular season schedule for water releases for permitted water users as established by Florida law and statues - Sovereign Seminole Nation Water Rights Compact of 1987 - guarantees the tribes rights to 15 percent of "available water" including Lakes Okeechobee and Istokpoga.

So if there is water being permitted for release at all from either lake, the tribe as a sovereign nation is guaranteed 15 percent of released water.

Now, SFWM has the right granted to them by the state to impose "cutback" percentages on permitted water users, which is currently at 45 percent and will be increased if no rainfall occurs and lake levels reach lower levels - Istokpoga at 37' ASL to 35.5' ASL cutback percentages increase.

We as Floridians must ask the following questions in order to be responsible and fair: "What was Lake Istokpoga's first use and primary function as deemed by Floridians, farming or fishing? What lake users take precedent over the other?

Before you throw stones at SFWM, or the county officials who have been charged by the State to manage these affairs, ask yourself if you've researched all the facts and have a full understanding of the facts of the case. If not, as citizens of Florida and Highlands County, find out the facts and participate in proactive dialogue with the goal and purpose of "doing the right thing" with the water of Istokpoga.

Tournaments

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

Pay at ramp - entry fee $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, Cell 863-446-1310 bassbutchie60@aol.com or Dwight Ameling at 863-471-3305.

Dave Douglass is a bass-fishing guide and teacher, bass tournament fisherman and also an officer of S.O.S.-Florida Lakes, Inc. You can reach him at 863-381-8474, e-mail davedouglass@sos-floridalakes.org or visit the Web sites reds-bass-fishing-guides.com and sos-floridalakes.org.