Night Time Feeding Looking Good

This Tuesday the Full Moon arrives at 2:11 a.m.

Water temperatures are still in the mid-70s for the most part of the day but reach almost 80 by 4 p.m. This means there remains plenty of oxygen in the water column during the nighttime. If we don't have cloud cover at night, the bass will feed throughout the entire night.

The daytime feeding migration bite should happen from noon to 3 p.m., however the very early morning bite should be good to very good because the oxygen levels are still high enough to sustain the larger fish in the shallows.

Fishing News

I'll omit the usual "Facts" and "Report" segments of my article to allow space for a special news bulletin - "Death of the World Record Largemouth Bass".

Her name was "Dottie" - that's right the anglers of Lake Dixon, Escondido, Ca. named her because of the distinguishing dot markings on her gills.

Jed Dickerson first caught Dottie in 2003 off bed.

He weighed her on his scale at 23 pounds and called California Game and Fish. It took three hours for officials to arrive, during which time a stressed Dottie emptied her stomach several times and weighed-in at 21 pounds, 11 ounces.

The second time she was caught was in 2006 when a friend of Dickerson, Mac Weakley, fouled hooked her on bed. Because she was not hooked in the mouth, the catch was invalid and Mac didn't bother to call Game and Fish knowing it wouldn't qualify officially at the weight of 25 pounds 1 ounce their scales said she weighed. Mac released her back into the lake in good health.

For the next year and a half people from all over the world came to Lake Dixon with aspirations to catch the next world record Largemouth Bass. Several local anglers fished the lake everyday hoping to claim the prize rather than allow an outsider to accomplish the feat.

The last time she was seen alive was in the second week of February 2008. Jed Dickerson watched her preparing to spawn one day and again a few days later - while guiding Dennis Green (retired NFL player) and his son Zack - swimming with two males attempting to lead her to the beds they had prepared.

Over this last "Mother's Day Weekend," May 12, 2008, Dottie spawned for the last time and died peacefully, naturally, as she should, leaving behind her genetics to live in her stead.

Dottie managed to evade determined anglers from all over the world - many hundreds every year - all but the two occasions by the same two childhood friends who made it their mission to be the only ones to ever catch her, and therefore ensure her safe return back into their home lake.

They're mission was accomplished, the legend lives on.

The largest bass ever caught or seen, made only two mistakes in judgment and choose the right bait all those years instead of the ones with hooks.

This is remarkable, to say the least, when the angler considers the life and death of "The World Record Largemouth Bass". It is true then, that the largest, world record sized Florida Largemouth Bass, seldom makes mistakes and overwhelmingly, a majority of the time, selects real food instead of the fishermen and angler's bait.

Many years ago, both California and Texas purchased from Florida the Florida Largemouth Bass and stocked their lakes with Trout for the Bass to feed on.

Dottie's genetics live on in California but originated here, I am sure there must be a world record Florida Largemouth swimming in one of the lakes in Central Florida, I just haven't worked hard enough to trick her into eating my bait - yet.

The Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission (FFWCC or FWC) is ending the Georgia Florida Senior Reciprocal License Agreement, which started back in 1981, on June 30, 2008.

The agreement allowed resident seniors from both states to hunt and fish freshwater without a license. As of June 30 resident seniors will not be able to fish freshwater nor hunt in Georgia but may still hunt and fish freshwater here in Florida.

Georgia sited economic reasons back in May of 2007 when they voted to terminate the interstate agreement and the FWC recently voted to comply by terminating their end of the agreement.

Seniors do not have to buy a license to fish freshwater and hunt, although because the fees are such a great deal and cheaper than the majority of other states, are encouraged to purchase a license to support conservation of fisheries and game lands.

Fishing Tournaments

Wednesday Morning Black Bass Fishing Tournament is open to the public. Next Event: May 21 on Lake June. Time: 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/.