Cloudy Days Aren't Always Made In The Shade

The Full Moon lunar phase occurs tomorrow at 9:13 a.m., which means today could be the best fishing day of the month, especially if the weather conditions come into positive play with a drop in barometric pressure.

However, this is not what weather forecasters are projecting for today.

It's worth saying one more time: The best fishing days of the month are the three days before and after a full or new moon. The weather conditions will dictate which of the five days left (counting today) will be the best.

The daytime peak feeding migration period today happens from 10:30 a.m. to 1:30 p.m. By Tuesday, this peak migration period moves later into the day, from 1 p.m. to 3:30 p.m.

If the weather holds as it has been, the bite should occur at the beginning of the lunar peak periods. Also, as most anglers have been reporting, the bite session suddenly starts and ends in the same manner, usually within one hour. It seems all the fish feed all at once for a very short time.

My guess is they're eating when oxygen levels start to climb just high enough to enable food digestion. Since they're used to only a few hours of this favorable condition, they shut down as soon as the spike in oxygen ends.

Fishing Facts

Usually a cloudy day is a sign of a good day on the water.

There's a greater chance of a falling barometer when slow-moving thick low cloud-cover moves over the lake. However, during the summer months, the high water temperatures change this standard and, in fact, reverse it. Cloudy days mean less photosynthesis, which means less dissolved oxygen in the water column, which means less fish feeding.

When they do feed, it is for less time.

So, it's a fact that a sunny summertime day with few if any clouds, will trigger the higher dissolved-oxygenated-water days that enable the best summertime feeding migrations to occur.

It is also true that cloudy summertime days - two or three or more in sequence - will set the stage for the dreaded "fish kill."

If there happens to be a good amount of rainfall with those cloudy days, the possibilities increase due to the storm runoff being not good quality water but instead high nutrient-level water which uses up more oxygen yet.

Fishing Formula

The formula remains the same as in previous weeks.

Start with aggressive retrieves and baits. Lots of action and noise will definitely reveal which mode the fish are in. If you don't experience strikes after 15 minutes, move to the opposite approach - medium plastics with a heavier weight than usual presented in long pauses and short quick movements followed by another long pause.

If you're in an area where you've had previous success, you know they are there because weather conditions have not changed in the last week, therefore all lake habitat is in a constant pattern. All the angler needs to achieve is the right speed, depth and action. Once you instigate a strike, you'll know if the color selection was correct is the fish takes it completely, if not, try slight variations until this is the end result.

Fishing Fiction

This week's fiction is, "Big baits catch big fish."

There's an element of truth to this saying, but in reality this is a misleading bit of advice. It suggests that you only attract the largest fish and large fish don't often go after really small baits.

Since I am known to use the largest plastic ever created, I can tell you that bass the same size as my bait get hooked as often as a bass heavier than 10 pounds. When I see a half-pound Florida largemouth hooked between the eyes and my worm is larger than he is, I know that little fella has the right attitude and aspirations.

You might wonder why I only use the largest plastics.

The reason is simple: I just don't like catching non-bass.

I've found that using larger bait dramatically decreases the odds of hooking into a gar, mudfish, or other non-bass species.

So the truth is, "big baits catch big fish and really small ones, too."

Fishing Flash

Lake Istokpoga's level is currently at 38.75 feet above sea level and rising with all gates closed since last Tuesday.

Water clarity is starting to improve and with the winds coming out of an easterly direction for the last week or so, the east side of the lake has cleanest water column.

Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission (FFWCC) will be starting their Fall Aquatic Weed Management program on the 21st of this month, and will be using helicopters and airboats as weather permits for five or six weeks. Hydrilla will not be treated at this time. FFWCC will be addressing Hydrilla sometime between the end of November and end of December.

FFWCC representatives would like to schedule Hydrilla treatments after Thanksgiving duck hunting session but before the main season starts in December.

SOS Florida Lakes board of directors and officers are encouraging FFWCC to schedule as little as possible Hydrilla treatments during the first ten to twelve weeks of the new year. The freshwater fishing business' peak time occurs from January through the end of March.

The majority of their yearly income comes at this time. The worst thing that could happen is to have the established feeding migration patterns - which include Hydrilla for spawning and feeding - totally disrupted by a fast acting contact herbicide killing three- to seven-foot preferred aquatic plant habitat.

It takes weeks, even months, to work an area of a lake to understand exactly how fish use it. Those in the freshwater fishing business rely on anglers being able to work the art of angling freely in the most popular lakes within their county.

Last year, Highlands County lost most of its business to Polk County and the Kissimmee Chain of lakes because its most popular lake underwent a massive Hydrilla Treatment at the peak of bass-angling season.

Fishing Tournaments

The Wednesday Morning Black Bass Fishing Tournament is open to the public. Next event is Wednesday, Sept. 17 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 bassbutchie60@aol.com or Dwight Ameling at (863)471-3305.

FISHING FORMULA

The formula remains the same as in previous weeks.

If you're in an area where you've had previous success, you know they are there because weather conditions have not changed in the last week, therefore all lake habitat is in a constant pattern. All the angler needs to achieve is the right speed, depth and action.

FAST FACTS

Lake Istokpoga's level is currently at 38.75 feet above sea level and rising with all gates closed since last Tuesday.

Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission (FFWCC) will be addressing Hydrilla sometime between the end of November and end of December.