If your home mortgage is federally insured - and most are - and you live in a flood-prone area, you may have to buy flood insurance. ...more

July 11, 2008

As the state is working on the massive Everglades cleanup, a local Audubon Society official warned that one of its tributaries is headed for the same environmental problems plaguing the swamp and Lake Okeechobee. ...more

July 10, 2008

SPRING LAKE — Joe DeCerbo thinks he's finally solved Spring Lake's water problem. South Florida Water Management District has allowed a seawall to be built that carries excess rainfall directly to Arbuckle Creek, without flowing over the land of ranch owner Sandra Tyrell. "This will, without a doubt, protect us and Sandy Tyrell forever," said DeCerbo, the manager of Spring Lake Improvement District for the past two years. "As soon as it's finished, we're going to sit down and have an agreement typed with them sitting there. We sign it, and Sandy signs it, and then we call the judge and get that injunction lifted." ...more

July 5, 2008

LAKE PLACID — Caladium farmers are smiling. Farmers pointed to more than a week of daily rains as favorable for the crop outlook and the August Caladium Festival, but cautioned that too much of good thing could become a negative. Carolyn Phypers, of Happiness Farms, said the caladium crop forecast is "looking pretty good." "The rain helped out," said Phypers. "If it doesn't drown them out, we'll be fine. Sometimes you can get too much rain, but we need the rain, so we can't complain." ...more

July 3, 2008

The last quarter moon phase will arrive Wednesday, but instead of the usual affect –– a terrific late afternoon bite –– we'll see the start of an exceptional early morning bite because the distance from the moon from the earth is greater than in recent months. Expect the afternoon bite to diminish quickly each day and be non-existent by Wednesday, replaced by the rapid improvement of the early morning bite. To take full advantage, be on the water by 6 a.m., working areas of proven migration. Remember, the vegetation uses oxygen at night during the summer months which means the larger fish will be on the outside edges and covering more distance in their search for food. As the water heats up during the day, be expecting to move into the vegetation, as these areas start to produce oxygen and shade resulting in the food chain moving into the area. ...more

May 25, 2008

I read with interest the article by James J. Dean regarding the channel between Little Lake Jackson and Lake Jackson. Also, the article about the canal cleanup at Lake Istokpoga. Both of our local newspapers should interview residents of Erin Park, who live on the three canals to Little Lake Jackson, and also take pictures of the three canals, as two of them are literally "seas of grass." We have little water in the middle canal and in the past few weeks, a lot of the fish have died and we've gotten flocks of buzzards on the bank feeding on the dead fish. We haven't had our boats or pontoons out on either lake for almost two years. A lot of the boats and pontoons are sitting high and dry. It would cost each owner around $600 to have a crane come in and remove them. We have contacted local county officials several times, but all we get are words! Something needs to be done. ...more

May 24, 2008

LAKE PLACID — Highlands County Lakes Manager Clell Ford said he hopes to begin dredging and cleaning up several residential canals feeding into Lake Istokpoga by November. The county already did some testing on 17 residential canals, including some of the canals located in Mossy Cove, Palms Estates and near the Istokpoga Marina. Ford said he also needed to choose a dump site for an estimated 25,000 cubic feet of sand and muck that would be taken out of the canals. The state budget has $800,000 slated for the maintenance work, and he said he'll try to get some of the needed permits for the projects next month if the county commissioners approve the project in today's meeting. ...more

May 20, 2008

LORIDA — It has three bedrooms and two baths, but J.D. and Barbara Parker's new abode is far from being a run-of-the-mill home. Especially considering the 7,600-square-foot custom home, which overlooks Lake Istokpoga, has a full-service bar upstairs, a 45,000-kilowatt generator and some really interesting amenities in the workshop – a vertical tanning booth and a urinal with a flat-screen TV above it. ...more

May 18, 2008

The majority daytime feeding migration starts at 11 a.m. and lasts to mid- to late-afternoon, depending on weather conditions. The early morning bite is modest but reliable until the sun rises above the shore tree lines. It goes without saying (but I'll say it anyway): The east side of the lake has a longer, more intense early morning bite migration, especially if there's rain runoff entering the lake in the same area. ...more

April 8, 2008

SEBRING — Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission has rated Lake Istokpoga as one of the top 13 spots in Florida for catching black bass. Istokpoga and the other 12 on the list were chosen by fish biologists, "based on local experience, creel surveys, (electro-fishing) data and the site's ability to handle fishing pressure with adequate ramps and fishing access," a press release from FWC states. ...more

February 14, 2008