[dropcap]T[/dropcap]he warm winter has been good and bad so far this year. The good part is it has been great weather to fish in, the bad part is that it has slowed down our big bass bite. Each year we look forward to a little cold air to help bring bigger fish in from the open lake so they can start their spawning cycle. So far this year this has been slow, don’t get me wrong, we’re catching plenty of bass, but the big girls haven’t showed up like we are used to seeing. The artificial bite has picked up with catches in Tin House Cove and on third point. Pitching a soft plastic craw fish or a jig in the reeds have had great results. Spinner baits such as the mouse colored War Eagle have been very productive also. Local tournaments have had winning weights in the 20- to 25-pound range which is not bad for this time of year, but I’m sure before long we ‘ll start seeing those 30- to 35-pound stringers start to show up. The shiner bite is as good as it gets. Catches in the 50 to 60 fish range are not uncommon with fish up to the 8-pound range. Eagle Bay, Kings Bar, Tin House, and North Shore out of the Harney Pond area have been very productive. Bass are relating to hydrilia that is mixed with cattails, so look for a good clean edge that your shiner can swim free and get ready. Remember that when you are fishing with live bait to give the bass time to eat the shiner. He may hit it three or four times before he decides to eat it, so BE PATIENT. The worst thing you can do is get in a big hurry when shiner fishing.
Speck fishing has been steady. Specks are being caught drifting, jigging the reeds and at night in the river, so you have a few options right now when fishing for this tasty fish. If you like to drift, start about a mile out in front of Taylor Creek Lock in about 12 feet of water. Run your minnows without a float with a half-ounce weight at about 8 feet. You may want to try it at different depths to pinpoint where the fish are in the water column. For you fisherman who like to jig, Horse Island and Indian Prairie have been good as of late, Grassy Island is producing fish as well. And for you guys who like to night fish, specks are being caught along the edge of the Kissimmee River on the drop off during the first three or four hours at night. The best fishing has been from a half mile above the Route 78 bridge to the mouth of the river. Minnows and grass shrimp are the bait of choice.
Remember to stop by Garrards Bait and Tackle for all your fishing needs, they have a full line of Crappie jigs and Bass lures to satisfy any fisherman, plus they have the best live shiners on the lake.
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