We didn’t have much of a winter. It was definitely one of the warmest I’ve seen here. Mother Nature seems to be ahead of schedule this year. If this trend continues, we will be looking at an extra hot summer.
Largemouth bass have been spawning for a couple months now. That means that in addition to the ones sitting on beds, there will be a good amount of post-spawn bass along the outer edges of cover. These fish are super hungry and will eat just about anything you throw at them. Post-spawn is my favorite time to bass fish, because it’s so easy to catch a lot of big fish. Weightless flukes and senkos work great and are easy for making long casts. Watermelon red or junebug, are the go-to colors. Let your lure sink to the bottom, and watch your line to spot subtle bites. Use a twitch- twitch-pause method for the retrieve. If you prefer using live bait, then shiners will be your best bet at catching a trophy lunker.
Rodman Reservoir and Lake George have been producing loads of huge largemouth like always this time of year, but don’t forget about the smaller forest lakes such as Bryant and Halfmoon. Small lakes still have big bass in them, and they are easier to navigate and locate fish. Keep an eye out for large white circles of sand(beds) and schools of baby bass(fry), along the grassy shoreline, to spot productive areas. A kayak or small jon-boat will help you access more of our hidden, deep woods lakes.
For shore-side fishers, the dams at Rodman and Moss Bluff have been producing a mixed bag of all different species (catfish, sunfish, warmouth, crappie) on live worms and minnows. As a bonus, Rodman dam has also been producing some quality hybrid stripers on silver rattle traps and white flukes. Throw right up to the spillway, in the most turbulent water, and hang on. These guys fight hard and are also delicious to eat.
No matter what type of fishing you prefer, now is the time to do it. Take advantage of this perfect weather, and explore the beauty that the Ocala National Forest has to offer.
John Freeze | 352-216-5798
Swampsurf@embarqmail.com