CENTRAL FLORIDA INLAND – September Fishing Report
Alright folks, one more month, and the storm season is behind us. I’m writing this article halfway through August, and so far, so good.
Tree damage is a part of life here in the National Forest, but trees that fall into our lakes and rivers, become prime habitat for all types of aquatic life. The bait population has improved dramatically, because of last year’s storms. Algae has started growing in the prairies, and on the new brush piles. This gives bait fish a safe source of food, which helps them grow and reproduce quicker. Note: The more brush piles a lake has, the better the quality of it’s fishing will be.
For bass anglers, finding a brush pile that no one knows about, is like finding a pot of gold. Groups of bass patrol the surrounding area, waiting for an easy meal. Junior sized flukes and swimbaits are key lures, because they imitate baitfish, and can be rigged weedlessly. That allows you to slowly crawl your lure over limbs without getting snagged. This technique is a great way to get older, more finicky bass to bite.
Everyone knows that bass are extra chunky during their pre-spawn phase. However, most people are unaware that they become just as heavy this month, and they’re much easier catch. My biggest bass ever, was caught during the beginning of September. Most of my fishing buddies also caught their biggest around this time of year. I got mine by flipping craws on a hot sunny day, while my buddies used swimming frogs or live shiners during overcast conditions.
Warmouth, sunfish, and specks (crappie) love brush piles too. The speck fishing usually starts heating up at the end of fall. However, I’ve spoken to several anglers who told me they’ve already been catching a few while fishing for bream. Even stranger, is that I actually just caught my biggest speck ever, while searching for hybrid stripers on Lake George. It weighed a whopping 3 pounds, and fought so hard that I thought it was a big bass or catfish. I had noticed a huge submerged tree on my depth finder, so I dropped a tiny panfish jig down, and instantly got slammed. When I finally saw that tell-tale emerald sheen, I literally flipped out. The trophy “slab” was released and swam away healthy. It won’t take long for it to grow to record size. One thing’s for sure, it’s gonna be one heck of a speck season!
Along with exceptional fishing, the shrimp run (St. john’s River) and gator hunting season, are also happening this month. I’ve seen more gators this year, than I have in the last decade. The shrimp run will provide you with enough shrimp to last until next year’s run, and the feeding frenzies make fish easier to locate and catch. No matter what you’re after, this is a month you don’t want to miss out on.