CENTRAL FLORIDA INLAND
Water levels just keep getting higher, forest fishers. Aside from flooding our prairies, the rain is also staining the water clarity. Lures with a lot of action, and baits that are extra stinky, will help draw strikes when the fishing gets tough.
Bass have started feeding up for the winter. Small fish fight like “biggins” now, due to how thick and heavy they are. Swim-style soft plastics will help you search flooded areas, while a trickworm is good for slowly picking apart brush piles. Junebug color works best in stained water. If you really want to target a “wall hanger”, troll live shiners (nose hooked) along grass lines and wait for the explosion! Lake Bryant and Lake Kerr are great for lots of action, but any lake out here has the potential for a “Trophy Catch”!
Fried catfish is delicious, and the dams at Rodman and Moss Bluff are producing some heavy stringers! Recently, Moss Bluff Dam was flowing like white water rapids, due to heavy rains. The water’s edge actually came all the way up to the parking lot. Everyone I spoke with said it was the best fishing they’d seen in years…coolers full! The rule of thumb is: More flow = More fish! Cane poles were most people’s weapon of choice, and live worms were their bait.
Speckled perch have started to show themselves here in the forest. Lake Bryant was my favorite “speck” spot last winter. However, the Ocklawaha River is where the true “slabs” come from. Serious “speckers” put in at Moss Bluff and ride south; slowly trolling minnows and vertical jigging fallen trees. Dropping temperatures will make specks group up. So when you find one, you’ve usually found a school. Deep water ledges are key, and a depth finder will help locate those steep drop-offs. However, as long as you just keep trolling, you’re sure to find plenty of tasty game fish .
The full moon is Nov. 4th, for all you night-fishers. Lighted bridges and docks will draw in specks and other species. Astor is a great place for dock hopping. The “snowbirds” have started coming down for the winter, and they are telling me how much they love what they’re seeing. It’s gonna be a great season of fishing! Send me pics and stories of your adventures, and I’ll keep you posted with the newest info.