Lake Alfred – Auburndale – Winter Haven areas
During these hot summer months, we have to try different methods when going after bass. In general, slow way down when working your baits. During the hottest time of the day, you have to fish deeper and during the cooler times in the morning and evening, you should fish along the shore line. My recommended top water bait to use this time of year are Cotton Cordell Pencil Poppers in trout color, Booyah Pad Crasher Frogs, and Heddon Chug’n Spooks in bone color. These are the baits that are working! We’re getting multiple bass reports of 6 pounds and up when using these recommended top water baits. During the hot time of day, we recommend using a Booyah Lipless Crank Bait in royalty color. Let me tell you, this bait works! The majority of our big bass reports are coming in from Lakes Shipp and Summit in the South Winter Chain, and in the North Winter Haven Chain, Lakes Haines and Rochelle in Lake Alfred.
It’s still a great time to fish for blue gill and crackers, if that’s what you’re after. The abundance of rain is creating favorable running water situations. You will catch your limit!
Our weekly bass tournaments are going strong with premium catches reported as shown in the enclosed photo of Big Bass (9 lbs. 11 oz.) and 1st Place Winners, Hagan (BB) and Ron Dowdy, displaying their winning catch (Total 16lbs. 14 oz.) caught on Lake Juliana on Thursday, May 31st.
The 20th season of Ron’s Tackle Box Weekly Bass Tournaments is in full swing! Weekly registration is $30.00 per boat (1 or 2-man) and the tournaments run from 6:00 PM to 9:30 PM each Thursday through the end of October. Prizes are awarded for Big Bass and 1st, 2nd and 3rd Place categories. The location each week is not revealed until Thursday mornings and is announced in “The Ledger” and on our FaceBook page. Of course, you may always call Ron at (863) 956-4990 for tournament information and fishing reports. Our tournaments are all around great fun. Come out and join us!