Although I don’t get a chance to fish every lake in Highlands, Polk, or Okeechobee Counties to report on the fishing activity, I do fish many of the lakes on a regular basis and I often get the chance to talk with other fishermen who’ve fished the lakes as well.
As we approach what I consider to be one of the best times of the year for bass-fishing in South-Central Florida, I wanted to share with you what’s happening on some of our lakes and provide you with my personal ratings and the lure choices I’d recommend for eight of our area lakes for November, 2015.
Lake Istokpoga: Fair-Good
Lake Istokpoga has been a disappointment to many bass fishermen through the past summer, going back to last spring. Many fisherman stopped fishing Highland County’s largest lake by early summer and felt the fish had just disappeared. But they are still there, in large numbers. Try top water lures early, worms and jigs in the reeds and pads as well as frogs and toads around any vegetation. In-line spinners, spinner baits and buzz baits should also be added to your arsenal.
Lake Jackson: Fair-Good
The water remains high on this deep water lake. Flooded vegetation makes for ideal ambush points along the shoreline in many areas. Chug Bugs, Zara Spooks and Devils Horse lures along the shoreline early will see plenty of action. Plastic worms and shallow crank baits, as well as spinner baits fished in 2-5’ of water will produce well at this time of the year, as well as jigs tipped with plastic craws in and around the shoreline vegetation. Deep water structures, primarily brush piles, will continue to produce bass using drop-shot rigs and vertical spoons like a Hopkins Shorty.
Lake Glenada: Good-Excellent
This “Big Bass” lake located in front of the college will be in its prime in November. Deep water bass will move into the shoreline reeds and across the shallower “hump” joining both ends of the lake. Black blue Medlock jigs and black blue Senko’s flipped into the reeds is sure to see action. Deep diving crank baits, Texas rigged-plastic worms as well as Carolina rigs fished over the hump will also produce some of the lakes many lunkers.
Lake June: Good-Excellent
This lake has been a big producer throughout the summer if you know where and how to fish the deep water structures. Because it is a deep lake, the water temperature tends to be more stable and the bass should remain on, in and around these underwater structures through the end of the year. Drop-shotting and Carolina rigs would be a good choice in deeper water over the brush piles.
Lake Placid: Good-Excellent
A number of small tournaments on Lake Placid have had good results all summer. The fall fishing season should continue to produce well. Shoreline structure as well as off-shore structure has been holding bass in large quantities. Plastic worms, spinner baits and stick-baits are made to order on this lake. The importance of the deep water shouldn’t be overlooked in Lake Placid, and Lake June. Both area’s will produce great fishing during the spawn, but look for the bass to continue to be in their deeper water haunts until at least January and February.
Lake Lotela: Fair-Good
This clear-water lake can be a challenge for many fishermen. With very little underwater structure, bass will continue to be found in the shallower water on top water lures early and plastic worms or crankbaits by late morning. This is a great lake to fish just prior to a rain storm. The bigger fish always seem to move up shallow as the storm approaches and will feed aggressively on almost anything you throw at them.
Lake Reedy: Fair-Good
This is another lake that has produced well during the summer months. Spinner baits and plastic worms have worked well and as the water cools, expect the bigger fish to begin moving shallow. This is a lake that you definitely want to fish in February and March, since it typically has a later spawning period than Lake Okeechobee and Lake Istokpoga.
Lake Walk-in-Water Good-Excellent
Lake Walk-in-Water, a shallow, circular lake in Polk County was on-fire during the spring fishing period, yielding at least one bass over 15 pounds and many others exceeding the 10 pound mark. Successful trips failed to produce as well into the summer, but fall and winter are generally two of the best seasons of the year to fish this lake. The lake has plenty of reeds, as well as scattered lily-pads and very little deep- water areas for the fish to spend much time. November is a great time to be looking for baitfish as they move shallow and fishermen should be flipping the reeds with jigs and plastic worms. Like most of the lakes this time of the year, top water lures will be effective until the sun gets up and by then the key will be flipping and pitching soft craws and worms into the reeds.
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