The recent cold snap should improve bass fishing on the Kissimmee Chain. Large trophy class bass will be moving into the shallows. Isolated pads are your best bet under these conditions. Fish the edges to 15’ off the edges of the isolated pads first. Often these big females will stage up in those areas and the smaller buck bass will be on the inside of the isolated pad fields. 4’-5’ of water are the isolated pads that you want to fish first. Your best artificial baits are Swimbaits with a 1/4 oz weight slow moving. Flukes with a 1/16 oz weight or Weightless Senkos. For best results with live bait slow trolling shiners on the edges of the isolated pads can be very good.
Speck fishing is peaking at this time- it’s really heating up with good numbers of big slabs being caught. On Lake Kissimmee jigging on the deeper grass lines is very good. A 1/16 oz jig white and chartreuse with a white grub is working pretty good. On windy days fish the canals with a minnow and slip cork rig set at 9’ is also working well. Lake Rosalie continues to produce good numbers of large specks. A December speck tournament produced a 12 1/2lb bag on a 7 fish limit- “very impressive” for the daytime. Long line trolling jigs and Road runners is the ticket in the deepest part of the lake during the daytime. Trolling speed 1-2 mph. At night run a slip cork and minnow rig at anchor in 14’-16’ of water and set your depths on your slip cork rigs from 7’to 11’ depths.
From all of us at Water’s Edge Fish Camp We Wish You Happy Holidays And A Happy New Year.
Submitted By: Capt Dave Ochs
Waters Edge Fish Camp
10730 Camp Mack Rd
Lake Wales, Fl
863-589-6295