Water levels on the Kissimmee Chain are at a ten year low. Boaters and anglers should exercise extreme caution when operating their boats to prevent damage to their engines and boats. Sand bars are popping up everywhere as well as submerged brush piles causing severe damage to transoms, lower units and power heads by mud and sand being sucked up by your outboard water intake. Many ramps for launching your boat are close to where you can’t launch your boat. Most residents who have their boats parked in access canals are sitting on dry land. I can only hope by the time this article is printed that the situation improves.
Bass are scattered everywhere at this time in depths from 1 1/2’ to 12’ depths and are constantly on the move throughout the day. Your best bet is to start shallow at sunrise 1 1/2’ to 3’ depths using top water hard baits, 1/4oz spinner baits or scum frogs. Mid morning flipping craws or weightless senkos on the grass lines 4’ or better where you can find it or scattered pads. Flukes or swimbaits are best in those areas. Water clarity may be murky in many of these areas so make sure you have plenty of black blue flake color with you as this is the most visible to the bass under murky conditions. Mid afternoon find the deepest and thickest cover you can find and flip a 1oz black blue jig with a matching craw.
Big slabs up to 2lbs are still being taken at night on slip cork rigs with a minnow. The canal between Hatchineha and Kissimmee can be really good between 8pm and 2am. Run your sets at 7’-8’ depths along the ledges. Also, Lake Rosalie is producing respectable size specks during the same time frame in 12’ of water set at 6’-10’ depths. During the daylight hours try long-line trolling road runners, beetle spins and 1/8 oz shad colored crank baits in the deepest water you can find.
Bluegill and shellcracker are a harder find at this time. Heavy pads 3’-5’ depths are best at this time. Best areas on Lake Kissimmee are Eagles Nest, Gobbler’s Ridge or Brahma Island. Cricketts or red worms whichever you prefer will work well.
