Ok, now it’s really getting cold! The fronts are coming through every 6 or 7 days. If you are after big bass and big stringers of crappie, you are here at the right time.
Largemouth Bass: With December having some really cold days it has had the water temps in the low 50s. That is all it takes to get the spawn triggered. I took the airboat out to scout for bass beds this week on the Kissimmee Chain and most of the bass are in a foot of water, all males. The females should not be far away. If you can find the staging areas of the female bass, usually within 40 yards, you can catch a stringer of big ones for sure. Look for some type of structure like Kissimmee grass, reeds, or bull rushes. You can really be successful at catching big bass in Lake Kissimmee! These are the areas I look for all winter, once you find them it is like fishing in a barrel. Spool up 20 pound test braid on your favorite reel and make long casts. Artificial baits should be fished slowly. I prefer plastic lizard type baits in watermelon seed color.
Crappie: The crappie bite is really good on the Kissimmee Chain of Lakes. The female fish are still in open water grouping up ready to start making their way in to compete for spawning area. I expect them to move in to the grass by the end of January. Fish the areas from the edge of the grass lines, on out to open water until you find them either by longline trolling or spider-rigging. A jig tipped with a minnow is a sure thing. Vary the color of the jigs in your spread and change a few to same color once a pattern is established. On a recent trip we caught most of the fish on the drop offs. Enjoy the winter break from the heat…Capt. Randy DuMars.
