Summer is definitely here and the fish know it too. The Kissimmee chain is at low pool and the lakes are slowly filling up due to the summer showers. The Bass bite has been good early morning and late evening. Goblets cove has been really good. Try and beat the heat. Most bass are being caught out in open water vegetation. On West Lake Toho most anglers are using plastics, I have been throwing a June bug or pink trick worm, no weight, working it over vegetation and waiting for that explosive hit. Also try using a Carolina rig with a 1 oz. weight to get thru the vegetation. Folks are having good success trolling live wild shiners up and down the hydrilla patches. East Lake Toho is still one of the better artificial lakes to fish during the summer. Along the northwest shore fish try fishing open water peppergrass. You should try a zoom vibe magnum worm, Texas rigged. Swim baits are another good choice. Gambler EZ Swimmer in the Copperfield color likely will get bit.
Panfish: Bluegills are spawning in the canals and any place that is sandy and any type of flow near it – bait of choice is crickets. Popping bugs also work well this time of year. Shell crackers are in very shallow water spawning; this info was tipped off by accident running the airboat up skinny. Best bait for the shell cracker is red wigglers. Both can be caught with cane poles or light tackle. Catfish as bycatch is a good thing, try using 8 pound test – it will hold a pretty good sized cat and still be thin enough that the panfish don’t see it. Watch for the afternoon storms and be safe!
