Every month when I write this report I start with the bass fishing and move onto whatever else is biting, not this month. We’re gonna start with the Speck fishing. Specks are moving into the edge of the grass lines, but your best bet still remains to drift the open water. Catches of 12-inch and up fish are caught daily with numbers in the 20 to 25 range. But be ready to release a lot of small fish, for right now every 8 to 10 specks will yield 1 or 2 keepers. The upside is there are plenty to catch, you just have to weed through the small ones. When drifting the open water, set your poles at different depths in the water column, set one at 4 feet, then set another at 6 and so forth and so on. By setting your baits at different depths you can tune into what depth the Specks are at. Drifting minnows without a float, but weighted with a 1/2 ounce lead to keep them down is working great. The first few hours in the morning and the last few before dark is proving to be your best bet, so get there early, or go late which ever you prefer. Jig fisherman are still catching Specks in the Monkey Box and around Horse Island. Look for Hydrilla mixed in with Cattails for best results. Just as a reminder, the State’s legal size for Specks on the Big ‘O’ is 10-inches or greater.
Bass fishing has had its ups and downs. The artificial bite has been tough while the shiner bite has been good. Catches on shiners for a full day on the lake have been anywhere from 30 to 50 bass a day, with a few 5 to 6 pounders in the mix, but don’t worry the big fish are on their way in. There are plenty of fish in front of the lock in the Kissimmee River, just throw your shiners up current and let them drift back and you should catch plenty. Kings Bar, Eagle Bay and Tin House Cove are holding fish on the outside points. Try to anchor your boat with the breeze to you back and let your shiners work the edge. If nothing happens in about 30 minutes, move around and try a new spot. Spinner baits are working early and plastic worms are working as the sun rises. One thing you can do this time of year to help your chances is to stay off the edge and make a long cast to the edge, this gives your bait more water to cover and you don’t spook the fish. I see plenty of people trying to get right in on top of the fish and make short pitches or trying to flip the edges when fishing is tough. This only makes it even tougher for the sound and vibration from your trolling motor, the way the bait enters the water, and all these little things make a difference when the fishing is tough. So the best thing to do is to lay back and make a long cast and slow down. Worm Cove, Tin House, and Grassy Island are holding fish but they’re just not big, you’ll catch plenty of fish but they’re just small.
Remember to stop in Garrard’s Bait and Tackle, they have a full line of Bass and Crappie baits and they have the best shiners on the lake. Stop by and say Hi and listen to the lies, you won’t regret it.
