By: Capt Roan zumFelde
Wow hope everyone made it through all the hot weather in May. Going to make for an interesting June. Record temps in the first few days of May will probably slow the fishing for bass down a bit in June. Peacock bass on the other hand should be lighting it up, as long as we do not have too much rain in the glades. Good peacock fishing will be closer to the Miami canals, but there are some that have survived in the canals across I-75. Lake fishing for bass early morning and late evening will be your best bets.
Lake Okeechobee in June will be difficult for me to predict this far ahead, but it will all have to do with how much water and heat there will be through May. My best guess is it is going to be a hot June with average rainfall, wow I sound like a weather forecaster. UGH. Anyhow I would expect the better bass fishing to be around any of the deeper parts of the lake, with good cover and from those areas the fish will venture out in the early morning feed and then hightail it back to cover. I also have good luck fishing the rim canal in June, especially if we have lower than normal rain and the lake levels get low.
Lake Trafford is still all over the place with the fishing. I hear a good report, then I hear that nothing is being caught for a week, then another good report. My guess will be that you need to be there at first light for any type of bass bite. There should be good numbers of bluegill bedding this month so if you can find them that should be very good. I like little sinking flies when they are bedding, something small and flashy or little flashy Clousers or Bitsy Minnows.
Everglades Canals will most likely be on a downward spiral due to ever increasing heat and rain. The fish are there and still catchable, but it just won’t be the 200 fish days of April and May. Go early or stay late for your best results, but watch out for the storms. I have been in a few dewsies out there in the afternoons.
Come join me at Mike’s Bait House and Indian Pass Outfitters on Danford Street, next to Bayview Park in Naples and we can talk fishing. Come check out all our new rods from TFO and Florida Fishing Products. We carry a full line of tackle including: fly fishing needs and both saltwater and freshwater gear, food, drink, and bait. Thanks and good fishing. Roan z