Freshwater: Bass still biting despite hot, humid weather

Fish of the Week

Largemouth Bass – Hot and humid weather has slowed the fishing somewhat, but decent numbers of bass, along with panfish are still biting around the Polk County area.

Strike Zone, 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13

Around Polk County

1 Around Lakeland, at Saddle Creek, good numbers of schoolie bass are biting around the park on live shiners. A few good size fish, including one pushing 7.5 pounds, were also caught this week. Good numbers of tilapia are being caught and the catfish bite is also good. Around town, Lake Parker is producing good numbers of shellcracker on red worms and crickets. Bass are being caught there while flipping plastic worms and creature baits in the cattails, reports Phillips Bait and Tackle (863-666-2248).

2 At Auburndale, recent hot weather and sweltering humidity is keeping many anglers off the water, but those venturing out are still getting a decent bite. Around the Lake Alfred area, bass fishing is good at lakes Haines and Rochelle. A number of fish in the 5- to 6-pound range have been caught and Haines produced an 8-pounder this week. Lake Echo is also producing good numbers of bass. For the panfish, lakes Haines and Rochelle are producing good numbers of big shellcracker and bluegill, reports Ron Schelfo at Ron’s Tackle Box (863-956-4990).

3 At Winter Haven, the best bass bite this week has been at lakes Cannon, Summit and Winterset. All three lakes are producing good numbers of schoolie size bass in the 2- to 5-pound range. A few bluegill and shellcracker are biting around the mouths of the canals on the south chain, reports Schelfo.

4 At Lake Hamilton, the middle and the little lake have areas that have been sprayed for aquatic vegetation control, so the best fishing is going to be on the big lake. Some bass are being caught there on Senkos and while flipping black and blue color creature baits. Dark color swim jigs on the outside edges of the buggywhips and pads are also producing. Specks are being caught while trolling jigs and minnows in deeper water at a depth of 8 to 9 feet. Bluegill and shellcracker are biting on red worms around the buggywhips in 1 to 3 feet of water, reports Kyle Brewer at Hoppy’s by Crossed Industries (863-439-7616).

5 At Lake Marion near Haines City, bass are biting on black and blue swim jigs, along with flipping Senkos and creature baits around shallow Kissimmee grass with clean bottom. Specks are being caught while trolling minnows around brush piles in 7 to 15 feet of water. Bluegill and shellcracker are biting on red worms in shallow water from half a foot to 3 feet deep, reports Brewer.

6 At Lake Pierce, bass anglers are catching three to four fish an outing on black and blue color Bitter’s Vibe Tail worms. Topwaters are also producing a few bass and the bite is best early in the morning. Near limits of bluegill and shellcracker, but more blues, are being caught on crickets and red worms around the lake, reports Chris Beasley at Jennings Resort (863-439-3811).

7 At Lake Hatchineha, bluegill and shellcracker are being caught on red worms between Marker 10 and 11. Bass are biting in the pads early. Throw a Spro Poppin’ Frog in bluegill color for the best action, reports Charlie Wynperle at Bridgemaster Fishing Products (863-676-1009).

8 At Lake Toho, bass fishing is pretty good right now. You can find fish while flipping hydrilla mats at the north end of the lake. Bass are also being caught on the shad spawn about mid-lake off of Lake Toho R.V. Resort. Rat-L-Traps and speed worms are good baits to target the bass chasing the shad spawn. Decent numbers of specks are being caught around Marker 26 right now, reports Grady Johnson (407-205-6719).

9 At Lake Kissimmee, bluegill and shellcracker are being caught at Lemon Point on crickets in the pads in 1 to 2 feet of water. Bass are staging on the bluegill beds at Brahma Island. Throw a bluegill color swim jig or a Gambler EZ Swimmer in Houdini Color with a trailer for the best action, reports Wynperle.

10 At Lake Walk-in-the-Water, a few specks are being caught while trolling white and chartreuse color jigs around the offshore brush piles. Bass are biting in the reeds and cattails on the west side of the lake. Flip a watermelon red color creature bait rigged on a 5/16 oz. weight for the best results, reports Wynperle.

11 At Crooked Lake at Babson Park, bass up to 8 pounds have been caught this week on live shiners along the edges of the grass on the U.S. 27 side of the lake. Bass are also biting live shiners and Carolina rigged plastics around the mouth of Little Crooked. Shellcracker and bluegill are biting red worms on the bottom in 6 to 7 feet of water around Grassy Island. Both panfish are also biting red worms along the edges of the grass at a depth of 7 feet to the north by the college, reports Jim Childress of Big Bass Bait & Tackle (352-207-7520).

12 At Frostproof, Lake Reedy has a good speck bite while drifting minnows in 6 to 7 feet of water along the edges of the grass. Bass are also being caught along the grass on speed worms. Bluegill are biting there on crickets and red worms in the pads on the southwest side. Lake Clinch is producing a mix of shellcracker and bluegill along the west shore on red worms and crickets at a depth of about 7 feet. Bass are also biting on the west side on live shiners and Chatterbaits along the edges of the grass. Lake Arbuckle still has a good bass bite on black and blue color 10-inch plastic worms. Bluegill are being caught around the pads on crickets and red worms. The Cypress trees at the south shore are also still producing bluegill on crickets, reports Childress.

13 In the phosphate pits near Mulberry, bass fishing is good in the pits. The fish have moved out to open water and are chasing the shad in open pockets of hydrilla. Topwater plugs such as a Heddon Zara Spook or a Smitchwick Devil’s Horse in firetiger or shad color are getting the bite. A number of fish pushing 7 pounds have been caught this week. Look for the popping bait fish, that is the key, reports Danny Hamm of Bull Bay Tackle Company. (863-937-3292).

This article originally appeared on The Ledger: Freshwater: Bass still biting despite hot, humid weather