Freshwater fishing: Bass might've slowed down a little, but bluegill are on fire in Polk
1. In Lakeland, bass are being caught at Saddle Creek on medium domestic shiners and are ranging anywhere from 3 to 5-pounds. At Tenoroc, on Cemetery Lake, catfish are biting chicken livers. Bass can be found using shiners. On Lake Parker, bluegill and shellcracker are active on crickets and worms, reports Phillips Bait and Tackle (863-666-2248).
2. In Auburndale and Lake Alfred, on Lake Juliana, bass and bluegill are biting. On Lake Alfred a lot of nice bass ranging from 6 to 7-pounds are being caught on the back side of the lake near the reeds and lily pads. On Lake Rochelle, the shellcracker bite has been outstanding on red worms. Lake Haines has been the spot for bluegill. Both lakes are also producing bass around the grass lines, reports Ron Schelfo at Ron’s Tackle Box (863-956-4990).
3. In Winter Haven, on Lake Shipp, stick to the shoreline for bass and catfish. On lakes Cannon and Summit, the bass bite has been strong in a boat and on shore, says Schelfo. Capt. Bill Goudy recommends the outside edges of submerged grass offshore for bass on clear-water lakes. For stained-water lakes look for brush piles and use a Carolina-rigged soft plastic. You can also try shiners on the bottom. For a guided fishing trip with Capt. Goudy, call Bass Online (888-629-2277).
4. On Lake Hamilton, on the big lake, the bluegill and shellcracker spawn is still going on in the reeds, so the bass are there feeding. Try flipping a black-and-blue creature-style bait in about 5 feet of water. Rat-L-traps along the edges of the grass will work too. Shellcracker and bluegill are biting crickets in 3 feet or less in the grass. For specks, if you stay near the holes on the southeast side and troll a jig you might be able to catch a limit. On the middle lake, flipping a senko into the cattails on the north bank should yield some bass, as well as a black-and-blue chatterbait in-and-around grass. For shellcracker, stick to the pads in 4 feet or less using crickets. On the little lake, bass are being caught on half-ounce chatterbait in shad colors. A few are being caught on Carolina-rigged worms fished on the bottom. For specks, troll a white or chartreuse jig near brushpiles, reports local guide Kyle Brewer. Contact Kyle at fishingbud55@gmail.com.
5. On Lake Marion near Haines City, bass are being caught on white medium diving crankbaits and black-and-blue swim jigs around the grass lines. Shellcracker and bluegill can be had on crickets in 4 feet or less. Troll white or chartreuse jigs east of Bannon Island for specks, reported Brewer.
6. On Lake Pierce, bluegill and shellcracker can be found in the pads using crickets, red worms and grass shrimp. A few specks are being taken out of the lake in the open water. The bass bite has been good early in the morning with a topwater bait in the heavy grass. During the day look for them in the brush piles using a Carolina-rigged worm, reports Jim Childress of Big Bass Bait & Tackle (352-207-7520).
What's Biting: Bluegill
There are plenty of this panfish to be had in local lakes. Crickets, red worms and grass shrimp fished near grass lines should yield you a bounty.
Strike zones: 1, 4, 5, 6, 9, 10, 11, 12
7. On Lake Hatchineha, stick to the outside of the reed lines for bass. Try using a 1-ounce black-and-blue Medlock jig or a swim jig. Specks have been plentiful in 6 to 8 feet of water trolling a road runner, reports Bridgemaster Fishing Products (863-676-1009).
8. On Lake Toho, the topwater bite has been really good for bass. Anglers have had success with speed worms and fluke around the isolated grass patches. Shiners are still producing a decent bass bite as well. The speck bite remains slow, but a few are being caught using minnows around submerged grass, according to Mike Groshon from Bass Online (888-629-2277).
9. On Lake Kissimmee, throwing a lipless crankbait on shell bars should net you some bass. Bluegill and shellcracker have been biting in North Cove on crickets and red worms, reports Bridgemaster Fishing Products.
10. On Lake Walk-in-the-Water, bass fishing remains tough, but some are being caught in the canals and creeks on popping frogs. Bluegill have been very active in the outside of the reed patches on crickets and worms, reports Bridgemaster Fishing Products.
11. On Crooked Lake, on Big Crooked, the bluegill and shellcracker bite around Wirt’s Point and Grassy Island has been great on red worms fished on the bottom. Specks can be found around Wirt’s Point also in 20 to 25 feet of water on minnows, with the bite being a little better at night. Bass have been biting on the south end and on the U.S. 27 side. Use topwater bait in the morning and drift shiners along the outside edges of the grass. Try freelining live bait around the mouths of Big and Little Crooked for bass as well. On Little Crooked, bluegill are being caught in 6 feet of water using red worms, says Childress.
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12. In Frostproof, on Lake Clinch, the bass bite has been great drifting shiners along any grass lines. Childress said a recent guided trip netted 96 bass across two days, with two over 9 pounds and several 7- and 8-pound bass. Bluegill and shellcracker are active on red worms. Specks have been found on the brush piles using minnows. On Lake Reedy, bluegill have been feeding on red worms fished on the bottom and crickets in the lily pads on the southwest side of the lake. Brush piles are the place to look for bass using jerkbait and Carolina-rigged worms. On Lake Arbuckle, live shiners on the east side shoreline have been effective. Look to the Cypress trees on the south end of the lake for bluegill, reports Childress.
13. In Mulberry, the bass are starting to school a little bit and some of the plugs are starting to work better. Any jerkbait in a shad color will do the trick. The afternoon seems to be the better time of day; work the shoreline and hydrilla pockets. Nothing to report on shellcracker or pan fish. Speck fishing has been inconsistent, says Danny Hamm of Bull Bay Tackle Company (863-937-3292).
This article originally appeared on The Ledger: Freshwater fishing: Bluegill are on fire across much of Polk
