Area Ledger fishing report

Published Thursday, January 5, 2006

Fishing: Around Polk County

1. Around Lakeland, Lake Crago has come on strong for speckled perch up to 11/2 pounds on minnows and Blakemore Road Runners, reports Capt. Bobby Blizzard at Big Fish Outfitters in North Lakeland. Speck fishermen at Crago also catching a lot of bass on minnows, and going to smaller minnows to stay away from bass. Specks also active at Tenoroc, with lakes 4, 5 and F producing limits, reports Brian Fleming. Terry Walker and Clifford Brown tied for biggest speck in Phillips Bait and Tackle biweekly contest that ended Dec. 31, both with 11/2-pounders caught at Saddle Creek Park on minnows. Boats getting 15-25 specks per trip at Saddle Creek, reports Lee Phillips. Bass more active on warming trend, hitting RatL-Traps around edge of grass lines and deeper holes at Lake Gibson, reports Big Fish Outfitters. At Tenoroc, bass up to 27 inches on wild shiners in lakes 5, Shop and Hydrilla, said Fleming. Bass up to 4-5 pounds this week at Saddle Creek.

2. At Auburndale, time of year for some very large specks at lakes Mattie and Juliana, although numbers not what they used to be.

3. At Winter Haven, bass biting better with water warming into low 60s in afternoons, reports guide Monte Goodman. Bass holding in submerged vegetation 5-10 feet deep and hitting Rat-L-Traps, spinnerbaits and jerkbaits. He's averaging 15-20 bass per trip up to 8 pounds.

4. At Lake Hamilton, speck boats picking up 15-20 per trip on minnows around island and north end, reports Chain O'Lakes Bait and Tackle (863439-3885). Bass decent on shiners.

5. At Lake Marion near Haines City, 10-year-old Matt Stockart of Seminole weighed in 2-pound speck 17 inches long, reports Ray Chase at Bannon's Camp. Boats catching 12-16 per trip on minnows in deep holes. Grass lines should pick up toward full moon Jan. 14.

6. At Lake Pierce, specks biting minnows around peppergrass patches in open water, reports Jennings Camp. No limits, but size is good.

7. At Lake Hatchineha, first signs of bass moving to beds, with mostly buck bass shallow behind bulrush lines. Gator Cove hot spot for speckled perch over past week, with jig fishing around hydrilla edges or drifting open water both producing limits. Drifting open water off Catfish Creek also yielding limits, but size isn't as good. Specks in Cypress around hydrilla lines near center marker, and in Southport Canal at night.

8. At Lake Toho, bass beginning to form beds with warming trend, but frigid weather on way. Keep eye on bedding areas at Goblet's Cove and South Steer Beach, especially around moons. Specks most consistent catch, with limits on days wind is down off Red's Fish Camp or around Paradise and Makinson islands on jigs or minnows.

9. At Lake Kissimmee, bass more active and moving toward shallow spawning areas over weekend with new moon and warm weather, reports Leo Cosce at Camp Lester. But he said fishermen being secretive about best spots. Mostly males on beds so far, but if warm weather and full moon coincide next weekend, should be some trophies released. Rob Murchie at Middleton's Fish Camp released a 9-pounder on a shiner last weekend. Some really nice specks, up to 2 pounds, around grass line edges on jigs (1/32-ounce Laker hair jigs in white, blue/white, chartreuse, or white/pink) and minnows. Cosce said one angler had four specks between 13/4 and 2 pounds on minnows. Best locations for specks Philadelphia Point, North Cove and Grassy Island. Drift fishing for specks producing smaller fish, under 10 inches. Murchie said boats catching 20-30 good-sized specks and throwing back plenty of smaller ones, fishing grass lines early and late with jigs.

10. At Lake Walk-in-the-Water, speckled perch better bet than bass as new year kicks off. Gary Burden of Lake Hamilton caught limit of specks 11/2-2 pounds at night on minnows Dec. 27, reports Chain O'Lakes Bait and Tackle in Dundee. One at 21/4 pounds was weighed.

11. At Crooked Lake at Babson Park, big bass started over past week, with half-dozen in 10-pound class. "We've seen a lot of 10-pounders coming in and not all of them were on shiners, either," reports Cindy at Bob's Landing. Brett Martin of Kentucky netted a 10-pounder on a shiner, and Indiana native Ed Hensley of Bob's Landing caught a 9.8-pounder. First reports of shellcracker, with boats getting 8-12 per trip. Specks picking up at night, with boats bringing in 20-30 in 28 feet.

12. At Frostproof, warming trend giving anglers bass bug at Reedy and Arbuckle, but weather turning cold this weekend. Specks fair at Arbuckle.

13. In the phosphate pits south of Mulberry and Bartow, next warming trend should see some trophy-class bass in bedding areas.

COMPILED BY DEL MILLIGAN