Florida Fishing Reports

Published Thursday, January 26, 2006 My Site: http://mysite.verizon.net/resrl9wc/

Fishing: Around Polk County

1. Around Lakeland, Mark Smith and Mike Pruitt both caught a bass around 10 pounds fishing together Tuesday morning at Lake Gibson, reports Bobby Blizzard at Big Fish Outfitters. Smith's bass weighed 10 pounds 1.75 ounces, while Pruitt's fish measured 9 pounds, 14.75 ounces -- both on a Zoom Smokin' Blue lizard. Shiners and watermelon Super Flukes also producing bass at Gibson, though most are up to 5-6 pounds. At Tenoroc, bass up to 24 inches in lakes 4, 5 and Shop, reports Brian Fleming. Bass up to 5 pounds at Saddle Creek, but Lee Phillips said bigger bass spotted in shallows. Speckled perch steady at Tenoroc, Lake Crago, Lake Deeson and Saddle Creek Park. Best speck lakes at Tenoroc 2, 4 and 5, said Fleming. Blizzard said specks up to 14 inches at Deeson. Better anglers catching limits of specks at Saddle Creek, and Phillips said Crago's been "particularly" good at night on minnows.

2. At Auburndale, big bass on verge of busting loose in area lakes, with north Winter Haven chain good place to start. Specks hitting late afternoons at Lake Conine.

3. At Winter Haven, bass up to 6 pounds caught variety of ways on south chain in Lakeland Bassmasters tournament Sunday -flipping and pitching in grass, Rat-L-Traps and Carolina rigs off grass, and Flukes inside grass early. Eagle Lake more of a challenge in Sunday tournament, with nothing over 31/2 pounds. Next warmup, up to full moon, should be excellent for bass in small city lakes and Lake Fannie.

4. At Lake Hamilton, speck fishermen catching 15-20 per trip, finding fish out of grass and in little deeper water this week, reports Chain O'Lakes Bait and Tackle (863-439-3885) in Dundee. Bass just fair despite warm weather.

5. At Lake Marion near Haines City, Bill McDaniels and Mitchell King pulled in 49 specks up to 2 pounds Saturday night that weighed total of 43 pounds, reports Ray Chase at Bannon's Camp. Howard Cone caught 2-pound speck last Thursday. Minnows best, but yellow/white hair jigs and Hal Flys also effective. Bass picking up, with 5-pound, 10ouncer in weekend tournament on jerkbait.

6. At Lake Pierce, a few specks, with boats getting 8-12 per trip, reports Jennings Camp. Bass running up to 2 pounds, but numbers better.

7. At Lake Hatchineha, Steve and Anna Watson of Camp Lester caught limit of specks Friday night in Canoe Creek on Lake Cypress with minnows, reports Leo Cosce at Camp Lester. Also specks drifting over hydrilla in Cypress, along bulrush edges in Hatchineha and in Southport Canal at night.

8. At Lake Toho, no lunkers reported despite warm weather. But lake will be tested by tournament pros in Wal-Mart Bass Fishing League event Saturday. Half-day guide trips producing 15-20 bass up to 5 pounds on shiners, reports Marc Detweiler at Big Toho Marina. Specks "so-so" around old and new fish attractors and Marker 26.

9. At Lake Kissimmee, plenty of bass 7-9 pounds with warming trend through Tuesday, but only one over 10 reported at Camp Lester, a 121/2pounder on a shiner. "They've had 7s, 8s and 9s galore," said Leo Cosce at Camp Lester. Jim Bader netted 9.60-pounder in Saturday's Headturners3.com tournament, only fish over 6.10 pounds. Cosce suggests looking at Grassy Island, Philadelphia Point, 27 Palms and Brahma Island, concentrating on north and east shores. Rob Murchie at Middleton's Fish Camp reports "pretty decent" bass action on shiners, with fish up to 61/2-7 pounds. Cold front will slow bass until Sunday or Monday, then next warming trend could be gangbusters. Speck fishermen working grass with jigs and minnows at North Cove, Grassy Island, Philadelphia Point, and Bird and Rabbit islands. And Cosce said specks in lily pads south end of Brahma Island. Cosce had eight big specks weighing 14 pounds on last trip, all on jigs.

10. At Lake Walk-in-the-Water, more bass with warming trend, but mostly up to 5-6 pounds even on shiners. Check weather forecast for wind speeds on this open-water lake -- couple of boats took on water in last front.

11. At Crooked Lake at Babson Park, 80-degree days failed to move big bass shallow, and nothing over 8 pounds reported. Hunter Wadley won Lakeland Junior Hawg Hunters tournament Saturday with 6 pounds, and Austin Bristol weighed top fish at 2.6 pounds, reports Cindy at Bob's Landing. Specks in and around grass edges.

12. At Frostproof, bass fishermen working from outside grass lines in with flipping sticks, jerkbaits and spinnerbaits at Arbuckle and Reedy.

13. In the phosphate pits south of Mulberry and Bartow, bass up to 23 inches at Lake 1 at Hardee Lakes Park along outside edges of vegetation.

COMPILED BY DEL MILLIGAN

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