Bass bite in Polk strong as fish move to shallow beds

Fish of the Week

Largemouth Bass: The bass bite is picking up and many fish are moving shallow on the beds looking to spawn.

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

Around Polk County

1 Around Lakeland, at Tenoroc, the bass bite was best this week at lakes Coronet, Derby, Hydrilla, Long, Waterlou, C, F and 10. Lakes Butterfly, Cemetery, Fishhook, Picnic, Tern, B and 5 also had high catch rates worth noting. This past week, 31 large bass over 19 inches were reported, with eight of the largest measuring over 22 inches. The largest fish measured close to 26 inches. The speck bite was best at lakes Hydrilla, Legs, Long, Picnic and 4. Panfish were biting best at lakes Cemetery, Derby, Hydrilla, Long, Picnic and B. Catfish action was best at Lake Horseshoe, reports FWC biologist Paolo Pecora. At Saddle Creek, some nice specks have been caught this week and a bunch of minnows are being sold. Medium-size live shiners are producing decent numbers of bass. For the artificials, black and blue color stick baits, such as the Gambler Fat Ace, are getting the best bite for the bass, reports Melinda Lapina at Phillips Bait and Tackle (863-666-2248).

2 At Auburndale, Lake Ariana is producing some good-size specks on minnows around the grass and pads along the shoreline. Around the Lake Alfred area, lakes Haines, Rochelle, Swoop and Alfred are producing good numbers of specks, both day and night. Minnows, chartreuse color and white or pink colors jigs are getting the bite along the shorelines. Lakes Rochelle and Alfred also have an excellent bass bite on live shiners and the Booyah lipless crankbaits in Royalty color. A 9-pound bass was caught at Alfred on the Booyah this week, reports Ron Schelfo at Ron’s Tackle Box (863-956-4990).

3 At Winter Haven, Lake Cannon is producing good numbers of specks while drifting minnows. Lake Ship is also good for specks while drifting minnows and good numbers of bass are biting there on a variety of bates. The mouths of the canals around the south chain are good for specks and bass chasing the specks, reports Schelfo.

4 At Lake Hamilton, the bass bite is good on all three lakes and some of the fish are moving shallow inside the grass lines looking to spawn. Good numbers of specks are biting in the grass and just outside the grass on the big lake, reports Hoppy’s by Crossed Industries (863-439-7616).

5 At Lake Marion near Haines City, there’s a good speck bite on minnows in the deeper water off the public boat ramp at the south end. Specks are also biting minnows along the grass edges around Bannon Island. Specks are biting at night on minnows in the deeper water on the east side of the island. Bass are biting up shallow in the pad fields inside the Kissimmee grass lines, reports Hoppy’s.

6 At Lake Pierce, good numbers of specks are still biting in the deeper water on minnows and the fish are getting bigger. A few specks are also biting in the pads. Some schoolie-size bass up to 3 pounds are biting topwaters on the edges of the grass, reports Chris Beasley at Jennings Resort (863-439-3811).

7 At Lake Hatchineha, speck anglers are getting good numbers while drifting minnows and jigs from the Hourglass to Marker 10. Bass are in the airboat trails and bedding on isolated flags, reports Charlie Wynperle at Bridgemaster Fishing Products.

8 At Lake Toho, changing weather temperatures have the bass acting inconsistently. The fish are biting in various arias such as offshore grass, around shell bars and in water as shallow as 1 foot. Offshore grass around Lake Toho R.V. Resort and the shell bar at Lanier Point is also producing on Rat-L-Traps and chatterbaits. Swim jigs are producing bass shallow in the boat cuts between Muck Island and the Whaley’s boat ramp. Bluegill and specks are biting offshore in water about 7 to 10 feet deep, reports Grady Johnson (407-205-6719).

9 At Lake Kissimmee, speck anglers are taking advantage of the brush left over after Hurricane Ian around Philadelphia Point. Drop a “cocaine” color Muck City Tackle jig down around the limbs for some good action. Bass fishing has been spotty at best. The fish are bedding up shallow, but the big female bass are scarce. Try around the isolated pads in North Cove for the best action, reports Wynperle.

10 At Lake Walk-in-the-Water, specks are being caught at night under the lights. Drifting with minnows in 6 to 8 feet of water is producing “some awesome action.” Bass are up close to the banks. Buck males are setting up to spawn in water as shallow as a foot deep. Throw a watermelon color Zoom Fluke until you find the fish, then slow down and cast a weightless trick worm to them, reports Wynperle.

11 At Crooked Lake at Babson Park, the speck bite has slowed some. They’re still catching some good-size fish, but not as many limits. Drifting minnows in 25 to 30 feet of water, just outside the cove, is producing the best bite. The bass bite has slowed as well and most of the fish are small, nothing over 5 pounds. The south end of the lake is producing the best bite on shiners, but topwaters are also producing a few at the north end, reports Cindy Ritchison at Bob's Landing (863-638-1912).

12 At Frostproof, Lake Arbuckle has a good bite for specks in the pads on minnows and while slow drifting open water. The numbers are picking up again and some limits are being caught. Bass up to 6 pounds are biting black and blue color, 10-inch worms around the edges of the pads. Lake Reedy has a decent speck bite on minnows in the pads at the southwest corner. A few specks are also biting while drifting minnows in open water around a depth of 8 feet. The bass bite is picking up there while drifting shiners along the south shore. Lake Clinch is good for specks while drifting minnows in open water at a depth of 20 to 25 feet. Drifting minnows on the brush piles is also producing good numbers of specks. The bass bite is good along the west shore on live shiners and white color, Zoom Flukes rigged weightless, reports Jim Childress of Big Bass Bait & Tackle (352-207-7520).

13 In the phosphate pits near Mulberry, all the bass are moving shallow looking to bed and the bite is breaking out. Sandbars, island points and cattails in shallow water along the banks are producing good action. Flipping black and blue, junebug or junebug color Senkos is getting the best bite. A few bass are also biting slowly retrieved spinnerbaits in open water. Some specks are biting minnows and jigs tipped with minnows while drifting in open water. Hydrilla lines in shallow water are also producing some specks, reports Danny Hamm of Bull Bay Tackle Co. (863-937-3292).

This article originally appeared on The Ledger: Bass bite in Polk strong as fish move to shallow beds