Cool waters helping to pick up bite, numbers for speckled perch

Around Polk County

1 Around Lakeland, at Tenoroc, bass fishing was best on lakes Cemetery, Hydrilla, Waterlou, 4, 5, B and C. Lakes Horseshoe, Legs, A, F and G also had high catch rates. This past week there were 22 large bass over 19 inches reported. Six of the largest bass measured over 22 inches and the largest was close to 26 inches. The best speck bite was at lakes Horseshoe, Picnic, 4, 5, A and B. The panfish bite was best on lakes Horseshoe, Long, Picnic, Pine, 3, 5, A and F. Catfish were best at lakes Derby, Picnic, A and B, reports FWC biologist Paolo Pecora. At Saddle Creek, bass fishing is a little slow, but a lot of live shiners are still going out the door. Around town, Lake Parker has a good bass bite on topwater frogs early and shiners through the day. The bluegill bite has picked up again there on crickets and grass shrimp. Flashy jigs tipped with minnows are producing decent numbers of specks at night, reports Phillips Bait and Tackle (863-666-2248).

Fish of the Week

Speckled Perch— Cooling water has really picked up the speckled perch bite. Steady numbers and good size fish are being reported from many lakes around the area.

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

2 At Auburndale, Lake Juliana is producing good numbers of shellcracker on red worms on the bottom. Around the Lake Alfred area, lakes Haines and Rochelle are producing good numbers of specks during the day on minnows. Both lakes have a good bite bass on lipless crankbaits and shiners. Rochelle is also good for shellcracker along the west side by the boat ramp. Lake Alfred is producing a few specks in deeper water and good size bass on shiners, reports Ron Schelfo at Ron’s Tackle Box (863-956-4990).

3 At Winter Haven, cooler water in the canals is producing a good speck bite around the south chain. Lake Shipp is good for catfish along the shore at the park and some specks in deeper water offshore, reports Schelfo. Offshore grass at Lake Cannon is good for bass on speedworms and chatterbaits. Running water coming out of the canals around the chain is producing a really good bass bite in the current, but the fish are not real big, reports Capt. Jackson Williams of Action Bass Guide Service (863-326-3232).

4 At Lake Hamilton, the bass bite is good around areas with good current and running water. Topwaters, Zara Spooks and chatterbaits are getting the bite in the current. Shallow, shoreline vegetation such as arrowheads will also produce on big june bug red color worms. Specks are biting in shallow grass at a depth of 3 to 4 feet, reports Hoppy’s Marine (863-439-7616).

5 At Lake Marion near Haines City, there’s a decent bass bite on the south side along shoreline grass on topwater frogs and lures. Bass are biting in the moving water to the north at the creek as well. Bluegill are starting to make beds offshore, reports Hoppy’s Marine.

6 At Lake Pierce, some specks are biting mostly on minnows out in deep water. The best bass bite is on plastic worms and Rat-L-Traps in running water and up around the edges of the shorelines. The lake level is very high but receding now a little bit every day, reports Jennings Resort (863-439-3811).

7 At Lake Hatchineha, water levels on the lake are flooded and there’s a good amount of running water. Bass anglers should fish around the mouth of Cypress Creek for the best action. Drifting minnows around the Hourglass is producing the best numbers of specks, reports Charlie Wynperle at Bridgemaster Fishing Products. A six-fish aggregate produced a winning weight of 7.57 pounds and a 1.49-pound big fish during the Catch ‘Em Crappie tournament this past weekend, reports Matt Ingram of Hoppy’s Marine.

8 At Lake Toho, water levels on the lake are very high and some of the Kissimmee grass lines are completely submerged. Running water is the key for a good bass bite. However, the fish are holding in areas where the current is running at a medium flow. The mouth of Shingle Creek, rather than the creek itself, has a good bite and is a good example of the amount of water flow to target. Rat-L-Traps, Carolina rigs and speed worms are producing good numbers of bass, reports Grady Johnson (407-205-6719).

9 At Lake Kissimmee, specks are hanging on floating mats of vegetation and trees around Ford Country and North Cove. “Drop down a white and chartreuse color Muck City Tackle Jig and hold on.” Bass are biting anywhere there is running water. Throw a Strike King 5XD in parrot color for the best action, reports Wynperle.

10 At Lake Walk-in-the-Water, anglers are catching some specks on minnows at night under the lights around the pier on the east side at Indian Lake Estates. Bass are feeding in the moving water. Just look for the current and running water and you’ll find the fish, reports Wynperle.

11 At Crooked Lake at Babson Park, decent numbers of bass up to 4 pounds have been caught mostly around the docks at the north shore. The grass line to the north here across the cove has also been good for bass. The speck bite is picking up just outside the cove in the deep hole on minnows in 25 feet of water. Anchoring up under the lights at night is producing the best numbers, reports Cindy Ritchison at Bob's Landing (863-638-1912). Running water on the west side is good for bass on chatterbaits, Carolina rigged red shad worms and live shiners, reports Jim Childress of Big Bass Bait & Tackle (352-207-7520).

12 At Frostproof, Lake Reedy has a really good bass bite around incoming water on Carolina rigged worms, crankbaits, chatterbaits and live shiners. Specks are biting there while drifting minnows in 6 feet of water. Shellcracker are biting red worms on the bottom around the city dock. Bluegill are also biting on crickets and red worms on the bottom around any incoming water. Lake Clinch is producing bass on the west side in the moving water. Carolina rigs, squarebill crankbaits and live shiners are all getting the bite. A few shellcracker are biting there on the bottom at a depth of 10 feet on red worms. Specks are biting while drifting minnows at 12 feet. At Lake Arbuckle, the ramp is open again and the bluegill bite is good around the pads. Bass action is steady around Reedy Creek in the incoming water. Specks are also biting freelined minnows in the moving water, reports Childress.

13 In the phosphate pits near Mulberry, good numbers of bass are biting plastic worms. June bug red color ribbon and vibe tail worms are producing the best numbers. The fish are mostly schoolie size and not real big though. Zoom Flukes, rigged weightless and worked like a topwater bait along the shore, are also producing decent numbers of bass, reports Danny Hamm of Bull Bay Tackle Co. (863-937-3292).

This article originally appeared on The Ledger: Cool waters helping to pick up bite, numbers for speckled perch