Freshwater: Bass are still the hot bite on Polk County lakes as speck bite heats up

1. Around Lakeland, at Saddle Creek, the bass are moving shallow and a few anglers had good catches from the bank this week. Chatterbaits and live shiners are still producing a few fish around the island points and along the banks. Decent numbers of specks have been caught on small minnows. Catfish and tilapia are also biting along the banks. Around town, specks are biting grass shrimp color Fearless jigs at Lake Parker, and Hollingsworth is also producing specks, reports Phillips Bait and Tackle (863-666-2248).

2. At Auburndale, Lake Juliana is producing specks on minnows as well as orange and chartreuse color combo jigs. Bass 3 to 4 pounds are biting on a variety of baits. Lake Ariana has a decent bass bite on lipless crankbaits, but the fish are mostly schoolie size. Ariana also has a decent speck bite at night while drifting minnows under the lights. Around the Lake Alfred area, lakes Haines and Rochelle are producing a lot of good-size specks. For the bass, lakes Alfred, Haines and Rochelle are all producing good numbers on live shiners and lipless crankbaits, reports Ron Schelfo at Ron’s Tackle Box (863-956-4990).

What's Biting: Largemouth Bass

The bass bite is steady for Polk County area anglers. Cooling water is pushing the fish up shallower along the shorelines.

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

3. At Winter Haven, the south chain is producing steady numbers of bass in the 2- to 3 -pound range. The canals are good for bass and specks. Lakes Cannon and Shipp are producing specks while drifting minnows in open water, reports Schelfo.

4. At Lake Hamilton, the bass are still schooling up and Rat-L-Trap style crankbaits and spinnerbaits are producing the best numbers. The speck bite is best in deeper, open water on minnows and tipped jigs around the ledges and hard bottom. Drifting minnows shallower in the water column will also produce a few bites, reports Hoppy’s by Crossed Industries (863-439-7616).

5. At Lake Marion near Haines City, specks and bass are biting around area in clear water with hydrilla and vegetation. The hydrilla is very productive for bass. Runoff at the mouth of Marion Creek is slowing, but is producing some bass, reports Hoppy’s.

6. At Lake Pierce, more specks are being caught while drifting minnows in deeper, open water. Specks are biting from the island out front of the resort to the south toward Trout Point. A few bass have been caught along the outside edges of the grass on plastic worms and creature baits, reports Jennings Resort (863-439-3811).

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7. At Lake Hatchineha, jig anglers are catching 10 to 15 specks a trip in the pads. A Shiny Hiney silver jig with a red head will producing the best numbers. Bass are still hanging around running water at the mouths of the canals. Throw a Strike King jerk bait in Mad Dog Shad color for the best action, reports Charlie Wynperle at Bridgemaster Fishing Products.

8. At Lake Toho, offshore hydrilla is producing a lot of bass on a Zara Spooks and Devil’s Horse topwaters. The hydrilla line that runs between Paradise and Mackinson islands on the outside Kissimmee grass is also producing with the same baits. Carolina rigs are producing on the shell bar at Lanier Point and also at the shell bar near Southport Lock. Running water in the canal going to East Lake Toho is producing some big bass, reports Grady Johnson (407-205-6719).

9. At Lake Kissimmee, the speck bite is heating up on the outside grass lines on minnows. Try the areas around Sturm and Rabbit islands for the best numbers. The bass bite is still spotty with the high water levels on the lake. Live shiners are producing the most consistent bite, reports Wynperle.

10. At Lake Walk-in-the-Water, tie on a crappie rig and drift several minnows at a time across the lake. Let the wind do the work as you drift. Bass action is “heating up” with the cooler weather. Start out on the outside edges of the pads and grass with a Booyah lipless crankbait in Flashy Mama color. Then switch over to green pumpkin color Senko, reports Wynperle.

11. At Crooked Lake at Babson Park, good numbers of bass have been caught. The outer weed edges in are producing best on red color plastic worms and creature baits. Good numbers of specks have been caught, but there’s no limits just yet. Minnows at night, in deep water are getting the best bite, reports Bob's Landing (863-638-1912). Specks are biting good at Little Crooked while drifting minnows in 6 to 8 feet of water, reports Jim Childress of Big Bass Bait & Tackle (352-207-7520).

12. At Frostproof, Lake Reedy is good for specks in about 8 feet of water on minnows. Bass are biting good there on shiners around the pads and Carolina rigged worms around the grass. Lake Clinch has a decent speck bite on minnows in deep water around the brush piles. The bass bite is good there on shiners in the moving water on the west side. The public boat ramp at Lake Arbuckle is now open once again, but the campground remains closed, reports Childress.

13. In the phosphate pits near Mulberry, the topwater bite is good on baits such as a Whopper Plopper or a Devil’s Horse in 4 to 5 feet of water along the edges of hydrilla. Both speed and vibe worms in junebug and junebug red color and black and blue color Senkos are also producing in open water around hydrilla at a depth of 8 to 10 feet. A few bass are striking lipless crankbaits, as they're chasing bait while feeding for the upcoming spawn. The speck bite is spotty, but a few fish are starting to bite, reports Danny Hamm of Bull Bay Tackle Company. (863-937-3292).

This article originally appeared on The Ledger: Largemouth Bass are still biting steady on Polk County lakes