Freshwater: Hot weather has slowed panfish bite, but the bass bite is steady

Fish of the Week

Largemouth Bass — Hot weather has slowed the panfish bite, but the bass bite remains steady around the area.

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

Around Polk County

1 Around Lakeland, at Tenoroc, bass fishing was best on lakes Halfmoon, Shop, Wetland, A and B. Lakes Horseshoe, Tern, Waterlou, 3, 5, and C also had high catch rates. This past week there were 22 large bass over 19 inches reported. Eight bass measured over 22 inches, with the largest close to 24 inches. The panfish bite was best on Lakes Derby, Halfmoon, Picnic, Pine and B. Catfish were best at Lakes Derby, Picnic, B and C. No specks were reported on the creel sheets, reports FWC biologist Paolo Pecora. At Saddle Creek, bass are biting, both early and late in the day, on topwater Zara Spooks and frogs. During mid-day, junebug color trick worms are producing on deeper water rock piles. Bluegill and tilapia are biting red worms along the banks. Around town, Lake Parker is still producing good numbers of bluegill and shellcracker on crickets in the shallow pads. Flipping creature baits and Senkos in the cattails is producing bass. Speed worms and chatterbaits are producing in the hydrilla. Lake Bonny is good for bass while flipping the Kissimmee grass. Swim jigs and spinnerbaits are also producing in the grass there very early. Lake Hollingsworth is producing specks on minnows in deep water around 8 to 10 foot, reports Kyle Stafford at Phillips Bait and Tackle (863-666-2248).

2 At Auburndale, Lake Juliana is producing bass on Carolina rigged worms on the deeper water brush piles. Bass are biting at Lake Ariana on speed worms and Rat-L-Traps just off the banks in six feet of water, reports Stafford. Lake Juliana is producing bluegill in the shallow pads. Topwater frogs are producing some bass early there. Around Lake Alfred, lake Rochelle is producing good numbers of shellcracker. Lakes Alfred and Rochelle are producing bass up to 7 pounds on Booyah lipless crankbaits in royalty color, reports Schelfo.

3 At Winter Haven, lakes Cannon and Howard are producing bass along the deeper grass lines and on the brush piles. Deep diving crankbaits and junebug color 10-inch worms are producing the best numbers, reports Capt. Jackson Williams of Action Bass Guide Service (863-326-3232). Lakes Eloise and Summit are producing some good bass numbers this week. The pier at Lake Cannon has been good for bass, reports Schelfo.

4 At Lake Hamilton, deeper water structure is producing bass on all three lakes. Shell beds, brush piles and “blow downs” are all producing on plastic worms and swimbaits. Cast crankbaits to find the fish on the structure, then switch to the soft plastics for the bigger fish. The panfish bite is slow, reports Matt Ingram at Hoppy’s Marine (863-439-7616).

5 At Lake Marion near Haines City, there’s a good bluegill bite around the mouth of Marion Creek. The water level on the lake is low and the bass bite has been slow, reports Ingram.

6 At Lake Pierce, the bass bite is best on plastic worms at first light and for about the first hour of the day. The bite picks up again in the late afternoon and early evening. The bluegill bite is decent in the pads, but the fish are “getting skinny.” A few shellcracker are also in the mix, reports Jennings Resort (863-439-3811).

7 At Lake Hatchineha, the water level on the lake is still too shallow to safely navigate around the lake, reports Charlie Wynperle at Bridgemaster Fishing Products (863-676-1009).

8 At Lake Toho, offshore hydrilla, near the power lines between Paradise and Mackinson islands, is producing some bass on Rat-L-Traps and chatterbaits. The shell bar off Lanier Point is also producing good numbers of bass. Offshore hydrilla from Lake Toho RV Resort and to the south is still producing big fish. The outside Kissimmee grass lines are also producing bass, but the offshore hydrilla around the lake is producing the best numbers. Some bluegill are biting in the Kissimmee grass and a few specks are being caught on offshore structure, reports Grady Johnson (407-205-6719).

9 At Lake Kissimmee, bass are the most active at first light and then again late in the day. Work a popping frog around the pad fields at Overstreet Landing for the best action. Then later on, break out the flipping stick with a ¾ oz. Medlock Jig in black and blue color, tipped with a green pumpkin color trailer. Try the area around the Schoolbus and the 27 Palms for the best bluegill and shellcracker bite. The isolated pad clumps are producing the best numbers, reports Wynperle.

10 At Lake Walk-in-the-Water, get on the lake early for the best numbers of bass. Throw a Berkley Choppo in bluegill color along the outside edges for the best bite. Then later on, move offshore and throw a Zoom Ol Monster worm in junebug color for the best strikes. Anglers are still catching good numbers of bluegill and shellcracker at Indian Lake Estates, reports Wynperle.

11 At Crooked Lake at Babson Park, a few anglers have had success targeting bass up to four pounds with deep diving crankbaits along the outer weed edges at the north end. A few specks have been caught on minnows in deep water around 25 feet deep, reports Cindy Ritchison at Bob's Landing (863-638-1912). Carolina rigged worms and shiners are producing bass on the hump just north of the opening to Little Crooked. Some bluegill and shellcracker are biting around Wirt’s Point at a depth of 12 to 15 feet. reports Jim Childress of Big Bass Bait & Tackle (352-207-7520).

12 At Frostproof, the bass bite is good at Lake Reedy along the edges of the grass and around the boat ramp area to the west shore Speed worms and white and chartreuse color spinnerbaits are getting the bite along with topwaters early in the morning. The bluegill bite is good there in 6 feet of water. Lake Clinch is producing bass early on topwaters along the edges of the grass. Live shiners are producing a good bite along the west shore. Carolina rigged worms fished on the brush piles are producing during the day. A mix of bluegill and shellcracker are biting around a depth of 10 feet. The water level at Lake Arbuckle has risen and bluegill are biting crickets around the pads. Bass are also biting around the pads at the public pier, reports Childress.

13 In the phosphate pits near Mulberry, the bass bite is best early around the edges on soft plastics. As the sun gets higher, crankbaits such as the Bomber 7A in firetiger color are producing in deeper water on the island points and rocky bars. Black with blue tail Senkos rigged with a light weight are also getting a good bite, reports Danny Hamm of Bull Bay Tackle Company. (863-937-3292).

Compiled By: Michael Wilson / Ledger Correspondent

This article originally appeared on The Ledger: Freshwater: Hot weather has slowed panfish bite, but the bass bite is steady