Freshwater: Shellcracker, bluegill biting in Polk County

Fish of the Week

Shellcracker – Good numbers of both shellcracker and bluegill are biting around the Polk County area, but the shellcracker are just starting to bed in a number of spots.

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

Around Polk County

1 Around Lakeland, at Tenoroc, the bass bite was best this week at lakes Fishhook, Shop, Waterloo, Wetland, A, B, C, F, 3, 4 and 10. Lakes Cemetery, 2 and 5 also had catch rates worth noting. This past week, 50 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 Waterloo and 2. Panfish were biting best at lakes Cemetery, Derby, Pine, B and 5. Catfish were biting best at lakes Derby, A and B, reports FWC biologist Paolo Pecora. At Saddle Creek, decent numbers of bass have been caught on green pumpkin red color plastic worms and live shiners. Bluegill and shellcracker are biting crickets and red worms around the park. Decent numbers of catfish are also biting on chicken liver. Around town, Lake Parker is also good for bluegill and shellcracker, reports Melinda Lapina at Phillips Bait and Tackle (863-666-2248).

2 At Auburndale, Lake Juliana is producing good numbers of bluegill and shellcracker on crickets and red worms. Decent numbers of schoolie-size bass up to 4 pounds are also biting there. Around the Lake Alfred area, lakes Haines and Rochelle are producing good numbers of 5- to 6-pound bass, and one lucky angler had two bass over 8 pounds at Rochelle this week. Both lakes, along with Lake Alfred, are also producing good numbers of bluegill and shellcracker on crickets, red worms and WAZP jigs, reports Ron Schelfo at Ron’s Tackle Box (863-956-4990).

3 At Winter Haven, chatterbaits, lipless crankbaits and vibe tail plastic worms are producing a good bass bite around the south chain. The mouths of the canals are producing bluegill and shellcracker. The canal between Lake Cannon and Idywild, by the Moose Lodge, is especially good for bluegill and shellcracker, reports Schelfo.

4 At Lake Hamilton, at the big lake, good numbers of bluegill and shellcracker are being caught on red worms around the pads and deep buggywhip lines. Some specks are biting jigs offshore on the brush piles. Good numbers of bass are being caught around pepper grass. The middle lake has been slow, but a few bluegill are being caught here and there. The little lake has had some good numbers of bass come out of the eel grass on Rat-L-Traps and speed worms, reports Kyle Brewer at Hoppy’s by Crossed Industries (863-439-7616).

5 At Lake Marion near Haines City, shellcracker are being caught on the east side of the lake on red worms and crickets. Good numbers of specks are still biting on minnows outside the Kissimmee grass at the south end. Bass are biting along the north shore and by the creek on swimbaits and jigs, reports Brewer.

6 At Lake Pierce, panfish anglers are catching better numbers of bluegill in the pads on crickets and a few shellcracker on red worms. Good numbers of bass are being caught on plastic worms along the edges of the grass, reports Chris Beasley at Jennings Resort (863-439-3811).

7 At Lake Hatchineha, good numbers of shellcracker are biting on red worms in the pads mixed with grass. A few specks are being caught at the Hourglass and in Gator Cove while drifting minnows. Bass are biting on jigs or black and chartreuse frogs around the pads. A few bass are also being caught on lipless crankbaits on the shell bars, reports Bridgemaster Fishing Products (863-676-1009).

8 At Lake Toho, bass are starting to school up around the lake. Just offshore of Lake Toho R.V. Resort and Lanier Point have good numbers of schooling fish in the morning. Heddon Zara Spooks and Rat-L-Traps have been very productive baits for these fish. Bluegill and shellcracker are starting to spawn on the outside grass lines, reports Grady Johnson (407-205-6719).

9 At Lake Kissimmee, good numbers of bluegill and shellcracker are biting in the pads and grass around the 27 Palms and the north side of Brahma and Storm islands. Bass are biting on the outside edges of Kissimmee grass while flipping a 1 oz. black and blue color jig with a big trailer. Gambler Big EZ’s are also producing good strikes early in the day and dark color Senkos are getting the bite later on, reports Bridgemasters.

10 At Lake Walk-in-the-Water, good numbers of bluegill and shellcracker are being caught in the reeds on crickets and red worms. The canals going into Indian Lake Estates are also holding both fish. A few specks are still biting while trolling jigs in deeper water. Bass are biting early around the outside edges of the grass on white and chartreuse color spinnerbaits. Bass are also being caught around the bluegill beds on swim jigs and while flipping Medlock Jigs, reports Bridgemasters.

11 At Crooked Lake at Babson Park, the bluegill and shellcracker bite is good on crickets and red worms on the bottom in about 6 feet of water around Grassy Island. Some specks are still biting at night on minnows while anchored under the lights at a depth of around 20 feet. Good numbers of bass up to 5 pounds are biting live shiners along the U.S. 27 side, reports Jim Childress of Big Bass Bait & Tackle (352-207-7520).

12 At Frostproof, Lake Clinch is producing good numbers of bluegill and shellcracker on crickets and red worms in about 10 feet of water. Specks are still biting there while drifting minnows at a depth of 18 to 20 feet. The bass bite is good on live shiners and squarebill crankbaits along the west shore. Some bass are also biting on the brush piles on Carolina-rigged plastic worms and deep-diving crankbaits. At Lake Reedy, good size bluegill are being caught on the bottom in 6 feet of water. A few specks are biting minnows at about the same depth. The bass bite is good on live shiners and chatterbaits along the edges of the grass. Lake Arbuckle has a good bluegill bite on crickets and red worms in the cypress trees at the south shore. A few specks are biting minnows around the pads. The bass bite is good there on big black and blue color 10-inch worms, reports Childress.

13 In the phosphate pits near Mulberry, bass are biting white color spinnerbaits and chatterbaits with a white trailer. Shad imitation lipless crankbaits and Rat-L-Traps are also producing. A few bass are also still biting on junebug red color plastic worms or black and blue color Senkos. Some of the bass are still bedding, but most have moved off the beds and into deeper water, reports Danny Hamm of Bull Bay Tackle Co. (863-937-3292).

This article originally appeared on The Ledger: Freshwater: Shellcracker, bluegill biting in Polk County