Rising levels keeping bass bite strong along shoreline edges

Around Polk County

1 Around Lakeland, at Saddle Creek, bass are biting shiners around the trees along the banks and the bite is best early and late. Carolina rigged plastic worms and crankbaits on deep, rocky structure are producing a good bass bite. Good numbers of bluegill are biting red worms and grass shrimp along the banks. Around town, Lake Parker is producing bass on Rat-L-Traps and chatterbaits in the hydrilla. Topwater frogs are also good for a few bass early around hydrilla. Flipping creature baits in the cattails and reeds are still producing the bigger fish. Good numbers of bluegill are still coming in on crickets and red worms. Lake Gibson is producing schoolie bass in open water on spinnerbaits and Rat-L-Traps. Deeper offshore holes there are producing on plastic worms and flukes. Jigs are getting the bite under the dock shade lines, reports Kyle Stafford at Phillips Bait and Tackle (863-666-2248).

Fish of the Week

Largemouth Bass — Bass fishing remains good for Polk County area anglers. Water levels are rising on many lakes, so shoreline edges along with deeper structure and running water are also producing.

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

2 At Auburndale, Lake Ariana is producing decent numbers of bass on Rat-L-Traps and chatterbaits around grass 6 to 8 feet deep. Flipping the Kissimmee grass with Senkos and creature baits is also getting the bite. Juliana is producing bass on crankbaits and Carolina rigged worms on the deep brush piles around a depth of 10 to 12 feet, reports Stafford. Around Lake Alfred, there’s good running water around the area lakes. Lakes Haines, Rochelle and Swoope are producing bass early on topwaters and crankbaits through the day. Catfish are biting good in the running water. Panfish anglers are getting decent numbers of bluegill on red worms and crickets, reports Ron Schelfo at Ron’s Tackle Box (863-956-4990).

3 At Winter Haven, brush piles at lakes Jessie and Hartridge are producing bass on crankbaits and Carolina rigged worms. The mouths of the canals around the south chain are producing bass on chatterbaits and speed worms. Bluegill anglers are working the pads at Lake Lulu, reports Capt. Jackson Williams of Action Bass Guide Service (863-326-3232).

4 At Lake Hamilton, clear water on the north side of the big lake is still producing good numbers of bass. The water level on the lake has come up and the bass are moving into the grass edges. Lily pads with good, shady cover along the south shore are also producing bass on frogs and plastic worms, reports Hoppy’s Marine (863-439-7616).

5 At Lake Marion near Haines City, good numbers of bass are shallow in the pads at the south side of the lake. Topwaters are producing best early. Decent numbers of bluegill are biting in the pads and grass, reports Hoppy’s Marine.

6 At Lake Pierce, they’re still catching shellcracker and bluegill in the pads and on the beds. Good numbers of bass were caught this past week, including off the dock here. The edges of the pads at the north shore are producing a good bass bite. The edges of the grass are also producing bass on Rat-L-Traps directly across on the east side and to the south. One panfish angler had a dozen specks on minnows in deep water this week, reports Jennings Resort (863-439-3811).

7 At Lake Hatchineha, bass are biting early on spinnerbaits on the outside edges of the reeds. Then later on, cast a Senko in black and blue color for the best results. Bluegill are biting in the grass and pads on the east side of the lake across from the port, reports Charlie Wynperle at Bridgemaster Fishing Products (863-676-1009).

8 At Lake Toho, the bass bite is heating up again at the south end of the lake on Zara Spooks and chatterbaits. Bass are also biting in moving water at and around the lock. Offshore hydrilla is also producing bass on speed worms and chatterbaits. Hydrilla and lily pads on the back side of the power lines are still producing a good bass right now as well. Good numbers of schooling bass can be caught in the morning on the shell bar at Lanier Point, reports Grady Johnson (407-205-6719).

9 At Lake Kissimmee, the lake levels are rising fast. Bass are starting to show up at the mouths of the kicker trails early in the mornings. Start off with a Carolina rigged worm, then throw a chrome and blue color Rat-L-Trap. Good numbers of shellcracker are biting on the back side of Lemon Point. “Drop a red worm in the pads and hold on,” reports Wynperle.

10 At Lake Walk-in-the-Water, bass are biting at first light on topwater frogs along the edges of the cattails on the west shore. Bluegill and some shellcracker are being caught on crickets in the canals on the east side of the lake, reports Wynperle.

11 At Crooked Lake at Babson Park, there’s a good mayfly hatch again this week and plenty of 3- to 4-pound bass are biting topwaters along the west shore. The bass bite is good around the docks at the north side of the lake, reports Cindy Ritchison at Bob's Landing (863-638-1912). Good numbers of bass are biting Carolina rigged plastics offshore around the midlake area. Grass edges around Wirt’s Point and to the north around the college are producing while flipping creature baits. Chatter and spinnerbaits are also getting strikes along the grass. A mix of bluegill and a few shellcracker are biting around Wirt’s Point and Grassy Island on red worms on the bottom around 8 to 10 feet, reports Jim Childress of Big Bass Bait & Tackle (352-207-7520).

12 At Frostproof, Lake Arbuckle is still producing bluegill around moving water and in the cypress trees at the south shore. Bass are also biting there around incoming water from the creeks. Lake Clinch is producing bass early on spinnerbaits and topwaters worked along the edges of the grass. The west shore is producing bass on speed worms and shiners around the edges of the grass. Carolina rigged plastics on the deeper brush piles are producing through the day. A few specks are biting there while drifting and trolling minnows in deeper water. Lake Reedy is producing good numbers of specks around deeper structure during the day and at night under the lights. Bass are good there up in the grass early on topwater Zoom Horny Toad frogs. Later in the day, the bass are striking squarebill crankbaits along the edges of the grass. Bluegill are biting there on crickets and red worms on the bottom around 6 feet, reports Childress.

13 In the phosphate pits near Mulberry, the topwater bite has picked up in 3 to 5 feet of water, around the edges, during the first couple of hours of daylight. A Smithwick Devil’s Horse or a River2Sea Whopper Plopper will produce good strikes. Later on, move out to deeper water points and cast junebug color ribbon or vibe tail worms rigged with a 3/16 oz. weight and work them slow for the best action, reports Danny Hamm of Bull Bay Tackle Co. (863-937-3292).

This article originally appeared on The Ledger: Rising levels keeping bass bite strong along shoreline edges