FISHING

Freshwater: Bass bite stays strong in Polk County lakes

Michael Wilson
Ledger correspondent
Cameron Boyd, of Lakeland, caught this 6-pound largemouth bass on a Strike King 6XD crankbite while fishing at Banana Lake in recently.

Fish of the Week

Largemouth Bass – The bass bite is good around the Polk County area. With all the recent runs, look for the bite pick up around areas with running water.

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

Around Polk County

1 Around Lakeland, at Saddle Creek, decent numbers of bass are being caught on live shiners and Bitter’s Magic Wand plastic worms in Candybug color. Grass shrimp and crickets are producing good numbers of bluegill and shellcracker. Dough baits are getting the catfish bite. Around town, Lake Parker, is still producing some specks on minnows in deep water at night, reports Melinda Lapina at Phillips Bait and Tackle (863-666-2248).

2 At Auburndale, Lake Juliana is producing good size bluegill on crickets and red worms. Decent numbers of schooling bass are also biting there. Lake Ariana has plenty of bass up to 3 pounds being caught. Around the Lake Alfred area, limits of big bluegill are being caught on crickets and Beetle Spin jigs at Lake Rochelle. “The biggest bluegill I’ve seen in years,” reports Ron Schelfo at Ron’s Tackle Box (863-956-4990). Lake Alfred is producing good numbers of bass up to 7 pounds on live shiners, both from shore and by boat. Good size bluegill are also biting there. Lake Haines is also good for bass and a few bluegill, reports Schelfo.

3 At Winter Haven, Lakes Shipp and May have been really good for bass this week on a variety of baits. Live shiners, lipless crankbaits and soft plastics are all getting the bite. Lake Summit has been outstanding for bass on live shiners this past. Decent numbers of bluegill and shellcracker are biting, mostly around the mouths of the cannels, reports Schelfo.

4 At Lake Hamilton, at the big lake, bluegill and shellcracker are spawning and they aare being caught on crickets and red worms around the buggywhips in 2 feet of water or less. Bass are being caught in the same areas as the bluegill and also in the pads while flipping black and blue color, creature style baits on ½ oz. weights. The middle lake: doesn’t have much action besides the pads on the south side. A few bass are biting on black and blue swim jigs and while flipping black and blue Senkos. The Little Lake is producing some specks while trolling with minnows around a depth of 7 to 14 feet, reports Kyle Brewer at Hoppy’s by Crossed Industries (863-439-7616).

5 At Lake Marion near Haines City, bass are being caught while flipping black and blue color creature baits in Kissimmee grass that is between a depth of 3 to 5 feet throughout the entire lake. Bluegill are biting on crickets at a depth of less than 3 feet Specks are few and far between, but decent numbers can be caught at night, under the lights, on minnows at a depth of 6 to 15 feet, reports Brewer.

6 At Lake Pierce, anglers are still catching good numbers of bluegill and shellcracker on crickets and red worms at various locations around the lake. Keep dropping a bait, until you find the fish. The bass bite is good. Anglers are catching 3- to 4-fish outing, mostly on plastic worms, reports Chris Beasley at Jennings Resort (863-439-3811).

7 At Lake Hatchineha, a few specks are still being caught while drifting minnow in Gator Cove. Bass are schooling on the shell bars at Marker 12, reports Bridgemaster Fishing Products (863-676-1009).

8 At Lake Toho, bluegill are in full spawn, so anywhere you find them, a swim jig or a crawfish style creature bait will produce bass. Bass are schooling on the shad schools around the pepper grass clumps by Lake Toho R.V. Resort. A Zara Spook or a Rat-L-Trap are the two most productive baits around the lake right now. Bass are also being caught between Muck Island and Whayley’s Landing in the offshore hydrilla about 200 yards from shore, reports Grady Johnson (407-205-6719).

9 At Lake Kissimmee, bass are still hanging around areas with pads. Start off with a Spro Popping Frog in bluegill color. As the sun comes up, switch over to a Xmas color speed worm. The shellcracker bite is slowing a bit. Try the areas around Sturm Island and the 27 Palms for the best numbers, reports Bridgemaster’s.

10 At Lake Walk-in-the-Water, shellcracker and bluegill are still being caught on red worms and crickets in the pads in shallow water. Bass are roaming the weed edges early in the morning and late in the day. Cast a Zoom Horny Toad in watermelon red color for the best action, reports Bridgemaster’s.

Freshwater fishing map of Polk County

11 At Crooked Lake at Babson Park, the Mosaic Club bass tournament this past weekend produced a 15-pound first-place big bag and a 6-pound big bass, along with plenty of schoolie size fish. A few bigger size bass are also biting on topwaters at the north end. Decent numbers of bluegill are biting crickets and red worms around Wirt’s Point. A few specks are biting while drifting minnows in the deeper water around 28 to 30 feet deep on the center hump. Catfish are spawning in a few areas of the lake, reports Cindy Ritchison at Bob's Landing (863-638-1912). Bass up to 8 pounds are biting at the south end while drifting shiners along the edges of the grass. The shellcracker bite still good on red worms on the bottom around Grassy Island. Some specks live minnows, both while drifting and anchored in 20 to 25 feet. There’s also a decent bass bite on live shiners at the mouth of Little Crooked, reports Jim Childress of Big Bass Bait & Tackle (352-207-7520).

12 At Frostproof, at Lake Clinch, shellcracker are biting red worms on the bottom at a depth of 10 to 12 feet. The bass bite is good while drifting live shiners along the edges of the grass. Bass are also biting Carolina rigged plastics on the brush piles. A few specks are being caught while drifting minnows in 20 to 25 feet. At Lake Reedy, there’s a good bluegill bite on red worms on the bottom at 6 to 8 feet. The bass bite is good there on chatterbaits along the edges of the grass. At Lake Arbuckle, the bluefill bite is good on crickets around the pads and in the Cypress trees at the south shore. Bass are biting black and blue color 10-inch worms in the pads, reports Childress.

13 In the phosphate pits near Mulberry, some of the Fin and Feather pits are closed due to nuisance alligators, so anglers should call ahead. Lipped and lipless crankbaits in firetiger or shad colors are getting a good bass bite in open patches of hydrilla. Black and blue Senkos are still catching a few bass, but the crankbaits are producing the better numbers, reports Danny Hamm of Bull Bay Tackle Company. (863-937-3292).