Are the bass spawning in Florida at this time?

[dsw1204]

I am taking a trip to the northwest suburbs of Tampa on March 12 - March 18 (coming from Cincinnati) and will be doing some bass fishing...from the banks.  Actually, the purpose of my trip is to visit mom and dad, who are in their 80's.  But, in the early mornings, I plan on hitting some of the local ponds and lakes while they are still asleep.  So, I was wondering, are the bass spawning or is it over?

 

This is my second season of fishing.  Last year was a blast!  I am so looking forward to this year's fishing.  Hope the sophomore jinx does not hit.

 

Looking at Google Maps, I see a tiny lake called Lake Dan.  Anybody ever hear of it?  Looks promising.  It's in the middle of nowhere and even has a pier.  There are no buildings anywhere near it and is probably about a quarter mile to half mile walk once I park the car.  I don't know if I want to walk that far every day, but looking at Google Maps I see ponds about every 100 feet!!!  I am exaggerating, but there are ponds everywhere.  Some are big and some are tiny.  This should be a fun fishing adventure.  Hope I am not getting my hopes up too high!   LOL

 

[redux]

Sure. They spawn til May depending on the weather and the fishery. The water just needs to be cold (for FL anyway).

 

I looked at Dan it seems to be on private land. Look closer with Google Earth in 3D and you will see fences around all of that property. Be careful.

[dsw1204]

9 hours ago, dsw1204 said:

I am taking a trip to the northwest suburbs of Tampa on March 12 - March 18 (coming from Cincinnati) and will be doing some bass fishing...from the banks.  Actually, the purpose of my trip is to visit mom and dad, who are in their 80's.  But, in the early mornings, I plan on hitting some of the local ponds and lakes while they are still asleep.  So, I was wondering, are the bass spawning or is it over?

 

This is my second season of fishing.  Last year was a blast!  I am so looking forward to this year's fishing.  Hope the sophomore bug does not hit.

 

Looking at Google Maps, I see a tiny lake called Lake Dan.  Anybody ever hear of it?  Looks promising.  It's in the middle of nowhere and even has a pier.  There are no buildings anywhere near it and is probably about a quarter mile to half mile walk once I park the car.  I don't know if I want to walk that far every day, but looking at Google Maps I see ponds about every 100 feet!!!  I am exaggerating, but there are ponds everywhere.  Some are big and some are tiny.  This should be a fun fishing adventure.  Hope I am not getting my hopes up too high!   LOL

 

Thanks, Redux.  I did give a look through Google Earth 3D and I did not see the fences you mentioned.  You are probably right about it being private property, although, mainly because of the pier being there.  And, I did see a couple of small boats parked on the shoreline, as well.  I did see a small building a hundred feet back or so from the shore, but it did not look to be a house.  But, who knows.

 

On another note, what is a good color, for down there, for soft plastic craw lures?  I've got black/blue, a dirtiesh brown color, and a green pumpkin.  Would an orangeish or reddish color be a good acquisition?

 

Anyway, I am excited to do some Florida bass fishing, as long as I don't get eaten by an alligator!  LOL

[813basstard]

99% of the lakes here are private. 
There are numerous retention ponds.

PM me if interested. See if I can steer you to some fish.

[NittyGrittyBoy]

Black and blue stick baits

Speed worms

Propbaits

Black blue chatterbaits

Watermelon red flukes

Black frogs

 

Start there.

[soflabasser]

This is a great time of year to catch a big bass in Florida. 

[redux]

Maybe I looked at a different Lake Dan? Is this it? https://goo.gl/maps/psup2aeV6FX3iBbLA

 

The road running N/S to the west of that is fenced off and some of the roads leading onto that property also appear gated from the main road to the south. A good clue as to whether you can get on ponds and lakes is to see if Google will give you a street view. If not then it is most likely private and inaccessible to the public.

 

You could try calling the equestrian business that is on the south east corner of that property to get an idea of access.

 

All of these colors work well (depending on water clarity, color, and light) weighted and unweighted:

White

Black and blue

Black and purple (if the water is tannic)

June bug

Candy bug

Junebug with red flake

watermelon red flake

watermelon

Okeechobee craw (blue and green with silver flake)

 

Jigs, chatterbaits, and T-rigs are good. Senko, paddle tail flukes, soft jerk baits, craws, etc. Spinnerbaits if it is partly cloudy with a mellow breeze. I've been catching on small square bills in white/silver and bluegill colors in the same conditions I throw spinnerbaits.

 

Like the poster above said look for retention ponds. And hit up the poster who offered to show you around.

[dsw1204]

On 3/4/2020 at 7:45 PM, redux said:

Maybe I looked at a different Lake Dan? Is this it? https://goo.gl/maps/psup2aeV6FX3iBbLA

 

The road running N/S to the west of that is fenced off and some of the roads leading onto that property also appear gated from the main road to the south. A good clue as to whether you can get on ponds and lakes is to see if Google will give you a street view. If not then it is most likely private and inaccessible to the public.

 

You could try calling the equestrian business that is on the south east corner of that property to get an idea of access.

 

All of these colors work well (depending on water clarity, color, and light) weighted and unweighted:

White

Black and blue

Black and purple (if the water is tannic)

June bug

Candy bug

Junebug with red flake

watermelon red flake

watermelon

Okeechobee craw (blue and green with silver flake)

 

Jigs, chatterbaits, and T-rigs are good. Senko, paddle tail flukes, soft jerk baits, craws, etc. Spinnerbaits if it is partly cloudy with a mellow breeze. I've been catching on small square bills in white/silver and bluegill colors in the same conditions I throw spinnerbaits.

 

Like the poster above said look for retention ponds. And hit up the poster who offered to show you around.

Yeah, I see it, now.  That kinda sucks.  There are other ponds that are nearby, but I'll have to look a little more closely for fences.

 

I did PM the poster who offered to help, but no response as of yet. 

 

What lures are working best down there?  Is topwater working?  Still a little too cold here in Ohio, but hoping it will be a lot warmer by the time I get back from my Flroida trip.

 

 

[redux]

The past few weeks I'm having the best luck with an 1/8 tungsten worm weight unpegged and 3/0 EWG or flipping hook. 3-4" paddle tail swimbaits in watermelon, green and blue, and watermelon red. I started using a color called Bullfrog (Bitter's Baits makes it) which is a clear yellowish green with no flake and that works well when the sun is bright and the water is off color. As the sun goes down or the water color gets darker but still clear I go to the other colors. I'll go to black and blue after dark but at that point it doesn't matter. White works too but I don't have a ton of confidence in it. One of my buddies pretty much throws white only and does ok.

 

I'm also having good results with the 1.0 Strike King silent square bill and Rapala Brat in natural shad colors or blue gill when I would normally throw a spinner bait but want something small. I have just started throwing that recently on a whim so maybe it's just different enough that they don't know better.

 

I don't use a ton of top water other than weightless speed worms and I haven't been using those much lately. No good reason why...going to put a stop to that tomorrow morning. I have never gotten into frogs despite owning a pile of them and I don't like walking baits because there is a lot of floating grass in my local lakes thanks to all the recreational boating so the hooks foul.

 

Chatter baits are working too. Big surprise there.

 

I bet soft jerk baits will work too all in the same colors I mentioned earlier. I just haven't been using them much.

 

Since the moving baits are working I have not been throwing much that sits on the bottom unless I find fish on beds. I usually throw a lot of Senkos.

 

I fish a lot of ponds because my area has good options. All of the baits I mentioned are working both from the bank and the boat.

 

Hope that helps and I didn't ramble too long. Good luck.

[N Florida Mike]

They’ve been biting zoom super flukes the best for me lately. My lake ranges from fairly clear to moderately stained depending on the time of year. Right now more weeds are dead in North Florida due to the ( slightly) colder weather. So the lake is more stained at present.

This is an important consideration for choosing colors.

Watermelon red plastics are probably the best in sunnier conditions, then anything with a red or gold sparkle .

In lower light days, watermelon seed is good, or June bug. Zoom makes some cool color patterns. Houdini works well in mostly sunny days.

Watermelon slice is good too.

I start new waters with flukes and senkos in the colors mentioned. Yum makes the bama bug color which is pumkin on the bottom and June bug on top. Their yum dingers in that color work real well. 
I also like watermelon red and June bug trick worms, and ultra vibe speed worms in the same colors, also baby brush hogs and speed craws in the same colors.

I fish with as little weight as possible. With the smaller , lighter baits I use a bb shot with a 2/0 wide gap hook, Texas rigged. The bigger flukes and senkos I use weightless , with a 3/0 hook. When bank fishing look for grass, drains , lay downs , shade.

If you see kids feeding ducks, fish there after they leave. The bread attracts minnows, shiners, bream etc.  , which then attracts bass.

Mike

[redux]

We ran into a guy at the dock yesterday so take this with a few grains of salt. He said in 3 trips this week he's caught 52, 46, and 53 ranging from 1-3 pounds (with a few doubles) on hard jerk baits in 13-15 feet over grass. Granted this takes a boat and some graphing to pull off but it is worth mentioning in case you can get off the bank during the trip.

 

I caught all but 1 fish yesterday on green swimbaits around pads/grass in transition and spawning areas. My buddy caught all of his in the same areas on white. Go figure.

[dsw1204]

Well, I just got back from my Florida trip and with this coronavirus scare, I could not do much with my mom and dad.  They are both in their 80's and was told my the rest of my family not to take them out for fear of getting them sick.  So, I did a little more fishing than I planned.  And, boy, did I have fun!!!

 

Now, remember, I am pretty new to fishing.  I've never fished an entire season in my life until last year.  And, fishing is pretty tough where I live, or so I am told (Cincinnati area).  Last year, I rarely caught more than 1 or 2 fish in a 5-hour fishing session with my PB being a 5-lb largemouth.

 

On this trip, I probably averaged 5-6 fish during a 5-hr. session.  And, I have a new PB...6.39lbs!!!!  I, also,  caught a 5.5 pounder and a 4.5 pounder, with numerous 3 pounders and quite a few between 2.5 and 2.9 lbs.  And, this was all from the bank of a pretty large pond.  I guess I found a honey hole in that pond.

 

Oh, I gotta tell you guys this:  Almost every day, early in the morning while I was standing by the bank just casting away and something kinda spooky happened (well, spooky because it was quiet and I had never experienced this before).  But, numerous bait balls passed right by me as I was just casting.  Little fish were just jumping out of the water left and right.  Lots of them.  The first time it happened I just stood there and watched it pass by.  Then, a second one passed by, and a third, and a fourth.  I knew about bait balls, but only by watching Nat Geo Wild nature programs and that was in salt water.  Never thought about it being in a small body of water.  This happened just about every day.  Most of the time I was throwing soft plastics at the time they passed by.  And I got nothing.  But, the last day, I was throwing a Whopper Plopper 110 Sexy Shad when they came by.  It was trailing one of the bait balls and the 5.5 lb bass attacked it.  Wish I would have been throwing that bait the other days!!!

 

I visit my folks once a year.  I can't wait to visit them next year.

 

LOVE FLORIDA FISHING!!!