The Coming Florida Spawn

[piscicidal]

The bucks were back on the beds at my house this morning. I left them alone and probed around for momma, but didn't find her.

[MrPerfect]

I was able to go out this past Saturday and pond hop around the UCF area and while I caught some a few decent fish, and a couple of bigger females in pre-stage, there were no beds at any of the ponds or lakes.

Biggest I caught was a 4lb female just starting to really get that belly.

[SoFlaBassAddict]

I got out onto one of the bigger strip pits down by me on Sunday. Caught a bunch of fish all staged up just outside of spawning areas. Shallow and deep cranks were getting the majority of the bites for me. Spent a little while flipping a tube into some mats and managed a couple of larger fish, but not much in the thick stuff. Another week or two and it'll be on.

[gar-tracker]

Ya might want to check the weather. They are not going on the beds this weekend. Wed morning is the time to slay them, then you might as well play checkers for the rest of the week.

I would give anything to be fishing today, full moon, pending front, January.

This weekend is going to be tough is right.

[South FLA]

I was out yesterday from 11:30 to 3:00 and did alright, fish were still scattered on outside weed edged in staging mode. Fished hard though to find them, had to cover water, but was able to find the spot within the spot and managed to catch 20-25 total up to 3 1/2lbs fishing with Dwight. Today would be great, but the wind is going to do a number on the outside.

[SirSnookalot]

Hard fishing? Have had a total of 2 fish in saltwater since the New Year and no strikes for about a week, I haven't talked to anyone that has done better in my area, but that's winter and not unusual. Real glad to be catching bass everyday, at least the rod is bending.

[South FLA]

Hard fishing? Have had a total of 2 fish in saltwater since the New Year and no strikes for about a week, I haven't talked to anyone that has done better in my area, but that's winter and not unusual. Real glad to be catching bass everyday, at least the rod is bending.

Jacks aren't in the surf yet? One of my best trips ever was right after the New Year while in college surf fishing for jacks off the Breakers Hotel, talk about FUN!

[piscicidal]

I was out yesterday from 11:30 to 3:00 and did alright, fish were still scattered on outside weed edged in staging mode. Fished hard though to find them, had to cover water, but was able to find the spot within the spot and managed to catch 20-25 total up to 3 1/2lbs fishing with Dwight. Today would be great, but the wind is going to do a number on the outside.

Yesterday was not that great, although by the time I started fishing the front had already moved in. Strong, cold north winds and bluebird skies made fishing pretty tough. I think the morning bite might have been pretty good, warmer, overcast and slight winds.

I did find some fish and like you, Robert, they were staging...I had my best luck WAY off the weedlines (300-400 yards). Was pretty much by myself out there most of the day, although by the time I left there were about six boats with me (some BFL guys doing the old "bent rod" scouting technique). I missed a lot of bites yesterday...they were short-biting the baits. There were so many floating weeds in the area, about the only thing that wouldn't get fouled up every cast was a skinny dipper (anyone have a good idea for adding a trailer to a paddletail, that doesn't get fouled up?). Even with the dipper, we were fouled up every other cast. I think we had a pretty good area...even with the fouled baits, short bites we managed about 12lb bag in ~3hours. We both lost one big fish also. I would guess that some of those BFL guys would take that today...I think it's going to be tough out there.

I fished a couple shallow flats/spawning areas up around the shoal and on the south end and did nothing in there. I was fishing with my dad so we were a little bit limited in the type of fishing we could do. I didn't flip at all.

[SirSnookalot]

Jacks aren't in the surf yet? One of my best trips ever was right after the New Year while in college surf fishing for jacks off the Breakers Hotel, talk about FUN!

Last year both snook and jacks up to about 10# were on in January, but not this year. I don't give up, that's what I like the best. People that don't fish saltwater think there is a fish on every cast, nothing could be further from the truth. This time of the year there is just no fish around, I can go a week or 2 without a strike. I casted cuda tubes for 2 days and didn't even see one. The old adage, when the snook turn off the bass turn on and when the bass turn off the snook turn on, makes for a good year.

[Bassn Blvd]

My brother caught a dozen bluefish, several jacks (small), couple sharks and one S mack today off sloans curve in Palm Beach. He said a school of tarpon, about 60-80 pounds each, came by. He got two of them to hit but couldn't hook'em. He was throwing spoons and gotchas.

[SirSnookalot]

My brother caught a dozen bluefish, several jacks (small), couple sharks and one S mack today off sloans curve in Palm Beach. He said a school of tarpon, about 60-80 pounds each, came by. He got two of them to hit but couldn't hook'em. He was throwing spoons and gotchas.

Nice to hear.

Sloan's Curve......A mile or so north of Lake Worth, near Phipps Park off the beach?

15-20 mph, 5 footers and chilly, think I'll take a pass, lol.

[salmicropterus]

Well sad to say but the Lake really kicked my butt this weekend. Never could get a consistent pattern on fish. Tried, in no particular order: inside, way inside, outside, inside the out side and way way outside. Skinny dipper, senkos, soak a 10" worm, flip mats and pitch reed clumpies. Tough, tough and tough. Hat's off to the big bags on Saturday's BFL

[1234567]

Well sad to say but the Lake really kicked my butt this weekend. Never could get a consistent pattern on fish. Tried, in no particular order: inside, way inside, outside, inside the out side and way way outside. Skinny dipper, senkos, soak a 10" worm, flip mats and pitch reed clumpies. Tough, tough and tough. Hat's off to the big bags on Saturday's BFL

Sorry to hear it was so TOUGH out there. I think that would be an understatement as far as Sunday.

I launched out of Moore Haven at 600 am sunday, froze for three hours on the main lake looking for clean water which I never found. Made my way to the shoreline areas and flipped the heck out of it with one missed bite. Made my way back to the rim canal and caught about 6 in the three pound range. Not too impressive for my first time on Lake O. I did find them in the rim holding off the dropoff near the rocky banks. They were hittng the jig on the fall pretty hard and then it died when these massive boats when cruising through and the water around the shore turned dirty. I thought the waves from these boats were going to capsize me! Until then I thought I had a good pattern going. In the rim I saw some nice clumps of hyacinth mats ( I think thats what they are) and thought for sure I'd pull fish out of there but nothing as well. Next time maybe. Anyone do good out there Sunday?

[FL_Sharpshooter]

Sorry to hear it was so TOUGH out there. I think that would be an understatement as far as Sunday.

I launched out of Moore Haven at 600 am sunday, froze for three hours on the main lake looking for clean water which I never found. Made my way to the shoreline areas and flipped the heck out of it with one missed bite. Made my way back to the rim canal and caught about 6 in the three pound range. Not too impressive for my first time on Lake O. I did find them in the rim holding off the dropoff near the rocky banks. They were hittng the jig on the fall pretty hard and then it died when these massive boats when cruising through and the water around the shore turned dirty. I thought the waves from these boats were going to capsize me! Until then I thought I had a good pattern going. In the rim I saw some nice clumps of hyacinth mats ( I think thats what they are) and thought for sure I'd pull fish out of there but nothing as well. Next time maybe. Anyone do good out there Sunday?

I would say you did good for your first day. I'd be more than happy with some 3lbers. With it being as chilly as it has been lately, it's getting a little bit harder to see what they're biting on. As most Floridians know, our bass tend to shut down during colder weather. You should try some of Chris's(Northstar Custom) hair jigs around this time, I always kill em on those.

I have seen a ton of spawning beds on the canals lately, but no one is home yet. Can't wait for the spawn, it's gonna be killer!

[1234567]

Thanks man, I've been on the Rim canal before (once) but I figured it would be slow with cold. I thought for sure I'd find some flippin. Hopefully when it's warmer I'll get into some of these schools these guys have wrote about! A 50-100 fish day is something I've yet to experience.

[GLADES]

Drop shotting around deep rocks, drop offs, and structure in the rim canal is sometimes productive this time of year. It takes a lot of patience though.

[SoFlaBassAddict]

Thanks man, I've been on the Rim canal before (once) but I figured it would be slow with cold. I thought for sure I'd find some flippin. Hopefully when it's warmer I'll get into some of these schools these guys have wrote about! A 50-100 fish day is something I've yet to experience.

Give it some time and you'll find some of those giant schools. Pay attention to what some of the locals here tell you. Some of them know the lake really well.

[1234567]

Thanks for the encouragement! I knew yesterday was going to be bad. I don't know the lake at all but I'm sure someone figured out where they were and caught em. The main lake already seemed pretty choppy by 0830 am and the water looked awful. I could barely see my 6 inches below the surface. I putted around in the main lake as well looking for any type of structure change but it always read the same at about 4 feet. Maybe a significant change were I was could be 6 inches?? I didn't go out too far as the waves were limiting my mobility. Now I see why guys have the 20 foot glass boats!!!! Even the pockets inside the cattails were murky where the water was dead calm.

[piscicidal]

Sorry to hear it was so TOUGH out there. I think that would be an understatement as far as Sunday.

I launched out of Moore Haven at 600 am sunday, froze for three hours on the main lake looking for clean water which I never found. Made my way to the shoreline areas and flipped the heck out of it with one missed bite. Made my way back to the rim canal and caught about 6 in the three pound range. Not too impressive for my first time on Lake O. I did find them in the rim holding off the dropoff near the rocky banks. They were hittng the jig on the fall pretty hard and then it died when these massive boats when cruising through and the water around the shore turned dirty. I thought the waves from these boats were going to capsize me! Until then I thought I had a good pattern going. In the rim I saw some nice clumps of hyacinth mats ( I think thats what they are) and thought for sure I'd pull fish out of there but nothing as well. Next time maybe. Anyone do good out there Sunday?

Six three pounders is a pretty good day, given the tough conditions. A 15lb bag would have been top-25 at the BFL Saturday. Okeechobee can be tough...yeah, there's a ton of fish but there's also a ton of water.

[1234567]

Six three pounders is a pretty good day, given the tough conditions. A 15lb bag would have been top-25 at the BFL Saturday. Okeechobee can be tough...yeah, there's a ton of fish but there's also a ton of water.

I appreciate that really. I thought I was doing horrible out there wandering around aimlessly looking for an area that "looks" good. I also figured that a 30 pound bag that took the win, many others probably weighed in 20 pound bags.

You're absolutely right about "ton of water" as soon as I left the canal and hit the main lake I was completely overwhelmed! I had no idea where to start and what to do, I motored around for awhile and the depth kept reading 4 feet, since I could never find deeper water that I was looking for with the cold front I moved back to the shoreline. How far out do you have to go to find 8-10 fow? My little boat was getting bounced around bad Sunday and I'm sure that was a normal or calmer day.

I noticed the area I came out to looked like it was just full of eel grass but the water was very dirty. I was thinking this would be a good spot if the water was clean but I have no idea about the bottom composition, although with the grass I think it would be good to hold bass.

Now I see why alot of guys out there have 200 plus horsepower motors, it would take me an eternity to travel long stretches of this lake!

The cattails looked good but I had no idea where to flip, so I just flipped everywhere when I was on the main lake.

I can't wait to start learning this lake although it is intimidating!

[gar-tracker]

It kicked my but as well, a sorry scrawny bag of 4 fish. And no check.

But it happens.

[South FLA]

Fishing and not catching, that is what its called!

[MrPerfect]

Just to let you guys know I'll be out around the UCF/Lake Mills/Econ area on Saturday and I'll let you know if I start seeing any progress in terms of bedding bass. Last time I was out I didn't even find any bed, but the fishing wasn't to bad thanks to some staging bass.

[MagicMoment]

Just to let you guys know I'll be out around the UCF/Lake Mills/Econ area on Saturday and I'll let you know if I start seeing any progress in terms of bedding bass. Last time I was out I didn't even find any bed, but the fishing wasn't to bad thanks to some staging bass.

Please do.

[BasskingKeith]

I am making a prediction: I predict spawning this coming weekend. We'll see how that goes. Another thing...For all you boating guys, or anyone with a device to measure water temps.... Can you tell us the water temps you're experiencing and at what regional location? That would be awesome.