Freshwater fishing: Cooler temperatures are making the bass hungry around Polk County

1 Around Lakeland, at Tenoroc, bass fishing was best on lakes Fishhook, Hydrilla, 5, B, Legs, Shop and Tern. Lakes Pine and C also had high catch rates. This past week, 32 large bass over 19 inches were reported and the largest was just shy of 25 inches. Speck fishing was best at lakes Horseshoe, Hydrilla and Picnic. The best lakes for panfish were Cemetery, Derby, Coronet, Horseshoe, Picnic, Shop, F and 5. Catfish were best at lakes Coronet, Horseshoe, Legs and B, reports FWC biologist Paolo Pecora. At Saddle Creek, more specks are coming in and the bite is best at night. Some bluegill and shellcracker are biting on crickets and red worms. A “bunch” of tilapia have been caught. Around Lakeland, specks are biting at lakes Bonny and Hollingsworth around deeper water brush piles, reports Phillips Bait and Tackle (863-666-2248).

2 At Auburndale, Lake Juliana is producing bass up to 4 pounds on Rat-L-Trap style baits and Bass Assassin Ding Dong vibe tail worms in darker colors. Specks are biting minnows. Around the Lake Alfred area, Lake Haines has been good for specks on minnows and orange and chartreuse color jigs. Lake Alfred has been producing bass up to 7 pounds. Lake Rochelle has been good for bass and specks, reports Ron Schelfo at Ron’s Tackle Box (863-956-4990).

3 At Winter Haven, lakes Eloise, Howard, Shipp and Summit have been good for bass on crankbaits and shiners this week. The mouths of the canals, especially at lakes May and Shipp, have been producing specks at night, reports Schelfo.

4 At Lake Hamilton, water temps are dropping and the bass bite is picking up on all three lakes. The outer grass lines are producing best on crankbaits, swimbaits and plastics, reports Matt Ingram at Hoppy’s Marine (863-439-7616).

5 At Lake Marion near Haines City, the little bit of hydrilla around the lake is producing some bass. Running water is producing a few bass around the mouth of the creek, reports Ingram. A 6.45-pound bass took big fish during the Lakeland Junior Hawg Hunters tourney. A family fishing from the dock caught bass, bluegill, specks and catfish, reports Eileen O’ Leary at Bannon's Fish Camp (863-422-1223).

6 At Lake Pierce, some bass have been caught on artificials around structure in open water. Specks are biting minnows in deeper water during the morning and evening hours. No big numbers yet though, reports Jennings Resort (863-439-3811).

7 At Lake Hatchineha, flipping creature baits and plastics in the heavy vegetation mats is producing bass. Specks are have been caught while drifting minnows and trolling jigs and spinnerbaits, reports Chuck Metheney at Bridgemaster Fishing Products (863-676-1009).

8 At Lake Toho, the bass bite has been good. Fish up to 8 pounds are holding on the outside of Whaleys Landing. Junebug color Senkos and topwaters such as a Zara Spook will get the bite. Specks are biting minnows and pink jigs around isolated grass in deeper water offshore of Browns Point. Bluegill and shellcracker are biting on hard bottom outside of Richardson’s Fish Camp up to Paradise Island, reports Capt. Brent Kirkendall of Horizon Fishing (727-505-4340).

9 At Lake Kissimmee, topwater lures such as a Cotton Cordell Boy Howdy are producing bass in the morning. Later on, switch to “punching” the thick mats with creature baits. Good size specks are being caught while jigging the brush piles, reports Metheney.

10 At Lake Walk-in-the-Water, White and watermelon color swimbaits are producing bass in and around the Kissimmee grass. Specks are biting on minnows, reports Metheney.

11 At Crooked Lake at Babson Park, a local bass tourney produced a winning weight of 16.9 pounds and a 5.6-pound big bass. The schoolie bass bite has been consistent along the U.S. 27 side. Specks are biting early in the morning on minnows, reports Cindy Ritchison at Bob's Landing (863-638-1912). Shiners are producing bass up to 4 pounds at the south end, reports Jim Childress of Big Bass Bait & Tackle (352-207-7520).

12 At Frostproof, bass are good at Lake Clinch while flipping plastic worms and creature baits on the edges of the grass. Shiners are producing bass in moving water on the west side. Lake Reedy has a good bass bite around the edges of the grass on black and blue tail plastic worms and shiners under a cork at the northwest end. Lake Arbuckle is producing specks while drifting minnows in about 8 feet of water and also around moving water from Lake Reedy, reports Childress.

13 In the phosphate pits near Mulberry, with the weather and shorter days, the bass appear to be in a transition phase. Some days they’re shallow and some days they’ll be out a little deeper. Baits of choice this week have been half-ounce chrome and blue back rattling baits and suspending minnow imitation lures such as a Smithwick Rouge or a Rapala Minnow type bait. Cast these lures to the shoreline with a quick and erratic retrieve. Specks are starting to bite.