Freshwater fishing: Bass bit is good around Polk, and will likely get better

1 Around Lakeland, at Tenoroc, bass fishing was best on lakes 3, 5 and C. Lakes 2, A, B, Legs, Picnic, Pine and Shop also had high catch rates. This past week, 36 large bass over 19 inches were reported, including seven fish over 22 inches. Speck fishing was best at lakes 2 and Picnic. The best lakes for panfish were Derby, Legs, Picnic, Pine and 5. Catfish were best at lakes 5 and Legs, reports FWC biologist Paolo Pecora.

2 At Auburndale, lakes Ariana and Juliana have a good bite for schoolie size bass on rattle style baits. Juliana is also producing some decent size bluegill. Around Lake Alfred, lakes Rochelle and Alfred are producing 4- to 5-pound bass on lipless crankbaits and shiners. Quite a few specks have been caught at lakes Haines and Rochelle along with shellcracker and bluegill, reports Ron Schelfo at Ron’s Tackle Box (863-956-4990).

3 At Winter Haven, Lake Summit has been producing bass up to 6 pounds on Rat-L-Traps and shiners. Lake Cannon has been good for bass and some bluegill. Lake Shipp has been producing bass by boat and from shore on a variety of baits, reports Schelfo.

4 At Lake Hamilton, the big lake is producing the best bass bite. Swimbaits, plastic worms and crankbaits have been best early around running water. Some specks are also biting on the big lake, but not any big numbers yet, reports Mickey Ingram at Hoppy’s Marine (863-439-7616).

5 At Lake Marion near Haines City, the bass bite is good around running water at Marion Creek and the canals. The bluegill are scattered, but when you find them, grass shrimp and red worms are producing, reports Ingram.

6 At Lake Pierce, schoolie bass up to 3 pounds have been caught on plastic worms. A few specks have been caught at night and cooler weather this week should pick up that bite, reports Jennings Resort (863-439-3811).

7 At Lake Hatchineha, bass up to 6 pounds are being caught while pitching lightly weighted Senkos around the reeds. Specks are starting to show up at the Hourglass area while drifting minnows. Bluegill are still being caught in the pads on red worms, reports Charlie Wynperle at Bridgemaster Fishing Products (863-676-1009).

8 At Lake Toho, bass fishing is good around the airboat trails at the north end. Junebug color speed worms and chatterbaits around hydrilla in water five feet deep have been producing. The hole in front of Big Toho Marina is producing bluegill and shellcracker on crickets and red worms. Specks are biting around hydrilla between Mackinson and Paradise islands, reports Capt. Brent Kirkendall of Horizon Fishing (727-505-4340).

9 At Lake Kissimmee, covering water early by casting a frog or a Skinny Dipper in Houdini color through the grass should produce bass. As the sun rises, flip a beaver style bait with a ¾ oz. weight. Flipping isolated grass patches inside the grass line should also produce. Bluegill are being caught on red worms in the pads by the pig trails. Specks are starting to show on the outer grass line at Storm Island at first light on minnows, reports Wynperle.

10 At Lake Walk-in-the-Water, bass are “prowling” the shallows early. A Devil’s Horse or a topwater frog should produce a strike. Specks are starting to show up on the edges of the grass lines. A few are also being caught while trolling Muck City Tackle jigs in white and chartreuse color, reports Wynperle.

11 At Crooked Lake at Babson Park, not too many anglers have been out, but the outer weed edges are producing schoolie bass on topwaters. There’s not much on panfish and no specks have shown up yet, reports Cindy Ritchison at Bob's Landing (863-638-1912).

12 At Frostproof, Lake Clinch is producing bass up to 7 pounds on crankbaits and while drifting shiners on the west side. Clinch is also producing shellcracker on red worms in six feet of water. Lake Reedy is good for bass on white spinnerbaits and live shiners. Specks are biting there during the day while drifting minnows. Lake Arbuckle is good for bluegill at the south end on red worms and crickets, reports Jim Childress of Big Bass Bait & Tackle (352-207-7520).

13 In the phosphate pits near Mulberry, the most consistent bass bite has been on crankbaits fished over deep water ledges and humps at a depth of 10 feet or deeper. Punching the hydrilla mats with plastics is also producing bass. Topwaters around run-off at first light and during the evening are also getting a bite.