Freshwater fishing: Bass bite as been steady as fish move to shallower water around Polk

1 Around Lakeland, bass fishing was best at Tenoroc on lakes Hydrilla, Legs, Lost Lake West, Picnic, 2, 3, 4, 5 and A. This past week, 23 large bass over 19 inches were reported with the largest measuring 27 inches. Lakes Horseshoe, Hydrilla, Legs, Picnic, 3 and 5 had the best speck bite. Panfish action was best at lakes Derby, Picnic, Pine, 3 and A. The catfish bite was best at lakes Coronet, Derby, Legs and Picnic, reports FWC biologist Paolo Pecora. At Saddle Creek, ribbon tail worms, topwaters and rattling baits are producing bass up around the trees. Plenty of tilapia are biting crickets. Around town, the speck bite is “really hot” at Lake Parker in the deeper holes on minnows. Lake Hollingsworth is also producing a good speck bite. The bass bite is good at Lake Bonny on rattling baits and while flipping Senkos around the grass, reports Kyle Stafford at Phillips Bait and Tackle (863-666-2248).

What's Biting: Largemouth Bass

Cooling water temps have the bass moving shallower and in between the cold fronts, the bite has been steady.

Strike Zones: 1, 2, 3, 4, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13

2 At Auburndale, Lake Ariana is producing good numbers of specks on minnows in deeper water. Some of the specks are starting to move shallower. Good numbers of 2- to 3-pound schooling bass are biting lipless crankbaits along the shorelines. Around Lake Alfred, lakes Alfred, Haines, Rochelle and Swoope are producing decent numbers of good size specks, mainly on minnows or black color jigs with yellow curly tails. Lipless crankbaits and shiners are producing schooling bass as well, reports Ron Schelfo at Ron’s Tackle Box (863-956-4990).

3 At Winter Haven, lakes Summit and Eloise are producing good numbers of bass on lipless crankbaits, spinnerbaits and shiners. The mouths of the canals are producing bass and specks. Lake Shipp has a good speck bite at night on minnows, reports Schelfo.

4 At Lake Hamilton, “slow worming” along the edges of the grass is producing the most consistent bass bite. One angler had nine decent size fish on the big lake this week. The speck bite has been slow with the weather, reports Micky Ingram at Hoppy’s Marine (863-439-7616).

5 At Lake Marion near Haines City, fishing has been slow with the weather and not many anglers have been out. A few bass have been caught and the speck bite is decent at night, reports Ingram.

6 At Lake Pierce, more specks are being caught, mostly in the mornings, while drifting minnows in deeper water. A few bass have been caught on plastics, but anglers are having to work for them, reports Jennings Resort (863-439-3811).

7 At Lake Hatchineha, water levels on the lake are low. Drift minnows at the “Hourglass” for the best speck bite. Bass are moving to the pads and some spawning fish were caught during the full moon. Cast a weightless Senko for the best action, reports Charlie Wynperle at Bridgemaster Fishing Products (863-676-1009.

8 At Lake Toho, bass are biting good along the Kissimmee grass lines on black and blue color Zoom trick worms or sexy shad color Rat-L-Traps. Bluegill and shellcracker are biting off Paradise Island on live worms in 3 to 6 feet of water. The speck bite is good around the south end of the lake and the fish are holding in 8 feet of water. The best baits have been live minnows under a cork along the hydrilla edges, reports Capt. Brent Kirkendall of Horizon Fishing. https://horizonfishing.com.

9 At Lake Kissimmee, speck anglers are catching specks on white color with red head jigs in holes on the outside edges of the grass. Bass are “prowling” the shallows getting ready for the upcoming spawn. Trophy size bass are also feeding on the shell bars and outer grass lines with the upcoming spawn, reports Wynperle.

10 At Lake Walk-in-the-Water, speck fishing is picking up with the cooling water temps. Anglers are catching limits while drifting minnows at night. For the bass, break out a bluegill color swim jig and cover water for fish up to 7 pounds, reports Wynperle.

11 At Crooked Lake at Babson Park, good numbers of bass up to 5 pounds have been caught in between the fronts. Outer weed edges in 10 feet of water are producing best on red color plastic worms and creature baits. Good numbers of specks up to 15 inches have been caught, but there’s no limits just yet. Minnows at night, in deep water around 25 foot, are getting the best bite, reports Cindy Ritchison at Bob's Landing (863-638-1912).

12 At Frostproof, Lake Arbuckle is producing the best speck bite on minnows in 6 to 8 feet of water. The bass bite is good on black and blue color 10-inch worms around the pads and while drifting shiners in the incoming moving water. Lake Reedy is good for specks in about 8 feet on minnows. Bass are biting good there on shiners around the pads and Carolina rigged worms around the grass. Lake Clinch has a decent speck bite on minnows in deep water around the brush piles. The bass bite is good there on shiners in the moving water on the west side, reports Jim Childress of Big Bass Bait & Tackle (352-207-7520).

13 In the phosphate pits near Mulberry, the topwater bite is “back on” for bass up to 6 pounds. Baits such as a Whopper Plopper or a Devil’s Horse in 4 to 5 feet of water along the edges of hydrilla are producing. Both speed and vibe worms in junebug and junebug red color are producing in open water around hydrilla where the depth drops off to around 8 to 10 foot, reports Danny Hamm of Stones Bait & Tackle (863-940-4898).

This article originally appeared on The Ledger: Freshwater: Bass moving shallow as bite stays steady around Polk