Speck fishing picking up as cooler weather slows bass bite

1 Around Lakeland, bass fishing was best at Tenoroc on lakes Derby, Hydrilla, Legs, Lost Lake West, A and C. This past week 24 large bass over 19 inches were reported with four bass measuring close to 23 inches. Lakes Horseshoe, Hydrilla, Legs and 5 had the best speck bite. Panfish action was best at lakes Derby and 5. The catfish bite was best at lakes Derby and Legs, reports FWC biologist Paolo Pecora. At Saddle Creek, the bass bite is decent, a 5 pounder was caught on a shiner this week. Good numbers of bluegill and some specks are biting along the banks. A few tilapia are also being caught on red worms. Around town, lakes Gibson, Hollingsworth and Parker are all producing good numbers of specks on minnows. Hollingsworth and Parker are also producing bass while flipping creature baits in the cattails, reports Kyle Stafford at Phillips Bait and Tackle (863-666-2248).

Fish of the Week

Speckled Perch: Cooler weather has slowed the bass bite, but picked up the speck fishing on most lakes in the area this week.

Strike Zone, 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13

Around Polk County

2 At Auburndale, lakes Juliana and Mattie have a good speck bite on minnows, reports Stafford. Lake Ariana is good for specks, mainly at night while drifting or anchored with minnows. Lakes Haines and Rochelle are producing some limits of good size specks. Rochelle is producing bass in the 5 to 6-pound range, mainly on shiners, reports Ron Schelfo at Ron’s Tackle Box (863-956-4990).

3 At Winter Haven, Lake Hartridge is producing good numbers of specks on minnows, reports Stafford. Lake Howard is good for specks at night on minnows. The mouths of the canals are producing specks and small bass, reports Schelfo.

4 At Lake Hamilton, bass fishing has improved mainly on the big lake. “Slow worming” the outside grass lines, during the early to mid-morning hours, is producing the best action. The speck bite is picking up on all three lakes while drifting minnows on the edges of the Kissimmee, eel and peppergrass, reports Micky Ingram at Hoppy’s Marine (863-439-7616).

5 At Lake Marion near Haines City, green patches of hydrilla left after the spraying are producing some bass. A few specks are biting at night under the lights. Some bluegill are biting around Bannon Island, reports Ingram.

6 At Lake Pierce, scattered specks are being caught, mostly during the morning, while drifting minnows out in deeper water around 7 to 8 feet deep. The bass bite has been slow with the passing fronts, reports Jennings Resort (863-439-3811).

7 At Lake Hatchineha, some specks are being caught on minnows along the outside grass lines at Candler Point. Bass are scattered around the reed patches. Throw a bluegill color swim jig early, then switch over to a black and blue Senko, reports Charlie Wynperle at Bridgemaster Fishing Products (863-676-1009.

8 At Lake Toho, no report is available this week. I’m sad to inform our readers that Capt. Brent Kirkendall, who has most recently provided reports for the lake, was tragically killed in a motor vehicle accident on I-4 Thanksgiving eve.

9 At Lake Kissimmee, specks are biting on the outside grass lines early. The bite only lasts for about an hour, then move inside the grass lines. There are no boats drifting at Marker 9 yet, but one angler at Camp Mack caught a limit at night in the river. Bass fishing has been slow with the passing cold fronts this week. Cast a worm to isolated cover or flip the mats for the best results, reports Wynperle.

10 At Lake Walk-in-the-Water, the bass are “scarce,” it’s best to cover water at first light with a leopard color popping frog. Then later on, cast a wacky rigged Senko. Speck fishing is picking up at night while drifting minnows under lights, reports Wynperle.

11 At Crooked Lake at Babson Park, the bass bite has been kind of slow, but a 6 pounder was caught over the weekend. Near limits of good size specks, up to 14 to 16 inches, are biting off of Wirt’s Point. Drifting and anchored with minnows are both producing both day and night, but the day bite is starting to out produce the night bite, reports Rick Ritchison at Bob's Landing (863-638-1912). Little Crooked Lake is producing specks while drifting minnows in 6 to 8 feet of water out from the boat ramp.

12 At Frostproof, Lake Livingston is producing limits of good size specks on minnows. Lake Arbuckle still has good numbers of specks on both jigs and minnows. Lake Clinch has a good speck bite on minnows in deep water. Bass are biting there on Carolina rigged worms and shiners along the west side. Lake Reedy is good for specks in 8 to 10 feet of water while drifting minnows. Bass are biting there on shiners along the edges of the grass, reports Childress.

13 In the phosphate pits near Mulberry, the bass have moved out from the banks and are staging in 8 to 12 feet of water. Senkos and vibe tail worms in junebug or junebug red color are still producing the best action. The speck bite is fair. Decent numbers have been caught, but no limits, reports Danny Hamm of Stones Bait & Tackle (863-940-4898).

This article originally appeared on The Ledger: Speck fishing picking up as cooler weather slows bass bite