The final draft plan for hydrilla management on the Kissimmee Chain of Lakes for treatments through spring 2012 will be the focus of a public meeting Aug. 31 in the Osceola County Chambers in the Administrative Building at 1 Courthouse Square in Kissimmee.

The draft plan includes revisions based on appropriate public comments Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission (FWC) invasive plant section biologists have received since last May from public meetings in Lake Wales and Kissimmee.

The meeting also will be an opportunity for the public to hear updates from the FWC on lake enhancement projects and snail kites on the Kissimmee Chain.

For more information on the meeting, please contact Ed Harris at 407-858-6170.

Credit:
Florida Wildlife Commission Press Release Joy Hill, 352-258-3426

By Bob Wattendorf, Jason Dotson, Marty Mann and Allen Martin
Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission

The prespawn period for Florida largemouth bass can produce some of the most exciting fishing of the year – and 2011 has certainly started out exciting. Since bass tune into environmental triggers such as day length, lunar cycle and especially water temperature, timing of the actual spawn can vary. However, generally, once water temperatures rise above 58 degrees, the bedding process will begin and continue in some areas until temperatures are in the mid- to upper-70s.

Action normally starts in southern Florida and proceeds northward, with some bass spawning as early as December or as late as June. A couple days before full or new moons in late Februrary, March or early April are often premier spawning times for Florida bass. Remember, even within a lake, triggering water temperatures can vary significantly based on depth, sun exposure and currents, so not all of the bass spawn at the same time.

Last month in the “Fish Busters’ Bulletin” Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission (FWC) freshwater fisheries biologists identified sites they predicted would be great bass fisheries in 2011. Many of those predictions are becoming a reality. Individual anglers, guides and tournaments statewide are reporting incredible catches. Throughout Florida, there is an upsurge in bass fishing, with anglers catching both big trophies and large numbers of quality-size bass. Anglers are releasing many of those fish and applying to our “Big Catch” angler recognition program (MyFWC.com/Fishing) to memorialize their catch.

Check these examples:

Lake Tohopekaliga – Gerald Swindle won the Toho Bassmaster Southern Open in January with a total of 80 pounds, 13 ounces during a three-day tournament. To accomplish that, he averaged over 5 pounds per bass in his five-fish bag limits each day, coming close to the all-time record of 85 pounds. Bobby Lane, who came in second, also exceeded a five-pound per bass average, limited out and recorded the big fish of the tournament at 11.5 pounds. Under FWC requirements, all bass must be live-released after a permitted tournament, except for the few that can’t swim away. Those are donated to charity or used for research.

Lake Kissimmee – Tom Rewis and Doug Chance combined for a five-bass stringer that topped 40 pounds to clinch first place in the Capt. Tony Strickland Memorial Bass Tournament on Lake Kissimmee in early February. That is more than an average of 8 pounds per bass, with their largest being 10.71 pounds – and it was not big enough for first place. The team of Dustin Bozeman and Chris Maxwell took that award with a 10.76-pounder.

Del Milligan (renowned outdoor writer with TheLedger.com) pointed out, “Whether it’s Florida, Texas or California, the 40-pound mark is hallowed ground. Rewis and Chance produced one of only three five-fish limits of 40 pounds or more that I’ve heard of in Florida.” Milligan predicted, “The only thing that hasn’t happened is a 14- or 15-pounder, and I’ll wager that happens within the next few weeks.” (more…)

LAKE WALES, Fla. (Jan. 26, 2009) – Boater Jeremy Smith of Plant City, Fla., won the Walmart Bass Fishing League Gator Division tournament on the Kissimmee River Saturday with a five-bass catch weighing 28 pounds, 12 ounces. The victory earned Smith $4,271 and placed him one step closer to qualifying for the Clarks Hill Lake Regional Championship in Martinez, Ga., Oct 15-17, where he could ultimately win a new Ranger boat and a Chevy truck.
“Watching the Weather Channel I knew it had been cold all week. I just had a thought in my mind that the fish would pull out in deeper water,” said Smith. “When I practiced, I stuck with that idea that fish were going to be deeper and discovered that Friday before the tournament.”
Smith caught a total of eight fish between takeoff hours and lunchtime and kept the best five, culling only once. Smith said he knew that Saturday was forecast to be a nice day, and by mid-morning the weather had improved.
“I didn’t have to fish anymore, so I put my pole down and tried to help my co-angler catch his limit,” Smith said. The winning fish were caught on a Rat-L-Trap and a Yo-Zuri lipless crankbait.
“I normally don’t catch that much weight the day of takeoff. But I ran up to Lake Toho and fished in a new place. An angler before me caught a 9-pound, 2-ounce bass, and I thought he had caught the big one. But I fished it for a while longer and caught a bigger one,” Smith said.
Rounding out the top five boaters are Kyle Walters of Palm Bay, Fla. (five bass, 26-13, $2,136); John Stahl of Wesley Chapel, Fla. (four bass, 20-08, $1,424); Micah Silverman of Orlando, Fla. (five bass, 14-09, $997) and Miles Burghoff of Saint Cloud, Fla. (five bass, 14-06, $854).
Smith took home the Boater Division Big Bass award, earning $4,271 for a 9-pound, 11-ounce bass he caught.
Scott Kerslake of Henderson, N.C., earned $2,136 as the co-angler winner Saturday thanks to five bass weighing 15 pounds, 12 ounces.
Rounding out the top five co-anglers are Johnny Dease of Orlando, Fla. (five bass, 12-04, $1,068); Chris Youngblood of Dunedin, Fla. (five bass, 10-13, $712); Douglas Conklin of Harmony, Fla. (five bass, 8-13, $498) and David Lepsic of Haines City, Fla. (five bass, 8-07, $427).
Kerslake earned $2,136 as the co-angler Big Bass winner after catching a 15-pound, 12-ounce bass.
The next Gator Division event will be held on the Harris Chain of Lakes in Tavarez, Fla., Feb 14.
The top 40 boaters and 40 co-anglers in each of the BFL’s 28 divisions at the end of the season advance to a no-entry-fee Regional Championship where boaters fish for a new Ranger boat and a Chevy truck and co-anglers fish for a new Ranger boat. Seven regional championships will each send six boaters and six co-anglers to the no-entry-fee Walmart BFL All-American presented by Chevy, which features a $1 million purse and a top award of $140,000 in the Boater Division and $70,000 in the Co-angler Division. Anglers who compete in all five regular-season events within a division but do not advance to a Regional Championship are eligible to compete in the Chevy Wild Card, which will also send six boaters and six co-anglers to the All-American for a total of 48 boaters and 48 co-anglers advancing through BFL competition.
In BFL competition, boaters supply the boat and compete from the front deck against other boaters. Co-anglers compete from the back deck against other co-anglers.
As the nation’s leading provider of affordable, close-to-home weekend tournaments, the BFL is widely credited with opening competitive bass fishing to the masses. It also serves as a steppingstone for anglers who wish to advance to the Stren Series and ultimately the FLW Tour – bass fishing’s most lucrative tournament circuit.
Total awards are based on a full field of 200 boats in every tournament.

Till next time tight lines and good fishing….
From Staff Writer Capt Todd Kersey (todd@bassonline.com)
BassOnline.com / 888-829-BASS
———————————————————————————————–
BassOnline.com is Florida Fishing largest Freshwater Guide Service, specializing in Florida bass fishing in the Florida lakes, canals and rivers.
To learn more about Florida bass fishing, visit Bass Fishing Blog

1 – Around Lakeland, bass up to 25 inches this week at Tenoroc, about 8-9 pounds, in lakes 4, Fish Hook and Tern on junebug worms and spinnerbaits, reports Brian Fleming. Several limits of bluegill and shellcracker in lakes 2, C and Hydrilla at Tenoroc on crickets and red worms. Anglers wading along cattails at Lake Parker catching 10-15 hand-sized bluegill, reports Stacy Roberts at Phillips Bait and Tackle at Saddle Creek Park. Bluegill bite slowed down at Saddle Creek. Speckled catfish biting after rains at Saddle Creek. And lakes 4, B and Legs producing catfish at Tenoroc.

BLUEGILL

Limits of bluegill and shellcracker were commonplace over the weekend. Crickets and red worms were hot sellers. “I’m about out of crickets. They’re catching limits of bluegill just about everywhere,” said Ron Schelfo at Ron’s Tackle Box. “Pick your favorite lake.”

TRENTON BENNETT of Fort Meade, 4, reeled in this 12-pound, 4-ounce bass fishing with his grandfather, Joe Bennett, on Lake Kissimmee July 12. Joe, from Camp Lester, hooked up with a topwater plug and handed the rod to Trenton. “Joe said he had to hold the back of his life jacket to keep him from going out of the boat,” said Joanne Cosce at Camp Lester. PRO BASS FISHERMEN and top local anglers are switching to fluorocarbon line for casting soft plastics – worms, Flukes and Senkos. Berkley Trilene 100% Fluorocarbon is a popular choice in 10-, 12-, 15- and 20-pound strengths, said Brent Howlett at Stone’s Outhouse. Fluorocarbon sinks, unlike monofilament.

2 – At Auburndale, super week for bluegill and shellcracker just about everywhere, reports Ron Schelfo at Ron’s Tackle Box in Lake Alfred. Shellcracker bite continues on Lake Rochelle, where bank anglers using half-ounce egg sinkers to cast red worms over ledge in spot where there’s no shoreline grass near boat ramp. “There’s been hundreds of people going down there. It’s been great,” Schelfo said. Also limits of shellcracker on red worms and grass shrimp in lily pads at Lake Mariana, reports Stacy Roberts. Easy limits of bluegill at lakes Haines, Alfred and Ariana, said Schelfo. Bass very tough this week, but Telly Smith boated 7 1/2-pounder to win Ron’s evening tournament on Lake Alfred last Thursday with teammate Alex Holmes.

3 – At Winter Haven, bluegill creating some excitement on small city lakes and south chain, with lots of limits on crickets. Lily pads in south end of Lake Eloise one hot spot. Bass action tapered off with high heat and break in thundershowers.

4 – At Lake Hamilton, bluegill and shellcracker “absolutely great” over weekend with red worms and crickets, reports Gary Parramore at Chain O’ Lakes Bait and Tackle in Dundee. But only small boats can launch at public ramp. Bass up to 4-6 pounds perked up on medium-large wild shiners (6-7 inches long) on area lakes.

5 – At Lake Marion near Haines City, limits of bedding shellcracker and bluegill drew a crowd over the weekend with full moon on Friday, reports Ray Chase at Bannon’s Camp. He said 21 boats launched Saturday. Shellcracker moving back to deep shell bars between new and full moons. Lily pads “thick” with panfish, which are hitting grass shrimp, red worms and crickets.

6 – At Lake Pierce, daily limits of bluegill and shellcracker in lily pads on red worms and crickets at North Cove and around islands near fish camp, reports Jennings Camp. Bass decent, especially when it rains every day.

7 – At Lake Hatchineha, couple of shellcracker beds located over weekend with full moon, and anglers pulled in limits on red worms.

8 – At Lake Toho, big stringers in tournaments on Saturday, but Sunday as bad as Saturday was good. Took about 24 pounds to win Xtreme Series tournament. Fishermen casting topwater lures (chrome/black Boy Howdy or Devil’s Horse) around crisp hydrilla patches until sun comes up, said Brent Howlett at Stone’s Outhouse. Water level up 8-10 inches in past week, and anglers struggling for bites this week, said Mark Detweiler.

9 – At Lake Kissimmee, bluegill carried the weekend, although bass made good showing Saturday. There were two or three stringers over 20 pounds in tournaments on Saturday, but on Sunday, bass took a “nosedive,” said Leo Cosce at Camp Lester. Took just 13 pounds to win on Sunday. Cosce said there’s a lot of bass being caught on crankbaits and Rat-L-Traps. Trenton Bennett of Fort Meade, who’s 4, landed a 12-pound, 4-ounce bass fishing with his grandfather, Joe Bennett of Camp Lester, on July 13. Joe got the bite on a surface lure and handed the rod to Trenton. “That’s kid’s going to be hooked for life now. It’s great when you see that happen,” said Cosce. Limits of bluegill mixed with shellcracker around full moon in lily pads at Gobbler Ridge, Philadelphia Point, Lemon Point and Brahma Island. But panfish bite tapered off since Sunday with half-limits at best, Cosce said. Early risers catching 20-25 specks in North Cove with jigs (chartreuse/white, white/white) along hydrilla edges. Water level up 4 inches in past week, but off-colored.

10 – At Lake Walk-in-the-Water, lake usually overlooked for bluegill, but panfish have been active in lily pads. Bass not worth the trip.

11 – At Crooked Lake at Babson Park, extra-large speckled perch cranked up last week and still going at night on minnows in open water, reports Cindy Ritchison at Bob’s Landing. “Some of my anglers said they were catching ‘hellaciously’ big specks they said had to be a pound and a half or 2 pounds, easy,” Ritchison said. Mark Collier and his crew bringing in 20-25 per trip, as is Gary Earnst of Plant City. Bass up to 2-3 pounds more common.

12 – At Frostproof, panfish anglers loading up on bluegill at Lake Reedy, reports Ron Schelfo. Lake Arbuckle also good for bluegill in lily pads.

13 – In the phosphate pits south of Mulberry and Bartow, things about as quiet as they get with dog days setting in.

By Del Milligan

From Staff and Wire Reports
BassOnline.com
888-629-BASS (2277)
www.hawghunter.net
www.bassauthority.com
www.flpeacockbass.com
www.basson-line.com