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Medard Park Specks Picking Up

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The Tampa Tribune

Published: October 29, 2007

GO FISHING is a daily look at the area fishing scene through the eyes of local charter boat captains and fishing guides. Today: Mark Cook.

With a hint of cooler weather during the past week, speck fishermen are getting excited. Though the true speck season doesn't really get started until after the New Year, a good number can be caught between now and Christmas. And though you may not get limits, many fishermen say the size is better.

At Medard Park east of Brandon, speck fishermen are having a productive start to the season. Nighttime is always the best, as you'll find the fish feeding better after the sun goes down. Extra caution is needed at night, but for those willing to pay the annual night fishing fee, the rewards can be worth it.

A fish finder is a huge advantage when targeting specks at Medard. With several hundred acres of water to cover, a fish finder can help you locate bait schools, which usually have specks nearby.

In the early part of the season, I work the open-water flats between the boat ramp and the rip-rap shoreline toward the dam. As the season progresses, the Medard specks will move to shallow water around vegetation. Islands with dollarweed or cat-tails will hold the spawning fish.

Largemouth bass and the hybrid sunshine bass are also making a showing at Medard and other area waterways. Flipping grass lines early or late is a good bet, along with spinnerbaits, with chartreuse being the color of choice for the largemouth and fast-retrieved crankbaits for the stripers.

For charter trip information contact Mark Cook at (813) 846-9277 or send an e-mail

to tribfishing@aol.com.

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