TBO.com - TBO is Tampa Bay Online

Panfish Not Minding The Heat

ADVERTISEMENT

The Tampa Tribune

Published: September 17, 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.

While larger bass are still hiding from the high temperatures, bluegill and other panfish are feeding and filling coolers in local lakes, ponds, and rivers.

Richard Harcourt and son Austin fished the Dover urban pond last week and had a productive day. Using wiggler worms around the fish feeders the father son duo caught 15 large bluegill. Bass fishing was considerably slower but they did manage three small fish on Zoom's Baby Brush Hog around grass and vegetation. Harcourt reported the bass bite died not long after sun up but the bluegill catches stayed steady.

Now is the time to work the local urban ponds as bass fishing is in a transition pattern. The urban ponds are annually stocked with catfish and other game fish and also have timed fish feeders, which attract the fish to the frequently released pellets. Another great thing about the urban ponds is the bank fishing accessibility along with some that include fishing piers, a great place to take a child for their first fishing trip.

As I wrote last week speck fishermen are getting prepped for the upcoming season and some have already started with good results. Marker seven and Bird Island on Lake Kissimmee have been producing 10-25 fish per trip at night on minnows and jigs. With these early reports speck fishermen are optimistic for an excellent season. Other local good specks holes are the Medard Reservoir between Plant City and Brandon and Saddle Creek Park east of Lakeland.

For more information, contact Mark Cook at tribfishing@aol.com.

Share this:

Loading Comments...

Email Print

ADVERTISEMENT