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Bass, Bluegill Are Still Chewing

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The Tampa Tribune

Published: September 22, 2008

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 the summer winding down, anglers are waiting for the first cool front to dry the air and cool water temperatures. That said, those braving the heat have been rewarded with good numbers of bluegill, bass and catfish.

The lack of rain the past few weeks has brought river levels down to fall-like heights. With the low water, fish have been piling up in the deeper holes on both the Alafia and Hillsborough rivers.

Walking the banks or even in the river itself has been filling up stringers with a mixed bag of stump knockers, shellcracker and bluegill. The south prong of the Alafia near the state park has been an excellent destination for bank walkers, as has the Lithia Springs area. Wiggler worms and a spinning outfit or cane pole is all you need. For those in Tampa, the Morris Bridge area is also a good spot for shore panfishing.

The urban ponds at Bobby Hicks Park in Tampa and the Dover Pond are also an excellent place to find a meal of fried panfish. Smaller bass are biting early mornings and late in the evening taking june bug colored plastic worms and small spinnerbaits. Work the grass edges and cattails for better numbers.

Lake Toho has been a hot spot for late-summer bluegill with Shingle Creek and East Lake Toho being the top spots. Tiger Creek coming into Kissimmee has good running water and bass are taking crankbaits and flukes. Catfish are a good bet on artificial stink baits and chicken livers worked near the south end of the chain close to the river.

For more information, contact Mark Cook attribfishing@aol.com.

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