Because of the first-quarter moon phase, the early-morning bite is "on." ...more

December 7, 2008

In last Wednesday's report, I reported the event of the new moon as happening the day before on Tuesday — this is what happens when you attempt to write on New Years day and watch football at the same time. The fact is, the new moon happens on Jan. 8 at 11:37 a.m. This means that today, the peak feeding period is at safelight (6:30 a.m.), and if there are clouds or fog in the early morning, the bite session will last longer and be much stronger in intensity. ...more

January 6, 2008

SEBRING — Ken Melvin and Ray Napper, two of the seven members of the Lake Denton Citizens Advisory Committee, were not happy with the committee's recommendations to re-open this closed public lake with severe restrictions. Melvin, though, reluctantly endorsed the Highlands County commissioners' decision Tuesday to reopen the popular lake –– closed since early September –– despite the number of controversial restrictions on public access. He described the lake reopening plan as too little, too late and nowhere near a good solution to a big problem. Unlike the other speakers who harshly criticized the plan, though, Melvin didn't oppose the commissioners adopting the committee's unpopular and controversial plan. ...more

January 3, 2008

SEBRING –– On March 1, public access should be restored, on a limited basis, to popular Lake Denton. The special seven-member Lake Denton Citizens Advisory Committee voted unanimously Wednesday night to send that recommendation to the Highlands County commissioners. Commissioners appointed the committee in mid-September after voting 3-2 to close public access to this lake –– widely considered one of the best scuba diving lakes in the state –– for up to a year. Problems cited by commissioners in closing the county boat ramp, the only public access to this exceptionally clear, 65-acre lake, included: Potentially dangerous overcrowding by scuba divers, swimmers and boaters; illegal parking that sometimes clogged or blocked road access to lakefront homes; and occasional crude, lewd, rude and rowdy behavior by some lake users. ...more

December 7, 2007

A sad day of fishing started when I arrived at my first hole, only to discover the area had been sprayed recently — to kill Hydrilla. ...more

October 8, 2007