State environmental officials destroyed records, ignored federal anti-pollution rules and railroaded a senior scientist out of his job, according to a lawsuit filed in Leon County on Monday. ...more

January 29, 2008

SEBRING — The drawdown request on Lake Istokpoga was approved earlier this month by the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, allowing for the lake to potentially sink down to an elevation of 36 feet if its water is needed for irrigation to the south. Neither Highlands County Lakes Manager Clell Ford nor Trails End Fishing Resort owner Gary Albin has noticed any withdrawals from the lake since the approval. Ford said, however, that the water permit holders to the lake have been allowed to use their permits again on two different days of the week. ...more

January 28, 2008

With the last-quarter moon happening on Wednesday at 5:03 p.m., the afternoon bite will steadily increase in duration and intensity to the end of the month. The best time to head out to the lake is mid-morning when the feeding migration starts and the bass are on bed, or preparing to go on bed, feed and guard their territory. The bedding bass looks to locate a protected area with adequate fresh, clean water which means the angler should be looking in the southwest sections of lake structures, such as sandbars, islands, weed beds, hydrilla, rocks, and ledges or steep inclines. ...more

January 27, 2008

Expect excellent fishing conditions for the next three days on account of the 1:35 p.m. full moon that took place on Tuesday. The angler/fisherman should be able to have great success all throughout the daytime with the peak period — if any could be labeled as such — happening in the afternoon. With the weather changes we have experienced lately, the bass spawn should still be on course and seasonal migrations uninterrupted. ...more

January 23, 2008

The first-quarter moon occurred Tuesday at 7:46 p.m., which means the daytime primary feeding migration takes place in the very late morning and continues into the afternoon. The nighttime feeding migration diminishes greatly during the next seven days and this means the daytime angler has much better chances of catching more fish, and larger fish. So, best time of the day to plan your next fishing trip is from 11 a.m. to sunset. If you decide to try mornings, you'd better be on the water by 6:30 a.m. or your chances will be slim at best for success. ...more

January 17, 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

A severe drought, forecast for 2008, could further damage the fragile Everglades ecosystem at a time when officials are scrambling to save the state's River of Grass. ...more

December 18, 2007

SEBRING — As Florida goes into its second winter of a drought that is expected to persist as far as official projections can go, growers are complaining that ongoing water restrictions are leaving their plants parched. Highlands County Lakes Manager Clell Ford told Highlands Today that Joe Collins, an engineer with Lykes Bros., complained that Lykes could use any water they could get from Lake Istokpoga for some of the crops it was growing. The South Florida Water Management District had shut off the water permits using the lake's canals since October. ...more

December 14, 2007

WEST PALM BEACH — The South Florida Water Management District issued a once-a-week watering restriction for the first time in the district's history, according to a press release the district issued. ...more

December 13, 2007

South Florida Water Management District (SFWMD) is in charge of how "our" water from this area is to be taken and used in the areas south of us. When there were not as many users of "our" water, supplying them was not the problem as it is today, everyone should realize that the low levels of the lakes in Highlands County is testimony that we can no longer supply the South Florida area with the water they need to exist, and it is now time for them to explore other avenues to get the water they need elsewhere. Nature is not cooperating, and supplying the amounts of water necessary to be able to share with our neighbors to the south without doing major damage to our own ecosystem is no longer possible. SFWMD wants to be able to lower the level of Lake Istokpoga to a level that could easily destroy the lake as we know it today, it's just that simple. We need to forget the politically correct rubbish and just look at it as it is, an impending disaster. ...more

December 8, 2007