Fishing Forecast  - Dec 7 - 10, 2011  -  Highlands Today Caption - "Weather will enhance fishing".

 

The fishing forecast for the remainder of the week looks something like this. Today the weather will cooperate and enhance fishing chances with the perfect amount of wind, clouds and sunshine, combined with steady barometric pressure and a feeding migration that has been building on the stable weather pattern of the past four days. All fishing components will combine today to provide anglers with better-than-average fishing conditions.

Tomorrow however, might not be such a day for confidence, at least not for the angling community. The “current” weather forecast—sure to change the minute this is published—seems to suggest a cold front arriving tonight into tomorrow. If this occurs, and if it occurs to the literal degree forecasted (12 degree drop), will slow down the feeding activity somewhat as fish stay closer to seasonal territories and suspend more often until water temperatures stabilize in a day or two.

Friday will be warmer than Thursday and should offer the best midday fishing of the next four days. The full moon is one day from complete—Saturday at 9:36 a.m.—and rain is expected to arrive in the evening hours out of the northwest.

Saturday should be ideal for midday fishing even though there will be a slight drop in temperatures, it shouldn’t be enough to worry about. There should be plenty of sun, moderate wind and wave action, and a weak full moon (close to apogee) with some clouds to slow nighttime feeding activity.

The best time of the day to fish is from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. today. The one-in-ten scale rating reaches 6-7 during the peak period from 10-11:30 a.m. Adjust this feeding period later in the day by forty minutes per day.

The second time of the day to fish, and some argue is the best feeding bite of the day leading up to the full moon, is almost twelve hours opposite from the midmorning feeding bite—11 p.m. to 1 a.m.

There is a third fishing bite that is possible if weather doesn’t do anything strange. With the weather pattern the way it is currently, combined with the lunar phase-timing over the next four days, the chances of the fishing-factor combo producing a feeding bite is very possible. The moon is directly overhead as the sunset is finishing and no matter which fishing theory you subscribe to, if at all, (for some fishermen, even suggesting that you have to have a theory would destroy the whole event of fishing, period.) this means, feeding fish will be in large numbers in feeding areas.  

The worst times of the day to go fishing until the full moon arrives is from 2-5 a.m./p.m.

Looking ahead to next week the weather forecast predicts normal stable winter patterns with no significant cold fronts expected as we move through the lunar phases—full to last-quarter moons.

News & Events

Lake Istokpoga’s level is currently at 39.50’ above sea level, with three S-68 spillway gates releasing 300 cubic feet per minutes (cfm) for the past few days to maintain a level below the maximum high-pool of 39.5’.

Don’t fish in a recently treated area. Remember to consult Istokpoga weed management maps before fishing this lake in the next few weeks due to a hydrilla treatment event last week along the southeastern, southern, and southwestern shorelines. Maps should be supplied at the lake’s boat ramp kiosks (realtor style), if not, contact FWC biologist Steve Gornak at 863-462-5190. I also supply Istokpoga management information on my website, Istokpoga.info. The latest management information is there for download.