The Central Florida Fishing Forecast for the third week of February starts out as if it might be actually winter, finally. Perhaps now, bass will resume their spawning activities, abandoned over a month ago when Fall-like weather forced them to move back into staging areas—waiting for water temperatures to drop and stabilize in the middle to lower sixties. 

Wind will most likely force you to participate in “angling” from your couch today as you tune-in to your favorite fishing show, rather than brave wind speeds in the middle twenties (on the lake) as the second serious cold front of this winter season passes through Highlands County today and tomorrow. However there is a ray of hope in that as the day subsides, so too, does the wind—hopefully. It better, cause I’ve got work to do out there—trying to train a few bass to help out my cause.  

The lunar perigee occurred yesterday at 1:33 p.m. and the last-quarter phase happens on Valentines Day, Tuesday the 14th at 12:04 p.m. Both lunar factors will combine to create a stronger-than-normal mid-afternoon feeding migration, which is exactly what is needed to improve fishing chances during the current cold snap—fish feed in this case scenario during the hottest part of the day.  I wonder if those bass will show me some love. I plan to find out.

The best time of the day to go fishing today and for the next two days, will be from 2 p.m. to an hour after sundown—on the non-windy side of the lake. The winds are forecasted to abate somewhat right as the water temperatures reach their daily high point. It should be said that, due to the recent extremely unseasonable warm temperatures of the past month, the current cold snap won’t hurt the fish feeding patterns enough to not “give it a try”. But please play it “safe” if you go today and launch on north-end ramps if possible.

Today the feeding rate tops-out at 5 from 4-6 p.m. Tomorrow shouldn’t change much but the rating will improve by one number. Tuesday anglers should move the times later into the afternoon by one hour, 3-8 p.m. with a peak period at 5-7 p.m. that reaches at 7.


News, events and information you might find useful:

Lake Istokpoga’s level is currently at 39.30’ above sea level with gates open--as of yesterday morning.  

The Friends of Istokpoga Annual Meeting will be held at the Lorida Community Center on Thursday, February 16 at 7:00 p.m. Membership and Board of Directors meetings are scheduled along with four guest speakers that will address Istokpoga stakeholder issues.

Bill Pouder of Fish and Wildlife (FWC) will provide the Crappie Tagging Study status. Clell Ford, Highlands County lakes manager, and FWC biologist for Istokpoga, Steve Gornack, and Audubon biologist, Dr. Paul Grey, will host a discussion on how our agencies work together and resolve differences for the betterment of all the lake’s stakeholders. There will also be a power point presentation on “Weed Management”.     

F.O.I. is looking for new individuals to become members and run to serve on the board of directors. If interested, we look forward to seeing you at the meeting. Also please visit our website at Istokpoga.org, for all “Istokpoga Information”. Refreshments will be served at 6:45 p.m. and a membership table will be at the door, so please come out and bring “friends” interested in Highlands County’s prize jewel.

No One has Won the Free Bass Fishing Trip yet, although many have tried and come very close. Visit the HighlandsBassAngler.com website and try your luck at guessing the correct weight in pounds and ounces of the bass I am holding in the Mystery Bass Giveaway Picture. Email your guess to me by using the contact info at the end of this article or on my website.

The Lake Istokpoga Winter Hydrilla Management Treatment Event is scheduled for February 21-24. Approximately 4000 acres will be targeted in eleven areas. For complete information and mapping, visit the HighlandsBassAngler.com website’s Istokpoga Management Info page, or use “Istokpoga.info” for ease of remembrance.

A New Tackle and Bait Store has opened. The “Istokpoga Fishing Headquarter” store will be open from 6 a.m. to 6 p.m. Monday through Saturday, and 6 a.m. to noon on Sundays. Located at the Jayvee Plaza, on U.S. route 27 and Lake Josephine Drive, Dave Dickens aims to customize his store for local anglers needs. Give Dave a call for more information at 863-655-0929. 

Tournaments 

The Monday Morning Bass Fishing Tournament is open to the public. Next event is on Lake Francis, February 13. Launch time is at 7 a.m. and weigh-in time is at 1 p.m. Entry fee is $15 per boat, paid at the ramp. For information, call Jerry Watson at 540-420-2862.

The Wednesday Morning “Black Bass” Fishing Tournament is open to the public. Next event is on Lake Francis, February 15. Launch time is 8 a.m. and weigh-in is at 12 p.m. Entry fee is $15 per boat, paid at ramp. For information call, Paul Tardiff at 863-273-4062.

The Wednesday Morning Bass Fishing Tournament is open to the public. Next event is on Lake Jackson, February 15. Launch time is 7 a.m. and weigh-in time is at noon. Entry fee is $20 per boat, paid at the ramp. For information, call Jeff Balog at 863-840-3420.

The Friday Morning Bass Fishing Tournament is open to the public. Next event is on Lake Dinner, February 17. Launch time is at 7 a.m. and weigh-in time is at 1 p.m. Entry Fee is $20 per boat, paid at the ramp. Optional Big Bass fee is $5. For information, call Jerry Watson at 540-420-2862.

Forecast - Highlands Today Title:   "Fish slow to get results" 1-15-12

Anglers will have a last-quarter moon phase to deal with this week along with a lunar perigee and the same up and down temperatures range that occurred last week. The good news that should provide some “warmth” in the hearts of anglers is that the perigee flat-out causes fish to migrate. When fish migrate they move, when they move, anglers see them, the contest is on—even in water temperatures in the current range.

The last-quarter moon phase occurs tomorrow at 4:08 a.m. and the orbit perigee on Tuesday at 2:29 p.m. and both will be hindered somewhat by the “cold snap”. The fish will move shallow—following the warmer water near the surface as the sun produces some “speed” to the fishes’ metabolisms—albeit very slowly. Did I say, “slow”? Cause this is the secret anglers need to remember if they want to catch fish.

This is the time of year in which anglers must slow down, literally. The technique of “matching the hatch” is never more important than during Florida Winters. Anglers can use the same baits that match what the fish is eating, but this won’t cause success with temps as low as they are now. The key to the “match” part is the speed and action that your bait produces. This is critical right now, there is no catch if there is no match in the cold, slow, changing habitat, criteria needed to deduce bait selection and retrieval selection. If going very slow doesn’t work, try the next best thing, stopping, and waiting. For a very long time—in angler’s world—of about thirty seconds to a minute for starters.

Now that I have you slowing down, and waiting for almost a minute, I’ll put up a few times in which I believe you’ll do better than you would otherwise.

For the next three days, the major feeding migration will be forced to occur in the afternoon from 3 p.m. to sundown due to the cold temps. The peak period should occur from 5-6 p.m. and have a one-in-ten rating of 5-6. These times will move later into the morning by about a half hour daily.

The early morning bite will develop this week, especially as the temperatures begin to climb. Today through Tuesday however anglers should expect to have a very challenging experience in producing the same speeds while actually feeling the cold—unlike our finny friends who just go slower and feel no change what so ever. This weather factor could cause a midday bite which is totally strange for this lunar phase.

The morning migration will take place from 4-7 a.m. and have no discernable peak period and most likely a rating of 3-4 if we cross our finger and .., well maybe not. Just bring coffee and it should go fine when trying to read the paper. 

News & Events

Win a Free Bass Fishing Trip by visit the HighlandsBassAngler.com website and try your luck at guessing the correct weight in pounds and ounces of the bass I am holding in the Mystery Bass Giveaway Picture. Email your guess to me by using the contact info at the end of this article or on my website.

Lake Istokpoga’s level is currently at 39.35’ above sea level where it has remained for the past three weeks. Anglers can expect a slow steady decline in lake level as the water management schedule kicks in and releases are provided for agriculture. The current level is the new high-pool mark for the remainder of this month.

Attention fishing tournament directors If you would like to advertise your fishing tournaments and events please call or email me with the particulars and I will be glad to include them.

Also if you have a picture of you and a fish, and a little story about how you caught it, I would invite you to send me your picture and information to be used as a featured story or segment. Nothing inspires anglers more than other successful anglers. 

Forecast - Highlands Today Title -  "Morning bite improves each day"

 

Fishing conditions for the remainder of the week look to be pretty good with a weather forecast that predicts normal winter weather for our State—after the brief disturbance expected later this evening which predicts rain in some counties—through the weekend.

The waning full moon is heading towards a last-quarter phase while in orbit perigee next Tuesday, and will create a strong morning feeding migration that will have early morning fishermen rushing for the net, or crappie poles, for several hours.

As most anglers know, during a full moon period fish feed primarily at night and this causes the daytime fish feeding activity to slow noticeably. And, during the nights of this lunar phase, the timing of feeding activity is set by the dominate factor—water temperature, wind direction and speed, or barometric status. Largely, this criterion is what makes either, the early-morning bite, or late-evening bite, better than the other in the days following a full moon--or more exactly, during the six-day period of the full moon lit nights without cloud cover.

Looking at this past full moon period, we have had bright nights for fish to feed successfully while water temperatures were ideal--in that there were no radical changes for the fish to deal with, and wind-driven wave-action was also non existent, keeping turbidity low (in shallow lakes). For these reasons, I predict that the early-morning feeding migration will be the larger of the two daily migrations that take place normally. The solar/lunar fishing charts and algorithms predict an early-morning bite over the next four days, but this possibility was, “negated”, by the clear full moon nights of past five days, that attracted the majority of fish over that period.

The best time to fish over the next four days therefore will be in the early, early, morning hours from, as soon as you can get there (assuming you sleep at night) to an hour after the sunrise. I suppose this is really, nighttime fishing, but you’re considered an early morning angler if you actually see the sunrise at night’s end—angler-journalist license exercised  The one-in-ten rating won’t be much to brag about topping-out at 5 or 6 today, but by the weekend expect something in the 7-8 range. There will be no peak period until the weekend, which should active ninety minutes before ending during safelight at 6:30 a.m.

The secondary feeding migration, if there is much of one, might …, or could be from 6 – 10 p.m. as fish react to the influences of a setting sun and a rising moon, 5:50 p.m. and 8:30 p.m. respectively—and the fact they’re starving for lack of feeding-success. The rating will be low at this time however, (Village Idiot Warning Here) expect it to pick-up as the moon leads the evening angler towards the quiet world of the nighttime angler. Should start out at 4 and maybe 6 by midnight. Watch for cloud cover to be the key determiner.

Popular fishing charts list the 12-3 hours of the day to be the best fishing periods. They are wrong for this State, especially for the mid to southern counties where the lakes food-chains remain very active year round even in cold fronts.

The worst time of the day to fish will be from 9 a.m. to 6 p.m. (yes, I know it seems to contradict the secondary migration info, cause it will in reality. If there had been solid clouds over the past week, I would reverse this decision--If I end up being wrong, at least it is known that I did know of the truth only to reject it wholesale).

Looking ahead to next week, anglers will have a last-quarter moon, a lunar perigee, rain, and a mild temperature roller coaster ride of ten degrees, between 68 and 78 degrees—near perfect.  

The key to angling success is “Failure”, pure and simple. If you want to catch more fish, day in and day out, season in and season out, inclement weather included, you’re going to have to get comfortable with…, ironically, not reaping results from your fishing efforts. Yet, not “comfortable” with results, but rather, with the essential act of failing itself. Failure, once fully embraced, yields an “understanding” obtainable, and an improvement plan can be identified by a summation of the failed components of your fishing plan.

If that last wise-segment gave you a headache, please disregard. Don’t let me get in the way of a good book while listening to the steady slapping of the waves, as your bobber bobs—oh to be a fishermen instead of an angler….”Not!”

News & Events

Win a Free Bass Fishing Trip by visit the HighlandsBassAngler.com website and try your luck at guessing the correct weight in pounds and ounces of the bass I am holding in the Mystery Bass Giveaway Picture. Email your guess to me by using the contact info at the end of this article or on my website.

Lake Istokpoga’s level is currently at 39.35’ above sea level.

Attention fishing tournament directors If you would like to advertise your fishing tournaments and events please call or email me with the particulars and I will be glad to include them.

Also if you have a picture of you and a fish, and a little story about how you caught it, I would invite you to send me your picture and information to be used as a featured story or segment.

Nothing inspires anglers more than other successful anglers. People who “go fish” just need a “good read” so they don’t get bored waiting for dinner. And readers, there is certainly nothing wrong with that, is there—I can see myself there with you once the arthritis sets in. 

Jan 8, 2012 - Highlands Today Title, "Full moon produces a pair of bites". 

Forecast - Jan. 8-10, 2012 

Anglers start this week with plenty of sun and few clouds, and just enough wind to create ideal fishing conditions today. This will change Wednesday evening as a mild front moves into the area. But until the weather change gets here during the midweek, the full moon will have mostly clear skies to shine its light on potential prey.  

Today through Tuesday, the full moon will light the way for the majority of fish to feed at night. The normal feeding migrations happens from 10 p.m. to 2 a.m. with a rating of 6-7.  The feeding bite should be near the beginning of this period, 9-10 p.m. and last for about an hour. .

The secondary feeding migration occurs from 9 a.m. to 2 p.m. and has a rating of 4-5 during the peak period from 10 a.m. to 12 p.m. This feeding bite will be better if the full moon has nighttime clouds, otherwise your angling skills need to be exceptional to make up for the lack of positive fishing factors—like angering a ten-pound suspended-bass hiding in thick cattails, by pitching a jig into her bedroom.

Between Tuesday evening and Wednesday morning a small weather system moves into our area but shouldn’t do any more than slowdown the bite for Tuesday night and Wednesday morning as the temps drop ten degrees and the wind switches to the west northwest..

The second half of this week will provide anglers with a developing evening feeding migration that should become the dominate feeding bite of the day as the current full moon phase wanes toward last-quarter. The weather is forecasted to remain stable all the way into the weekend so anglers should make plans for some great evenings on the lake.

The worst time of the day to fish during this full moon phase is during midmorning and mid-afternoons when the rating drops to 2.

As with all full moons, a larger majority of fish populations feed at the same time, meaning few feed at the opposite time of day, although, take comfort. The “village idiot” never fails to “not” disappoint. (You remember me telling you about this type of fish, right?)  This fish is the one that has all the hook marks around his mouth in various stages of healing. This fish once caught and released, turns around to repeat the process.  

I’m glad not all fish are like the village idiot, because catching bass, one after the other for hours, day after day, month after month, would most certainly ruin me. At the very least, I wouldn’t respect the bass any longer for it would just be, …like a cow. And, I don’t see the need to write about catching cows, perhaps its because they don’t swim or run fast enough..

Next week the lunar perigee accelerates the early morning feeding migration so as long as there is no radical weather to deal with. Fishing also should be exceptional when most anglers like to fish--early mornings as the sun comes up.  

News & Events

Win a Free Bass Fishing Trip by visit the HighlandsBassAngler.com website and try your luck at guessing the correct weight in pounds and ounces of the bass I am holding in the Mystery Bass Giveaway Picture. Email your guess to me by using the contact info at the end of this article or on my website.

Lake Istokpoga’s level is currently at 39.31’ above sea level. Three gates are open at six inches and flowing about 500 (cfm) cubic feet per minute. This time of year South Florida Water Management District (SFWMD), implements a change in the lake level management plan’s low-pool mark of 38.5’ above sea level to gradually decline to 38’ by March. The high-pool of 39.5’ remains until April. Istokpoga is the reservoir for agricultural interests north of Okeechobee.

Attention fishing tournament directors If you would like to advertise your fishing tournaments and events please call or email me with the particulars and I will be glad to include them in this weekly article.

Also if you have a picture of you and a fish, and a little story about how you caught it, I would invite you to send me your picture and information to be used as a featured story or segment. Nothing inspires anglers more than other successful anglers.    

Dec 18-20 Highlands Today    Morning Best Time to Catch Fish - "Plenty of bass being caught in Highlands County"
 

The best fishing week of December starts today as we head towards the new moon and a lunar perigee—the last-quarter moon phase in winter. The weather of the last three days serves as a positive fishing-factor as well, for the first part of this week--fish tend to shut down when weather systems are in a state of change. In addition, the weather forecast for the next three days couldn’t be better for anglers—sunny with little clouds, middle seventies for a high, ten mph winds moving clockwise from north to south over the three-day period.

If you needed more angling incentive, consider this. The local and State, lake management agencies have completed their fall lake management programs on the majority of our best lakes here in Highlands County. Lake managers have done an excellent job making sure lakes produce healthy habitat for thriving fish and wildlife.

The angler-point here is simple; “The lakes are better than they would be if they weren’t around, and they’re (managers) are out of the way for a few months, so my fish will be undisturbed until then.” Well put, we concur, we shall join in concert.

Today anglers, the cold front that arrived yesterday will slow fish down in the morning hours more than in the evenings. I would normally predict that given the current lunar and seasonal factors that the better fishing time would be mornings. This will self-correct as temps stabilize by midweek. It’s a matter of when factors cause more fish follow the leading of the rising moon than the setting moon.

An overhead-moon and rising-sun combined causes more fish to feed than an underfoot-moon and a setting-sun combined--angler’s rule to remember.     

The best fishing period for today will be from 4:30 – 8:30 a.m. when the one-in-ten scale rating rises from the daily average of 4-5 to a daily high of 7. The rating will increase by one number over the next two days as temperatures return to the eighties for a daytime high. The peak period should start at safelight and end ninety minutes later. To keep up with the morning feeding migration daily remember to move this period later into the day by thirty to forty minutes.

The second fishing period for today will occur when the moon is overhead during the sunset. Today this feeding period will, in all probability, be equal in rating to the morning period at the very least, maybe even surpass it. It all depends on afternoon weather factors, if there is any that tip the scales, (pun intended) at that time of day. Today’s minor cold snap could make a negative-difference this morning and give the evening bite the ratings edge. The peak period will begin when the sun is low on the horizon and last for an hour.

The worst time of day to fish should occur from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. when the daily rating hits lake bottom at four as it follows the setting moon to its end at 1-2 p.m.

News & Events

Win a Free Bass Fishing Trip by visit the HighlandsBassAngler.com website and try your luck to win a free half-day bass fishing trip by guessing the correct weight in pounds and ounces of the bass I am holding in the Mystery Bass Giveaway Picture. Email your guess to me by using the contact info at the end of this article or on my website.

Lake Istokpoga’s level is currently at 39.52’ above sea level where it has been for over a month.

Istokpoga is currently producing huge bass in all sections. Anglers report great success using swim baits, and lipless crank baits altered for hydrilla—treble hooks replaced with types of single and double hooks in order to pull through the thick weed without fouling the bait. Shorelines are full of pre-spawn males, which have been opened up by recent weed management programs.

Over the past few weeks, I have talked with many anglers, who like all anglers have preference as to which lake is best suited for their angling ability. And, as is “not” usually the case, the predominate conclusion on the state of fishing here in Highlands County is good to very good—except for lakes of course, which have not recovered to their average levels.

Recently, more often than not, anglers boast of better-than-the-last-few-years type catches, and tell trophy bass stories that are more-than-enough to make you drop everything and head to the lake—immediately if not sooner.

Perhaps the angler’s “word of mouth” is the single most influential fishing inspiration an angler could have bestowed upon him. Did I tell you that several Okeechobee and Istokpoga anglers have boated post-spawn female bass in the last week?

Keep telling those huge “hawg” bass stories and don’t spare the adjectives, please.  

Forecast - Dec 14 - 17, 2011  -  "Highlands Today Headline: Fishing above average next few days"
 

Fishing conditions for the remainder of December’s second week look to be promising with a weather forecast that shouldn’t produce any negative factors, and a waning full moon heading toward orbit perigee, which always means a greater level of positive lunar influence on fish feeding intensity and duration. The next four days should be above average fishing conditions, now all you have to do is clear your schedule and “go get ‘em.”

Today the major feeding migration moves into the afternoon hours for daytime anglers and early, early-morning hours for nighttime anglers, however it is my opinion that the night migration is larger in both duration and intensity “until” the moonrise moves past midnight. After this point, the process reverses slowly, like a returning pendulum.

Thursday through Saturday the afternoon migration moves later in the day to become the evening feeding migration that will have anglers heading to the lake instead of to supper—that is if the Dinner Bell rings at 5 p.m. The evening bite will be stronger than its counterpart, the morning bite, until the moon’s orbit places it directly overhead during the sunrise, which will occur this weekend.

The best time of day to fish today will be from 2 – 6 a.m. and have a one-in-ten scale rating of 5 and remain there until Sunday when it starts to improve. The peak period should tend to be near the middle-to-end of this four-hour feeding period.

Not far behind in feeding intensity and building as we speak, is the second best time of day to fish, the afternoon feeding migration. It starts today at 1 p.m. and peaks by 3 p.m. reaching a rating of 4-5, and ends by 4 p.m. Daily this period will start later by forty minutes or so and become the best time of day to fish by Friday evening.

The weekend’s afternoon-to-evening fishing conditions should be excellent, all things considered. Each day the evening bite will pick-up from the previous evening’s rate, so success should follow suit, right anglers? Fish will be increasingly moving into feeding areas daily and this will most certainly increase the odds of setting the hook.

The worst time of day to fish will be from 9 - 12 a.m./p.m. when the rating stops at 2 -3.

Looking ahead to next week anglers can expect the development of a strong early morning feeding migration fueled by the lunar perigee and beginning of a new moon.  

News & Events

Lake Istokpoga’s level is currently at 39.52’ above sea level, which has been the level--or slightly above during heavy rainfall--since the middle of July. Most of those days water releases or occurred to maintain the maximum high-pool level. Given all the advances in reducing the amount of influent agricultural pollutants in Arbuckle Creek in recent years, which flows into the lake at the north end, this has to be good for the health of the lake.

Due to lack of rainfall over the past four years, this lake has not had this amount of constant water-flow period since 2006. It should produce an “above-par” bass spawn season with so much shoreline being underwater for several months instead of for brief periods, too short for successful spawning.   

Istokpoga anglers should consult weed management treatment maps before fishing this lake due to a hydrilla treatment event last week. Maps should be supplied at the lake’s boat ramp kiosks (realtor style), if not, contact FWC biologist Steve Gornak at 863-462-5190. Istokpoga management information is available on my website, Istokpoga.info.   

Forecast  - Dec 11 - 13, 2011  -  Highlands Today Caption - "Daytime anglers facing challenge" 


Daytime Anglers start this week with plenty of negative factors to deal with before things improve here in the Central Florida angler’s paradise. Over the next two days, weather will interfere with daily feeding migration timing. The full moon phase will be leading fish to feed at night primarily. And, the seasonal fall-to-winter migration change will be prolonged due to inconsistent and extreme changes in temperatures during the past week.

For these reasons, daytime anglers will have to look to the most consistent of fishing factors for angling success, the sun. When all other fishing factors become negative and you’re determined to go fishing anyway the rising and setting of the sun can always be counted-on to trigger a few fish to feed regardless of other factors—why anyone would attempt to fish when odds are so stacked against them, I don’t know. Maybe for them, it’s the only peaceful place left on earth, yah, that’s probably it …, it has to be. Then when a fish happens to get caught during all the peacefulness, well that only validates the process, right?

The nighttime anglers are the ones who really get the advantage because of the before mentioned “Full moon” and the slight calming of the weather that usually occurs during the night; the winds die-down and become variable, thereby creating ideal top-water feeding opportunities on the slightly rippled surface. This feeding bite starts after midnight and stops two hours later. There is no peak period to speak of but the rating should climb to 6 without clouds and 5 with significant cloud-cover.

The solunar fishing-help charts are predicting the usual midday, midnight feeding bites that occur during a full moon, but I believe they will be wrong. This time of year the lunar events occur while the moon is in orbit apogee. Therefore, there is not enough gravitational pull to produce lunar-dominate factors. Instead, solar-dominate factors prevail in replace of the moon’s weakness, so to speak.

Therefore, the best daylight times to go fishing over the next three days are during the sunrise. The nighttime average one-in-ten scale rating will be in the 3-4 range as the sun starts to rise at 6:30 a.m. By 7:30 a.m. the feeding bite will be active and force the rating to climb to 5 or 6 but no higher. This peak period should last for thirty to forty minutes before dropping back to 3 for the remainder of the morning.     

The second best time to go fishing will be when the sun begins to set at 4:30 p.m. The afternoon fish-feeding rate should be dormant in the 2-3 range, and just as the light diminishes a small percentage of fish will feel safer and try to do a little feeding and end up on a being a larger fish’s meal. This small amount of action might raise the rating to 4, but not 5—trust me it won’t be that good.

The third time of day that someone in the world might catch a fish—time zones and hemispheres considered--and perhaps, I said, um, probably not, I mean, …um, the rating won’t go up much, but maybe a little, from noon to 2 p.m. And. that anglers, is the truth!

So if you’re on the lake at noon and you’ve caught nothing, (as I predict). There is a chance—like the one-dollar scratch lottery ticket offers—that 1-in-100 anglers will set the hook on one fish. Then promptly throw it back for being, “way too small”.

The worst time of day to go fishing is …. When the fish aren’t biting?  (Had to do it, had to “slap your face with a flounder” as they say in some New England towns when an old angler can’t seem to find ‘em). Yes, it’s when the fish won’t bite anything. And, anglers, …that will happen from 9-11 a.m. and again from 2-5 a.m. when the rating sleeps at 2 or 3.

Looking ahead to the end of this week anglers can expect an improving evening bite.  

News & Events

Lake Istokpoga’s level is currently at 39.48’ above sea level, with three S-68 spillway gates releasing 300 cubic feet per minutes (cfm) for the past few weeks to maintain a level below the maximum high-pool of 39.5’.

Istokpoga anglers should consult weed management treatment maps before fishing this lake due to a hydrilla treatment event last week. Maps should be supplied at the lake’s boat ramp kiosks (realtor style), if not, contact FWC biologist Steve Gornak at 863-462-5190. Istokpoga management information is available on my website, Istokpoga.info.    

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.    

Forecast Nov 30-Dec 3, 2011          Highlands Today  Headline:       " Sunrise catch will improve during the week" 

The fishing forecast for the remainder of the week will give anglers a first-quarter moon phase produced late afternoon to early-evening feeding migration that will gradually weaken heading into the weekend while producing at the same time a strengthening early morning feeding migration.

The weather forecast looks to be nothing but positive for the next week, so overall, the fishing forecast for the next four days will be above average to good with Saturday morning looking to be the best morning for fishing and tonight and tomorrow night the best nights to land a “big one”.

The specific times of the migrations are centered on solar activity rather than lunar activity because the moon rises and sets during midday to midnight hours, respectively. However, the moon does play a positive role in that it leads fish to feed heavier when it’s overhead during the sunset. Then twelve hours later, after a mostly dark night holds back fish from successfully feeding, the sunrise triggers fish to feed again as light leads the way to chances for a fish & grub breakfast.

It should be stated that water temperatures are ideal for feeding-fish right now. With temps in the high-speed feeding-range of 68-78 degrees the only challenge anglers have is to “match the hatch” so to speak. Fish will feed-at-will for the next month—weather permitting—all you have to do is put the right bait in front of them.

Today the best time to fish will be from 4-9 p.m. today and tomorrow. The peak periods will happen one hour into the feeding time and continue for about ninety minutes and achieve a 8 rating today and a 7 rating tomorrow. By Friday and Saturday this feeding bite moves into the pre-midnight hours and diminishes in intensity and strength—benefits the early morning bite.

The early morning bite pick-up noticeably between today and Saturday as the evening bite drops-off. Today the migration starts out at 4:30 a.m.—six hours after moonset and six hours before moonrise—and ends at 9 a.m. The peak period should occur at safelight and continue for ninety minutes or more and reach a rating of 6 today and increase one number per day to reach a 9 rating by Saturday morning.

The worst time to fish will be from 11 p.m. to 4 a.m. when the rating declines to 3-4. It will also be slow activity in the middle hours of the morning and afternoon and perhaps a slight “bump” in activity when the moonrise starts between the hours of 11 a.m. – 2 p.m.—rise times advance approximately thirty-nine minutes per day this time of year.

Looking ahead to next week anglers will have a lunar apogee and a full moon to deal with and a minor cold front in the middle. More of the same good fishing conditions on tap, plus a “full moon cold front” combination that could officially start the Bass Spawn for the 2011/2012 season.  

News & Events

Lake Istokpoga’s level is currently at 39.48’ above sea level, with two gates open .2 feet (2 inches) for the past few days to maintain a level below the maximum high-pool of 39.5’. At the time of writing this article, two gates were still open about two inches (236 cfm).

Not sure if 236 cubic feet per minute (cfm) is enough flow to influence the contact time of Aquathol K in the target zone scheduled for treatment in front of Mossy Cove which is just east of the spillway. One would reasonably think that all gates should be closed during and after the event for several days, in order to shutdown all water-flow, thereby keeping the expensive chemical in the target zones long enough to do its intended job. I’m not sure the Pros will be on top of this, but maybe I should be, it’s just that history seems to hinder my confidence.  

The FWC Lake Istokpoga fall hydrilla treatment event of 1856 total acres will be completed today and treatment zone maps will be provided at the boat ramp kiosks and can be viewed and downloaded online at Istokpoga.info.  

An FWC Istokpoga Crappie Fishing Rodeo will be held on Saturday, Dec. 3, at the route 98 Istokpoga County Park boat ramp. Friends of Istokpoga Inc. are hosting the event. A Free BBQ Lunch and free prize drawings start at noon. All anglers must bring their own boats (with functioning live wells) as well as their own bait and tackle. For more info contact Bill Pouder at the FWC, 863-648-3805 

Forecast- Nov 27 - Dec 3.  Highlands Today Headline - Cold weather means alter techniques  

For the last week in November, anglers could see the last of the fall weather season, as winter weather makes its way south to our great fishing state. Over the next two days, anglers will have to adjust as fish start to migrate to winter spawning and feeding areas.

Fish migrate into winter patterns as temperatures drop into the sixties more consistently. The cooler the water, the more oxygen the water holds, and the faster the fish digest food. However, the colder the water becomes, the slower the fish moves due to slower metabolism speeds produced in coldblooded animals. The fish swims slower, reacts slower, and travels shorter distances daily, albeit, digestion is operating at faster speeds now than last month or the month before. In fact, digestion speeds have not been at the present speed since the water temperatures were the same degree-range that we have today—approximately last April/May.

Therefore as temperatures drop this week anglers will need to slow down their bait presentation to match the speed of the fish, which is slow and getting slower, matching the declining temperatures. Along with a slower bait speed, anglers also need to increase the size of the bait to match the increased appetite of fish in pre-spawn, and post-spawn modes—Crappie, and Bass are in these modes presently..

The bait size is important for bass anglers this time of year because bass are attempting to bulk-up and add strength for spawning, and the ten-day or more fasting period that accompanies it. The larger females battle for feeding area supremacy, the males battle over spawning area structures with which to protect and raise their fry. All of this work requires extra food, so bass look for the largest meals they can find. After all, when a fish waits in ambush, they want to make the feeding-effort pay off to the fullest by engulfing the largest meal possible in one grand attack.

The cold weather should really heat-up the fishing bite for crappie and bass anglers this week. Fish will slow down in the cold, but eat large meals, as fast as digestion will allow. They stay close to structure and hunt in smaller areas, which they fervently protect. They’ll rush to attack one potential meal but abandoned the attack in favor of a bigger potential meal approaching an ambush point. It’s a game of “He who eats the most wins.”

So don’t think just because you’re cold that fishing will be cold too--not even close to being correct. Instead think, the colder it gets, the closer to cover the fish will be, and the hotter the fish’s response will be to your bait.

The best time for fishing today will be from 12-noon to 3 p.m. The peak period should be from 1-2 p.m. and achieve a one-in-ten scale rating of 6 and perhaps lower if the wind is as strong as predicted in the 15-20 mph range. If this happens to be the case, and if the wind dies down in the afternoon to fishable levels (15 mph or less), you might want to fish in the evening hours when wave-action subsides as the front approaches, and therefore the second best time of day arrives and becomes the best time to fish.

The next best time to fish is from 5-8 p.m. with a peak period from 5:30-6:30 and a rating of 4-6—all depends on the weather (This will be a good fishing time ONLY if the midday bite was bad due to weather, otherwise this bite will be very poor. As it looks at the time of writing this article, this should be the best bite of the day).

The early morning bite should be “ok” today and not be affected by the approaching weather. If this is the case, expect the bite from 6-9 a.m. and the peak period occurring during the sunrise, ending when the sun is in full view. The rating should hold at 5 today, but decline tomorrow as fish adjust to temperature decline. This feeding period probably won’t pick-up to respectable feeding rates until the new temperature daily-range normalizes after the midweek.   

Looking ahead to the second half of this week and the beginning of December, anglers should prepare for winter fishing conditions (70-degree highs and upper-40 lows) and the first-quarter lunar phase that starts on Friday.

Today and tomorrow, fishing should be best in the evening and then change on Thursday to mornings. The worst time to fish is from 1-4 a.m. when the rating hits the daily low of three.  

Fishing Flash

Lake Istokpoga’s level is currently at 39.46’ above sea level, with three gates open .3 feet (4 inches) for the past week to maintain a level below the maximum high-pool of 39.5’.

The FWC Lake Istokpoga fall hydrilla treatment event of 1856 total acres will start tomorrow, November 29-30. Maps will at the boat ramp kiosks and can be downloaded online at Istokpoga.info.

An FWC Istokpoga Crappie Fishing Rodeo will be held on Saturday, Dec. 3, at the route 98 Istokpoga County Park boat ramp. Friends of Istokpoga Inc. are hosting the event. All Crappie anglers are invited to assist the FWC in a Crappie (specks) Tagging Study starting with registration from 6-8 a.m. A Free BBQ Lunch and free prize drawings start at noon. All anglers must bring their own boats (with functioning live wells) as well as their own bait and tackle. For more info contact Bill Pouder at the FWC, 863-648-3805