By Jim Keck
Hello Folks,
Wow! That’s all I can say about this time of year! I just LOVE this time of the year, and I believe the fish love it, too!
I’ve been gettin’ some great reports from folks who’re fishin’ for specks in the St. Johns River up around Highlands Fish Camp. They’re also catchin’ their limits of specks in Lake Woodruff. Most of the specks are bein’ caught by trollin’ brightly colored jigs across the lake.
The water is high right now but it’s recedin’, and it’s just below the tops of the docks. The high water hasn’t stopped folks from gettin’ out there and catchin’ specks. Kyle at Bitter’s B&T reports that a few more folks’re gettin’ out on Lake Monroe, goin’ for specks. Some folks are driftin’ with minners under a cork, and others are usin’ a jig tipped with a minner.
We had a full moon on Wednesday, Nov. 5, and that should really help those ole specks to start bitin’. Usually, three days before and three days after the full moon are great days to be fishin’.
The bass fishin’ has been pickin’ up, as well. They’re catchin’ some bass in the Headwaters on shiners. Folks’re goin’ through three to four dozen shiners in just a few hours, and they’re startin’ to catch some specks in Lake Monroe and in the St. Johns River, as well. They’re catchin’em on minners and jigs tipped with a minner. You’ll have to cover a lot of water until you find’em, but once you locate ’em, you should be able to catch enough for supper.
The specks are startin’ to bite in Lake Kissimmee, too. Some folks are driftin’ with minners and others are usin’ jigs to catch ’em. Again, you’ll have to cover lots of water just to find ’em.
If you’re interested in seein’ some of the big bass that have been caught in Florida this past year, you need to go over to Bass Pro Shop in Daytona Beach this comin’ Saturday, Nov. 8, at 1 pm. Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission (FWC) will be holding their TrophyCatch Season 13 Hall of Fame Ceremony and will recognize nine anglers for the incredible bass they caught and released this past season.
Each one of these anglers caught a Hall of Fame bass. A Hall of Fame bass is a bass that was caught and released that weighed 13 pounds or more. The winning anglers will each be given replica mounts and certificates of the bass they caught and released. If you have time this Saturday, you can enjoy celebrating along with your fellow anglers as they receive their well-deserved recognition.
For more information on the Harris Chain, the FWC has put together an annual Harris Chain Newsletter for folks to read. This newsletter will give you updates on FWC research and management projects occurring throughout the Harris Chain. They conducted surveys on plants, alligators, creels, and bass samples from each of the lakes.
The FWC will be holdin’ an open house 3-7 p.m. on Jan. 28 at The Venetian Center in Leesburg (1 Dozier Circle). Admission is free.
Well, I hope you get a chance to do some fishin’ this week. If you don’t, try and get over to the Bass Pro Shop in Daytona Beach on Saturday to help celebrate the award-winning anglers and their big bass catch!
Tip of the week: Full Moon!
SAVE A FEW AND GOOD LUCK!
