Around Polk County

BIGGER BASS ARE MOVING to deeper water with the temperature rising and lake levels dropping. The south Winter Haven chain has been the most consistent spot for bass to 6 pounds, with anglers targeting deep holes and open-water hydrilla with crankbaits and worms.

LUCKY CRAFT'S Slender Pointer MR 112 has been an effective lure for bass around open-water hydrilla. Anglers are casting the suspending jerkbait, similar to a Bomber

Long A, into open pockets in the grass at spots like Lake Toho or any lake with hydrilla. Top colors are American Shad, Ghost Shad and Gold Perch. The lures are expensive, $17.95 at Stone's Outhouse.

1 - Around Lakeland, Darrell Combee and Kenny Hendrix of Lakeland caught 17 catfish, including a blue cat 15 1/4 pounds and two 5-pound channels, as well as two soft-shell turtles estimated at 25-30 pounds, Tuesday night at Saddle Creek Park on bottom in 30-40 feet on chicken livers. Catfish active at Tenoroc in lakes 5, Picnic, B and Half Moon on chicken liver and stink-bait, reports FWC biologist Eric Johnson. Limits of nice-sized bluegill in back pools at Saddle Creek on crickets for boat anglers, reports Stacy Roberts at Phillips Bait and Tackle. Good catches of panfish at Tenoroc in lakes B and Picnic, said Johnson, and bass up to 22 inches in lakes 2, B and Half Moon on spinnerbaits, crankbaits and plastic worms. Specks slowed down at Tenoroc, with just a few in lake 5.

2 - At Auburndale, 14-year-old Casey Braddock boated 7-pound, 13-ounce bass on Lake Alfred with watermelon gold Jethro Waldo Worm, a stick-bait, and won Lake Alfred Chamber of Commerce tournament with his dad, Paul, on Saturday, reports Ron Schelfo at Ron's Tackle Box. Bass 14-16 inches on Alfred and Haines hitting YoZuri Rattl'n Vibes and Kissimmee blue 10-inch worms. Bluegill yanking bobbers on Haines, with a few limits along weed lines. Handful of shellcracker from bank on Rochelle, but nice size. Best shellcracker lake is Mariana, reports Stacy Roberts.

3 - At Winter Haven, bass fishermen targeting deep holes and pockets on south chain, as well as brush piles and structure, with deep-diving crankbaits and Carolina rigs, reports Bill Folds. Will Evans and Monte Goodman won Monday tournament on south chain with 4 1/2-pound average on crankbaits. Hydrilla edges in Eloise producing bass up to 3 pounds on junebug or blueberry worms, reports Brent Howlett at Stone's Outhouse. Lake Eloise remains good spot for bluegill on crickets, said Stacy Roberts.

4 - At Lake Hamilton, two anglers caught limits of good-sized bluegill Sunday and Monday just off grass lines on crickets, reports Gary Parramore at Chain O' Lakes Bait and Tackle in Dundee (863-439-3885).

5 - At Lake Marion near Haines City, lot of looking and little catching for bluegill and shellcracker until Tuesday and Wednesday. Glenn Tanner of Winter Haven caught limit of bluegill Wednesday on grass shrimp and red worms. Angler brought in 25 bluegill and two shellcracker Tuesday, reports Ray Chase at Bannon's Camp. Bass up to 5 1/2 pounds, but mostly 1 pound, on plastic worms in Fort Lauderdale club tournament Saturday and Sunday. Water down 12 inches past two weeks.

6 - At Lake Pierce, a few shellcracker, with boats bringing in 6 to 12 per trip on red worms, reports Jennings Camp. Bass mostly 1-1 1/2 pounds on junebug worms.

7 - At Lake Hatchineha, bluegill snapping up crickets along grass edges in Cypress Canal on Hatchineha end, and in Southport Canal near locks along tree line on west shore, said Leo Cosce. Specks early mornings trolling jigs in Gator Cove. Locks open at Southport and Canoe Creek, so running water pattern could develop for bass at lower end of Cypress Canal, Cosce said. Boats should take caution around sand bar at the mouth of Southport Canal from Lake Cypress with water level near low-pool stage.

8 - At Lake Toho, bass starting to rebound after hydrilla spraying two weeks ago, said Mark Detweiler at Big Toho Marina. Shiner guide caught 14 bass up to 4 1/2 pounds Wednesday morning. Detweiler boated 10 bass, half keepers, casting watermelon red Zoom Trick worms and Pop-R surface lure Wednesday morning. Bluegill and shellcracker along lakefront in deep hole, and bedding in boat trails at Goblet's Cove and Red's Fish Camp, Detweiler said. Also bluegill just below locks on west side of Southport Canal on crickets. Water down 12 inches in past two weeks, and 3 inches in last 3 days, to 53.7 feet.

9 - At Lake Kissimmee, decent bass action, excellent speckled perch and bedding bluegill over the weekend. Russell Brock and Mike Buerger of Tampa won KHSS club tournament out of Camp Lester with 36.40 pounds Saturday and Sunday, with top fish 6.90 pounds, on both shiners and artificial lures (Model A Bomber, blue or black/blue Senkos, 8-inch Kissimmee blue ribbontail worms), reports Leo Cosce at Camp Lester. Angler out of Grape Hammock boated an 8-pounder and a 4-pounder Monday and Tuesday casting plastic worms on south end of lake. Jim Cromwell and his partner caught 96 specks to win KHSS club's panfish division. Specks up to 13-14 inches trolling jigs (pink/white or red/green/yellow Hal Flys or Lakers) in North Cove and south end of Grassy Island around Marker No. 8, said Cosce. Limits of mixed bluegill and shellcracker over weekend at Brahma Island, reports Grape Hammock. Bluegill also in river channel along grass edges on crickets. Cosce expects another run of bedding shellcracker in shallow lily pads by middle of next week ahead of full moon on May 20. Water still dropping, close to low pool, but boats still launching OK out of Camp Lester and Camp Mack with motors trimmed, Cosce said.

10 - At Lake Walk-in-the-Water, low water levels and lack of open-water hydrilla keeping anglers away. Best bet early with shiners or artificials around any grass or structure you can find with electronics.

11 - At Crooked Lake at Babson Park, bass plentiful again this week, mostly 14-inchers. A handful up to 6-6 1/2 pounds on pearl and watermelon Super Flukes and white/blue spinnerbaits, reports Cindy Ritchison at Bob's Landing. Took 8 1/2 pounds to win two bass tournaments out of Bob's Landing on Saturday. Ritchison said 4-year-old Jaiden Lawson of Plant City caught a pair of 2-pound bass trolling deep-diving crankbaits with his grandfather Saturday, and 11-year-old Joseph Gove of Lakeland topped a stringer of nine bluegill with one weighing 1 pound on crickets. Bluegill active around mayfly hatches. Specks hitting Rat-L-Traps just off grass lines, with 12-15 per trip, said Ritchison.

12 - At Frostproof, water level dropping fast on area lakes, with Arbuckle down a foot in past week, reports Lavon Reynolds at the county park. Bluegill and shellcracker in open water around sand bar at Arbuckle on crickets and red worms, with one angler catching 14 for the day, Reynolds said. Angler reportedly boated 13-pound catfish at Arbuckle.

13 - In the phosphate pits south of Mulberry and Bartow, Chad Pridgen of Bartow connected with a pair of big bass Saturday and Sunday south of Mulberry, with a 9-pound, 6-ounce lunker and an 8-pound, 9-ounce bruiser. Both went for Yamamoto Senkos in watermelon red casting to weed lines. Bass hitting spinnerbaits at Mosaic FMA, said Brent Howlett.