Alright, heres the deal... I've taken the boat out 3 different times on Black Creek, launching from Middleburg, FL, trying to pull some bass from "the best bass fishery on the St. John's". Easier said than done, I tell ya'! Now for the problems I am having...
For those that don't know Black Creek ... the water is a black coffee color, not too murky... I can see a white spinnerbait about 4-7 feet down, lily pads, some floating grass, docks, and fallen trees are the cover that I see. It is a sandy / muddy bottom in 99% of the areas. The overhanging and fallen trees make it very hard to cast anything with more than 1 hook in it.
I have been launching in the A.M. around 7:00A - 8:00A, and getting off the water about 1:00P - 2:00P. I don't have a depth finder or thermometer, but if I had to guess the water temps, I would say mid to upper 60's, maybe low 70's... I would swim in it, so it's not that cold. I have pulled redbreast out of there, but no bass so far.
The tackle I use is...
6'3" Medium Light BPS Crankin Stick
BPS Prolite Finesse Baitcaster
8lb Vanish Flourocarbon
6'6" Medium Light F&S 1872 1Piece IM8
Okuma Stratus XTS20 Spinning
6lb Pline Copolymer line
The lures I have used are as follows...
Worms / Plastics:
Weightless Senko (Red Shad, Black/Blue Fleck, Black, Watermelon Seed)
Gulp 7" Turtle Back Worm (Junebug, Tequila Sunrise)
Super Fluke (Watermelon Seed, Silver / Black Back)
Jerkbait
Rapala F9 Jerkbait (Gold Body, Black Back, Orange Belly)
Spinnerbaits
Black / Chartreuse 3/8oz Single Colorado Nickel
White 3/16oz Pond Magic Copper Colorado / Willowleaf
Brown / Green 3/16oz Pond Magic Copper Colorado / Willowleaf
Buzzbaits
Black 1/2oz Walmart Modified
Crankbaits
Manns Minus-1 Shallow Chartreuse / Purple Belly
Manns Minus-1 Shallow Bluegill
Silver / Black 1/4oz RattleTrap
There may be a few more that I have used as well, but I am just not having any luck at all. Is there something that I may be missing? Anyone have any luck on this creek, willing to offer some advice? Thank you in advance, and if I remember any more I will edit my post.
Edit: The only patterns that I have noticed so far, is right when I am getting off the water, or on the way back to the ramp, I am starting to see swirls, or hear bigger splashes from fish. Would the water temp from the AM to afternoon be that big of a difference, or effect the fish that bad? When does dusk fishing pick up, and should I be waiting til later afternoon to go? Am I clear on the pattern I am seeing? Thank you again, if this is "the best bass fishery on the St John's" I want to find out!