salmicropterus

I'll probably put in at Clewiston Saturday since I'm likely to fish over there Sunday. I'll look for you now that I know your boat. That's a neat story about your son. From that day at Lox a few weeks ago, I remember the loud yell from him when he caught a good one.

We have a T out of Belle Glade on Sunday too. Small 6-9 boats. I plan to go up Saturday and pre-fish a bit. Most of my recent Lake experience has been out of Clewiston so I'm probably run over there. Surprised to hear about West Wall as I've heard there some good ones roaming over there but it's spotty.

Agree as it only gets better as the water cools down. As high as the water is at Holiday it isn't at crazy high levels. Was it last year or the year before the water was in the parking lot at Holiday for about a month, right about now. I have heard it is tough going (always is but tougher than normal) due to all the growth that occurred when the flats were high and dry earlier this year) but I plan to get back in a couple of the cuts and see if I can make my way around. Love the Flats!

Happens in Florida a lot, particularly in the times of the year when the fish are schooling and moving around herding bait like summer and fall. In my case, it's usually "there for you yesterday, gone for me today" LOL. On the other hand, when we have our pre, spawn and post times all of which can be concurrent with different cadres of fish, the locations can be locked down pretty good and I think that may be the case in a lot of areas of the country

I was the camera boat for an episode of LL Beans Guide to the Outdoors (should be aired in a week or two) and one day we put in at the Airport Lakes. Of course, these guys fly fished and caught some good ones and had a blast. They do a lot of their shows in exotic and beautiful places like Patagonia so "urban fishing" in SOFLA was quite a culture shock to them but they and the crew were good natured and we joked about urban structure in the water like shopping carts, lawn chairs and the occasional car. The peacocks are a blast and I don;t go down there as much as I'd like to. Wish they were back up in Broward or PBC.

One of my clubs has a T there tomorrow morning. Feeling kinda clueless so I'm just going to chuck and wind like we did a couple weeks ago where we caught some good ones. If anybody has any good ideas, I'm all ears. I'll let you know how it went. Using Lox Rd ramp.

Man, don't apologize to anyone. We are all trying to figure it out and those are usually very good spots so I'm sure, least of all me, anybody's gonna critique any constructive thoughts. I'm the goof at Lox-just haven't put the time in up there. Banged these canals down here and then when the Lake got hot spent all my time up there so Lox got passed by in my learning curve. We went up there on Saturday and caught some good ones but I have no confidence "I'm on fish". Going to Cali for 6 days starting tomorrow so need to get up there a day or two before my T at Lox on the 10th. (and spend more time there in the future) And...gotta get some of those snakes and eeliminators

Glades, those are spots I usually have some success at too but it has been rough out of Holiday. The earlier reports about Holeylands are good and a bunch of us have had some success at Lox. But even at Lox it's like a bite per 75-100 casts. I really don't think it's water temps but more the higher and moving water (except at Lox).Water temps down here and at the Lake are in the mid-80s and most of us have seen much higher than that this time of year. There is a tricky time every year where it seems when the fish scatter from their usual locations to either the flats or in deep holes. It's just tougher and you have to adjust expectations and use it as a learning process.

Didn't know to look for you guys, I shut down the computer early last night. If you had the 5 year old out there I think we saw you (maybe even heard you when you caught a biggie). I was the Green/Silver on Bone Triton with the steroidal Riptide 101. We had a good day too. Not huge numbers but an 8, a 5, a couple 4s and a 2 so maybe 22-23 also. Are one of the group the Hewes? We had a nice conversation with that guy. Need to learn LOX better though. What a resource so close by!

Yes, it's been tough in the Glades. All the major areas have rising and moving water. Plus the fish get scattered and into the flats. I have to see if I can in there and chase then down. Going to LOX in the AM and hoping for at least 5 bites as one of my clubs has a permit for a T in 2 weeks.

Don't know for sure but sounds like a spray program.

Call Steve Daniels out of Roland's at Clewiston. You'll be put on fish and learn a lot about fishing the Lake.

Yes, a foot of water in the Lake would be nice but would like to see it not effect people or property. Forecast doesn't look for the Bahamas. Eric, hope your place over there makes out OK. Looks like we may be on the dry side here in SOFLA but I picked up 40 gals of gasoline for generator just in case. I figured when I popped for shutters a few years ago that would be a hurricane preventative-we'll see.

Are there any reasonably priced but decent motels, lodges, fish camps etc located on the Lake with their own dock facilities?

Shane, have you gone into the flats at Holiday? It looks tempting although I think your boat can handle skinnier water than mine

I think you make a good point, particularly for us braid-crazy Florida guys. It reminded me that several years back, I won two tournaments in row using a flourocarbon leader tied to braid for t-rigged and wacky rigged senkos. No one else was doing it, conditions were tough and it seemed to make a difference for me as I don't usually win tournaments. But then, conditions got easier and everybody was catching them up using whatever and I got lazy. Plus, I'm not the most confident leader tier so I don't look to do it. However, this is a good reminder of a good idea so thanks. I do agree with the previous post that 18" will do it, particularly in stained or tannic waters.

I don't see the link for the posted picture. Could you repost it?

.... and no reports of missing people or missing/stolen boats. Strange indeed

Nice trip and slide show. I've got to get back up there. Yeah! GO CANES!!!

When that water gets low in the Glades and the fish get stuck in the canals, it is easy to do 100+ days with most being keepers. I've never had that kind of experience at the Lake but I can only imagine how awesome that must be. We did do the Mexico thing at Mateos in 2008 and it is just silly catching 50+ 4s-7s all day plus numerous other smaller bass (just the 2s and 3s). I'm telling you it just warps you for some time. It makes the day like I had at Sawgrass this past Sunday, 7 hours without a bite, even out LOL

I have been the camera boat for five different shows over the years. I have never seen anything like that happen nor was there any temptation or thought between the pros or producers to do it. Some of these shows have seen some pretty tough fishing and in some cases it took three days of hard work to get enough footage for 22 minutes of content (that's a 30 minute show minus the commercials and intro and exit).

Has anybody been to Sawgrass recently?

You should be wary and it may be best to stay in the Ditch or the Dynamite holes to the south of Clewiston.

I can't think of any place where you can fish the Lake from land. Most of the Lake has a barrier ditch (the Rim Ditch) on its edge before you get the Lake itself. All access points on the Lake are either on the Ditch or recessed from it on a canal like Roland's. A suggestion: at Clewiston, if you go past Roland's to the left turn that runs to the ramps at the city ramps, you can continue to drive over the levee and fish the Rim Ditch. Since the Lake is so low, you'll have to navigate some large chunk rock to get down close to the water but that, or other places like it at Moorehaven, Belle Glade etc. have similar set-ups. This can be a pretty good fishing spot because there are many release fish from the tournament weigh-in areas nearby.

I was up in Citrus County (Inverness, Floral City, Crystal River etc) on a business trip but of course had to cast a gaze toward some freshwater lakes up there. How is that little chain (Tsala Apopka, I think) that parallels the Withalacootchie River?. The Lake just east of Inverness, Henderson, looked nice from the road. And how is that river for bass. Just curious as I may have to drag the boat up there for my next trip.