Hey southwest florida folks, fishing been tough on my development lakes during this cool weather. It's been in the 40s to 60s in the day. Wacky rigs have been working in green glitter in the day to match the tall grass that grows from the bottom to the bank..... but been catching under 2 lbs dingers. With the water level higher, temps cooler and visibility higher, what have yall been catching your bass on. Love to hear your success over these last 2 weeks!!! I've been noticing the big ones are deeper holding the bottom drop off where the grass starts to grow. 

Topwaters but my water is much different than yours I guess. The rain has made the water murky.  They have been on fire in pre spawn even biting in cold mornings.  Haven't seen a bed yet.  All fish have been plump even if small.

A 4 inch spooltek in a fatty perch color cranked slow is working the best for me

Frogs along the shore early even if there's no visible cover and a T rigged Rage craw crawled up from the middle depths. 

In the PM a speed craw retrieved just under the suface. 

 

Mike 

On the east coast I'm noticing the same kind of fishing. Lots of smalls on watermelon and June bug worms, some on top water. All the big fish have been very elusive. Thanks for the post, I was wondering if it was me but apparently the fishing is the same on your end.

A couple weeks ago I caught a 19" on a 1/2 oz. rattletrap in Tennessee Shad color.

Been tough for me down here. I've been living in Dinkville since December. 10"-12" mostly. One 14" last weekend.

Seen big ones caught using live blue gill for bait, other than that pretty tough, seems the fish shut off on a particular lure after it works for a day or two. Rattle traps seem to randomly work, my son got a 5 lb, 2 weeks ago, then nothing on them. Over the holidays rattles also accounted for a 7 and 8 pounder but then shut off again.

It will be interesting to see what happens this weekend on the Big O. 

I have a tournament on the South end on Saturday and another on the North end on Sunday. With all the back pumping going on, it's gonna be tough finding any clear water. Gonna just have to hit the matt's I guess. We'll see

 

Mike 

Bass fishing has been great for me this whole year so far with a couple bass over 5 pounds in January. February has been good as well and I am looking towards the weekend to go bass fishing. 

Been doing great with white ice flukes, and june bug red UV zoom worms(no surprise there).... Until some of this Lake O crap hit our canals. I haven't caught a bass in three days... Other than that I bought a new Abu REVO SX, pumped about that, haven't caught a fish on it yet though.

Went back to the same spillway I caught the 19 inch one and got 3 small ones with a Yo-zuri 3d minnow. Gold back and sides. First 2 were on the first 2 casts and the third was on the 10-12th cast. All 3 under 12 inches....but fun in a strong current.

This week was a complete turnaround. I saw 3 bass beds and about 5 thousand tilapia beds in all the prime areas. No true cold snap to kill them off this year so we will experience dwindling numbers of bass for 3 years. Only plus is hopefully the mayan cichlids will flourish to take up the slack.  I caught only 3 bass and the big females went back to their mysterious hiding grounds.