Another day on the lake

[SteveGibson]

I've been alternating over the last couple of weeks between saltwater and freshwater fishing. Both have been decent. There has been nothing spectacular, but I'm catching fish.
My freshwater "go-to" lake is Lake Manatee, a 2,500-acre body of water located nine miles east of Interstate 75 off State Road 64 near Bradenton, Fla. It's not an easy lake to fish, but it's productive once you learn her nuances.

One trip last week resutled in more than 100 fish, including 103 bluegill, five shellcracker, three bass and three channel cats.

Top flies were the Myakka Minnow, nymphs and poppers.

We had a cold front move through this morning and that could kick the speckled perch (black crappie) in gear. Specks average 2 pounds at Lake Manatee and readily take a fly.

[Bluegill222]

I've noticed in several of your pictures that the gills in your area have almost a reddish bronze cast to them. Is that a trick of the light? Up here the only red is on the chest, the rest of the body runs from olive all the way to yellowish purple depending on the season. It's cool the way fish vary from region to region.

[quivira kid]

Nice pics Steve!

[SteveGibson]

I've noticed in several of your pictures that the gills in your area have almost a reddish bronze cast to them. Is that a trick of the light? Up here the only red is on the chest, the rest of the body runs from olive all the way to yellowish purple depending on the season. It's cool the way fish vary from region to region.

Not a trick of light. These are Florida coppernose bluegill. I believe they are a subspecies of bluegill.

[Bluegill222]

They look really cool, either way. One more thing to add to my list of fish to catch before I die

[Martin McFly]

You guys in Fl are so lucky, such great fishing.
Congrats, great catches and great pictures too.

[Uncle Jesse]

What Steve didn't tell you, those Coppernose get rather large. I have a snapshot of a guy I know in MS who raises them to stock farm ponds holding a 23 oz. Coppernose. He's a old farmboy, retired from John Deere, and the bream covers both hands. I remembered I scanned the snapshot. It's not that good of a picture but it will give you a good idea of who big they get. This one has probably had the benefit of a well fertilized pond and maybe fish food on a regular basis.