Florida Highlands Today newspaper fishing report

[dixieangler]

Highlands Today newspaper fishing report for Dec. 28.

Wind Keeps Anglers At Bay
[url=http://highlands.tbo.com/sports/MGBA54AOQHE.html:5d864]http://highlands.tbo.com/sports/MGBA54AOQHE.html[/url:5d864]

Yes it has definately been windy here after the last cold front. I haven't even tried to go out yet on the water with the wind between 10 to 20 mph every day since then. Best to try and go when its between 5 and 10 mph. The good news about the colder temperature is like Red said, the water will be colder so the Specks will now want to spawn and move to the shallows .


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Robert B. McCorquodale
Sebring, FL

"Flip a fly"

[dixieangler]

Caught a 10 inch and a 13 inch Speck yesterday afternoon. Sometimes I keep fish to eat and this was one of those days. The bream nor the Specks would bite on the fly rod at all (highly unusual). I suspect that no wind for most of the day and a hot day had something to do with it even though the water surface temperature was 67 degrees. Cold mornings and evenings with a hot and still day is unusual to me and apparently to the fish also. Depth finder failed to mark any fish all day. In addition to my fly rod, I had a little ultra light spinning rod rigged with 6 lb. test to troll with while I worked the fly rod. I trolled a live minnow on a small chartreuse jig about four feet down under a float behind my ODC 816 catamaran on one of many canals. While trolling with the spinning rod, I got the 10 incher on a pass along a patch of lily pads in about 12 feet of water so I figured I had hit a school and circled around making another pass that got me the 13 incher. Nice pretty fish. That was it, no more bites after that. No fish at the deep bridge on this canal either. I got lucky because from what I could see, most other anglers out there came back to the ramp with empty boats. One bass boat I saw did have a small two or three pound LMB that the angler held up to his buddies. I had figured that I could row up the canal and then drift back with the current. I did a lot of rowing with almost no wind or current all afternoon.


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Robert B. McCorquodale
Sebring, FL

"Flip a fly"

[This message has been edited by dixieangler (edited 31 December 2005).]

[dixieangler]

New Highlands Today newspaper fishing report for Jan. 4 by D.O. "Red" Norton.

Fishing Struggling On Area Lakes
[url=http://www.highlandstoday.com/MGB6R6PW0IE.html:07623]http://www.highlandstoday.com/MGB6R6PW0IE.html[/url:07623]

Grades are from the newspaper.

LAKE GRADES
A Excellent fishing!(the fish are practically jumping in the boat)
B Good to excellent!(Catching a limit is within reach)
C Fair to Good!(A few good fish, but you have to work for them)
D Poor to Fair! (Slim pickin's - fish are few and far between)
F Extremely Poor! (Better pack some dynamite)

For my own report refer to my day's fishing of the previous post above since it fell on the same day Red was fishing on Lake Istokpoga.


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Robert B. McCorquodale
Sebring, FL

"Flip a fly"

[This message has been edited by dixieangler (edited 04 January 2006).]

[dixieangler]

Highlands Today newspaper fishing report by D.O. "Red" Norton for Jan. 11.

Blustery Conditions Hurt Fishing [url=http://highlands.tbo.com/sports/MGB8J4WNAIE.html:efceb]http://highlands.tbo.com/sports/MGB8J4WNAIE.html[/url:efceb]

I went out on the water today, Jan. 12, with my fishing buddy in his motorized canoe and it was almost a carbon copy of the last time when I was out on the ODC 816 by myself. There was some wind but not a lot. Bites were few and far between. I had to work hard for about ten or so small bream on a yellow foam pusher with a scud dropper (Rainy's Bead Back Scud). I had hopes of getting some Shellcrackers (Redear) on the scud but it was not to be this day. My fishing buddy got one small LMB on a popper. We couldn't find any Specks at all. There is a cold front forecasted for this weekend so the fishing probably won't pick up until after it has gone through.

Rainy's Bead Back Scud [url=http://www.flyanglersonline.com/flytying/fotw2/042803fotw.html:efceb]http://www.flyanglersonline.com/flytying/fotw2/042803fotw.html[/url:efceb]

Mine was a size 10 with clear glass beads and tan nylon sparkle yarn (Antron) legs.


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Robert B. McCorquodale
Sebring, FL

"Flip a fly"

[dixieangler]

Highlands Today newspaper fishing report by D.O. "Red" Norton for Jan. 18.

[url=http://www.highlandstoday.com/MGBHH93RKIE.html:4dcce]Poor Fishing Won't Last[/url:4dcce]

I'll find out if the fishing gets better maybe going Saturday Speck fishing on Lake Jackson .


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Robert B. McCorquodale
Sebring, FL

"Flip a fly"

[dixieangler]

I'll find out if the fishing gets better maybe going Saturday Speck fishing on Lake Jackson.

Well, the Specks were there (lots of schools deep) today on Lake Jackson but they just weren't biting . I wasn't alone, other Speck anglers out there were also coming up empty. Weather and water temp. was good. Even the wind was low. Oh well, sometimes that happens and even though I got skunked, it was a nice day on the water .


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Robert B. McCorquodale
Sebring, FL

"Flip a fly"

[dixieangler]

Highlands Today newspaper fishing report by D.O. "Red" Norton for Jan. 25.

[url=http://www.highlandstoday.com/MGBH8FUUUIE.html:fa166]Heartland Fishing Heating Up[/url:fa166]

This is about the first time I am left wondering (scratching my head) if Red is fishing in the same county. I would like to catch an "abundance" (my limit) of Specks. That hasn't happened yet. I have gotten some good fish, but not in any great numbers with the quick cold and warm weather changes we have had. I was out on Lake Jackson last Saturday and even though there were lots of schools of Specks in the deep water and we had nice weather, they had a good case of lockjaw. I would not paint near as rosy of a picture as Red did. I have not seen many boats fishing for Specks in the shallows of Lake Jackson yet. Most are still fishing Specks in deep water. We just had another cold front so maybe Speck movement will be more shallow until it warms up but I honestly don't expect to find good numbers of Specks in the shallows spawning until February. Water temperature lately seems to be just right in the mid 60s.


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Robert B. McCorquodale
Sebring, FL

"Flip a fly"

[dixieangler]

Highlands Today newspaper fishing report by D.O. "Red" Norton for Feb. 1.

[url=http://www.highlandstoday.com/MGB9H9UW4JE.html:cbff5]Angling Action Heating Up[/url:cbff5]

The speck bite continues to be good on most lakes with the speck finally moving into the shallows to spawn.

Since I haven't been fishing for about a week and a half , Red might be right. I hope so as I intend to find out . Right now we have been getting so many back to back cold fronts with quick hot and cold spells and high winds off and on, that I haven't even tried. Last time I went out I got skunked (see above). First good break in the weather and I'll find out .


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Robert B. McCorquodale
Sebring, FL

"Flip a fly"

[This message has been edited by dixieangler (edited 01 February 2006).]

[dixieangler]

Highlands Today newspaper fishing report by D.O. "Red" Norton for Feb. 8.

[url=http://www.highlandstoday.com/MGBILXANEJE.html:35bda]Downpour Changes Fishing Landscape[/url:35bda]

Now this report is more like what I have been experiencing although I still have not been on the water for about two weeks but intend to soon.


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Robert B. McCorquodale
Sebring, FL

"Flip a fly"

[This message has been edited by dixieangler (edited 08 February 2006).]

[dixieangler]

Highlands Today newspaper fishing report by D.O. "Red" Norton for Feb. 15.

[url=http://www.highlandstoday.com/MGBYZVFTOJE.html:3a016]Cold The Rule On Area Waters[/url:3a016]

Lake Jackson: Looking more like Lake Erie with waves 3 to 4 feet high, not many anglers have braved the big open waters of Jackson. Bass were hitting well on crankbaits and spinnerbaits, but no reports on the big lake since last Thursday. Current rating C.

That is the truth. I haven't seen any boats out on Lake Jackson the last few days. I was out on the water last Friday (I think) with a fishing buddy and he got two 10 inch Specks and I got a few small bream on the scud dropper but that was it.


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Robert B. McCorquodale
Sebring, FL

"Flip a fly"