Hot Lake Manatee action (with pics)

[SteveGibson]

Despite reports that action would be slow, I headed out to Lake Manatee. I didn't care.

Much to my surprise fishing was good. The topwater bite was off, but subsurface was hot.

I'm amazed that many anglers in this neck of the woods pack it up and head home when the fish quit taking flies off the surfact. Well, I used to be that way, too.

Now, I just go subsurface.

My flies of choice are my Myakka Minnow and a rather mundane No. 12 bead-head nymph. Both work well. I fish them both with a strike indicator.

All fish today were taken on a 1-weight and 2-weight rod.

Lake Manatee just continues to amaze me. Very light fishing pressure, minimal boat traffic and great fishing.

This bass went about 3 pounds:



One of 50 bluegill:



This was one of 10 nice specks:

[dixieangler]

Very nice, Steve. You got your bream limit and ten Specks also. Looks like you had a great time. Did you invite any home for supper?

[SteveGibson]

Very nice, Steve. You got your bream limit and ten Specks also. Looks like you had a great time. Did you invite any home for supper?

No, all are still swimming!

[chris from canada]

Awesome!

Light weight rods, and kayaks.

It just does not get any better then that Brother!!!

chris

[DDRRedneck500]

aw man youre killing me im still stuck dying of cabin fever because nobody will take me fishing yet then you go braggin about those beauts.
but i guess i does help a little bit. i bet they mustve been fun.

[mandoyak]

Wow. That's awesome, what a nice variety of species and REAL nice examples of each. 3 pounder on a 2 wt., that must have taken patience to get it to hand.

[SteveGibson]

Wow. That's awesome, what a nice variety of species and REAL nice examples of each. 3 pounder on a 2 wt., that must have taken patience to get it to hand.

Yes, it did take patience, but fortunately, he fought mostly in open water. I hooked a pretty nice bass on the edge of the vegatation on my 1-weight. That fish ran into open water and I thought I had a good shot at landing it. But it headed back into the trees and I lost it.

It's amazing to me that everything hits the nymphs. You never know what fish you have when you set the hook.

[Rick Z]

At this time of year nymphs is all the fish have to eat. That is why I start fishing at ice out with nymphs and don't go to other flies until the water has warmed more.

Rick

[cycler68]

At this time of the year, with the water being cold and the fishes metabolism in low gear, probably all the fish need to eat are the little critters.
Meantime I've tied up a fairly nice bunch of nymphs in anticipation of the spring thaw. I'm feeling the need to go fishing real bad.

[mandoyak]

If you've ever used the float & fly technique on spinning gear you'll know that big bass will hit small profile minnow patterns/jigs in cold water if suspended at the right depth.

I've thought of trying this on flyrods using strike indicators & minnow patterns tied on jig hooks like the Barr's Meatwhistle...or using lake chironomid (sp?) technique with these minnow patterns.