Florida Fishing Reports

To book a bass or crappie trip with Captain Lynda.
Call our toll free number.
1-866-383-1893.
Please visit her web site.

www.bassngalguideservice.com

Bluegill and Shellcracker are beginning the spawn in most area lakes. Look for cover such as lily pads and cat tails in coves and residential canals. Good baits are Red Worms and grass shrimp. Catching grass shrimp is easy with a fine mesh net . You can find them in eel grass beds in shallow water.

Bass will hang around the beds feeding on the minnows that eat the pan-fish eggs. Cast a plastic worm around the bedding area. Good colors are Watermelon with Red Flake and June Bug.

The entrance to Apopka-Beauclair canal from lake Beauclair is still closed. Water levels are very low in all lakes, so use caution when launching and running close to shore.

Tilapia are also bedding and the bow-fishing for them is really hot. The beds are easy to spot as they make a huge bed in shallow water. We stock a complete line of bow-fishing supplies, so check out our web site or come in for help setting up your bow.

Specks (Crappie) can still be caught tight lining in the deeper parts of the lake

. We have the Blakemore Roadrunner curly tail lure for $2.79 ea.
Effective on Bass, Crappie and Bluegill.

Tackle Tip
Attach a small float about 3 feet above your Zip-Jig or Fish Bite. Cast to the edges of pads and grass and use a erratic jerk and retrieve to attract feeding Specks and pan fish. Tip the jig with a minnow for best results. You can now order

Ron's Zip Jig online. Only $1.59 ea.

Harris Chain

Blue gill and shellcracker are spawning in the pads and grass in coves and residential canals. Gilbert Park on Lake Dora and Eustis Lake Walk on Lake Eustis are good for catfish and pan fish at night. The Lake walk can also produce some nice size bass. Fish the Howey Bridge at night for Specks and Bass. Use a submersible light up next to the bridge pilings.

Lake Griffin now has a 10 inch min size for Crappie.

Shellcracker

St. Johns River

Schooling bass are in the river chasing menhaden shad around points and where runoff from storms enter the river. The Strike King Red Eye Shad is a good bait for schoolers. Slow troll a shiner in the river channel for Stripers and Hybrid bass. Use a 1/2 to 1 oz egg sinker rigged above a swivel to keep the shiner deep.

Lake Dorr

The deep water in mid lake is a good bet for specks. Lots of limits are coming out of 15 to 18 ft of water fishing just off the bottom. Good colors are Yellow/Orange and Pink. Trolling a Rat-L-Trap around the fish attractor on the North end is producing some nice bass.

Lake Yale

Lake Yale water levels are very low and only small boats can navigate the canal from the ramp to the lake.

Bear pond

Located in Seminole WMA on Hwy 46
is a HOT spot for Channel Cats. This Lake
is stocked by Fish and Game and even has fish feeders. It's a great spot to take the kids. Bank fishing only. Bass must be released.
Access is from SR46 just west of the Wekiva River bridge.
Nite crawlers are best bait for channel cats.

Black Water Creek

To fish Blackwater Creek in Seminole WMA or to get permits to Drive into Seminole Forrest call Lake Forestry Station at 352-360-6675.
They will Fax the permit form with the lock combination to you or you may have them fax it to Sorrento Bait and Tackle at 352-383-1185. The permit is free. We charge a $1.50 fee for the fax service.

Lake Jessup-Harney

Bluegill and Shellcracker are in very shallow water over shell beds in grassy areas.

Crappie (Speck)

H0LLY CHAIN
Troll the middle of the lakes with Rat-L-Traps for Specks and Bass. Fish a shiner around points for Bass. Cast the shiner rigged under a float to the edges of grass and pads. Flip a June Bug worm in heavy cover.

WEKIVA RIVER

Big catfish are moving into the river to spawn. Fish the deep holes with Shiners or Night Crawlers. Sunshine bass school at the mouth of the river early morning. Medium shiners or Menhaden Shad are best baits. Lots of shad are schooling in the St John's river now. Big catfish are still in the deep holes in the bends of the river with medium shiners, shad or nite crawlers..
Beetle-Spins will catch a variety of fish, slow troll along the edges of grass and pads or cast near the cypress roots or sunken logs.
Cast a black shad plastic worm near stumps, fallen trees and lily-pads for bass. Troll small crank baits in the last stretch of river before the St Johns. A noisy top water lure such as the Rattlin-Rogue will also work.

Use a cast net to catch Menhaden shad in the river. Great bait for Stripers, Sunshine Bass and Largemouth bass.

For directions to boat ramps and best fishing
spots drop by Sorrento Bait and Tackle on your next trip to Lake County.
Click Here For Boat Ramps in Central Fl.
Florida Fisheries Ramps

CAPTAIN LYNDA HAWKINS GUIDE SERVICE REPORT

BASS'N GAL GUIDE SERVICE

Cell phone 352-267-0062

Toll Free 1-866-383-1893

Terry & Tom from Georgia went out with Captain Lynda on a crappie (speck) trip to Lake Monroe and had a blast catching over 25 specks. They ended up keeping only 12 of the largest ones and believe me they were beauties, all weighing about 2 pounds each. Most were caught on Ron’s Zip Jigs tipped with small minnows in 6 feet of water or less. On another speck trip John & Eugene caught 20 nice specks also using zip jigs and a gold and red ice jig (Red rooster) tipped with small minnows

The Harris Chain is hot right now with lots of smaller bass being caught. Large Shiners or Rat-L-Traps are the best baits this time of year. canals are producing some nice bass. The private lake I fish is all catch and release but it is loaded with some big bass. A lot of the local small lakes are producing some nice sized schooler bass. Fishing a shiner on a freeline (without a bobber or weight) is still producing some of the bigger fish. A slow falling sinking weightless worm (Producto’s Hot Rod works great) or a white and chartreuse spinner bait reeled in as slowly as possible, are both working quite well. Be sure to lift up on your rod tip occasionally then let it slowly fall to make the spinner bait look as natural as possible. If you think you are fishing too slow, slow down even more. These baits can produce some huge bass but they have to be worked very slowly. Lake Dora, Lake Harris, Lakes Cypress, Toho and Lake Hatchineha are still giving up some nice bass on extra large shiners and flipping the heavy Kissimmee Grass.
Try a frog or Gamblers Big Easy over lily pads, topped out hydrilla and along weed lines for largemouth bass. Gamblers Big Easy Swim Bait is a fun bait to throw and seems to produce larger bass. When all else fails use the drop shot method. This is very productive if you are a patient fisherman. If you would like to learn about the drop shot method give her a call or stop in at Sorrento Bait and Tackle to see how it’s done.

Captain Lynda is now fishing some private lakes as well as Central Florida major lakes and rivers.

For the fishing trip you’ve dreamed of, give Captain Lynda a call at (toll free) 1-866-383-1893, or cell number 352-267-0062.

Check out Captain Lynda's web site

www.bassngalguideservice.com

Stop in at Sorrento Bait and Tackle to view the 15.2 pound lunker bass replica mount done by taxidermist Paul Solomon of Winter Garden. This bass was caught by Captain Lynda and released so others could enjoy the thrill.

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The below link takes you to Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission Website
where you can purchase Fishing and Hunting Licenses Online

Purchase Fishing and Hunting Licenses Here