Fishing Florida

[Drum Tickler]

So I have been fishing a private pond 43 acres at my brothers house. I have been down a for a couple trips over the last couple years. I mainly go in December or February. This lake seems deep & clear for a Florida lake. The visibility is 6’ at least. It is well over 20’ in the middle of the lake. I seem to catch most of my fish in submerged grass that grows only a few feet off the bottom in 3-8’.
This leads to my question. Do the fish not care for Lilly pads in Florida? Most of the pads are in 6’ of water with a clean hard bottom, no grass. I do catch fish in them but never any good ones. Also up tight to the bank is what I would also call grass. I flip the edges and only catch small fish also. I have tried punching the grass but just don’t have the right gear. This grass is in at least a couple feet of water. I get sucked into the pads & grass along the bank because it looks so good. Just curious what you guys think other than I suck at fishing. I’ve attached a couple pictures of what I’m talking about. Thanks.

[cmbtvet]

You might need to come to the realization that there aren't many big bass in that pond. I see a lot of cypress trees in those pics and the tannic acid throws the ph off. One of my favorite lakes to fish is Lake Gentry and an FWC biologist told my brother that the ph is off on that lake and big bass are few and far between because of it. I can catch 2 pounders all day long but anything over 5 is rare. An over abundance of smaller bass can also make it harder for them to grow big.

[250bassFL]

So I have been fishing a private pond 43 acres at my brothers house. I have been down a for a couple trips over the last couple years. I mainly go in December or February. This lake seems deep & clear for a Florida lake. The visibility is 6’ at least. It is well over 20’ in the middle of the lake. I seem to catch most of my fish in submerged grass that grows only a few feet off the bottom in 3-8’.
This leads to my question. Do the fish not care for Lilly pads in Florida? Most of the pads are in 6’ of water with a clean hard bottom, no grass. I do catch fish in them but never any good ones. Also up tight to the bank is what I would also call grass. I flip the edges and only catch small fish also. I have tried punching the grass but just don’t have the right gear. This grass is in at least a couple feet of water. I get sucked into the pads & grass along the bank because it looks so good. Just curious what you guys think other than I suck at fishing. I’ve attached a couple pictures of what I’m talking about. Thanks.

Nice looking place!

[TampaJim]

Go out to the deeper areas, fish a jerk bait.
Clear, deep, healthy grasses ... spring fed.

[Orion922]

I have fished more post card lakes here in our state with glorious looking nature and been blanked. I have stopped offshore with one tick mark on graph and no fish showing and caught a ton. I fish a few lakes similar and I drop shot off shore for my biggest.

[Drum Tickler]

They do like the jerkbait over the grass. On Monday I got almost 40 bass on it but nothing over 1-1/2 pounds. I have not tried the drop shot yet. Than I moved shallow to the pads and caught very few. We have caught some good ones in previous years on the lake. My daughter got this one last year on a senko. Sounds like I should just stick to the off shore grass. It just so hard when looking at all the amazing cover near the shoreline.

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[ToyotaKev]

Had to be a blast for your daughter! Fish of a lifetime for some

[Deadeye1]

The Super Clear Water in a Spring Fed Lake can make it a challenge to fish-- because they can see everything so easily!

Try doing what you have done "Up North" and use lighter line that is Clear a and Cranks and such.

Using heavy Braid in super clear water can be tough, or it might not make a difference!! Crazy I know but true.

I've fished a few of Florida's Super Clear Lakes and to be honest it's been tough for me. Cranking a Rattletrap worked for me one day just working around the edge and casting in every direction, many came from casting towards the middle and bringing it back towards the bank.

On another trip I couldn't get a bite no-how so I tried using some Live Bait and casting it like it was a Crank. Caught a bunch that would hit that shiner but wouldn't touch anything else.

Just keep working at it.

[Orion922]

They do like the jerkbait over the grass. On Monday I got almost 40 bass on it but nothing over 1-1/2 pounds. I have not tried the drop shot yet. Than I moved shallow to the pads and caught very few. We have caught some good ones in previous years on the lake. My daughter got this one last year on a senko. Sounds like I should just stick to the off shore grass. It just so hard when looking at all the amazing cover near the shoreline.

76134DE5-3072-4C97-AB57-A2478F6134CE.jpeg2AED9B4E-82F4-4886-B54C-9AD2874A7CFA.jpeg

Also try fishing at night. We have a lake close to me that is clear and deep and almost every bass over 10 pounds comes at night time. Just my take from years on these clear lakes... The bass can see really good in the evening and when the sky is clear they move up to feed then deep to chill.

[Drum Tickler]

I was super pumped for my daughter when she caught that one. I have been using braid in the pads. I can hardly get the one pounders out on the braid. It did cross my mind that they can see the line. Have not tried the night fishing thing. About a half hour after dark the mosquitoes might carry me off the lake. Appreciate the advice. Tight lines guys. High of 25 today at home. Haha.

[Drum Tickler]

Double post sorry

[cmbtvet]

I was super pumped for my daughter when she caught that one. I have been using braid in the pads. I can hardly get the one pounders out on the braid. It did cross my mind that they can see the line. Have not tried the night fishing thing. About a half hour after dark the mosquitoes might carry me off the lake. Appreciate the advice. Tight lines guys. High of 25 today at home. Haha.

On your braid, take a black sharpie and color from the knot up to about 12-18 inches.

[Flabasspond]

You might need to come to the realization that there aren't many big bass in that pond. I see a lot of cypress trees in those pics and the tannic acid throws the ph off. One of my favorite lakes to fish is Lake Gentry and an FWC biologist told my brother that the ph is off on that lake and big bass are few and far between because of it. I can catch 2 pounders all day long but anything over 5 is rare. An over abundance of smaller bass can also make it harder for them to grow big.

I have fished Lake Gentry probably a hundred times in the past because I used to live 5 miles away. I had a couple good friends who at one time were State of Florida fishery biologist and they told me the problem with Gentry was the lack of forage. It holds a few threadfins but very few shiners. I have never caught a double digit there but know of people who have. Alligator Chain which is close has the same problem. When I owned a bait shop close by to both lakes some of the biggest fish from both lakes were almost always caught by speck fishermen, meaning they were caught in deeper, open waters far away from the littoral (grass) zone. The biologist told me it was no coincidence that the lakes known for trophy fish in Central Florida all had an abundance of forage.