Fishing Reports News

]]1a. Gandy Bridge: Speckled trout has been real good, as can be expected with them being out of season. Shrimp have been real good for trout as well as artificials. Snook have been hitting well close in around the rocks in the early mornings and evenings. Anglers catching the snook on the high tides close in around the rocks, mostly on live shrimp and small ladyfish. Redfish bite has been good up on the flats near the fourth street area, reports Gandy Bait & Tackle (813-839-5551). Spanish mackerel bite has picked up again, with some nicer, fatter fish being caught. Lots of jacks and ladyfish if you’re just looking for a tug on your line. Ladyfish are thick at night, almost a nuisance. Sheepshead bite has been good on the St. Pete side on small pieces of shrimp and fiddler crabs, straight down around the bridge pilings. Still some lingering snapper, mostly small ones, reports Gandy B & T.

1c. Upper Tampa Bay: Snook are up in the creeks, still biting on whitebait. Big “gator” sized speckled trout in the deeper holes and channels. Trout being caught on shrimp, jigs or whitebait. Spanish mackerel well up inside the bay around the bridges. A few cobia spotted, reports Capt. Brian Epperson Red Hot Charters (813-610-7899).

2. Sunshine Skyway: Much the same as last week. Spanish mackerel being caught at high tide when baitfish are around. Reports of good redfish being caught in the Terra Ceia Bay area. Snook and redfish being caught around the docks, reports Terry Wilson of Skyway Bait and Tackle (941-721-0461). Sheepshead are being caught down in the rocks around the toll bridge area at the South Skyway Pier as well up in the Manatee River area. Redfish still around closer to shore for wade fisherman, Wilson said. Still a couple of kingfish being caught from the South Pier as well as lots of juvenile gag grouper being caught from the pier, said Wilson. The kingfish bite has been better from the North Pier. Flounder on shrimp and small whitebait under the bridge leading up to south pier and under the Terra Ceia Bridge, as well schools of redfish and mackerel under that bridge on the last part of the outgoing tide. Kingfish and spanish mackerel bite offshore close in three to four miles out has been good. Kingfish should stick around as long as water temps continue to stay warm, said Wilson

3. Fort Desoto Area: This week on the really low tides a lot of speckled rout and redfish have been caught. Spanish mackerel bite has been good out at the Gulf Pier. Keeper flounder being caught around the docks and bridges as well as keeper grouper. Large jigs and pinfish, the bait of choice for the grouper, reports Kevin McKenna at the Bait Bucket (727-864-2108). However, redfish is the main attraction out here, on live bait as well as artificial and for both anglers in boats and wade fishermen. Work the mullet schools, redfish are mixed in with them. “Look for the biggest mullet you can find, they’ll be redfish with them,” reports Kevin McKenna at the Bait Bucket (727-864-2108).

With water temps holding fairly steady, the fish don’t seem to be moving around as much. If you find fish in one place on a particular tide, there’s no reason for them to change their pattern for several days, as there are no significant changes. Big speckled trout have been the leading story around the area for the last week or so. These fish are being caught on healthy, grass flats in three to four feet of water, reports Capt. Tommy Ziesmann of Action Charters 727-432-0355. Most of the trout are being targeted with artificials. Top water baits and jigs have been best. Redfish are still abundant in most of the usual areas. Cutbait has been best, but fish will sardines or pinfish as well. The reds have been schooling up in pretty good numbers and seem to be feeding mostly on the incoming tide, said Ziesmann. Now is the time to target flounder in this area. This year has been no exception. Good numbers have been caught around residential docks, on the sandy edges of flats, or just off of rubble, rock or sunken structure. Plenty of Spanish mackerel are still being caught on and near the beaches. Also, there has been some good triple tail being caught by those with the skills and patience to hunt them, said Ziesmann.

4. John’s Pass: The shallow water grouper bite has been the thing. They gettin em in 30 feet of water and most have been catching their limit. Gags and red grouper both being caught. Anglers catching so many reds, with the limit being one a day, many being thrown back reports Mike Drake of Don’s Dock (727-391-3223). Sheepshead are showing up in droves, anywhere you got structure. Most are being caught on sand fleas and fidder crabs. Back on the flats still nice trout and redfish being caught. Snook have moved off into the creeks and such, those left around real sluggish. Pompano bite has been good on the flats around Boca Ciega.

6. Big Pier 60: The pier has new hours from October through April, being open Sunday through Thursday from 6 a.m. to 9:30 p.m., and 24 hours on Friday and Saturday. Spanish mackerel up to 24 inches, kingfish up to 45 inches and 25 lbs being caught this week. The Spanish are being caught on spoons, all kinds of lures, and live shrimp. The kingfish are being caught on live, whole fish, reports Tom Leonard of Big Pier 60 Bait & Tackle (727-462-6466). Snook still being caught right up until closure. A few redfish still being caught. Some cobia being caught, all under size. Sheepshead down next to the pilings on little pieces of shrimp. Lots of silver trout and whiting at night on cut shrimp. Good amout of bluefish being caught as well. “Anything you throw in the water is being whacked by bluefish.” Everybody is catching fish this week,” said Leonard.

7. Sarasota Bay: Low tide is the best time to get out on the grass flats of northern Sarasota Bay. Redfish and trout will be holding up in the deeper holes and the feeder creeks that come on to the flats. They will use these creeks to move up on the flats as the tide rises. Pole slowly and pay attention to the water depth, as these creeks may be only a few inches deeper than the rest of the flats, but that is where the fish will be, reports Capt. Jon Bull of Shawdowcast Charters (863-860-7250). Working a D.O.A. shrimp, Carbonated Rootbeer color or D.O.A jerkbait Stark Naked or Golden Bream color on a 1/16 oz. Mustad Power Lock hook will do the trick, Bull said. Work the bait very slowly because on these low tides, you may have opportunities to cast to tailing reds on the flats, reports Bull. For fly anglers, Bull suggest throwing weedless flies such as an olive Sea-Ducer or spoon flies to hook up with redfish and speckled trout in the grass, Bull said.

8. Venice Jetties: The jetties continue to produce nice catches of Spanish mackerel. Large schools of redfish have been sighted moving along the shoreline and occasionally coming into the jetty area. Live shrimp is the ticket around the rocks. The Venice Pier is producing Spanish mackerel and kingfish with live baitfish. Grouper have moved closer to shore with the cooling water temps, reports Capt. Chris O’Neill of Tail Chaser Charters (941-270-7867).

9. Englewood: Inshore pompano and flounder have shown up this week in good numbers. The pompano are being caught at the pass on jigs and jig heads with a piece of shrimp. Flounder are being caught on the west side of Lemon Bay. There’s been a good showing of bluefish and big ladyfish in the area as well. Redfish are schooling up a little harder. Negative low tides have been best. Snook still on the flats and around the passes but starting to move up into the creeks and rivers. There’s plenty of bait in the area, reports Stump Pass Marina (941-697-2206). Offshore kingfish and Spanish mackerel still good off the beaches. Some cobia around. Anglers report good keeper grouper and snapper about 20 miles out. Capt. Travis Ormond caught a red grouper weighing 27 lbs this week 55 miles offshore along with good snapper, amberjack and vermillion snapper.

10. Charlotte Harbor: On the west side plenty of nice speckled trout have been caught this week. Trout are schooling in the trough between Cayo Casta and Devilfish Key. Drift the flat using shrimp on a popping cork or Gulp! baits with an 1/8 oz jighead, reports Capt. Chris O’Neill of Tail Chaser Charters (941-270-7867). O’Neill’s clients caught a nice cobia in this area using a live sardine freelined in four feet of water. Redfish are in the area of the Hogans Key bar, especially during the falling tide period. Look for schools of bait in the Gasparilla Sound area and you will find feeding tarpon throughout the day. The bait schools are very large sardines and threadfins in the six inch range, O’Neill said.

On the east side, the east wall continues to have large amounts of snook. The snook bite has been terrific mid-way through the outgoing tide this week. Chumming with baitfish will enhance the bite, reports O’Neill. ” I have been chumming until I get a bust on the surface, then follow up with a topwater bait for the kill,” O’Neill said. Cast beyond the strike, then move the lure through the feeding zone. A fast retrieve has worked best lately, reports O’Neill.

12. Anclote: “Chuck Fesler and I have been working out some snook in a canal for the last couple of weeks, way back in the canal on a dead end, most of the fish are in the 27 to 30 inch range with some ‘pigs’ mixed in, ” reports Capt. Tim Whitfield of Swift Fish Charters (813-714-0889). The redfish are still in their usual haunts right now and the sheepshead are running with them. Speckled trout has been the hot bite , with many over 20 inches. Gulp! shrimp hopped off the bottom are getting violent strikes, said Whitfield. The cobia have not made an appearance at the power plant just jet. When the water cools they’ll be there. Big jack crevalle are working the drops near the plant, reports Whitfield.

13. Homosassa: With warm temperatures speckled trout fishing has been great. As long as there is moving water the action is excellent. North of the St. Martins River and south of Chassahowitzka Point in three feet of water in grass patches. Use D.O.A. shrimp and D.O.A. CAL shad tails in Glow color if the water is clear and in Rootbeer if the water is stained, reports Capt. William Toney of Homoasassa Inshore Fishing Charters (352-621-9284). Set your drift upwind of the intended area to be fished and throw a marker buoy or hit the your GPS when you start catching fish. Fishing for redfish around the Ozello area has been very good during the incoming high tide. Nemire Red Ripper spoons are working well as well as the MirrOlure Top Pup, reports Toney. Near shore, try rockpiles for jumbo black sea bass. Jigs tipped with shrimp will get the bite. Look for keeper gag grouper in the same area, Toney said.

CHICAGO PERCH: Shore fishermen on the Chicago lakefront are taking perch, even a few limits. The daily bag is 15. Best has been the north side of Navy Pier toward the west end. Montrose and Belmont harbors have been decent; DuSable and Burnham, slower. Finding keepers takes sorting; but Steve Palmisano at Henry’s Sports & Bait Shop suggested using larger minnows or ripping a jigging spoon to target bigger perch.

AREA PUBLIC ICE FISHING INFO: CHICAGO LAGOONS: Closed to ice fishing because of liability concerns for fishermen and non-fishermen. COOK: It’s ice fish at your own risk on the designated ice-fishing lakes: Axehead, Belleau, Beck, Big Bend, Bode South, Bullfrog, Busse main and south, Horsetail, Ida, Maple, Papoose, Powderhorn, Saganashkee, Sag Quarry east and west, Tampier, Turtlehead and Wampum. DuPAGE: Unless otherwise posted, it’s ice fish at your own risk on forest preserve waters (4 inches of ice is recommended). Spring Creek Reservoir in Bloomingdale is closed to ice fishing (fluctuating levels). Late-night fishing is allowed at Deep Quarry Lake in Bartlett (fishermen must be out of the preserve by 11 p.m.). Ice holes are limited to 10 inches in diameter, and fishermen may only fish two holes. Only portable shelters are permitted, and must be removed when not in use. The Outdoor Report line is (630) 871-6422. KANE: Unless otherwise posted, ice fishing is permitted at Lake Patterson at Oakhurst Forest Preserve in Aurora and the various ponds at Burnidge Forest Preserve in Elgin. LAKE: Forest preserve ice fishing is permitted at Lakewood and Van Patten Woods, Sterling and Banana lakes, and only when the ice is uniformly 4.5 inches thick and the area is posted as safe for fishing. Shelters must be removed by the end of the day. Hours are 6:30 a.m. to sunset, except an additional hour in the evening is given at Sterling. Call the winter sports hotline at (847) 968-3235 or go to lcfpd.org. MAZONIA SFWA: Monster Lake is open year-round for open-water or ice fishing, except during in-between periods of unsafe ice. Ice fishing, conditions permitting and at your own risk, open at Mazonia South after duck season (potentially Dec.26) and at Mazonia after upland game ends in January. McHENRY: The McHenry County Conservation District allows ice fishing 8 a.m. to sunset at the Fel-Pro RRR, the Hollows (Lake Atwood and West Lake), Lyons Prairie & Marsh, Pleasant Valley, Rush Creek pond and Stickney Run pond, when there is 4 inches of clear ice. Rangers check conditions daily if necessary, and it will be posted. Shelters must be removed daily. Live bait is prohibited at Fel-Pro, the Hollows and Rush Creek. Parking lots are plowed, but other areas are not prepped by MCCD, so be prepared to make paths, etc. Updates, if needed, are made daily at mccdistrict.org or (815) 338-6223. SILVER SPRINGS SFWA: Ice fish at your own risk on both lakes (Loon and Beaver). The west entrance is generally closed in winter, the east entrance may be closed temporarily because of icing. WILL: The forest preserve district does not offer ice fishing; however, Monee Reservoir allows fishing year-round, if the water is open.

CHAIN O’LAKES/FOX RIVER BACKWATERS: Starting: Ice fishing will be more widespread by the weekend. Call Triangle at (847) 395-0813 or Hermann’s at (847) 639-9644.

LAKEFRONT: Perch: See top for Chicago perch. Ice fishing is a long ways off in the harbors. PIER PASSES: The $6.50 pier passes, which allow legal fishing from designated piers at Montrose, Belmont, Diversey, DuSable and Burnham harbors, are available at Henry’s.

MADISON LAKES, WISCONSIN: Starting: D&S Bait said the first ice fishermen have been out. Best early spots are Cherokee Marsh and parts of Monona Bay.

MISSISSIPPI RIVER: SAVANNA: Starting: Ice fishing was beginning, but the snow cover could make it tougher.

NORTHERN WISCONSIN: Ice fishing: The only stickler is the heavy snow over the weekend in some places that made for a sloppy top. Minocqua guide Kurt Justice reported ”excellent” bites for walleye and pike. The bite has been good enough that Justice e-mailed, ”Walleyes hungry, so there hasn’t been a strong preference between shiners and suckers.”

NORTHWEST INDIANA: Fair: Mik-Lurch reported fresh steelhead in the Ditch and Trail. Before the storm, perch were taken at the Hole-in-the-Wall.

ST. JOSEPH AREA, MICHIGAN: Fair: B-J’s Sports reports walleye continue decent by Berrien Springs dam and steelhead are strong from the middle part of the river to the dam.

The small lakes are ice-covered and there’s a good chance you’ll be able to fish them by this weekend or early next week. Lakes such as Reno and Mary would be likely first-ice options. The big lakes were still open earlier this week, and it may take a couple extra days for them to completely cap with ice.

ANNANDALE AREA

Earlier this week, a handful of anglers had begun “sneaking” on a couple of small lakes where three inches of ice was found. By this weekend, most small lakes and even the bays on the area’s larger lakes should have enough ice on which to walk.

BATTLE LAKE

Look to the small lakes by this weekend where one to two inches of ice had taken hold by Tuesday morning. The big lakes also skimmed with ice Monday night, but the small, wind-protected lakes should be your first option, maybe by this weekend.

BLACKDUCK AREA

Anglers started hitting the ice on Thanksgiving at several lakes. Four inches was common by Monday night, with as much as six inches in some areas. Walleyes and perch have been caught in shallow water on Blackduck Lake, where ATVs could be an option by this weekend.

BRAINERD-NISSWA AREA

Most small lakes and wind-protected bays were ice-covered earlier this week. With more cold weather expected throughout the week, there should be several spots to ice fish by this weekend. Look to the first weedline or the shoreline breaks of most small lakes to be holding panfish, walleyes, and northern pike.

CROSBY AREA

With the exception of a few larger bodies of water, ice is completely covering area lakes. Two to four inches is common on the small lakes and bays, and ice fishing is expected to be an option by this weekend.

DETROIT LAKES

The small lakes capped with ice last weekend, and the big lakes froze over on Monday night. Look for the bays and small lakes to be holding ice anglers late this week or for sure by this weekend.

DULUTH AREA

Most small lakes should have enough ice to walk on by this weekend. A few anglers were fishing on three inches of ice at Rice Lake and Fish Lake earlier this week. No reports have been offered as far as a bite, but the ice is in good shape.

ELY AREA

Some of the small lakes and ponds already had enough ice to walk on last weekend. Temperatures dipped below zero earlier this week so there should be plenty of ice-fishing options in this area by the weekend.

GRAND RAPIDS AREA

The ice looks good in this region. Some lakes north of the area have been ice-covered since early last week. Sylvan Bay on the Mississippi River is kicking out walleyes in 20 feet and crappies in 40 feet of water. Anglers also have started walking on Splithand Lake, and ATVs will be an option on the small lakes within days.

HACKENSACK AREA

There was still open water on the big lakes as of Tuesday morning, but the smaller bodies of water were ice-covered. Although there hadn’t been anyone fishing earlier this week, the small lakes are expected to have enough ice to walk on by this weekend.

LAKE KABETOGAMA

The shorelines have ice, and most shallow bays are completely ice-covered. If the cold weather sticks throughout the week, there’s a good chance spear houses will be in the bays by the opener.

LAKE MILLE LACS

While open water still exists on the main lake, the bays are ice-covered. If cold weather persists throughout this week, ice fishing could be an option in the bays and a few shoreline areas by this weekend.

LAKE MINNETONKA AREA

Ice had started to take shape until strong winds broke most small lakes open on Monday night. The key in this area will be light or no winds. If that happens and it stays cold, there’s a chance some of the bays and small lakes will see ice anglers by the weekend.

LAKE OF THE WOODS

The Rainy River was open as of Tuesday morning, but skim ice had formed in the bays, creeks, and along most shorelines. Look for the south shore to cap by midweek if the wind stays down and it remains cold.

LAKE OSAKIS

Anglers have begun fishing through the ice on several small lakes in this area. While the big portion of Osakis was still open Tuesday morning, the bays were locked up. Town Bay had three inches of ice by Tuesday afternoon. Look to the north end bay to offer walkable ice by the weekend, as well.

LAKE VERMILION

The small bays had about two inches of ice earlier this week, and the large bays offered shoreline ice extending about 50 yards out. Although there hasn’t been anyone fishing, it looks promising for next week.

LAKE WINNIBIGOSHISH

Despite strong winds on Monday night, most of the lake capped with ice. As far as the eye could see, ice had taken hold. Given the cold temperatures predicted for the rest of the week, ice fishing should be an option soon.

LEECH LAKE AREA

There’s a good layer of ice on the small, wind-protected lakes. Ice fishing should be an option on these lakes by this weekend. On Leech Lake, open water was still quite evident as of Tuesday morning. Steamboat Bay and Sucker Bay were ice-capped, but the rest of the lake had nothing more than skim ice earlier this week.

ORTONVILLE AREA

Big Stone Lake capped Monday night and most small lakes were covered with ice prior to that. There’s a good chance that this weekend should provide enough ice to walk on in this area. Look for the small lakes and shoreline areas to see some fishing pressure within days.

PARK RAPIDS AREA

The small lakes have been frozen for about one week, and the big lakes started to cap on Monday night. There’s a good chance the small lakes in this area will see some foot traffic within the next week. If it doesn’t get windy, look for some ice-fishing options possibly as soon as this weekend.

RAINY LAKE

Black Bay has a skim of ice, but the rest of the lake remained open earlier this week. A couple nights of cold, calm conditions could make fishing on walkable ice an option within the next week.

RED LAKE

Anglers starting fishing through the ice last weekend near the Tamarack River. A few walleyes and a couple of large pike have been caught along the first breakline in eight feet of water. Four to six inches of ice was reported in this area of the lake on Monday, and it was 10 below zero on Monday night.

RED WING AREA

Walleyes and sauger continue to be taken on hair jigs and minnows below the dam on the Mississippi River. While some fish have been caught close to shore, most of them are coming from 12 to 20 feet of water. The Baypoint Park area is worth noting for crappies, as well. Small jigs and minnows have worked best.

SAUK CENTRE AREA

A few anglers were on the ice as early as Monday, and if the cold remains throughout the week, there should be several lakes safe to walk on by this weekend. Lakes such as McCormick and Sauk should be worth hitting during the next few days, if the cold weather holds.

STARBUCK AREA

The small lakes have been ice-covered for several days, and even Lake Minnewaska capped with ice on Monday night. Everything looks promising for ice anglers by this weekend if it remains cold. Use some common sense and you should find a spot to fish through the ice within days.

TWIN CITIES

NORTHEAST METRO - Some anglers continue to fish open water on the Mississippi and St. Croix rivers. Ice has started to form on most small lakes, but fishing through it was not an option earlier this week. Look to the bays and small lakes to provide walkable ice very soon.

WEST METRO - The small lakes had one to two inches of ice earlier this week. Most of the big lakes remained open as of Tuesday morning, but with a few nights of cold, calm weather, they too should ice over.

TROUT SEASON OFF TO GREAT START
All 20 lakes were successfully stocked with rainbow trout on the season opening date of November 15. Lake temperatures ranged from 65-70 degrees and pH levels were well within stocking requirements at all waters. Trout sizes averaged 11-12 inches with some fish in the 14-16 inch range. Anglers have reported fair to excellent fishing for the recently stocked trout. At some waters, the trout were ready to bite soon after stocking, while at other waters it took a couple days for the fish to get used to their new surroundings and start to bite well. The winter trout stocking season will continue at all lakes through early March.

URBAN FISHING REPORT
Rainbow trout stockings have now started at all Urban Fishing Program waters at two week intervals. Fishing is good to excellent for anglers using scented dough baits (such as Power Bait), worms or small trout lures. Trout stockings will continue every two weeks from November to March. All lakes were stocked the end of October with bluegill and action is good for these feisty fighters. Try mealworms, corn or doughballs fished below a small bobber for the best action. Action for catfish and bass has slowed due to colder water temperatures. Trout fishing is good to excellent at Green Valley lakes in Payson with Power Bait, worms and small spinners working best.

As the 2007 year comes to a close, so does your chance to get one of your big fish into the record books. The 2007 Urban Fishing Program Big Fish-of-the-Year contest has one month to go. Some big fish have been reported already such as an 8.0 pound catfish, a 9.6 pound bass and a 3.9 pound trout. There is also a category for catch and release fish that requires only a picture and the total length of the fish. Some of the more remarkable catch and release entries for 2007 include a 26-inch catfish and a 35-inch white amur. Some fish species have no entries so far including: bluegill, tilapia, carp or crappie. To enter the contest, use forms found in the Urban or Arizona fishing regulations.

ANGLERS will soon be able to cast their lines into a new fishing lake at the Gnoll Country Park in Neath.

The Gnoll pond is a favourite with local residents and visitors alike but is not often used for fishing because there are few fish there.

However, it has the potential to be a community fishery once the new pond is stocked with mixed coarse fish.

The Environment Agency has teamed up with Neath Port Talbot Council for the project and are contributing £40,000 towards the £89,000 cost, with the council providing the remainder.

There are plans to completely refurbish the dam wall and construct six angling platforms accessible for everyone. Disabled anglers will be able to use the platforms, as well as a raised walkway on the south side of the pond. There will also be environmental improvements around the lake.

Work has begun and will be finished by next April.

There will be minimal disruption for visitors but some areas will be cordoned off for health and safety reasons.

The pond was originally constructed in the early 1700s to provide water for works run by the Mackworth family.

It has been used as a public swimming pool.

Once completed, the fishing lake will be managed by Skewen Angling Club.

Leader of Neath Port Talbot Council, Derek Vaughan, said: “This work will provide even better facilities for everyone and we are delighted the Environment Agency are joining us to develop the pond and the new fishing resource.

“This work is in addition to improvements at the visitor centre, the golf course and next year on the cascades.”