Summer Florida fishing is horrid

[Mebassn]

Ok Florida guys i need some guidence, I fish Lake Santa Fe alot and have been either getting one fish or just totally blanked and this has been going on for the past month or 2. The water level was 4ft BUT has come up a foot or so since the rain. Prior to this terrible fishing streak the bass were schooling in giant schools with fish up to 5lbs in them. Ever since they stopped the scholing i have lost track of them. I have tried flippin/pitchin the weeds which are sticking 2-3 ft out of the water. I have tried off shore cover (no structure ie points or humps just sloping sand) I can catch catfish and mud fish all day and get the ever so hungry rogue bass to hit but thats all. Yesterday i got a 3.3 off a brushpile at 1:15 after fishing all morning w/o a bite in that same area. So here's my question...Where should I start in the early am. I have tried topwater along the weeds and flukes also but nothing. Morning water temp is 82-84 and by 10am it's 88.



Thanks

Eric H.

 

[Russ Charles]

Not familiar with Lake Santa Fe, but I have been fishing East Lake Toho and some smaller chains (Winter Park and Butler). We have a small (20 boats) tournament every Friday night (7:00 - 1:00) Friday we were 2nd with 16-4 (5 fish limit). First place was 19-7 (5 fish limit). Our fish came from pitching worms to the front edge of reed lines in 4' of water. Winning weight came from casting to sparse clumps of reeds in 4'-6' fo water. This morning I had at least 15 fish (all nice keepers, no big fish)in Winter Park fishing open water grass beds in 6' of water with 6" worm. Between 7:00 and 9:00. After 9:00 they turned off though. I think the key here in FL because of the high water temps is to find areas the have a lot of green plant life because of the oxygen levels. Hope this helps.



Russ

 

[Mebassn]

Thanks Russ, Santa Fe is ringed with weeds, it's like fishing in a bowl, there is nothing off shore as far as weeds go, just some brush piles here and there. This time last year was the first time i fished here in Fla, (military moved me here from Maine) I will press on and hopefully i can regain some confidence and shake this negitive streak.



Thanks

Eric H.