Thanks to almost 8″ of rain or more during the month of June, freshwater fishing around Polk County is surprisingly good for panfishing anglers. July Fourth weekend, brought 50-fish limits of combined shellcracker and bluegill were common on area lakes this weekend.
Many families were out fishing for the holiday, fishing was better for everything including bass. Some families went no farther than their area lake, except for the city’s fireworks show on Friday night of coarse. But for those who plan to hit the lake for this weekend, there’s a solid bite going on for shellcracker and bluegill.
Limits of the tasty panfish are being reported at six different lakes –Eloise, Kissimmee, Marion, Pierce, Rochelle and Saddle Creek Park. Anglers at Crooked Lake and Lake Arbuckle are icing down 15 to 20 before the daily thundershowers force them off the water.
Polk County received 7.65 inches of rain in June, and much of that fell on the Kissimmee Chain also.
With the influence of the new moon on last Friday pulling the bream up shallow to spawn this week, action should continue into this weekend.
From Staff and Wire Reports
BassOnline.com