Hello All from Lakeland

My name is Donnie and i live in central Lakeland. My girlfriend and I recently bought what i think is a pretty good little fishing boat. Its a Gheenoe lt 25. it has a 55lb thrush trolling motor and is very comfy for 2 people to fish from.
http://i376.photobucket.com/albums/o...pso9dijnlo.jpg

I spent my fist 40 yrs fishing with my grandad, who was the fishing master in our family. He always knew where to to go catch whatever. He never wasted a moment targeting bass, snook, tarpon etc. Specks (crappie) Bream (bluegill)catfish, mullet (hook and line, no nets) were his targets. He came from the depression and was pretty much fishing for dinner. If he happened to catch a bass or a snook or maybe a redfish he was tickled but it was not his target species. He passed 8 yrs ago @ the age of 97 and fished avidly all except the last 5 yrs. I miss him.

My girlfriend only fished a couple times when she was a young girl in Ohio. I am trying to show her some of the Florida i grew up with. Although i have lived in Polk County my entire life I have never fished any lakes in Lakeland. Was wondering if someone might provide some advice/direction on the lakes in Lakeland/Auburndale/Lake Alfred cities?

I see there is a fellow posting Lakeland fishing reports(Pascador?). Hope he will chime in.
Many Thanks,
Donnie

Hi Donnie,

Welcome to Crappie.com, lots of good folks here willing to share their information in a friendly way.

I am learning as I go, just moved to Florida a year ago this month.

If you have lived in POLK County you have probably heard of many of these places. I would check out the Bait and Tackle shop at Saddle Creek, also the Big Fish Tackle store in N. Lakeland for starters. They will help, in which lakes fishermen are catching different species. Tenoroc is a State managed fishery, if you Google, will give you all info needed. If you buy the Ledger on Thursday, they give a pretty up to date fishing report, for many of the area Lakes. Another place is the Winter Haven Chain of Lakes.

If you are targeting Largemouth Bass, I think they are in every Lake and small pond around!

I have leaned more towards Crappie, and I am starting to find them more and more, as I discover the many different Lakes in our area.

Good luck, I hope you and your girlfriend, enjoy fishing the area as much as I do.

pescador

Thats a good lookin LT! This board will really light up come around mid October. Watch the FCC schedule and if there is an event around your area, go to weigh ins, and watch and listen. Fisjhin813, Davedirt, Yelim and a few others are in your area. Marv gave some great advice to start on. Welcome to the board.

Fishin813 has rigged a Gheenoe for trolling for speckled perch. If you can get him to show you what he did with Gheenoe. May be hard for him to type right now, he has some pretty sore fingers. FWC has boat ramp listings by counties, look them up and try them all. The last two years I have heard good reports from Lake Hollingsworth in Lakeland.

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by Yelim

Fishin813 has rigged a Gheenoe for trolling for speckled perch. If you can get him to show you what he did with Gheenoe. May be hard for him to type right now, he has some pretty sore fingers. FWC has boat ramp listings by counties, look them up and try them all. The last two years I have heard good reports from Lake Hollingsworth in Lakeland.

---

Hi Yelim,

My wife and I just took a ride around Lake Hollingsworth a couple of days ago. The good reports that you have heard, is that for Specks?

Thanks,

pescador

Good looking Gheenoe - LT interesting polling platform - does it also have the
25hp mtr on it ? Wow that will push you through the water at plain clip.

Many lakes in your area have Spec's (crappie) in them................Some are small
others produce really good eaters.

Depends on how far you wish to travel..........and if you are thinking about targeting
certain species of fish ie: crappie - bluegill - shellcrackers etc.

Glad to have you come aboard - hope your stay and postings continue for long time.
This is excellant forum to work with.

Hello from a neighbor to the south! Like you I just got a boat and am trying out the lakes around Highlands county. Your rig is a lot nicer than mine is ! Since you are in Florida an Okeechobee trip at some time should be in your future . istapoga is not too much of a trip from where you are and produces a lot of bass . Oncew the water levels go up ,a trip down the Peace river might be something you'd want to look at. Very scenic and lots of structure to fish in the polk to Arcadia run.

Welcome Donnie,
You're at a great location in Central Florida. Polk County has a lot to offer. Being a Native, I have always heard about Lake Gibson for bluegill and shellcracker.
Do a search here for info on Kissimmee, Harris Chain&Griffin (Leesburg), Monroe (Sanford@I-4). There are 'Get Togathers' and FCC tournaments at these waters. You have time for some homework as the best Speck fishing will occur when the weather cools. Again welcome and post some pics on the water.

Welcome Donnie..,

Lakeland here also.. It sounds like most of the places have been mentioned that I've Crappie fished locally..., Tenoroc, Saddle Creek, Lake Parker, Kissimmee, Hatchinhaw, Crooked Lake, Toho, Walk-in the Water...

I also salt water fish the inner bay also..

Not so sure on the fishing in Hollingsworth.., I definitely wouldn't eat them as it's mainly a road run-off sink-hole made lake..

John

Welcome aboard, I highly recommend the lakes Skiffin mentioned. I personally frequent Hatchineha and the Kissimmee chain. The Clermont Chain isn't too far and is a nice change of scenery, but is predominantly recreational useage during the warm months, so go early early or night time.

I bass fished Lake Gibson once, didn't do so well, but that is typicall whenever I bass fish :)

Once you decide on a where you wish to start. let me know either on site or through
pm and i will try and help you all i can.
As the guys have stated you are in an excellant area for several types of fishing.........
and look to have the equipment to handle it.............

Yes speckled perch in the cooler months.

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by pescador

Hi Yelim,

My wife and I just took a ride around Lake Hollingsworth a couple of days ago. The good reports that you have heard, is that for Specks?

Thanks,

pescador

---

Hello and thanks for the encouraging words!!
Couple questions. Am i to take it that "long lining" or trolling with jigs really doesnt work in florida during the summer? Everyone seems to suggest cooler months for specks?
Anyone familiar with Lake John? Can be launching my boat in 5 mins from house. It appears on map to be 3 canals that were probably phosphate or borrow pits that are connected to a lake that border a golf course (cleveland heights). Met a man there couple years ago that said he really slayed the specks there the previous yr.
headed to Johns Pass Sunday Night. Hopefully we'll get some pics!!!





'

Speckled Perch (Crappie -Spec's) eat year round...........they are just a little harder
to located once the primary spawn if over Nov - mid April.

I use to fish and catch a lot of nice specs in those three canals you mention south of and connecting Lake John. Putting in at the small ramp at Peterson Park off of Cleveland Heights.

They dredged Lake Hollingsworth several years ago and the water in those canals turned murky and haven't fished them since.. They dumped the dredge water supposedly south of the canals, and south of the Parkway, but it sure changed the water in those canals..

Lake John is over run with those algae feeders the last few times I've been in there..

Again, that was in the spawning months... Most of the lakes in Lakeland, other than maybe Parker are too shallow I think for long lining..

You can drift fish at different times and be effective.. Mud Lake near Polk City is another that I've caught crappie drifting..

Any thoughts on Lake Hunter. Small lake south of the Ledger building? Often stop there to flush my outboard and trlr after doing salt water. Lots of nice lily pads and reeds.

Same here as for running my motor when I need to, I use Lake Hunter, only a few miles from me.. I've seen people fishing the pads on the west side, and south..

But I haven't fished the lake..

Nice boat.