Central Florida Bass Fishing Report January 2021

Paula and I would like to wish everyone a Happy New Year, and may it be a whole lot better than the last. That said, the one constant that we’ve had through this entire mess is fishing. The fish don’t have a clue and don’t care. They’re swimming around looking for their next meal and my goal is to put us in a position to get them to eat a Spook, a fluke, or a shiner.

 

So looking forward to this month’s fishing adventures we need to consider the air and water temps, moon phases, and weather pattern consistency. The Farmer’s Almanac is forecasting a cooler than normal January. If it’s a “flat” cooling trend then it’s not a big deal but if it spikes back and forth then that’s when it can change things, especially on the bigger ponds. Really, the only major factor to effect the full moon fish would be a major cold front pushing in within a 36 hour window before hand. I look at it this way since I do not target bedding bass: their are dramatically more fish in pre or post spawn patterns than actually spawning at one given time down here. I’ll take the higher percentages and actively feeding fish and let the others “do their thing” and keep the population healthy & strong.

 

Fishing out of Camp Mack on the Kissimmee Chain of Lakes I’m focusing on flats with shell beds, pads, eel grass, and/or hydrilla that is adjacent to deeper water. It doesn’t have to be some big drop off or channel, even older creek beds and ledges with even a 6”-12” differential can provide security to fish when fronts pass through. The baits of choice will be a Spook or other topwater bait early in the morning with the usual assortment of flukes and senkos in the mix. Always have a swimbait like the Gambler EZ Swimmer on hand along with a trap or chatterbait for good measure.

 

Moving over to the Winter Haven South Chain it’s a slightly different ball game with generally deeper spring fed lakes compared to the vast shallower “big” lakes. This is when electronics come into play big time. You want to find deeper grasslines next to flats where the fish can feed-up before and after the spawn without traveling too far. Look for deeper water when a front hits, and plenty of cover for the bait. Jerkbaits, flukes, and crankbaits are all on-deck out on these waters. Focus on more natural colors with the clearer waters and don’t be afraid to downsize your line and gear to get more bites.

 

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