LAKE/LOCATION: Lake Wauberg

WATER TEMP: upper 70’s

WATER COLOR & VISIBILITY: green, a bit dirtier than usual due to high rains and an algae bloom, visibility ranges from 6”-1 ½’

WEATHER: it’s rained for ~1wk. straight (water is up ~1’), this morning was cloudy with a wind 5-10 out of the SE, however by 11 or so the heavy cloud cover thinned for blue skies, a storm did roll in ~4pm and got me kicked off the lake

ESTIMATED CALENDER PERIOD: pre-summer, summer

BITE TIMES: 2 early on (~10:30) then another at 2pm and another at 3:30         

FISH BEHAVIOR: With the water up I started fishing the northern shoreline flipping, tossing a frog – junk fishing.  I broke off my first bite on some branches that had been submerged (the fish swatted at it once, then whacked it the second time).  No more than 15’ down the bank I then lost a 5lbs fish in nearly the same circumstance: newly submerged branches; the fish did something to the bait on the first flip then took it on the next.  I continued up the shoreline throwing a frog and hitting some other trees that provided like contexts to my first 2 bites without any luck.  What was odd was there were schools of shad everywhere cruising and surfacing.  The gar were hitting them but wouldn’t even glance at my frog – which is usually just the opposite.

After hitting a couple more bushes/trees without any luck I shot over to the timber shoreline.  I figured fish would be close to the bank with the high water so I buzzed through some water with a frog and a mini Rattl Trap – nadda.  Finally I stopped to hit a couple bushes I flipped my bait literally into the bush got hit hard and broke another off.  From there I hit the bush or 2 that were left without any luck and tried finesse fishing some of the off-bank wood. 

I went south and worked the skinny bank before the ski boat flipping.  Once again bait was everywhere but no takers.  I tried a bit of offshore fishing finesse worming and drop-shotting the southern pier but nothing. 

It looked like a storm was coming so I went and fished the few piers that are near the northern park.  I flipped some grass that’s usually productive without luck, hit some dock posts with a finesse worm, and finally just tossed a fluke to a bush basically on the bank and bang – I rolled a 5-6lbs. fish on the first twitch.  At that point I got booted off the lake 

LAKE/LOCATION: Lake Wauberg

WATER TEMP: 70’s

WATER COLOR & VISIBILITY: green, slightly dirty, ~1 ½’ visibility

WEATHER: the past few days have been consistently in the upper 70’s with lows only falling into the 50’s, today was the same, winds were out of the ESE at 10-15, sunny and clear with a high in the mid 80’s

ESTIMATED CALENDER PERIOD: ?spawn?, post-spawn, early summer

BITE TIMES:

                                                1^st 1lbs                         10:30

                                                2^nd 2.5lbs                     11:00

                                                3^rd 1lbs                         12:00

                                                4^th 1lbs                         14:00

                                                5^th 2lbs                         15:00

                                                6^th 2lbs                         15:30  

FISH BEHAVIOR: I basically went back and forth between fishing extra shallow and offshore.  Started off behind the floating pier with the sailboats and flipped the wanna be hyacinth.  There was movement however I only got one bite and didn’t get the fish on the edge of the grass.  I flipped the posts of the floating dock and ended up taking my first fish on the initial fall (I had been bit a couple times and then finally hooked the fish).  I got a few more bites off 2 of the poles but the rest were unproductive.  I moved to the little arrowhead bed next to one of the docks and took a 2.5lbs fish flipping a 1/2oz setup in the grass around the bed (reaction strike).

I went to the south end at that point and and flipped grass and some more wannabe hyacinth.  I ended up taking a 1 lbs fish from the first mat I sat on.  I took the fish pumping the bait and had sat on the matt for ~30min.  I flipped some more grass and pushed in to hit more matts – not another bite out of the matts.  A few of them had movement but no takers.  My 3^rd fish came flipping an isolated grass clump on the edge near the ski boat.

I then moved out and threw light straight worms at the docks on the south end.  Not all posts are equal and I had a fish follow up my worm from one and then caught him on the fall of the next cast.  ~20 min. later I took another fish off the exact same spot on the fall.  There were fish surfacing offshore, some seemed like bass but it was impossible to be sure.  I threw at them with no takers. 

Finally, I just went flipping on the east side.  I had no luck.  However, I ran into 4 or more ?post-bedding? fish protecting fry in less than a foot of water near the park benches.  At this point I only had 25 min. and I couldn’t get them to bite.  There were obvious beds however so there might still be a couple bedding.   

LAKE/LOCATION: Lake Wauberg

WATER TEMP: 70’s

WATER COLOR & VISIBILITY: green, dirtier than it’s been, more so on the south end

WEATHER: sunny and clear, highs in the low 80’s with winds at 15-20 out of the ENE

ESTIMATED CALENDER PERIOD: spawn, post-spawn

BITE TIMES:                 1^st                                12:35   3lbs.

                                                2^nd                                16:00   1lbs.

                                                3^rd                                16:15   2lbs.

FISH BEHAVIOR: It was definitely slower today than yesterday.  I started off junk fishing the northeastern shoreline without any success.  From there I hopped a few spots for the eastern shoreline point south.  I got one bite in a hole in the middle of a grass bed but wasn’t able to hook the fish.  My first fish came off the point right near the public boat launch out of a bed of arrowheads.  I flipped through the rest of the shoreline without any further bites. 

I decided to hit the dock of the southern park for awhile and had one bite.  The fish was on the deep end of the dock and came up and whacked my worm while I was reeling it in.  I couldn’t get a bit on a drop-shot, finesse setup, or a crank.  However, there was bait everywhere and I guarantee there were fish down there. 

Worked through the southern shoreline with a few bites but no takers.  I mixed it up flipping a 1oz setup deep into the grass and a ½ oz more towards the edges.  Finally I worked my way along the western docks.  I ended up getting bit by a dink in a small isolated arrowhead bed in less than 2’ of water.  Then, near the UF sailboat docks got a 2lbs in the little grass cut again in 2’ or less.

LAKE/LOCATION: Lake Wauberg

WATER TEMP: 70’s

WATER COLOR & VISIBILITY: green, the south shore was a bit muddier (brownish) than the western shoreline, avg. visibility was ~1’

WEATHER: a front went through at the beginning of the week dropping evening temps into the upper 30’s for ~3 days, however since then temps have been consistently in upper 70’s and 50’s at night, there have been high winds all week, TODAY, the morning was mostly cloudy up until ~12pm when it became partly sunny, winds were strong all day but kicked up to ~15 WSW in the afternoon, highs hit the low 80’s

ESTIMATED CALENDER PERIOD: spawn, post-spawn

BITE TIMES:      1^st        10:15                           2lbs.

                                    2^nd        10:30                           2lbs.

                                    3^rd        11:45                           1lbs.

                                    4^th        17:00                           2lbs.

FISH BEHAVIOR: The morning was hot – the heavy cloud cover was probably to thank.  I started just working my way down the docks basically junk fishing – throwing a little bit of everything.  My first fish, a 2lbs. came on a swim jig (reaction strike) ~1’ back in a grass cut right near the park.  I got another 1 dock down on the 10^th or so cast to a small patch of arrowheads.  I’d thrown a craw and swim jig in the same area but the fish finally bit on a 3/8oz tube shaking it.  I continued working the swim jig and Ratt’l trap around the edges and open water without luck; even worming and drop-shotting the docks.  I took 1 more fish that just grabbed a 1/2oz craw and swam on the grass edge. 

I then fished the timber shoreline with the same baits without a bite.  Once again there was a lot of surface action in open water but I couldn’t get anything to bite. 

At that point I started flipping sitting on a few arrowhead areas and spots in the grass without luck.  I got a few bites and broke one fish off.  I didn’t set myself up with the wind or make a plan in my approach and it showed – I don’t think the sun helped either.  I ended up not taking a fish until 5pm working my way back down the southern shoreline.  That fish came out of a grass hole where I’d gotten bit last weekend.  I ended up one short of a limit and the only reason for that was a loss of focus in the afternoon.  The bite turned off for a few hours and I got frustrated (watched a guy take a ~6 1/2lbs fish out of what was literally “1 of 3” of my little hole in the grass on a point). 

LAKE/LOCATION: Lake Wauberg

WATER TEMP: 70’s

WATER COLOR & VISIBILITY: green, cleaner, ~1’ visibility

WEATHER: there was a ton of rain over a ~2 day period a few days ago, weather has been sunny, very windy, and in the 70’s, today had highs in the low 80’s, winds out of the NE at 5-10, clear and sunny

ESTIMATED CALENDER PERIOD: spawn, post-spawn

FISH BEHAVIOR: I started off on the timber shoreline.  With the heavy rains early in the week I figured higher water levels would put fish on the bank and in the wood.  I tossed a topwater and a finesse worm to the bank and around isolated cover without a bite.  There was quite a bit of action on the surface and ~50yds. offshore so I switched up to a Ratt’l Trap without any success. 

At that point I started flipping the south shore with a ½ oz setup.  There was a lot of movement in all columns of the grass (from the edge to the skinniest water).  I ended up taking all my fish from cuts and holes in the grass – none in the arrowheads or lily pads although I did get one big bite in a bed of arrowheads.  I got a ton of bites and holds but I never adapted switching to a lighter weight and lighter rod.  There were two key areas that produced fish.  In the way of characteristics both: had a ton of holes and cuts surrounded by heavy grass patches; both were “points”; both were composed solely of maidecane.

LAKE/LOCATION: Lake Wauberg

WATER TEMP: 70’s

WATER COLOR & VISIBILITY: green, slightly clearer than last week (prior to today’s winds) ~1’ visibility

WEATHER: temps have been consistently in the 70’s with nights not dropping below 50, today had a high in the mid 70’s with partly to mostly cloudy skies, the big kicker was the wind ~20mph first out of the SSE then turning to the SSW with gusts up to 40

ESTIMATED CALENDER PERIOD: spawn, post-spawn

FISH BEHAVIOR:  The wind ended up pushing me off the lake early – not by choice, the park closed the boat rentals down due to wind.  Didn’t come up with a limit either which I’ll chalk up to loss of time and getting frustrated. 

I started off fishing the pilings on the pier of the southern park tossing a 1/8 oz. straight-tail, a dropshot-rig, and a crankbait without getting a bite.  There was some surface action on the outside of the pilings but it was most likely gar.

I moved in t the grass bed behind the pier and flipped.  There was quite a bit of action in the shallow pockets and I took my first fish flipping to a swirl in a hole. 

I hit the southeastern corner for about 45 minutes following without getting a bite then moved to the southern shoreline.  I got a few bites near the ski boat but never took a fish. 

I ended up flipping the southern shoreline “selectively” for the rest of the day.  My second fish came from an obvious cut then hole in the grass – and bit twice.  There the grass point west of the larger point had a ton of movement during my first pass however I never got a bite out of any of the holes.  I did sit on some arrowheads without getting a single bite from any of the beds.  I also saw some fish just cruising – flipped to them and they were completely uninterested – outside the grass line. 

LAKE/LOCATION: Lake Wauberg

WATER TEMP: 70’s

WATER COLOR & VISIBILITY: green, visibility 6”-1’

WEATHER: another windy day, the past 4 or nights have been slightly cooler and it rained yesterday, today was in the low 70’s winds out of the ESE at 15-20 with varying degrees of partly to mostly cloudy

ESTIMATED CALENDER PERIOD: spawn, post-spawn

FISH BEHAVIOR: Back on ‘em.  I ended up catching a limit, nothing huge, but a limit all the same.  I burned through the timber shoreline first tossing a Ratt’l Trap into the wind.  Came through without a bite and went to flipping on the south shore.  Instead of hopping like the past two weekends I flipped pretty much everything but spent extra time and attention on and around the spawning areas from 3-14 and 3-15.  My bites were mixed coming from both holes in the Kissimmee Grass and arrowheads.  There was also a mix of reaction strikes and bites shaking the bait.  I also switched up between a ½oz. black and blue craw and a 3/8oz. watermelon red beaver bait (interestingly I got more bites on the watermelon red beaver bait even though the water seems a bit too dirty for it).

Some of my fish were obviously males.  In a few cases I spent about 15 or so minutes afterwards flipping the spot.  I got bit in two holes but never ended up getting a female. 

Four of my five came from the southern shoreline between 1-3:30pm.  I ended up fishing up the southeastern shoreline looking for my fifth bite.  There was quite a bit of movement in the grass but my only bite was my fifth fish.      

LAKE/LOCATION: Lake Wauberg

WATER TEMP: low 70’s

WATER COLOR & VISIBILITY: green and ~1’ visibility

WEATHER: a front is coming and yesterday saw 10-15mph winds with highs in the low 70’s, today the winds kicked up to 15-20 out of the NNE, mostly sunny with highs in the low 70’s

ESTIMATED CALENDER PERIOD: spawn, post-spawn

FISH BEHAVIOR:  Things have changed.  I stuck with the same approach I took last weekend jumping arrowhead beds.  The wind inhibited me from sitting on the spots that were so productive last week but I was able to decently hit those on the eastern shoreline.  I got bit once in the morning on the arrowheads and nothing more.  I stuck with the same pattern thinking things would kick up in the afternoon as they did last weekend – such was not the case.  I finally turned to flipping grass and caught one 2lbs. fairly shallow and most likely on a bed and lost one power flipping near the grass edge.  I also saw about a 3lbs fish suspended off the grass line and holding – possibly a bed near there – but along with a few other bites and some movement in the grass nadda.  Obviously I should have changed up my approach and picked up on the signals saying the spawn was either over or in a pause but I didn’t want to sacrifice even one big bite.  I did try to switch it up late in the afternoon power flipping and going to a more finesse rod to flip but frankly it was too late.  Also, though not completely debilitating, the wind made things tuff.  My bites last weekend were sometimes subtle – as in I didn’t even feel them – and dead sticking was nearly impossible today.  You win some you lose some.

LAKE/LOCATION: Lake Wauberg

WATER TEMP: 70’s

WATER COLOR & VISIBILITY: green, still dingy only ~6” visibility

WEATHER: beautiful, still in the consistent weather swing (there was a possibility for rain today but it never showed up), partly cloudy with a high in the low 80’s, winds 10-15 SSW

ESTIMATED CALENDER PERIOD: spawn, post-spawn

FISH BEHAVIOR: I didn’t think I could improve on yesterday but I did.  I went in to today with a plan, an idea where the fish would be and how to catch them, and open mind – it paid off.  To put it simply (if it’s even possible on Wauberg) I took a run and gun approach.  I focused solely on isolated arrowhead beds and the immediate grass surrounding them.  I would hit a spot, sit on it for 10-15 minutes; if I didn’t get a bite I’d move to my next spot.  Only one of my bites today came in the first few flips on a spot – and it was a 2lbs. male.  All my other fish including the ~7lbs. and the ~10lbs. came after about 10 minutes – i.e. there were beds down there, you couldn’t see them you just had to have faith.  I had about 11 spots at the beginning of the day but the wind knocked knocked me off 4 of them (sadly enough the 4 I didn’t touch the day before) and I simply rotated between the other 7 – I fished some of them as many as 3 times over.

I caught fish on a couple different baits but my go to was a 1/2oz. flipping setup with an Ultra Vibe Craw.  I would hit the spots with 2 different retrieves over and over again: either continual shaking or dead sticking the bait for 15-20secs. reel it in and flip it and dead stick it again. 

The fish bit all day but action definitely got hotter after ~12:30p.m.  Probably the most interesting thing was specifically where I caught fish today in contrast to yesterday.  I ended up turning to some of the same spots I hit yesterday but instead of getting bites in the same exact areas my fish came from secondary areas that I’d fished yesterday without success.  When I say secondary areas I simply mean for example instead of getting bit in a larger thick bed in say 2’ of water I got bit 20’ from there in less than a foot of water in a little scattering of grass. 

Granted the spawn is on and it isn’t that hard to catch fish anywhere right now, faith in my plan and approach (an sticking with it) definitely put the two biggest fish of the day on the end of my line.

LAKE/LOCATION: Lake Wauberg

WATER TEMP: 70’s

WATER COLOR & VISIBILITY: green, as dirty as it’s been, ~6” visibility

WEATHER: it’s been stable and warm for ~8 days, highs in the upper 70’s and lows only to the 50’s, today was no exception with a high in the low 80’s partly cloudy skies (a bit cloudier in the morning) and winds out of the SSW at ~5-10

ESTIMATED CALENDER PERIOD: spawn, post-spawn

FISH BEHAVIOR: One of those days you remember for years.  I was bit skeptical about what I would find today – in lieu of the consistent weather and the big fish I’ve already seen come out of Wauberg, I had the sinking feeling it was over; it’s not.

In the spirit of “seeing what’s happening” I started fishing the wooded shoreline in the SW.  I was basically power-fishing tossing a YUM frog and a swimming a Gambler paddle tail worm with a 1/4oz. weight.  Nothing.

Then I started flipping……  Right off the bat I lost a 4-5lbs fish shaking a 1/2oz. Ultra Vibe Craw in a small patch of arrowheads (not setting the hook solid haunted me thru the first part of the day, but I noticed it and corrected it).  I continued on flipping the grass.  There were tons of gar in the grass suspended.  I ended up getting a few more bites in the grass shaking the bait and then letting it sit.  I even flung a dink over the boat where he immediately came off. 

I kept with the grass but then sat on areas mixed with arrowheads.  I took my first fish out of gap in the grass in a shallow patchy bed.  The fish just thumped it after letting it sit a moment.  Things started kicking up from that point on.  I ended up losing a fish in an arrowhead bed just a few yards down (very likely the 8-9lbs fish that came later).  I skipped from spot to spot along the southern shoreline finally hooking my second and third fish stopped in the same area.  Once again shaking then dead sticking was the key.

Knowing that I had something working with the 4 or so spots, instead of moving on I decided to refish the areas.  I also wanted to put together a limit – at this point I really didn’t care about size, I just wanted to put 5 in the boat and I felt the fish were there. 

My first 2 spots yielded nothing and I noticed I was starting to move fast and make some mistakes – not only that it was already 2:30.  I tried to rein myself in and focus on the fact that the fish were there and if I got #4 #5 would be easy.  Finally I got a break.  Dead sticking I layed into an 8-9lbs fish (no hook setting issues this time).  She was about 2’ in, in a hole in the arrowheads.  Number 5 was just a few yards down the way.  Once again a little ways into the arrowhead, this time however he whacked it – a 3lbs. fish. 

At this point I flipped right around refishing my spot for a 3^rd time.  This time I didn’t even bother quick flipping the spaces in between I just hopped spots.  My first spot I sat on for about 5 minutes and then missed a fish (interestingly I knew there was a fish in there, she had splashed huge – probably trying to get the gar from the bed – noting the splash was different form the little gar boils was key).  After missing her I knew exactly where the bed was so I just kept pitching and shaking (working around in a 4’ square, trying to figure out the sweet spot).  At last I got hit and took about a 3.5lbs fish but the fish I missed had come out of the water and this wasn’t it.  I kept on sitting on the spot and no more than 3 pitches later I tallied up a 6-7lbs. fish.  What a day.