Salt Springs FL

[lizardsrule]

Well let's get the bad news over with first. I got skunked today, and my partner caught 1 10" dink We both are very poor at sight fishing for bedding bass to say the least. The weather didn't help with cloudy, rainy windy(from the east ) weather. To boot this is the number one spring in the area for bedding/sight fishing, connected to the St Johns river. So by today at 8:30am, the fish were beaten to death by tourneys, and hauled away, or locals etc... We did see several 4-6lbers, but no hawgs. I will say out of the 40 boats or so we saw today fishing this area, I only saw three fish landed, one being my partners dink. The springs around here will be getting pounded for months litterally for all the tourneys they run. The bedding fish are always removed back to weigh in, so you have to wait for the week for new ones to move in. I really dislike this type of fishing, but I do want to become better at it. Since we fish a buddy tourney series, we will get killed at weigh in until spawn is over, or we learn better how to catch these fish. I'm actually trying to talk my partner into fishing for the pre-spawning fish staging outside of the creeks. I guarantee you all the bass in this creek are either mating, or spawning, so no active fish at all. So it's bed fishing or nothing in the springs. Well I did get to go fishing today, that was nice rotfl.

Lizards

[Super Fluke]

Thanks for the report

[Vabass22]

It happens to everybody. Only thing you can do is take a good look at what you did, and think what you'll do next time to catch more fish!

[WTL]

A bad report is better than no report.



So I take it they are on bed there now? Is this restricted to the spring fed river, or throughout the area?

[skeeter944]

everybody gets skunked sometimes,it just is hard to think that a little green fish outsmarted us!

[Christopherkeene9]

Lizards this is what I'm afraid of right now, spawn, never fished it and haven't come home empty handed bass fishing in a long time.

[Rodman_Rob]

Lizards, keep in mind, fish will remain in those pre spawn areas until the temps are right and we're closer to a full moon. This last full moon had low water temps so look for the bedding bite to pick up later Jan. Early Feb., as the full moon is Feb. 2. Not to say there weren't any bedding fish in early Jan. but those would have been the stragglers.....the oddballs of Lake George.

[Rodman_Rob]

Chris, fish shallow water during the spawn. Look for what appears to be dinner plates in 1-6 foot of water (depending on water clarity and cover). Keep your baits on or near the bottom and fish slow. This is one of the worst most rewarding times of the year to fish.......if that makes any sense.

Originally Posted by Christopherkeene9

Lizards this is what I'm afraid of right now, spawn, never fished it and haven't come home empty handed bass fishing in a long time.

[lizardsrule]

Originally Posted by WTL

A bad report is better than no report.



So I take it they are on bed there now? Is this restricted to the spring fed river, or throughout the area?

Actually reports are of spawning fish in Astor in the Canals, and of course the springs. The reason lot's of people fish the springs is the water clarity is very high, and lot's, and lot's of bass bed there. So the spawn is already going on, last tourney we had the all the top teams fished the beds. It was a little closer to the full moon, with better conditions, but yes I expect the spawning to continue for the next 2 months in the springs, and start area wide this next full moon.

Originally Posted by Rodman_Rob

Lizards, keep in mind, fish will remain in those pre spawn areas until the temps are right and we're closer to a full moon. This last full moon had low water temps so look for the bedding bite to pick up later Jan. Early Feb., as the full moon is Feb. 2. Not to say there weren't any bedding fish in early Jan. but those would have been the stragglers.....the oddballs of Lake George.

Unfortunately the tourneys are on sundays, and at least 5-10 touneys hit the springs every Saturday. We launch out of Welaka, so it about a 30 minute ride to get there. Funny how all the toruneys are right around full moon LOL. I can assure you there are bedding bass in the springs, and have been for well over 3 weeks, water temps were 74 degrees in the springs.

Originally Posted by Christopherkeene9

Lizards this is what I'm afraid of right now, spawn, never fished it and haven't come home empty handed bass fishing in a long time.

Chris I have really never fished beds much, that is at least not knowingly. Yet I have caught many a egg filled bass. It's my favorite time of year to fish. You have spawners, prespawners, and post spawners all at the same time.

Lizards

[Rodman_Rob]

dang, heavily pressured, ultra clear shallow water. I don't even think 2 lbs fluro with a beetle spin would be downsized enough for those conditions, lol.

[crappie man]

Hope the fishing gets better soon , will be in the area second week of feb. comming down from Indy for a week, as it gets closer i'll write to see how things are looking?

[skeeter944]

welcome to the forum crappieman!

[lizardsrule]

Originally Posted by crappie man

Hope the fishing gets better soon , will be in the area second week of feb. comming down from Indy for a week, as it gets closer i'll write to see how things are looking?

Welcome, and watch out, you may not want to go back to Hoosierland after catching some of the bass down here. I didn't LOL.

Lizards

[flbassman]

The springs are verrrrrry hard. I'd suggest a flouro leader and spme small baits. For some reason, swimming a brown and red smallie jig works for me sometimes down there. Good luck!