Bluegill are hot everywhere in Polk. And bass? Well, you'll need to be more selective

1. In Lakeland, the bluegill bite has been hot on Lake Parker and Saddle Creek near the campground using grass shrimp and crickets. At Tenoroc, bass and bluegill have been active, with bass hitting shiners, reports Phillips Bait and Tackle (863-666-2248).

2. In Auburndale and Lake Alfred, bass have been active on Lake Ariana with 3- to 4-pounders being the heaviest. Best bet is to fish during the week as the lakes aren’t as active. On lakes Haines, Rochelle and Alfred, an 8-pound bass was taken out of the water from the docks on Lake Alfred using a small shiner. Plenty of 2- to 3-pounders on all three lakes. Shellcracker bite has been fantastic on Lake Rochelle. For more information, contact Ron Schelfo at Ron’s Tackle Box (863-956-4990).

3. In Winter Haven, the mouth of the canals is where it’s at for bluegill, catfish and bass thanks to the moving water says Schelfo. Capt. Bill Goudy reports topwater minnow style baits on the clear lakes in the chain are working well for bass. Use Carolina-rigged soft plastics on brush piles and deep-diving crankbait on shell beds. Shiners are good on the outside edge of submerged grass. For a guided fishing trip with Capt. Goudy, call Bass Online (888-629-2277).

4. In Lake Hamilton, on the big lake, bass are tough to catch, but there are still plenty of fish in the grass. Flipping is still dominant to catching big ones out there with a 3/8 or ½-ounce weight with a black-and-blue senko or creature baits on deeper grass lines, as well as a trap along the edge of grass lines in the lowlight parts of the day. Shellcracker and bluegill are still in buggy whips or pads, with crickets or worms. Specks are few and far in between, most being caught trolling with white or chartreuse jigs or with lights at night in open water using minnows. On the middle lake, a few bass are being caught here and there with senkos. Specks are being caught more frequently in the main lake around the buoys with lights and minnows. On the little lake, bluegill and shellcracker are being caught in and around patches of pads with crickets or worms. The bass bite has been strong flipping grass with a 3/8 or ½-ounce weight with dark style creature baits on heavy braided line, reports local guide Kyle Brewer. Contact Kyle at fishingbud55@gmail.com.

5. On Lake Marion near Haines City, bass are being caught flipping the Kissimmee grass on the east side on swim jigs and speed worms. Frogs have been working before 9 a.m., and after just flipping the outside line. Spinnerbait in the loose patches of grass has worked as well. Shellcracker and bluegill are being caught on the northwest and southeast pad patches dipping crickets and worms in the holes in the pads. Specks have been caught with lights at night in 6 to 8 feet of water with minnows, reported Brewer.

6. On Lake Pierce, specks can still be had on the south side drifting minnows in about 6 feet of water. Bluegill are in the pads down by Jennings Fish Camp on the east side of the lake. The bass bite has been good early in the morning with topwater bait in the heavy grass, then switching to the brush piles later in the day on crankbaits, jerkbaits and Carolina rigs, reports Jim Childress of Big Bass Bait & Tackle (352-207-7520).

What's Biting: Bluegill

Until the temps come down a little and the water level rises a bit, bluegill are going to be the one to catch for quantity over bass. Crickets, red worms and grass shrimp in lily pads or near the grass lines should net you a nice amount of pan fish.  

Strike zones: 1, 3, 4, 5, 6, 9, 11 

7. On Lake Hatchineha, bass fishing has been very tough because of shallow water, but they are catching a few fish around the goal post and in Gator Cove. Speck fishing has been pretty good dragging minnows at night in 6 to 7 feet of water, reports Bridgemaster Fishing Products (863-676-1009).

8. On Lake Toho, the artificial bite remains steady. Throwing larger ribbon-tail and speed worms in the sporadic pepper grass has been producing good strikes. There is still a topwater bite early in the morning. The water temps are still high, so you want to fish everything low and slow. The shiner bite is still producing as well in deeper water, says Mike Groshon from Bass Online (888-629-2277).

9. On Lake Kissimmee, bass fishing has been very good flipping a black-and-blue tip senko in Kissimmee grass patches around Bird and Rabbit Island. Bluegill have also been biting very good near 27 Palms on red worms and crickets, reports Bridgemaster Fishing Products.

10. On Lake Walk-in-the-Water, bass fishing has been slow, but they are catching a couple fish in the Indian Lake Estates canal on a Z-man Jackhammer and a popping frog. Speck fishing has also been good on the brush piles with minnows, reports Bridgemaster Fishing Products.

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11. On Crooked Lake, bluegill has been the best bite using red worms on the bottom on the north and south ends of the lake. The bass bite has remained good, with live bait being the best bet especially near the college and down by the mouths of Big and Little Crooked. The bluegill bite on Little Crooked has been good on crickets and worms around the edge of the grass and some of the docks, says Childress. 

12. In Frostproof, on Lake Clinch the bluegill bite has remained strong on the southwest side using red worms fished on the bottom in 12 feet of water. Bass bite has been strong on the west side drifting live bait. Brush piles are producing good quality bass on deep-diving crankbait and Carolina rig. On Lake Reedy, there was a report of a 10-pound bass caught on a plastic worm down by the lily pads in the southwest corner. Good quality bass have been caught on the south side and also in the brush piles during the day. Bluegill bite has been good in the pads on the southwest side. On Lake Arbuckle, bluegill have remained strong in the pads and Cypress trees on the south side of the lake, reports Childress. 

13. In Mulberry, the bite turned off over the past week. Those that are getting bites are working worms slowly with an 1/8-ounce or 3/16-ounce weight. Junebug and watermelon red worms were the colors that worked best. Topwater bite has disappeared, says Danny Hamm of Bull Bay Tackle Company (863-937-3292).