Winter Haven Chain of Lakes

Bluegill (bream) fishing has slowed during the winter months. Black crappie (specks) fishing will be good through March. Drift live Missouri minnows or troll with Hal flies and small spinners over grass beds for the best action. Florida bass fishing can be slow at times with the cold fronts moving in and out. Most fish during this time of year are caught on live wild shiners, and plastic worms fished slowly around cattails and bulrush (buggy whips). Try using a lipless crankbait or jerkbait along deeper grass beds. Bass will begin to spawn as early as January and continue through April, depending on water temperatures, so fish shallow areas with cattails, bulrush and Kissimmee grass present with plastic lizards, crawfish, and other soft plastics such as the Zoom Z-Craw in junebug, red shad, and tilapia colors. Fishing in the many canals in the chain can also produce some nice fish. Tight lines!