SEPTEMBER 2003

 

Submitted by George, Imagination Bassin Guide Services

Date Fished: 9/27/03
Water Temperature: 83
Water Clarity: 2-3 feet

Over the last two weeks we are seeing changes on the Marsh/Farm almost daily. Areas that had heavy hydrilla mats are suddenly opening up, and areas that have had no hydrilla are daily gaining more and more.

Other than water levels dropping there has been little change on the Marsh side. On several stops we have found shad, (threadfin), and bass at both Twin Palms, and in the NW areas of the Marsh. There has been some occasional shad busts in the SW area but the bass have been small.

On the Farm side in addition to the water levels dropping we have seen hydrilla on the rise and in areas matted there are now many holes. The western N/S irrigation ditch has a light scattering of hydrilla above the intersection and as you proceed to the south end it gets quite dense. As you get further south it opens up again and the entire south end is pretty much open. We have been finding fish down there but size was not impressive.

In the SW area the mat is changing on an almost daily basis. Back in the extreme south most of the area is open. We have found willing bass with both plastics and spinner baits down there with the occasional hit on top water. Further out the hydrilla is growing rapidly. This area has held some good fish that are willing to go for top water baits and plastics.

Between that ditch and the center N/S ditch south of the E/W ditch you will find scattered hydrilla as you head south and then a mat, with the extreme south opening up. We have found bass scattered, but no concentrations. Plastics have been the best producing bait unless it is open enough for a rattle trap.

The center N/S ditch has grass most of its length and although we haven't found a lot of fish along this we have found some good fish north of the intersection. Again plastics and rattletraps have worked best through here.

The eastern N/S ditch is also pretty well lined with hydrilla its entire length and we have found some fish on the north end and some below the intersection. In between this ditch and the center ditch the mat that was solid only last week is opening up and there are some big holes down towards the south. The south end of the lake has opened up but we didn't find anything much in the deep south. We did find some fish in some of the openings however and would expect them to be hot spots in the next few days.

East of the eastern ditch below the E/W ditch is sporadic to matted out hydrilla and we have found some good bass over there. Plastics, top water and spinner baits have worked over there.

The spillway has been closed to a slow trickle and although there are bass in the area they can be tough to get with artificial. The pump has been run several times and although we have seen a couple days of good current over there we saw very few bass and caught even less.

Basically it boils down to working the areas on the south end and the ditches. Buzz baits are good in the morning and afternoon with spinner baits and plastics in between. Once you get on a group it's a good idea to stay with them as the bite is on and off throughout the day. Our best plastic has wavered between flukes jerked across the top and Senkos worked weightless. Spinner baits in white, chartreuse and gold/gold have done well. Plastics have been dark if down and light if up on top. Buzz baits have been white and the more noise the better.

Be prepared for rain and if you sense the chance of lightening get off the lake. Last week we had a death due to lightening not far from the lake. Don't play with the storms, it's not worth it. It's still warm so be sure to have plenty of fluids on board. Also remember that this lake can get nasty with the wind.

See you on the water. Say hi if you get the chance.

 

 

Submitted by Mike Peace - 9/12/03

GEORGE--JOHN MICHAEL HAS BEEN AFTER ME FOR A MONTH OR SO NOW TO SEND THIS TO YOU...HIS SECOND TROPHY BUT THIS ONE CAME ON ARTIFICIAL..( WEIGHTLESS SENKO)...WAS A PROUD DADDY THAT DAY...LOL..REALLY ENJOYED TIME OUT WITH YOU LAST SUMMER....BEEN REALLY BUSY BUT WILL HOPEFULLY HOOK UP WITH YOU SOON. REALLY ENJOY YOUR REPORTS....JOHN AND I READ THEM DAILY....THIS KID IS ON FIRE....THINK I AM SPOILING HIM?  YOU BETCHA  !!!        PEACE

 

Submitted by George 9/12/03


Over the last week we have experienced considerable changes in weather, water flow, and cooperating bass. The fishing has been good but the banner days that we experienced over the last few weeks has definitely slowed down. What we have found in the spillway area as they raised and lowered the gate on an almost daily basis was the fishing was good in the early AM and then again later in the day.

One of the changes in the spillway was the result of a large backhoe removing all the vegetation from the shorelines both in the spillway area inside the cable, and down the west side outside of the spillway. Much of the cover that a lot of bass were hiding under has been removed, but it did not chase the bass away except while the machine was working. Jeff Goins from West Virginia and his father spent a couple of days with me and both days we found fish willing to bite the baits presented.

One of the techniques that Jeff used was the drop shot and with the reduced current it proved the ticket to several bites and bass in the boat. In addition Carolina rigs, chug bugs, and soft jerk baits worked in this area. As we moved out into the Farm we found bass using spinner baits in addition to T-rigs, soft jerk baits, and weightless Senkos. There were bass in the SE area of the Farm, along the eastern N/S irrigation ditch, and at the pump house. Neither day produced a huge bass but they did manage to catch some in the 4 to 6 pound range. Jeff's father lost a big one inside of the cable but without getting it in the boat makes the size anyone's guess.

Over the last week the Senko has proven to be our best bait, producing when all else fails. It accounted for catches from 25 to 40 bass per day and it produced rigged Texas style, Carolina style, and weightless. One of the things that we found on yesterdays foray was several 3-5 pound bass on the north end of the center N/S ditch. Carolina rigs worked best but we also got a couple with the chrome/blue rattletrap. There has been some shad busting taking place in the SW of the Marsh but it has been sporadic and the bass in the area have been small.

We tried the SW area of the Farm and really didn't find much although sporadic pickings of small bass were there. The south end of the center N/S ditch seems to have cooled and the bass caught in that area were also small. The pump house is working well if the current is clearly visible but if it is not strong the bite is very sporadic and the fish have been on the smaller size. The front cut into the Marsh has had little to no current although the exit gate is still clear of water. There is simply too much water north of us for the water in the Marsh/Farm to flow out.

The most prevalent question that I get in e-mails and from clients is, "What is the history of the Marsh/Farm? When did they first develop it? When did they stock it? When was it opened to the public for fishing?" The following is a response to these questions directly from St. John's Water Management.

Steven J. Miller [sjmiller@sjrwmd.com]
Thu 9/11/2003 9:47 AM

The Stick Marsh was first flooded in 1987 however water levels did not exceed 3 feet until 1988. At this time the area was contained entirely by remnant farm levees and inflow to the area occurred only from rainfall and runoff from Fellsmere Farms. In April-May 1990, construction of the northernmost levee and Structure S-96B was completed. S-96B allows discharge from the Stick Marsh to occur to the the north. (My add - Exit gate in the NW corner) Prior to completion of this structure discharge had occurred through a privately owned culvert structure. In Aug 1993 the levee that borders the east side of the Stick Marsh was completed along with Structure S-96D. S-96D allows for discharge into the Stick Marsh from the Blue Cypress Water Management Area. (My add - Spillway in the SE Corner of the Farm) In 1988 the FGFWC (My add - FGFWC = Fish & Game Fresh Water Commission) stocked the Stick Marsh with 20,000 largemouth bass and 50,000 bluegill-redear sunfish. This stocking simply supplemented an existing fish population which was already present in the internal canal system that was flooded. To protect over harvest of the largemouth bass the FGFWC implemented a "no harvest" regulation in Jan 1990.
 
I hope this answers all your questions. Please don't hesitate to contact me if I can provide any further information.

Highlighted areas are my additions to the response and are for explanatory purposes.

In addition to the above mentioned fish I have been told that they did put in some sunshine bass, (cross between white bass and striper), and I have in the past in fact caught some. They also put in some redfish of which I know of none caught. However, to my knowledge they are none of either in the Marsh/Farm at this time. We have a crappie, (specs) population that is phenomenal, lots of catfish, some chain pickerel, some mudfish, some gar, and a odd duck fish called a needle fish. The lake abounds in wildlife, from numerous species of birds, several different types of turtles, several different types of cats, otters, and of course a very healthy population of gators. The marshes that surround here also play host to many different species and we occasionally see deer, wild hogs, and different types of snakes. All in all, we not only have a fantastic fishery, but we have a living zoo in which we play.

See you on the water. Say hi if you get the chance.

 

 

Submitted by George 9/5/03

The last week of fishing has been pretty darn good with full days seeing catches of 40 or more bass up to 7 pounds. We are not seeing the catches at the spillway area in the SE end of the Farm like we had been, but the bite there is still consistent enough to warrant spending the day there.
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The gate on the spillway has been going up and down on almost a daily basis and the water flow is coming from well south of us out of the groves south of Rte. 60, and out of the Ft Drum Conservation area. At any time you can be presented with a wild run of weed, and although you can't fish when a mess like the one above is coming through, when it clears the fishing can be dynamic. With all the small bait coming through and being knocked off the grass by the current, the shad and bream show up in force and right behind them the bass. If you show up in the morning and the bite isn't there, it just might be a good idea to come back again later and you just might find one of these guys in there.

Fishing out in the lake has been good with some exciting top water soft bait bite. White or white variation shad have produced bass to 8 pounds as we worked them in the SE area of the Farm in and around the spread out hydrilla. Most hits are being had at the edges of the hydrilla rather than out of pockets in the mats. Also weightless Senkos have been producing well.  Areas along the eastern N/S irrigation ditch, south of the intersection are producing with weightless Senkos, working from the outside casting back to the edges of the hydrilla that lines the ditch. We are also finding more activity in the SW areas of the Farm and top water soft jerk baits, rattletraps, and weightless Senkos have all been producers.

A larger version of the above map can be seen on my pages at: http://www.imaginationbassin.com/StickMarshAerial.htm

One of the keys to success here as with any other lake is staying with the fish that you have found. Unless you have come to see the scenery and wildlife that this lake has to offer, leaving fish to find other fish is not the best move. The last two days I spent with Don Bolam and we spent both days not moving from our pre-light anchor point. The bite was sporadic but we consistently placed bass in the boat and by days end had pretty successful days. Don kept me in stitches in between bites with his jokes and banter and the bass kept us on our toes throughout the day.

I recently had a question from a concerned angler in Pennsylvania about possibilities of having stunted bass in the Marsh/Farm due to overpopulation. My answer was absolutely not. The creel counts indicate that the fishing on this lake has gotten better and better. The following will take you to the creel comparison from 1993 to 2001 and clearly shows that the lake is only getting better. http://www.imaginationbassin.com/CreelSurvey.htm I just spent a couple hours conversing with Bob Eisenhauer and the numbers are in for 2003. As soon as I get them I will put them up for you, but I can tell you in advance that they show 2003 was better than 2001.

So what are the differences out here for the Bass fisherman? The bass are not in the historical locations all the time. You have to find them and a relatively easy way would be to put together information that you can get from the fishing reports. There are reports out there for all to read. Some are more specific than others, but put them all together, and you should be able to get a picture of what is happening. Many of you come and hire a guide. Do some investigation before hiring. We have guides out here with lots of experience,  we have guides out here that started within the last couple of years that claim they have fished here for years, and we have guides without as much experience but will work their butts off for you. Ask friends, ask on the internet, get references. Realize when you come that this is still a lake even though the population of bass is large, and that you are coming fishing. Your success will depend on your skills, your guides skills, weather, and whether the fish wish to bite or not. Your chances are better here than anywhere you can think of, but don't believe that the better chances can ensure a huge bass, or lots of bass. Remember, where they were yesterday, they might not be today.

See you on the water. Say hi if you get the chance.