Lake Seminole Fishing Report – February 2019

Seminole: Level: 1.8 feet above full. Temp: 54 degrees. Clarity: Lots of stain.

Bass: Guide Aaron Crews reports, “The temperature on the main lake varies due to rains and water released from the lakes upstream. Saunders Slough, Fish Pond Drain, Spooner Fields and Cypress Pond Drain areas are clear to slightly stained. These clearer areas have better grass, and most of them have areas that are spring fed. Hurricane Michael destroyed a lot of the grassbeds if they were unprotected to the south and east sides by islands and sawgrass. Many fishermen are finding their favorite fishing areas devoid of grass. The sawgrass is not as tall as normal, which made hiding a duck boat difficult. We are finally getting some cold weather. On colder days, metal baits like a Little George, Silver Buddy, Heddon Sonar, Johnson Spoon and a No. 4 Colorado blade spinnerbait will work. On stained water, fish a black-and-blue or green-pumpkin ChatterBait and a Texas-red  Rat-L-Trap. The bass will start moving up to bed on the full and new moons in February through April. They will move up, then a cold front will come in, and then they will move back to the nearest break line. When this occurs, a Carolina-rigged lizard in green-pumpkin or junebug, a jerkbait, or a light 1/32- to a 1/4-oz. speed worm in junebug will be the best lures to throw. Hurricane Michael left trees down on the eastern shore. These dead falls will be good for crankbaits and jig ’n pig fishing for bass during the stagging periods before and after bedding. The dead falls will also be good for crappie and panfish. The storm impacted lots of launch ramps. To find out which ramps are open on Seminole or might still impacted through limited parking or lack of lights for nighttime launch, call the corps office at (229) 662-2001.”