Lake Seminole Fishing Report – March 2023

Seminole: Level: 0.3 feet below 77.5. Temp: Upper to mid 50s on the rivers with water in the low 60s in protected areas. Clarity: The water color on the river and main lake is stained. The Creek and Fish Pond drain is slightly stained.

Bass: The BASS Elite Series Pros finished up their tournament at Lake Seminole on Sunday, Feb. 26. The winner Joey Cifuentes fished finesse tactics in the standing timber to catch prespawn bass. He used his LiveScope to see bigger bass handing around the bigger stumps in the timber—specifically cypress trees cut about 6 to 7 feet from the bottom. Most of his bass were caught on a drop-shot rig using a 12-inch leader with a morning-dawn colored straight-tail worm. Tournament anglers also caught bass that had moved to the banks during the warming trend. Wacky-rigged worms fished in small open pockets in the grass produced, as did jerkbaits fished both shallow in 3 to 5 feet of water over the patchy hydrilla, and out on ditches in the grass in 13 to 15 feet of water. Guide Aaron Crews reports, “I expect spawning season to start in March and April. The full moon is March 7, and the new moon is March 21. Bass are currently trying to move shallow to bed but are backing out to first or second breaklines. Fish jerkbaits, Carolina rigs, chartreuse spinnerbaits, ChatterBaits and red lipless crankbaits, as well as red tight-wobble crankbaits. When the bass go on the bed, fish lizards in green pumpkin and junebug, according to water color. Another option is to fish a jig on beds.”

Lake Seminole Page: Archived Articles & Fishing Reports

Multiple Species: Guide Aaron Crews reports, “Crappie have moved shallow to bed. A friend of mine caught a 3 1/2-pounder on a jerkbait in a foot and half of water. Try trolling Hal-Fly jigs tipped with minnows for crappie. Panfish will be moving shallow in 5 to 10 feet of water to feed on bass eggs when they go to spawn. They are hitting on worms. Jackfish and chain pickerel are shallow and can be taken with spinnerbaits or spoons like a Little Cleo. Catfish are being taken on cutbait in 5 to 15 feet of water.”