Season's Greetings

Fall is such a subtle season here in Central Florida.  We quickly went from oppressive heat to comfortably cool and we are now set to slip into prespawn paterns and the annual spawn.  For me this time of the year is the absolute best and it just torments me to miss out on a good weather day.  Luckily there were quite a few nice ones we were able to take advantage of in November.

This season we are excited to offer our fishing excursions from the deck of a new boat. If you have ever wondered what it would be like to ride and fish from a top of the line boat like your favorite pros have, here is your chance.

2012 Legend Alpha 211 with a Mercury Pro XS 250

This boat is exteremely spacious with a huge front deck and loads of storage making things very comfortable for everyone.  In fact it's the comfort of ride that sets this boat apart from all others in the market. Rough water or calm this boat is just amazing, you have to have a ride.  Take a closer look at them by visiting www.ridewithalegend.com.

I look forward to another great season of fishing at the Stick Marsh/Farm 13 and hope that you will come out and join us for some great fishing action.  Please feel free to call me toll free at 866-227-7066 to discuss trip options and details



1st Quarter 2012

Hard to believe it is Easter already seems like it was just Turkey day. Boy oh boy time sure flies when the fishing is good. Since a picture is worth a thousand words I've put together a few grand worth to visually explain what the first quarter of 2012 was like.

I fully expect the fishing to remain excellent as the time of topwater is upon us. Maybe try something new, put down that frog and flip in the bird. You can find them at www.flipinthebird.com they are new and very cool. Use promocode Deans30 at checkout and get 15% for life discount.

Shiners are Golden

This is definitely the time of the year when the golden ticket to big bass at the Stick Marsh is golden shiners. Purists may look down their nose on fishing with live baits but I have to say that when the time is right the action is fast and furious and the big ones are ready to play. It is fun catching for everyone from the first time novice to the seasoned expert.




For those anglers that are new to this there is often a small learning curve to setting the hook right and fighting the fish back to the boat but fear not as you will likely have plenty of bites to help improve your technique.




A typical shiner trip for two lasts from 6-8 hours with about 60 shiners yielding somewhere around 50 strikes. If you are good you will land 7 out of 10. If you are lucky 10 of those 50 will be what I consider as approaching trophy size that is 5 lbs. +. Most will be better than 3. All the fish seem healthy and put up a strong fight.




Of course as always the weather, especially the wind, has a lot to do with the enjoyment factor of the day chosen but as I have said many times November is one of my favorite times to be out there. Plenty of nice weather days, so if you have been contemplating when to go I highly suggest that you make plans to book a day now. Wild shiner fishing is fun stuff and likely the golden ticket to your new personal best and a great day on the lake.




Need more proof? Here are a few words from the angler who is pictured above on his experience.

Dean,
I never thought it possible to surpass the October day of a year ago at Stickmarsh when Jim Freeman and I landed 60
tremendous bass. We both caught personal records that day.
Well it happened Friday when Roger Hutchison and I landed
60 healthy Stickmarsh lunkers. With numerous bass over 6 lbs.
and one passing the 9 lb. mark, we both set personal records. With 42 boated by 12 noon it was quite a day. Even with the heavy wind on Saturday we landed 20 hefty ones. Thanks again for my best day on the water. Of course I
will return next year in pursuit of that elusive 10 pounder. Thanks for your great hospitality.
Chip Gilbert.

Ah....Autumn

Okay, so maybe you’ve been thinking, “I wonder what’s been happening at the Stick Marsh lately?” It has been a while since I have updated so I’m going to give you a full report of the summer doings at the Stick. When I wrote last the April bite was absolutely on fire which continued well into the month of May. During the last two weeks of May the love bugs swarmed to biblical proportions and the lack of rain made the lake levels drop to the point of dangerous navigation. In fact it actually shut down the possibility to get past the sandbar on Blue Cypress. Lack of safe water forced me to move the boat to the Harris chain for two months. If you have ever fished the summer months on Harris you know it’s not exactly a picnic, it’s hot and sometimes very slow.


By the end of July and early August the summer rains and the SJWM had replenished the water supply in the Stick Marsh and we were once again catching plenty of fish for as long as you could stand the heat. I have to tell you that I had some days when I was the only person out there and I caught so many fish I just had to laugh. To quote the B-52’s, it was my own private Idahole, so to speak. Several days were spent virtually alone amongst the gators and the birds and literally hundreds of largemouth bass all released to be caught again another day.



We received a significant amount of rain this past week, in excess of 10 inches in a 48 hr. time period, and the spillways have been flowing hard. Blue Cypress went from barely accessible to overflowing and I am anxious to get back out there to see how the fish are reacting to all the new space they have. The best thing is the heat is finally easing up and the water temps are heading toward prime. I’m sure the fish are beginning to feed up and the best days of the year have at long last arrived. Think wild shiners and topwaters and cool sunny days. I’m excited!



That’s what my summer was like. How was yours? Why not come out for some fishing and tell me all about it. I look forward to hearing all your stories. Who knows maybe that day will provide you with your chance for the tale about the time you caught your personal best at the Stick Marsh. I know that fish is out there and it could very likely be just One Cast Away. Call me and we can make your arrangements 352-250-1007.

Topwater Time

There are very few things as exciting in bass fishing than the thrill of a trophy sized bass inhaling a topwater lure. If you have experienced this, you know exactly what I mean. If not, this is the time to get out there and receive the rush. Last week was exceptional as the hungry post spawn bass just slammed the top baits offered all day long. I had good success with chug bugs, and sammys and I expect that a zara spook or devils horse would also do well. I did not give them a try since the others were working so well. Soft plastics also worked well when ready to change the pace a bit or to rest your wrist after twitching the chug bug for hours.



The truly amazing thing to me is that on most days there are only a handful of anglers out there enjoying this catching bonanza. It seems like your own personal playground. One angler last week exclaimed that there should be a law against having this much fun. I’m not sure about that but I would think that more of you should take the time to get out there and see for yourself just how fun it can be. If the wind and weather are cooperative on the day you choose you can easily expect 25 -50 fish with many of them 5 lbs. or better.



Don’t think you have the skills to excel in this type of fishing? No problem you can still catch plenty of fish using live bait. Pennsylvanians Bill and Allen Rudolph can attest to that as they had a great day of catching using wild shiners. Problem was we only had four dozen baits and the bites were fast and furious early on. Still there goal was quality over quantity and they were not denied as Bill scored his personal best, a 25 inch 8lb. beauty. They had a great day on the Stick Marsh.



Perhaps you would like to improve your skills a bit on a particular technique. This is also no problem. What you need is a trip to bass camp this summer. I am offering a summer camp special which includes multiple days of fishing and lodging at beautiful Blue Cypress Lake. The days will be filled with tips on technique and lessons on mastering the cast and catch. It’s a chance to finally learn to use that baitcaster you have been afraid of or figure out that bait you just can’t seem to make work. You will also experience some of the finest nature the area has to provide. Quality equipment, personal attention and a beautiful setting will ensure you an excellent way to improve your bass angling skills. You may even be lucky enough to catch a FWC tagged fish worth up to $500 at Blue Cypress.



If you want to have stories about “this summer at bass camp” contact me by e-mail at dean@onecastaway.com or call 866-227-7066 for dates and details.

The Boys Were Back in Town

This past weekend the Harris Chain of Lakes and the City of Tavares were the host to B.A.S.S. and the Elite series. 99 of the world’s best bass fisherman gathered to test their mettle in central Florida. The local turnout and support for the event was excellent and proves that interest in the sport is strong in this area.




The tournament ultimately was won by the sight fisherman who keyed in to bedding bass in residential canals and small ponds. Florida native and all around nice guy, Shaw Grigsby, took control on day 2 and never looked back, holding on to win for the first time in a decade. Second place went to Grant Goldbeck who amazingly went from 97th place on day one to 2nd on day two with a 27 pound catch bag. These two battled it out in the same area and showed how perseverance, consistency and confidence are everything in this sport.



All in all it was great to get out and see these professionals in their element and support them in their effort to fulfill their dreams. If the tour comes anywhere close to where you live I suggest you stop in and check them out it is worth your time.


Now it’s back to the Stick Marsh and some more incredible fishing. The forecast for the upcoming week looks awesome and I predict some heavyweights will be had on my boat for sure. Call me toll free at 866-227-7066 if you are ready to go. It doesn’t get much better than right now.

Five Dollar Bills

Last week we saw some great action at the Stick Marsh. The Florida sunshine was absolutely glorious with air temps reaching into the 80’s and the water temps hovering just below the magical 70 degree mark. The fish were biting well as we landed more than 30 a day on each outing. Many of these fish were healthy and strong between 3 and 5 lbs. and at least a few were in the 6-7 lb range. Soft plastics like the El Grande Lures hatch match sticks and Gila monsters worked well as did live wild shiners. The local shiner supply however was a bit scarce as the catchers were having a hard time keeping up with demand right now.


Two guys from Minnesota, both named Bill, came aboard on Saturday and we had a fine day catching some quality Largemouth bass. We kept things interesting by challenging each other to a little competition. “OK, next fish is worth $5,” I stated, and it was on. In the end we wound up even but the excitement of the mini tourney raised the thrill a few notches for sure. We didn’t land the monster we were hoping to see but we had a good number of fish that were well above the usual Minnesota sized fish these Bills are accustomed to.



Prior to the five dollar Bills, I went out with Dr. Fred for two great days of catching. Fred is very familiar with the Stick Marsh/Farm 13 scene and we set out in hopes of locating some big girls. We were not disappointed and thoroughly enjoyed our time on the lake.






That was last week and you missed it. Fear not though as this is just the beginning of some of the best we have to offer. The next couple of months should be plenty more of the same. Are you are still cold and sick of shoveling? Is your local lake still hard as a rock? Why not get away for a bit and wet a line with me. You deserve it. I have plenty of days open and would really enjoy having you. Give a call toll free at 866-227-7066.