A Junebug Worm

A running joke amongst Florida tournament anglers when queried as to what you caught that fish on is to answer simply a junebug worm. The reliability of that answer should often be suspected but it is definitely used for a reason. Reason being is, it often is a color that really does work well here in our lakes. When in doubt toss one out, most often it will produce. My team partner Keith Bailey found this to be true on our outing yesterday when he landed 15 lbs. on 2 fish using a 5 inch junebug w/ chartreuse tip Tiki Stick.

Recent outings at the Stick Marsh have been somewhat less than spectacular and not what would be expected for this time of year. The weather has cooperated nicely but the fish seem scattered and not all that hungry. Many anglers that I have compared notes with have been finding it this way. The good news is that my after last outing I feel things are turning around. Water temps are in the the mid 60’s and the prespawn feeding period may be getting underway.

The day began as more of the same of late with a slow morning. My confidence and enthusiasm was getting low but things changed in the afternoon when Keith decided to rig up a Texas rigged worm on his new Falcon Cara flipping stick just to give it a try. After a half dozen pitches getting the feel of his new Ardent pitching reel I watched him load the rod and begin to fight what turned out to be his new personal best bass. First fish on his new set up, this trophy largemouth turned out to be 9 lbs even and his hands were shaking with adrenalin for at least 5 minutes after. A good sign of things to come, and to think he wanted to move to another spot just prior to his hook up. I said to him, “Let’s give this a couple more minutes.” Needless to say we stayed there the rest of the day.





The bite continued strong as the day progressed with both artificial and live bait producing well. The bite was not limited to bass only as we also hooked into several catfish, a few mudfish and a good sized chain pickerel. It just proves my point that whenever you are fishing the Stick Marsh no matter how elusive they seem the possibility of your biggest bass ever can be just one cast away. Nice job Keith!

Stick Marsh Prime Time

Finally a break from the heat, and it looks as though the summer season as we know it has ended. The calendar has moved to November and this spells better, more comfortable fishing in store for us here in Central Florida. I simply love this time of year. The brutal heat is no longer a factor and the fish are becoming eager to feed in anticipation for the annual spawn.



One sure sign of the season that I have begun to notice is the annual arrival of snowbirds. If you are unfamiliar with this species they are easily identified as they are generally a slower moving easily confused migratory species that flock to our area from November through late April. They tend to be white crested and wrinkled and feed in packs around 6am and again at 4:30pm. Though not usually aggressive I tend to give them plenty of space because they can be unpredictable.


If the quality of fish we caught in October is any indication of what is to come in the next few months we are in for some great bass fishing action this winter. Although we didn’t catch fish in great numbers of late we have hooked into some very nice fish on every outing. I believe the quantity was a direct result of the high water temps but that is abating and the big ones are definitely out there ready to bite. Many personal bests have been had by my clients recently with all of them going safely back to the water to be caught again.



So if you have been wondering when is the best time for me to go out to the Stick Marsh for some prime time largemouth bass fishing the answer is now. It doesn’t get any better than this so choose a day or two when you can relax and call me toll free anytime at 866-BASS-066 or send an e-mail to info@onecastaway.com for your reservation.

Oh and don’t forget that the holidays are just around the corner and our gift certificate is an excellent choice for that special angler on your list. Details are on our website: www.onecastaway.com.

Jersey Boys

Northerners have recently become all too aware that they may be in for a nasty winter seaon. Here it is mid-October and many areas have already seen some snow and cold temps. Their fishing season has rapidly come to its end. Well, here in Florida our season is just about to get underway for real. The weather has remained unseasonably warm with water temps still in the mid-eighties and daytime highs still reaching 90. It seems that this is about to change as the occasional cool front has reached us and personally, I can't wait for it to remain just a bit cooler. When the water temps get just a bit cooler we will be set for the fish to actively start to eat in earnest in preparation for another spawning season. I'm ready and there are some nice fish being caught of late that will be ready as well. The overall catch numbers aren't quite what I would like but the quality of catch lately has been superb. Many fish over five lbs. being caught on a regular basis.





Last week two friends from NJ decided that a road trip was in order so they loaded up the truck and headed down I-95 for a Florida fishing vacation. Driving through the night, these two traveled 18 hours to meet me for a day on the Stick Marsh. It was hot out there, 90+, but anything was better than the 35 and rainy weather they abandoned in Jersey. Jason, Anthony, and I spent all day long fishing hard with both artificial baits and some wild shiners and were rewarded with some very nice Largemouth bass as well as a few other species including a very nice blue catfish that went close to 10 lbs.





The Stick Marsh was the first stop for these two as they continued further south towards the Keys for a little salt water action as well. I hope they had as good a time down there as they did with me. You too can have a great time fishing in Florida this winter. All you have to do is contact us and we will get you set up to forget the miserable weather and enjoy some time in the sun. Please keep in mind that specific dates are best booked in advance to ensure availability. Who knows you may even get to handle the biggest bass of your life just like Jason and Anthony did. By the way we are only about an hour from the Orlando Int’l Airport and Jason says next time he is flying!

Velocity Bullet Review

It has been a year already since this boat went into service. So I suppose it’s now time for a review of its performance. Overall this boat has been ideal for my needs. It performs quite well, handles like a dream and is a very comfortable fishing platform. It did take a bit to get used to at first especially at the top end. However like a new pair of gloves once they are fitted to your hands the feel becomes like second nature.
Equipped with the Evinrude 200 HO this boat is very quick out of the hole and amazingly efficient in the mid range which is where I do most of my cruising. I’ve found that it is best cruising around 50-60 mph or 4500-5000 rpm. Any much faster than that and the experience for any passengers can become a bit too exhilarating. Top end is just under 80 mph and I find the hull to be a bit of a handful at that speed, not to mention that floating debris, wildlife etc. arrives in a hurry when reaching these speeds. The hull handles rough water quite well and is not what I would consider a wet ride at all.



The customizations that Velocity Boats installed on the 20’ Bullet center console hull are excellent. The three person seating is comfortable and another person is doable if they don’t mind sitting on the rod box while running. Fishing with four is still spacious and the storage space is adequate. The thing I probably like the most is the no carpet deck. This provides a nice look with ultra easy clean up and I have found that the non slip coating placed on the deck is just that. I am also very happy with the additions that I had installed such as the Humminbird electronics, Atlas jack plate and the Power Pole shallow water anchoring system.



Overall I am quite pleased and I believe that my customers are as well. Other than a few minor issues and certain idiosyncrasies specific to this boat it has been all that I expected and I would not hesitate to recommend this boat to anyone. It is a unique boat in a world dominated with cookie cutter hulls and that is something I really like. Call me if you would like to go for a ride.

Dog Days of Summer

The term actually has it’s origins in the fact that this time of year Sirius, the Dog Star, is most prominent in the nighttime skies. We all feel a bit lazy and sluggish during this time of year, dogs, people, and fish alike. It’s hot and we just don’t want to expand much energy if we don’t have to. The summer heat is getting brutal and has the water temps reaching into the high eighties, near ninety. The almost daily afternoon showers are a bit of a blessing in helping cool things down a bit and adding to the water tables. Water management authorities are moving some water through but the quality of that flow is less than desirable at times with heavy sediments and low oxygen levels hindering the congregation of fish to the usually productive moving water spots.

This being the case you can still go out on most days and find some fish but they are a bit tougher to locate and sometimes not hungry enough to really chase baits all that aggressively. Keys are getting out early, having knowledge of where the deeper ditches are located, and keeping a sharp lookout for bait balls and schooling bass. You may also notice that the gators lurking about will at times be on the prowl for suspending bass and cause them to excite in short bursts.



Can you still have fun this time of year? Absolutely, but it can be a little tougher. If you ask Justin Doud, and his two teenage boys, who went with me last week, just by firing up the Evinrude and blasting around the lake to cool off you can have fun. If you catch a few fish in between then all the better. These three were great sports on a sluggish day and showed great enthusiasm despite limited strikes. I hope they will return before long to have another chance at landing the big ones that we all know are in this lake.

Whatever way you find to have fun during the dog days, try to be cool, drink plenty of your favorite beverages, and enjoy the ride.

Grandpa Hooks a Toad

Last week Tom Gendreau loaded his son, Conner, and his Dad, Ray, into their vehicle and headed out from West Palm Beach to the Stick Marsh for a 6 hr. day of Bass fishing. Tom had contacted me about taking advantage of the summer shiner special, so we arranged to meet at the Bait Bucket at 6 am to load the bait and head out to the lake. Seven Year old Conner looked a bit sleepy but was anxious to check out the bait tanks and then get down to business.



The day looked promising as we positioned the boat at the spillway which was moving water rapidly. However we soon realized that the water supply that was coming in was of low quality and full of weedy debris that was surrounding the boat and making fishing difficult. After tangling with a couple large Gar and pulling in plenty of “salad” we decided to move out to the more open waters of Farm 13 in search of cleaner water and the thus far elusive bass.



We set up again just west of the pumphouse which was also moving water on this day. It was not long before little Conner had proudly reeled in a couple decent sized bass. In fact Conner was the man of the day as far as numbers goes as he proudly marked an x in the dust on my engine cover each time he landed a fish. By the end of their trip he had marked seven fish on his makeshift scoreboard. Conner did a great job on his own and could have marked a couple more had his luck held up.



Papa Ray, all the while had been quietly swimming his shiner and enjoying the show that Conner had been providing. Suddenly I saw his rod load up and the fight was on. After a couple of strong runs and a headshaking jump or two Ray calmly worked that fish to the side of the boat where we realized he had something really nice. The Massachusetts native had hooked the bass of his lifetime, a very nice 24” 9lb. bucket mouth.


Shortly after that, Tom hooked up with a couple nice fish in the 6 lb. range as well, showing that all these guys could fish. Three generations of Gendreau men set out for day on the water together and enjoyed every minute of it. Great job guys, I enjoyed it too!

Summer Shiner Special

Summer is here and the time is right for fishing in the heat. The inflow pipes have been open, moving water into the lake raising levels and making navigating much better. The fish remain very cooperative these days. We have had several very successful days of fishing lately. No true giants but plenty of action in the 3-5 lb. range with a few larger ones sprinkled in to keep it exciting. The rule of summer in my book is to get out there early to beat the heat and the thunderstorms. In the summer more often than not a half day is what people want, but 4 hours isn’t quite enough to thoroughly enjoy the experience. Keeping this in mind, I have gotten together with Sarah Savage of the Stick Marsh Bait Bucket to arrange for a 6 hour summertime wild shiner special. Sarah has been doing a great job making sure that she has all the quality bait & tackle that I have needed to ensure good fishing for my clients.






Here’s the deal, for $300 you and a friend (50 more if you have 2 friends) can meet me at the Bait Bucket at 6am where we will load the Velocity Bullet’s oxygenated livewell with 50 wild shiners and some ice for the drink filled cooler. Then we will head out to the lake and catch fish until 12 noon. After that you are on your own to relax in the AC somewhere and brag about the awesome fishing you just had.
Imagine the cool morning air rushing past your face as the boat hauls across the lake to a spot where the largemouths are awaiting their breakfast of shiners. The thrill of watching those balloon festooned wild shiners get nervous then devoured near the top by the hungry bass. The smile on your face posing for pictures on the www with the huge fish you just wrestled onto the boat. Not to mention the competitive juices that will flow when you angle for the bragging rights of the day by out fishing your fishing buddy. The best word to describe it is FUN. Best of all, you don’t have to be a pro to go out and catch some nice bass using this technique anyone can do it and I’ll supply everything you need.




Catch us if you can! Send me an e-mail, give me a call, or drop by the Bait Bucket and arrange for your trip today. It’s a great time to get out and enjoy the lake.

Shiner Bite Stays Hot

Seasonal changes are here again at the Stick Marsh; increasing rain events are beginning to have an affect on the levels of water in the impoundment. It is more than welcomed as the low levels were beginning to take their toll on my nerves not to mention my hull and lower unit. I am more than ready to see a return toward normal levels and some continued running water situations.


The wild shiner bite continues to be very steady. Last week our party of three had no problem staying busy for their half day trip with at least 50 bites resulting in more than one double and some very nice bass over 5 pounds. After a short learning curve on proper hook set technique, Mike and company settled in to a fine morning of bass catching. Rapidly approaching storm clouds chased us to the dock and made the end of their day a bit soggy as the increased idle zone in the marsh allowed the rain shower to catch up with us. They insisted that the day was still great and getting a little wet was well worth it.


This is the time of the year to get out there early to beat the heat and get in some quality time before the afternoon storms end the day short. I have found though that the bite this time of year is very steady and some of our highest catch counts come about during this part of the year. I am hoping for the tropical season to bring much needed rain but not too much at once if possible and of course I wish everyone a safe summer of enjoyment. I want to go fishing with you whenever you are ready to go so give me a call and set up. We will catch 'em for sure!

Unusual Double

Despite recent heavy rains in the area the lake levels remain dangerously low. Utmost caution should be practiced in running about on the lake. If you don't know your way about the Stick Marsh side of the lake you may find yourself in a world of trouble. It is nearly impossible to make it over to the east canal without bumping into stumps at this time. You must go slowly or you will pay the price. Hopefully the rains will continue and the levels will begin to rise.

Two trips last week found the wild shiner bite to be very steady. In fact, the live bait probably beat out the artificial in the same area 15 to 1. The first day we went out with only two dozen shiners and they were gone in about an hour. We soon realized that the bass really preferred the taste of those shiners as our catch count was drastically reduced once we had to switch to artificial baits. We did have limited success with spinner baits and jigs with trailers, but plastics just weren't cutting it.

In a most unusual scenario, an angler on my boat, Shannon, was throwing his spinner bait into the same vicinity as some shiner fisherman from another boat about 50 yards away. Suddenly, both anglers were fish on. Realizing that he may have crossed lines with other angler, Shannon gave way to the other allowing him to reel the catch to his boat. Upon landing the bass he saw that the lines were not crossed but the the fish had actually eaten both the live bait and the spinner bait, which was firmly lodged into the corner of the fish's mouth. After unbuttoning his hook the other angler dropped the fish overboard with the spinner bait still in and Shannon fought the fish back to our boat. Now that was a double of a different kind. That must have been quite a ride for that greedy bass.

The next day we would be much better prepared for the live bait catching as we went out with five dozen shiners. Buddy and Dave had an excellent day on the lake after an early morning downpour. A very steady day of bites ensued with most in the 2-3lb. range and a few topping 5lbs. A few gar in the area were also partial to the baits for a while with a couple really big ones making it all the way to the side of the boat. Unfortunately, the largest bass of the day snapped the line in my face at the side of the boat just before I could lip it. All in all, judging from the raw skin on my thumbs after two days of catching, we had plenty of bass that did make it on board. The fish are out there; call me if you want to go catch them.

Family and Friends

Last week being spring break for the school kids, we had the opportunity to take out a couple of families as well as some old friends. Due to the fact that the trips were a bit larger in numbers I arranged with Capt. Kob to use the Team Infotrac boat which is a 22' Sea Pro center console. This boat allows us to take up to 5 passengers comfortable whereas the Velocity Bullet really only seats 3, myself included.

The weather was a bit crazy for the second week of April. A late season cold front moved in on Monday afternoon making for very breezy westerly wind conditions and quickly falling temperatures. The winds continued to howl on Tuesday and Wednesday, with gusts in the 40+ mph range, causing us to reschedule Tuesday's trip for Thursday. It actually dropped into the 40's during the night and daytime highs never reached 70 for a couple of days straight. This caused the water temps to drop back into the mid 60's, and was likely the reason for a small slowing of the bite. There were still some decent fish caught but it was bit slower than it had been and the bigger ones proved to be more sluggish and elusive. We still managed to get more than 10 bites on all half day trips using large wild shiners and most of the fish were in the 2-4 pound range.

This being sunny Florida it warmed back up quickly and everyone had an enjoyable time catching fish and catching up. I always say that the best day is mostly about the company you keep and the chance to be outdoors enjoying nature at its finest. Whether it is with family or friends, a day on the lake is always a treat with all kinds of things to see and experience all the while knowing that another chance at the big one is one cast away.

I hope everyone enjoyed the Easter holiday and if you are like me you are ready for some smashing springtime top water action to begin at the Stick Marsh Farm 13. Send me an e-mail or give me a call and we can set up a time for you to get out there and catch a good time.

Sweetness

This past week on the lake can be summed up in one word: SWEET! The weather was near perfect, the water temp was right around 70, and the air was filled with the perfume of the surrounding citrus fields in full bloom. It was a bit breezy, which can hamper the number of available spots a bit, but if you got out early and positioned yourself correctly, it was game on. The fish were healthy, hungry, and for the most part, cooperative, as we landed quite a number of good sized aggressive fish on live wild shiners.

I always strive to ensure that my guests are well treated, have quality equipment, and above all, have a fun and memorable experience. This week's visitors were no exception to that as was evidenced by the smiling faces that I saw when they were showing off their catches for the camera and ultimately their friends and family. Also the fact that Larry Flack Sr. and Jr. were making their second trip in 4 months leads me to believe that I am providing a service that they really enjoy.

I believe that there is more to this game than just catching fish. It's about nature appreciation, quality relaxation with friends and family, fresh air and sunshine, and maybe your biggest bass yet! When everything comes together and you get all of these things in one day that to me is sweetness.