Florida Fish Busters Bulletin February 2010 Fishing Forecasts for 2010 Bob Wattendorf

It is that time of year again when freshwater anglers are taking advantage of the last of the winter crappie fishery and really looking forward to the spring spawn of bass and bream. Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission (FWC) biologists have completed their
The weather is warming up and soon the bass and bream will be hitting the beds. Photo courtesy of TakeMeFishing.org.

analyses of the 2009 fishing data from creel studies (angler reported catches), electrofishing studies, Big Catch records and various measures of young-of-the-year sportfish production. In addition, they have considered habitat trends and reports from local fishing guides and bait-and-tackle shop operators in order to come up with a list of top fishing sites for 2010. These lists include bass, bream, crappie, catfish and striper fisheries and are summarized below. In addition, regional biologists check with local fishing guides and bait-and-tackle shops quarterly (January, April, July, and October) to get insights into how major fisheries are producing and what anglers are using to find success on a variety of lakes and rivers throughout the year. All of that information, along with fishing tips, is available to improve your fishing success at MyFWC.com/Fishing/ , and then click on fishing sites and forecasts.

Januarys cold snap set several records and caused significant fish kills in fresh water areas. Fortunately for the resource and most users, those kills were primarily limited to nonnatve fishes such as tilapia and sucker mouth catfish. Thus with the possible exception of peacock bass in Southeast Florida, the cold snap should not have adversely impacted the overall freshwater fishing prognosis for 2010.

Site Apalachicola River/Lake Seminole Lake Apopka Lake Arbuckle Blackwater/Yellow Rivers Lake Bryant Choctawhatchee River

Size and Counties 106 miles/37,500 acres, Gulf, Liberty, Franklin, Jackson, Gadsden, Calhoun 30,600 acres, Orange 3,800 acres, Highlands 58/ miles, Okaloosa, Santa Rosa 767 acres, Marion 96 miles, Bay, Holmes, Walton, Washington 11 lakes totaling 8,692 acres, Lake 5,000 acres, Bay 541 acres, Polk 231 miles, Escambia

Featured species Striped bass, channel, flathead and blue catfish Sunshine Crappie Striped bass, flathead catfish Bream Striped bass, sunshine, bream, channel and flathead catfish Channel and white catfish Bass Sunshine bass Striped bass, sunshine, channel, flathead and blue catfish Bass Channel and white catfish, bullheads Bass Bream Bass, crappie, bream Bass, crappie, bream, channel and white catfish, bullheads Crappie, bream Crappie Bass

Clermont Chain-ofLakes Deer Point Lake Eagle Lake Escambia River

Everglades Conservation Areas 2 and 3 Haines (Haynes) Creek Lake George Lake Harris Lake Istokpoga Lake Kissimmee

210 square miles, Palm Beach, Broward, Dade 6 miles, Lake 46,000 acres, Putnam, Volusia 13,800 acres, Lake 28,000 acres, Highlands 35,000 acres, Osceola

Lake Marian Lake Marion Lake Monroe

5,700 acres, Osceola 2,990 acres, Polk 9,400 acres, Seminole, Volusia

Ochlockonee River

300 miles, Leon, Liberty, Franklin, Gadsden, Wakulla 12,550/5,700 acres, Alachua 356 acres, Palm Beach 4,460 acres, Sumter 8,800 acres, Gadsden, Leon 1,500 acres, Collier 2-500 acres, Pinellas 7,500 acres, Polk 1,000 acres, Polk

Orange Lake/Lochloosa Lake Lake Osborne/Ida Chain-of-Lakes Lake Panasoffkee Lake Talquin Lake Trafford Lake Tarpon Lake Weohyakapka Mosaic Fish Management Area Rodman Reservoir St. Johns River

Striped bass, white bass, channel, flathead and white catfish, bullheads Crappie, bream Sunshine bass Bream Striped bass, white bass, crappie, bream Crappie Bass Bass, crappie Bass, bream, crappie, channel catfish and bullheads Bass Striped bass, sunshine bass, channel and white catfish, bullheads Striped bass Bass, bream Bass, crappie Bass, crappie, bream

St. Marys/Nassau River Suwannee River Tenoroc Fish Management Area West Lake Tohopekaliga 18,810 acres, Osceola

9,500 acres, Putnam 310 miles, Brevard, Flagler, Lake, Orange, Putnam, Seminole, St. Johns, Volusia 90 miles, Baker, Nassau 213 miles, Suwannee 7,300 acres, Polk

The reality is that here in Florida, the Fishing Capital of the World, with more than 7,700 named lakes in Florida and 12,000 miles of fishable rivers, streams and canals, youre never far from an opportunity to relax and wet a line. Your recreational time spent on the water communing with nature and relaxing is time well used. Studies have shown that both children and adults that take time out to enjoy active nature-based recreation lead healthier, happier and smarter lives (www.GetOutdoorsFlorida.org). The above list simply points the way to some of the prime fishing areas that have facilities to support additional fishing pressure and provide some ideas for anglers looking for new fisheries to explore. However, if you have a chance to get outdoors and enjoy a few hours of fishing with your family and friends take advantage of whatever

opportunity you find. Explore as many different types of water bodies as you can from large lakes to small ponds, from flowing rivers to quietly ebbing streams, from deep reservoirs to shallow marshes they all produce fish, and more importantly, smiles on the faces of the young and old anglers that take time to enjoy them. Remember if you catch a big fish, it may be eligible for recognition in the Big Catch Angler Recognition Program. The FWC recognizes 33 different species of freshwater sportfish in the program, and has extra incentives for catching a variety of species. If you submit a photo with the application, you may also see yourself published in the Fish Busters Bulletin one day. Check out a copy of the Florida Fishing Regulations
Florida is known for black bass fishing. They can be found in virtually any fishable freshwater body in the state. Photo courtesy of TakeMeFishing.org.

(2009-2010) Freshwater Edition for a copy of a Big Catch application or go on line to MyFWC.com/fishing

to learn all the details. Also be on the look out for the 2010, 5-Year Freshwater Fishing License bonus program. The first 3,000 anglers to purchase a 5-year or lifetime license after March 1st automatically will receive a free bonus package in the mail. Not only do we have you covered hook, line and sinker, but we also have sample lures, other bonus gifts, coupons (including a free spincast reel worth over $100 with purchase of a bait casting reel) and literature. The value of the freebies and coupons is enough to more than offset your 5-year license cost. Plus, you dont have to worry about renewing your license or any price increases for the next five years.

Instant licenses are available at MyFWC.com/License or by calling 888-FISH-FLORIDA (347-4356). Report violators by calling *FWC or #FWC on your cell phone, or 888-404-3922. Visit http://www.myfwc.com/Fishing/ for more Fish Busters columns, fishing tips, rules and forecasts.

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