Fishing Report For Crescent Lake, FL

Current Fishing Report: Good To Very Good

Black crappie are being caught using new technologies, reducing the amount of time it takes to locate schools. Forward-facing sonar is allowing anglers, fishing from a boat, to locate schools and focus fishing time on areas with good numbers of crappie. Anglers fishing from the bank still have to search via test casting, until a school is located. Then, they are catching them as anglers have for many decades, before the new electronics became available.

Crappie fishing has been very good here for several years. There are lots of black crappie, with many exceeding 2 pounds. The lake has plenty of vegetation and brush, making an ideal fishery for them.

WINTER. The current water temperature is in the mid 30's. Now that the shallows have turned cold, crappie have migrated to deeper holding areas, mostly off shore. Currently they are being caught using a very slow presentation, in 12 to 18 feet of water. Most are caught around creek channel bends, submerged timber, deep brush piles, and main-lake structure. When they suspend in open water, they often relate to some cover, or structure change, directly below them. During warming trends, especially warm afternoons, they are drawn into 8 to 12 feet of water to feed. Light tackle, with 4 lb to 8 lb line, is a popular choice.

SPRING. In early Spring, crappie begin staging in 6 to 10 feet of water, just outside spawning bays and shallow flats. Spring is prime time to be on the water, as crappie have moved shallow to spawn. At that time, they are typically caught in 2 to 6 feet of water. Vegetation, rip rap, docks, brush and wood are where most anglers catch crappie using small crappie jigs or live minnows. After the spawn, crappie typically move outside the spawning area and hold on cover close by, in 12 to 15 feet of water. Once they move deep, anglers report success using fish finders and forward facing sonar to locate schools of crappie, which tend to stack vertically around cover.

SUMMER. Water temperatures get quite warm, and crappie fishing is usually pretty good. They feed in 8 to 15 feet of water early and late in the day, until the hot Summer sun causes them to retreat to depths of 12 to 24 feet. Also, a few have embedded in the shade of slightly shallower vegetation. This is a good time to focus around brush piles, standing timber, deep lay downs, bridge pilings and deeper docks. Anglers are also locating schools of crappie hanging around creek channel edges, using fish-finder electronics.

FALL. As Fall begins warming the shallows, baitfish, move into shallow flats, coves and bays, which draws crappie into these areas. They will be feeding heavily in preparation for the cold Winter, in 10 to 14 feet of water. Minnows, hair jigs, and crappie jigs, are good options during this feeding marathon. Late Fall which turns the shallows cold, starts pushing crappie deeper, toward winter holding areas. Small flutter spoons, fished in 10 to 14 feet of water, are a good option during this transition. Good results typically come around points, creek channels, and brush piles.

Current Fishing Report: Good

Local anglers report good bluegill, over a pound, being caught with some frequency, and occasionally some over 2 pounds. Bluegill are a primary food source for predator fish here, as well as a fun fish to catch.

WINTER Cooling shallows have driven the bluegill back to deeper cover, in water ranging from 8 to 15 feet deep. Popular cover includes brush, vegetation, docks, and laydowns. In areas with no cover, anglers typically find them around sharp drops, into even deeper water. Small baits, on light tackle, worked slowly tends to get the best results.

SPRING. In early Spring, bluegill migrate from winter holding areas toward the shoreline areas, and are typically caught around 2 to 6 feet deep. As the water warms to the mid 70's they will begin the spawning ritual, building nests in 1 to 3 feet of water. Sykes Cove and Willow cove offer great cover for the spawn cycle. Many of the bigger bluegill prefer to spawn a bit deeper, depending on water clarity. After the spawn, bluegill drop to 5 or 10 feet deep. Small spinners and swimbaits, or jigs tipped with small pieces of nightcrawlers are good choices for catching a lot of bluegill in Spring.

SUMMER. Following the spawn, most of the bigger bluegill migrate to deeper water, around 6 to 12 feet deep. They prefer rocky or weedy areas, often hanging out on steep, rocky banks where they can move up and down to feed without having to travel a great distance. Shaded docks are also prime targets. Small spoons, underspins, and mini-crankbaits are catching some of the bigger bluegill. Earthworms also catch good numbers. Early and late in the day, anglers catch them in 2 to 6 feet of water.

FALL. Cooling, Fall weather drops the water temperature in the shallows and bluegill move shallow to feed, around the edges of weedlines in 6 to 10 feet of water. Steeper banks, and shallow weedy areas with drop-offs, are hold bluegill this time of year. Later in Fall, as the shallows get colder, bluegill will move out to 8 to 15 feet of water, in many of the same areas.

Current Fishing Report: Good To Very Good

Bass fishing is currently experiencing major changes in the way anglers are approaching the sport. The expanded use of high-tech fish finders is giving anglers, who fish from a boat, a distinct advantage. The fishing hasn't really changed, but the catch rate has increased considerably. The advent of new lures and equipment has improved success for anglers fishing from the bank as well. Savvy anglers, who study bass patterns, continue to catch nice fish, with or without the new gadgets.

The same vegetation that creates cover for baitfish, sunfish and crappie, is a great feasting opportunity for bass. Gizzard shad, threadfin shad, small sunfish and crawfish are the primary diet for big bass here. Finding which cover is holding bass for the day is often the key to success. Trophy bass are common here with lots of fish over 6 pounds, quite a few over 8 pounds, as well as an occasional double-digit bass.

WINTER. The cold of Winter has isolated largemouth around deeper structure, flats, points and creek channels. Water temperatures are currently in the low 40's, and bass can be found on the bottom, or suspending from 10 to 16 feet deep, occasionally shallower on warm, sunny days. Often, some of the larger bass will isolate away from schools in slightly deeper water. They are currently being caught around docks on the western shoreline and in the area of the Highway 17 boat launch. Here they hold, feeding less frequently, awaiting warmer water to return in Spring. Slow presentations with live shiners, drop shots, jigs, finesse worms, or lipless crankbaits are often the key to getting bites, just before, during and after, ice fishing.

SPRING. Once water temperatures rise into the low 60's, largemouth will move from deep wintering holes, to shallower water near spawning areas. Anglers report good topwater action from mid Spring through Summer, especially early in the morning, and on cloudy days. Vibrating jigs, crankbaits, jerkbaits and spinnerbaits typically get bites just away from the shoreline. At this time they are feeding aggressively in about 6 to 10 feet of water, and preparing for the spawn. Once water warms into the mid to high 60's, they will move into 2 to 5 feet of water, and create nests, then lay their eggs. Immediately afterwards, females move to deeper water and males remain to guard the eggs, and then the fry. After a couple weeks, the males also move to slightly deeper water, around 10 to 12 feet deep. Deep-diving crankbaits, vibrating jigs, drop shots, live shiners, plastic worms, jigs, spoons, and swimbaits catch bass during this period.

SUMMER. Water temperatures will warm considerably in Summer. Bass will feed shallow, early and late in the day, where they are typically caught in 2 to 10 feet of water, on topwater lures, square-bill crankbaits, spinnerbaits and a variety of other lures. During Summer, keep an eye on the thermocline to determine the maximum depth to fish, as there is very little oxygen below the thermocline. Largemouth bass here feed on shad, herring, small sunfish and crawfish. During the hotter parts of the day, they are being caught on points, channel edges, and ledges 8 to 20 feet deep. Wacky-rigged stick worms always catch finicky bass when the bite is slow. Some of the best reports typically come from anglers fishing with a Carolina rig.

FALL. When Fall arrives, bass here will follow schools of baitfish into coves and shallow bays where crankbaits, swimbaits, and slow-rolled spinnerbaits have been successful in prior years. In early Fall, anglers typically have success in 6 to 15 feet of water, around points and shallow flats leading to deeper water. As deeper water cools, bait and bass move out to ledges, channel bends, points and humps. Here flutter spoons are often the ideal bait in 15 feet of water, or deeper. Some of the larger bass will seclude themselves away from the school, often in slightly deeper water.