TrophyCatch Season 5 ended September 30. Keep a close eye on our Facebook page for announcements regarding the upcoming Hall of Fame ceremony and the Phoenix Boats TrophyCatch bass boat finalists and drawing! We will also have some very exciting prizing news for Season 6!

Despite this past quarter including the "dog days" of summer, TrophyCatch participants helped prove that any time of year is a great time to go fishing in Florida, the Bass Fishing Capital of the World! Adam Evans caught and released this 13 lbs 2 oz monster just before the quarter's start on June 27 in Rodman Reservoir. The fish was 28 inches long with a hefty 19 inch girth. This would be a state record in more than half the country, and was the 14th Hall of Fame fish weighing 13+ lbs for Season 5.

Keep up to date on TrophyCatch promotions, special events and our top producing anglers by liking our TrophyCatch Facebook page and subscribing to the TrophyCatch YouTube Channel. Plus you can find out more about Florida's freshwater fishing and conservation efforts through a variety of print and online media such as newspapers, magazines, online news outlets and video channels like Sportsman’s Adventures with Captain Rick Murphy.

Size: The state record is 0.83 pounds, but most catches of this diminutive sportfish will average closer to a quarter pound. The Big Catch minimum qualifying sizes are 0.5 pounds or 7 inches for adults, and 0.4 lbs or 5 inches for youth (BigCatchFlorida.com).

Identification and similar species: The spotted sunfish is relatively nondescript. As the name suggests, however, its most characteristic feature is the distinct, even rows of small spots along the body. These dots are usually dark, but may be red. In overall coloration, the fish ranges from olive to brown. In general form, this small sunfish also appears somewhat “chunkier” or plumper than other sunfishes.

Angling qualities: The spotted sunfish is often caught incidentally by anglers targeting its larger relatives, the bluegill and redear sunfish. Called a “stumpknocker” because of its affinity for submerged timber, this fish is sometimes deliberately sought after by north Florida stream anglers. Don't let this fish's small size fool you—they are very aggressive in defending their bed during the spawning season. The spotted sunfish will take most small lures and baits and puts up a good fight. Its small size makes it ideal for ultralight tackle (see Issue 10). A flyrod also works well, and this fish is particularly susceptible to tiny nymphs. Excellent baits include grass shrimp, live worms, and crickets—standard bream fare. While quite edible, most anglers will likely deem only larger representatives of this species to be big enough for the frying pan.

Where to catch them: Spotted sunfish are found throughout Florida, but are deliberately targeted most by stream anglers in the northern part of our state. Some specific sites to try include the Choctawhatchee River, Holmes Creek and Lake Panasoffkee.

Illustration by Duane Raver, Jr.

Size: 3,779 acres.

Location: Near Dundee, Florida in eastern Polk County.

Description: Lake Pierce is part of the headwaters to the Kissimmee Chain of Lakes (upper headwaters to Lake Okeechobee and the Everglades). This lake provides surface flow to Lake Hatchineha, via Catfish Creek. Lake Pierce has historically been a popular fishing destination for local residents and has the potential to sustain large amounts of angler effort, given its large surface area. In 2013, Lake Pierce stakeholders approached FWC with concerns regarding the lake’s largemouth bass fishery. In response to stakeholder concerns, the Division of Freshwater Fisheries Management developed a management plan for Lake Pierce which incorporated resource user input about the sport fishery. The management plan focused on specific management actions to improve the largemouth bass fishery.

One of these management actions, stocking semi-advanced fingerling (about 2 inches long) largemouth bass, was considered a good way to supplement low recruitment of new fish into the population and improve angler catch rates over the long term. Evidence suggests that high stocking rates of semi-advanced bass fingerlings on some Florida waters (e.g. Lakes Talquin and Wauburg) over consecutive years can offset low largemouth bass recruitment. A pilot study was conducted on Lake Pierce in spring 2014 with the stocking of 160,000 semi-advanced fingerling fish. Initial results showed approximately 5% contribution of the 2014 stocking to the 1 year bass age class in 2015. A larger multi-year stocking program was initiated in spring 2016 with the proposed stocking of about 500,000 semi-advanced fingerlings annually through 2018. The objective is to stock semi-advanced fingerling largemouth bass in Lake Pierce over multiple years at a size capable of consuming newly spawned threadfin shad in order to supplement low recruitment and increase angler catches over time. Largemouth bass populations have been surveyed annually since 2014 and overall catch rates have increased. Size structure analyses indicate the lake’s bass population has remained stable since 2014 and remains healthy.

Local anglers usually target largemouth bass during the spring months by “flipping” Texas-rigged soft plastic crawfish and stick style baits in and around the heavily vegetated shorelines that Lake Pierce offers. During the “dog days” of summer, the chances of catching fish are enhanced by the presence of five natural brush pile fish attractors strategically placed around the lake, usually in deep water. Anglers may also locate bass by fishing the edges around the brush piles with shad-colored crankbaits and bucktail jigs. Don’t be afraid to bump your faster moving baits off the brush piles to produce that reaction strike largemouth bass are so well-known for. Anglers can also slowly drag Texas-rigged soft plastic worms and grass jigs with “chunks” through the thickest areas of the piles to get those stubborn fish to bite. For more information on the location of fish attractors, visit the FWC's Interactive Fish Attractor Map found on our website. Recent fish surveys on Lake Pierce may have also uncovered a “sleeper” bluegill and redear sunfish fishery. These sunfish can be targeted near full moon phases in shallow, vegetated areas where they typically congregate to spawn and can also be caught by fishing on the bottom with live crickets or wigglers. Use small hooks and light line when targeting these species and be ready for a fun fight when you hook one! Tight lines!

There are two public boat ramps on Lake Pierce.  For more information on how to access Lake Pierce and the rest of the Kissimmee Chain of Lakes, please visit our Florida Boat Ramp Finder.

Continued monitoring of the Lake Pierce largemouth bass population will proceed until 2020 and it is hoped that another fishery success story like those from previous studies on lakes in the Panhandle (Lake Talquin) and North Central (Lake Wauburg) Florida will make fishing on Lake Pierce even better.

Trolling motors — They’re actually called “trolling” motors, so why not use them as such? The heart of a trolling system is indeed going to be the motor. Anglers today enjoy a broad selection of electric motors that are more convenient and more powerful than their predecessors, with a number of available options to make trolling that much simpler. Make sure that you choose a motor adequate to the size and weight of the boat; a careful choice will allow you to maintain a steady troll in the face of diverting winds or currents. Both bow and transom mount styles are available. A trolling motor will last for years if properly cared for. Remove the prop and check for fishing line after each trip; if line works past the seals into the electric motor itself it can ruin it. When the prop is removed, hit any exposed lower unit bolts with a shot of WD-40 to prevent corrosion during storage. When on the water, remember to raise the trolling motor before jetting off to the next spot, because the forced turning of the prop can burn out the electric motor.

Batteries — A few thoughts on batteries are in order . . . first of all, you should have a dedicated trolling motor battery. Hooking those alligator clips up to your starting battery might leave you furiously hand-cranking that 90 HP outboard as the sun sets with you still ten miles from the ramp. Only buy a deep cycle battery engineered to handle a steady drain (the reason starting batteries don’t perform well for trolling is because they are designed to provide only short bursts of power). Modern technology has created a number of advancements in the type and efficiency of trolling batteries, but pay attention to the manufacturer's instructions for charging and depleting your battery in order to maximize its longevity.

Trolling gear — Most spinning or casting outfits are suitable for trolling (even flyfishing gear). For most trolling, anglers will want to keep their hands on the rod rather than place it in a rod holder. Longer rods have the advantage for more precisely controlling the path of bait or lure as you troll past an enticing looking stump or patch of lily pads. They also provide for more distance between baits when running two lines off one boat. If you’re a light tackle angler you might wish to switch up a couple pounds in line test, as the forward momentum of the boat coupled with a fish’s strike may lead to more breakoffs than you are accustomed to.

A depth finder is a tremendous aid in trolling. It will help you monitor the bottom to ensure that you are maintaining the ideal depth for your lure of choice. It will also reveal bottom structure (and even fish) so that you can prepare for a couple of bumps (or a strike) on the line. Depending on the lure or bait, it will also give you enough warning to lift your rod tip and raise your bait clear of an obstruction. Some trolling motors even come with depth finders built in.

A speedometer can also be very helpful to track your actual trolling speed (relative to the water itself) when wind and current are either speeding or slowing your boat. It also allows you to maintain the best speed for a given lure (which of course you tested beside the boat before beginning your troll).

Trolling for bass — Bass are one of the easiest Florida fish to troll for. There are already a variety of weedless lures available, which help offset one of the primary hurdles to trolling in Florida’s fresh waters. A Carolina-rigged plastic worm is possibly the most weedless trolling lure there is, able to bump and slither its way over and around a broad array of obstacles. When trolling with plastic worms, hold the rod tip forward of your sitting position; when the familiar tap-tap-tap of a strike occurs, you can instantly drop the rod tip back and give the fish some slack as you stop the motor and prepare to set the hook. Other weedless bass lures to try include spinnerbaits, Johnson Silver Minnows, curly-tail grubs, and weedless spinners like a Snagless Sally (be sure to use ball bearing swivels with the latter).

In more open waters, a shallow-running Rapala or Rebel minnow is hard to beat (though you can use any of the lures listed above); Rat-L-Traps are another great choice. Speed-trolling these lures as fast as they will go without rolling will sometimes produce fish when other tactics fail. For deeper locales, use crankbaits to get down to the fish. Choose crankbaits based on the desired depth, but keep in mind that a trolled lure will run deeper than its rated running depth (which is usually based on cast-and-retrieve). For any lure except plastic worms, keep your rod tip back instead of forward and set the hook instantly when you feel a strike.

Trolling with bait can be very effective. Shiners and shad are the temptations of choice. Always hook the bait through the lips. Troll slowly enough so that the minnow can swim naturally and isn’t being dragged through the water. If a bait begins to roll on the surface, you’re going too fast. In weedier waters, use a hook with a weedguard. If you need to get your bait deeper, add split shot a foot or two up the line; if the bait keeps diving into vegetation, a tiny streamlined float will keep it near the surface. As with worm trolling, keep your rod tip forward so that you can yield some slack and allow the fish to take the bait before you set the hook.

Trolling for sunfish — Most of what was said about bass trolling applies equally to bream, but on a smaller scale. (You might pick up an occasional crappie too, but they are usually too deep and too closely associated with cover to troll for easily.) Fewer appropriately-sized weedless lures are available. However, Beetle Spins are excellent and weedless curlytail grubs in the smaller sizes also do well. For hard baits, the selection is also more limited. Tiny crankbaits draw strikes, as do small spoons and spinners. However, trolling speeds need to be slower and you must pay more attention to make sure the lures are not rolling. One trick with spinners is to tie a foot or two of line to the treble hook and then put a small nymph or wet fly on the end; fish leery of the spinner will often pick up the fly. You must use a swivel if trolling a spinner, and will probably have to untwist your line periodically by cutting off the lure and letting the line trail freely behind the boat for a few minutes.