Fly Fishing Central Florida

Central Florida Freshwater Fly Fishing Report 5-22-2012

 by Captain Craig Crumbliss, Orvis Endorsed Fly Fishing Guide/Instructor

Another busy week of freshwater fly fishing here in Polk County.  Although I usually tell everyone how important it is to get out early, our other guide Chris was out Sunday afternoon and found several fishing willing to eat during the heat of the day when he started his afternoon trip at 4pm.

Fly fishing has been great in the early mornings with good numbers of panfish eating topwater poppers.  I enjoy fishing the foam bodied flies but a size 6 Boogle Bug in yellow or chartreuse has been very effective.  There are plenty of smaller bass mixed in along the shallow weedlines.  If you're not getting action on top you can hang a dropper off your popper.  A larger Hare's Ear Nymph always works and a red San Juan worm has also been getting a good number of bites.

The Florida Mayfly hatch is still happening on many of our freshwater lakes.  These bugs are found in muddy bottom lakes and ponds throughout central Florida.  They are easily recognized when they hatch as they fly over the water and are yellowish in color and smaller than most dragonflies.  I haven't seen many of these bugs on the Winter Haven Chain but some of the lakes off the chain are very good and Lake Walk-in-Water has a consistant hatch as well.  The best fly for these bugs is a parachute style foam bodied dry fly.  They are large, usually a size 6 or 8.  If you are familiar with trout flies you'll recognize this as a Hexagenia Mayfly.

As the summer heat starts to set in we'll be looking to the deeper holes and phosphate pits.  The most effective way to fish these spots is with a 6-8 weight fly rod with a full sinking line.  As we start to transition away from the great panfishing happening now I'll be sharing tips, techniques, and flies for this realitively unknown method of fly fishing.

Comments are encouraged and appreciated!