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Knowing the spots
By MIKE SCARANTINO Speckled perch are known by many names. Specks, croppie, black crappie, papermouth, calico bass, white perch or strawberry bass all are appropriate when addressing this fish. They can be feisty, are fun to catch and make terrific tablefare for many anglers. But where do you find them? The Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission released this year's top 10 spots for landing speckled perch. An important fact about specks is that they can be found in nearly every corner of the state except the Keys, where there isn't enough freshwater to support them. The commission's list of best locations consisted of Lake Kenansville, in Indian River County; Lake Marian, east of Haines City; Lake Trafford, 30 miles southwest of Fort Myers; Lake Harris, Leesburg; Lake Monroe, near Sanford; Lake Talquin, west of Tallahassee; Lake Okeechobee; Tenoroc Fish Management Area, Polk County; Lake Woodruff, near DeLeon Springs; and Lake Weir, southeast of Ocala. There are so many productive bodies of water, the report said, that expanding the list to 20 or more would have been easy. The next best thing about speckled perch is that they like cooler weather. They find water 62-65 degrees perfect for spawning, yet are most comfortable in temperatures 70-75. Spawning season finds specks in colonies. The fish fan their beds over gravel or soft muddy bottom or near vegetation in anticipation of new generations. The specks thrive in natural lakes with average amounts of vegetation. They also can be found in slow-moving rivers that are moderately clear. Once water temperatures reach the 80s, crappie bass will seek the deepest, coolest water. When temperatures cool, the fish spend a lot of time suspended at depths 3-8 feet. Anglers must seek the right depth to find where the bulk of the fish are holding and to reap a bounty of sweet fillets. The bag limit is 25 per day per person. Speck anglers fall into the categories of those who fish aggressively and those who enjoy whiling away the hours more passively from a boat or the water's edge. Those who are aggressive tend to use more jigs and artificial lures, frequently moving to different spots. A stable fore deck and good trolling motor are necessities. Aggressive anglers will work entire lengths of weed edges and grass lines. Some people poke holes in the densest weeds, then drop their offerings into small, shadowy positions in hope of a strike. These anglers use long poles constructed from cane or man-made materials to reach into the heaviest cover. Passive individuals work light spinning outfits or cane poles, bobbers, little hooks and live baits. Missouri minnows and small grubs or wiggler worms are choice offerings. The diets of these fish consist mainly of crustaceans, small insects and little forage species. Adult fish primarily eat forage such as threadfin shad or minnows, and can be found where schools of these open-water species congregate. Live bait anglers typically will use long shank hooks because of the large size of the fish's mouth. Some people, however, are turning on to small No. 6 circle hooks. When there's a strike, the natural movement of the hook during the hookset is directly to the corner of the mouth. Less catches are lost to gut-hooked mortality using this style of hook. Bobbers or corks are another important matter. Choosing the right one may increase success. Fish that strike at a bait may let it go prematurely if they encounter too much resistance from a float. Pencil floats with long, slim design slip under water with less resistance than the bulbous counterparts. Once the catch is brought home, an electric knife is the best instrument for extracting the tender fillets. The knife makes quick work of the chore, especially if an angler was lucky enough to produce about 25 fish. To fry the fillets, dip them in milk, roll them in seasoned corn meal or flour, then cook them in vegetable oil or shortening until they're golden brown. Add some hush puppies or potatoes and freshly-ground coleslaw, and you have one great meal. If you have a question or comment, call Capt. Mike Scarantino, (352) 683-4868.
 © 2006 • All Rights Reserved • Tampa Bay Times
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