Years ago Tim Horton did a master class while on Bass Live blind casting to bedding fish in South Bay on Okeechobee. I have watched day 3 of the Okeechobee elite tournament multiple times. He basically treated each little group of reeds as a bed pitching a creature bait to likely beds. I call this technique/pattern the Timmy Horton.
I was excited to see after years away from Stick Marsh that there was a lot of offshore emergent cane and reeds. (I read that native vegetation was planted during a draw down. The lake looks beautiful. Eel grass, cane, buggy whips) Last Sunday I was fortunate to be out as the first wave came in to a area of these reeds. The water had fallen to the high 50's low 60s. By Sunday the water had warmed to the high 60's rising to low 70s in the 80 degree temps. I concentrated on a 500 yard stretch going round and round. New fish every pass doing the "Timmy Horton". I like the Gambler Burner craw or the Stinger. Not sure that any creature bait wouldn't work. That day it was a wave of females and they were on. Monday and Tuesday they were still coming but the bucks were biting too. Water was 72 at sunrise in dense fog.
I didn't catch a double digit (my quest this winter) but a lot in the 3-5 lb class.
I am back home for a few weeks. 10 ° with a snow storm on the way today into tomorrow. Looking at the weather down in Florida this week ahead looks to be prime time Tim Horton conditions.
**Warning** the "stick" in Stick Marsh is tough on FFS transducers.
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Eric, tks for sharing the article and pictures with us. Tight lines hoping that double digit bite occurs for ya on your next outing.
Great report. We did the Time Horton today on Lake Washington. Biggest was 6 lbs that my buddy caught. All of mine were small ~roflmao
The Stick Marsh is looking good.
Thanks for the report and story and photo... Hopefully it warms up soon and you can show us some spawning smallies too :-*
that is the way i like to hit beds. just cast to the reeds in the Delta.
sitting on top of them spooks them.