The Kit Lake Solace

SEPTEMBER 2025

          It was a month of special opportunities on Kit Lake, my home water in central Florida’s largemouth bass country. New placements gave new chances. New tests gave new positions. And new weather patterns moved the fish of Kit Lake to new holding spots.

          North winds brought unusually dry and cool (well, by our standards) air to Kit Lake. And the water stayed at reasonably low temperatures, so bass were up shallow more than usual for the depths of summer.

For summer in Florida, our rain was infrequent. So our shoreline contracted, removing some prime fish habitat. Additionally, occasional northeast winds stopped bug activity and fish rises, hiding the new locations of fish. So, anglers had to get their new chances by hunting. But those changing winds changed bug activity, requiring Kit Lake anglers to go find the fish.

Anglers had to search for structure that held fish or go deep with streamer patterns. Fuller found fish about 40 feet from the south end shore when an Osprey tried for his breakfast. Fuller returned about half an hour later with a bead head soft tackle and took a couple small bass.

For most of the month, Jessie was able to land larger bass, in their summer-dark plumage, near the contracting shoreline. After the orange light of sunrise reflected onto the water, action dipped. But it soon recovered in the calm, cool conditions. And she was able to stay well into the warmth of the day. She preferred using deer hair poppers, for their stealth and old-school cool. When heat did develop on some days, Jessie searched farther from the shore with trout nymphs, finding eager bluegill in the grassy flats.

          It looks like the conditions that affect our fish will return to normal next month. So, we move forward with hope that we will have seen what will happen next, and we can pass the tests to come.