Red Flag Conditions Across the Region; Shad Spawn Still Driving the Bite

Wildfire risk dominated the week on the water. The National Weather Service issued red flag warnings April 20–21 for Lake, Polk, Osceola, Orange, Sumter, Marion, Seminole, and inland Volusia counties as low humidity and gusty northeast winds pushed fire danger to "high." A 120-acre brush fire in northern Lake County near Umatilla — started by a new homeowner clearing land — had crews working into Tuesday evening, with voluntary evacuations issued and Wiygul Road closed.

On the Water

The shad spawn is still the story on both the Harris Chain and the Kissimmee Chain, and bass are eating accordingly. Crappie fishing is winding down with the warming water, but shellcrackers have started biting big on Lake Kissimmee — the spring bluegill and shellcracker bite typically picks up around the full moon and runs through May.

Polk County remains under SWFWMD Modified Phase III water shortage restrictions through July 1. Lake levels on the Winter Haven chains are running low, and the lack of rain this spring continues to show on the gauges. The rain that did move through earlier this month helped, but not enough to change the picture.

Coming Up

The FWC Southwest Florida Invasive Freshwater Fish Roundup wraps today, April 26. The weigh-in is the public-facing piece — educational exhibits, family activities, and a chance to see the bullseye snakeheads, clown knifefish, and tilapia that anglers brought in over the three-day event.

FWC's new Cast for Cash program is now live statewide. Anglers get paid for recording trip data through the program, which FWC and SFWMD are using to track species distribution and help remove invasives. Worth a look if you're already on the water often.

Worth Knowing

No major tournament results to report from Central Florida waters this past week — the spring pro circuit has moved out of state, with MLF's REDCREST wrapping at Table Rock Lake on April 19 (Jacob Wheeler took the win). The next confirmed local pro event on the radar remains down the calendar.

If you're on a dock or seawall in Polk County, the Phase III restrictions affect irrigation schedules and pressure-washing — check the Winter Haven and county notices before scheduling any work that needs water. Burn bans and outdoor watering rules are both in play right now, and enforcement has tightened with the fire risk.