Shellcrackers On in Lake Kissimmee; Phase III Restrictions Still in Effect

No major local tournament finished inside the past two weeks. The MLF Bass Pro Tour wrapped REDCREST on April 25 with Jacob Wheeler taking the title and the $300,000 check, but that one was fished outside Florida. Closer to home, the story this week is panfish and water policy.

On the Water

Shellcrackers are biting hard on Lake Kissimmee. The Apopka Chief's fishing column has them coming off bedding areas in good numbers, and bluegill are starting to stage with them. Crappie action has slowed from peak as water temps climb, but fish are still being caught around deeper grass edges on the Kissimmee Chain.

The shad spawn that drove the bass bite earlier this month is winding down on both the Harris Chain and the Kissimmee Chain. Bass have moved into post-spawn patterns — expect the bite to shift toward main-lake structure and offshore grass through May.

On the St. Johns side, schooling bass are still showing from Astor down to Hontoon Island.

Coming Up

The 2026 Southwest Florida Invasive Freshwater Fish Roundup wrapped April 26, so that one is done. No confirmed Central Florida tournament dates surfaced for the coming week worth listing here. Xtreme Bass Series and BFL schedules will pick back up — check series sites before you trailer.

Worth Knowing

SWFWMD's Modified Phase III "Extreme" Water Shortage Order remains in force through July 1 across Polk, Hillsborough, Pinellas, Manatee, Sarasota, and surrounding counties. One-day-per-week irrigation. The order was driven by the same drought that has lakes running low and fire danger high — Lake County crews were still mopping up the 120-acre Umatilla brush fire last week.

Lower water levels mean more exposed pilings, more boat traffic concentrated in deeper channels, and more wake energy hitting the same stretches of shoreline. If you're seeing soil loss behind your seawall cap or undermining at the toe, this is the season it shows up — worth a look at your seawalls before summer storms arrive.

FWC's new Cast for Cash program is now paying anglers to log trips through the agency's data app. Details on the FWC site.