With recent heat indexes well over 100 degrees, most anglers were kicked back in the air conditioning watching the fishing shows on television instead of venturing on the lakes. But as last week progressed, the rain returned and with it a little more bearable conditions for those looking for fish.

Reports from all over Polk County have been good with places like Saddle Creek Park and Teneroc producing excellent bass and panfish catches. Both of these locations, located east of Lakeland, have places for both fishermen in boats and for those who bank fish.

And both also have handicap accessible places for fishing with Teneroc setting aside one pit just for that and for children. Teneroc and Saddle Creek are both reclaimed phosphate pits and for those not lucky enough to have access to the private phosphate mine lands, this is as close as you will get.

If you have never fished pits before, it’s somewhat different than fishing your average natural Florida lake. Lakes in Florida rarely exceed more than 10-15 feet in depth but phosphate pits, particularly the older ones, have deep holes up to 40 feet.

And what’s so different is the 40-foot drop may come of a 4-foot deep sandbar. Lots of rock piles and ledges create numerous ambush points for bass and other predator fish.

When fishing these pits it is very helpful to a depth finder to locate these undulations in the bottom contour. Bass love to sit just off the deep end of a ledge waiting for dinner to swim by.

Another thing first-time pit fishermen should know is you’ll need bait that can get down deep. Throwing a suspended Rapala over a 20-foot hole will rarely result in a strike. Deep diving crankbaits, and Texas and Carolina rigged plastic baits are the No. 1 tactic for reaching the deep-water fish.

Phosphate pits also are renowned for their panfish and catfish. Fishing for these is done pretty much the same as on a lake. Find a cut or cove with vegetation during spawning season and you can fill up your cooler in a matter of minutes.

Catfish are also numerous and love chicken livers or frozen squid fished on the bottom.

For more information contact Mark Cook at http://www.tribfishing@aol.com.