Lake Hatchineha
is around 6,500 acres and is immediately upstream
from Lake Kissimmee, and downstream from Lake Cypress.
The Kissimmee river enters and exits on the southern
end of the lake.
The water in Lake
Hatchineha is generally under 8 feet. During the
spring months fish will be found in 2-4 feet of water.
The water levels
are controlled by flood gates, and the current flowing
through the Kissimmee river seems to help fishing
around the river mouth and points along the canals.
The difference in water depth between winter level
and spring-summer-fall can be as much as 18 inches
or more, fairly dramatic when a lot of winter-early
spring fishing is done in 3 feet of water or less.
Lures and Baits
Almost everything
works here. About the only things that DON"T
work well are lures that bury into the weeds, like
deep running crankbaits. ('course I'm sure that SOMEONE
at the camp has used 'em and caught fish on them)
Topwaters, shallow
crankbaits, weedless spoons, spinnerbaits, plastic
worms, and buzzbaits all work fine, as well as the
big bass champion, the wild golden shiner.
Vegetation Types
There
are several distinctive types of cover in Lake Hatchineha.
The fish are in different types according to the
time of year and the weather. Below is a breakdown
of the types and patterns.
Hydrilla
Hydrilla grows
in water over 4 feet deep. Bass will be in hydrilla
after the water reaches a higher temperature. Hydrilla
is the most dominant feature of vegetation in Lake
Hatchineha, creating quite a navigational hazard
at times in the late spring and summer. A lot of
the lake is again becoming filled with hydrilla as
of March, 1999, but we saw last year that when hydrilla
becomes a problem, spraying efforts can knock it
down real quick.
Lotus Pads
Bass will frequent lotus pads (aka lily pads) after
a cold front. The bottom is mucky where pads grow,
and retains heat a little better. If a cold front
passes by, fishing pads with June bug colored crawfish,
black-green crawfish down in the roots may work.
Otherwise, pads don't seem to hold many bass as
some of the other vegetation. Panfish seem to be
near the edges of the pads quite a bit of the year.
Kissimmee Grass
Kissimmee Grass grows in around 2-4 feet of water and
may contain lots of Bass, particularly during spawning
season. Kissimmee grass can be fished with lots
of methods, both artificial and live bait.
Arrowhead Grass
A favorite spawning
spot for bass. Called Flags by the locals, it grows
inside the Kissimmee grass line. During winter-spring,
when water levels are high, a lot of the arrowhead
is in fairly fishable water.
Reeds
Reeds grow in
clumps among the Kissimmee grass and Arrowhead. Pay
careful attention to the matted areas. Bass
lurk all in around the reeds.
Reeds come in
two types - sawgrass, which look like cattails, and
buggy whips, which are thinner and much less matted.
Sawgrass is thicker and often makes a nearly impenetrable
wall along the shorelines and islands. Both hold
plenty of bass and other creatures.
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