FB85Istokpoga Formatted

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Florida Fish Busters BulletinJanuary 2013

Lake Istokpoga nursed to lunker locker

By Bob Wattendorf and Bill Pouder

Lake Istokpoga is often overlooked by

bass anglers seeking the notoriety of the

Kissimmee Chain of lakes to the north or Lake

Okeechobee to the south. However, 28,000-acre

Lake Istokpoga, in Highlands County just

south of Sebring, is turning into a top lunker

producer.

Istokpoga is the fifth largest natural

lake in Florida and has an average depth of 6

feet. Recent angler surveys estimated more

than 1,000 bass over 8 pounds being caught in

less than a year. Bass angler catch rates were

relatively slow in 2011 but increased

significantly in 2012, as evidenced by the lakes early prominence in the

TrophyCatch angler recognition program, which began on Oct. 1.

Early in November, Don Hatcher documented, using all the required photos,

an 8.8-pound bass that was 23 inches long to qualify for a Lunker Club (8-9.9

Don Hatcher with a beautiful Lunker Club bassrom Lake Istokpoga.

TrophyCatch submissions should include a photo of the entire fish on a measuring board or tape.


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pounds) entry into the TrophyCatch program. His fish

qualified him not only for the certificate and decal but

also for a free T-shirt from Bass King Clothing and a

drawing for a $50 certificate from Bass Pro Shops, Dicks

Sporting Goods or Rapala, and the right to proclaim My

Trophy Swims in Florida!

Lynn Ogle topped that fish a month later with a

Trophy Club (10-12.9 pounds) entry that tipped the

scales at 10 pounds 4 ounces and was 27 inches long.

Besides bragging rights and the great feeling of knowing shed released her trophy

to grow and fight another day, shell

receive a long-sleeve T-shirt from Bass

King, and two $50 gift cards, plus a

framable certificate and window decal.

The next day it was Charles Beatty

pushing oh so close to the Hall of Fame

club (13 pounds plus, certified by an FWC employee), with a 12-pound 7-ounce,

26.5-inch-long beauty that he caught on an artificial lure. He was thrilled that he

qualified for the Trophy Club, but had the fish exceeded 13 pounds and been

certified as such, he would have received a free ($500 value) fiberglass mount of his

fish from New Wave Taxidermy and a special commemorative display with a Fish

Photo Replica in 3-D of the catch mounted above a Sportsman on Canvas image of

photo of the entire fish on a scale,with the weight showing, is alsorequired for TrophyCatch submissions.

Lynn Ogle's Trophy Club bass from Lake Istokpoga.


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his catch. Add to that a custom Pro Line fishing rod with US Reel bait caster, a

Glen Lau DVD, $150 in gift certificates and entry into the Bass Hall of Fame at the

Florida Bass Conservation Center in Sumter County. He would have really been

celebrating then!

The good news is the fish was

released. With a few more ounces of pre-

spawn fattening, it may just be our first

Hall of Fame inductee when the next

lucky angler catches and releases it.

Remember, the best way to participate is

to go to www.TrophyCatchFlorida.com in

advance, register and learn the rules, so you know what equipment (camera, scales

and measuring device) to have with you. Then once you catch and release your bass

(8-12.9 pounds), or call the FWC to certify a 13-pound plus hawg, youll just need to

log in, upload the photos and spread the word to your network of friends that your

trophy swims in Florida. Although, you dont have to register in advance, doing so

makes you eligible for a drawing for a Phoenix bass boat powered by Mercury.

Bass fishing is excellent year round on Lake Istokpoga. April and October are

great for cool weather and lots of bass. From January through April, bass are

spawning in bulrush, cattail, and other vegetation over sandy lake-bottom areas

that were enhanced during the 2001 drawdown. As a result, they will have a few

extra pounds on them. Spawning bass can also be found around the lakes two

Charles Beatty releases a beautiful, healthy 12-ound 7-ounce TrophyCatch and declares, "My

trophy swims in Florida."
http://www.trophycatchflorida.com/http://www.trophycatchflorida.com/http://www.trophycatchflorida.com/http://www.trophycatchflorida.com/


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islands: Big Island and Bumblebee Island. Flipping dark-colored, soft plastics in

bulrush or pockets of submerged vegetation should be productive.

Quality trophy bass fishing in Istokpoga is no fluke. The Florida Fish and

Wildlife Conservation Commission (FWC) has worked long and hard with local

anglers and businesses to bring the lake back.

In the early 1960s, water-level stabilization began limiting water

fluctuations, resulting in excess vegetation and organic build-up.This is a major

detriment to natural habitat rejuvenation and flushing of Florida lakes.

These lakes historically experienced droughts that allowed muck to dry out

and blow away, exposing a firm sand bottom that holds aquatic plants and provides

bedding areas for bass and other sunfish. Subsequent high water levels would

extend into the flood plains, allowing exceptionally strong-year classes of fish to

develop.

Now, to ensure adequate water for irrigation, navigation and drinking water

during droughts and to prevent flooding during high-water periods, mankind

intervenes to preclude these extreme fluctuations. As a result, the FWC and other

environmental partners must use alternate means to rejuvenate lakes.

From March through July 2001, Istokpoga benefitted by a drawdown and

mechanical muck removal. A total of 1,308 acres were scraped and 2.4 million cubic

yards of material removed from 21 miles of shoreline.

To maintain quality habitat, herbicide treatments and mechanical harvesting

are used to treat 500-1,000 acres annually, targeting tussocks and plant


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monocultures to improve fish and wildlife habitat. This helps prevent muck buildup,

and reduces the chance of major plant die-offs, which cause fish kills.

By 2003, the scraped areas

responded with eelgrass, a highly desirable

native aquatic plant. It became dominant.

By 2009, acceptable fish habitat covered

9,375 acres or 33 percent of the lake.

Twenty percent to 40 percent aquatic

vegetation is ideal.

Stakeholders are actively engaged. In 1997, Lake Istokpoga was established

as a Fish Management Area, and shortly after that the Lake Istokpoga

Management Committee was formed at the request of the Highlands County Board

of County Commissioners. The management committee consists of county and FWC

staff and board-appointed representatives from local user groups (e.g., fishermen,

guides, fish camps, homeowners associations, Audubon, etc.). The committee allows

lake managers to present management actions to members for discussion and input.

In addition, the Friends of Istokpoga is a nonprofit group established in 1998

(Istokpoga.org) , where management activities are conveyed to the group quarterly,

including hydrilla treatment and habitat restoration plans. Friends of Istokpoga

has a quarterly newsletter that includes routine input from the FWC.

The FWC also conducts annual angler (creel) surveys from October through

June. To supplement that information, nonlethal electrofishing surveys collect

The 2001 drawdown and muck removal project onLake Istokpoga.
http://istokpoga.org/http://istokpoga.org/


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fisheries data each fall, winter and spring.

The 2012 surveys documented the highest

largemouth bass success rate (0.82 fish per

hour) since data collection began on the

lake.

Besides the aggressive habitat

restoration program and extensive efforts to prolong the benefits and manage

aquatic vegetation in the lake, the FWC has also used regulation management in an

effort to help create a trophy fishery. Lake Istokpoga has a 15- to 24-inch protected

(no-harvest) slot limit for bass with a three-fish daily bag limit, of which only one

bass may be 24 inches or longer.

Several fish camps and four public boat ramps provide access to the lake. For

information about lodging and amenities, contact the Greater Sebring Chamber of

Commerce (863-385-8448).

Management of Lake Istokpoga is a stellar example of the FWC using a

variety of management techniques and soliciting public input to provide an

exceptional fishery. Sign up for TrophyCatch today, and make plans to catch and

release your own trophy to swim in Florida.

Instant licenses are available at MyFWC.com/License or by calling 888-FISH-FLORIDA (347-4356).Report violators by calling 888-404-3922, *FWC or #FWC on your cell phone, or texting [email protected]. Visit MyFWC.com/Fishing and select more news, or scr.bi/Fish-busters for moreFish Busters Bulletins. To subscribe to FWC columns or to receive news releases, visitmyfwc.com/Contact .

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This graph shows that catch rates for largemouthbass (LMB) are at an all-time high for LakeIstokpoga, and catch rates for black crappie (BLCR)are very good.
http://www.myfwc.com/Licensehttp://www.myfwc.com/Licensehttp://www.myfwc.com/Licensehttp://www.myfwc.com/Fishing/http://www.myfwc.com/Fishing/http://www.myfwc.com/Fishing/http://scr.bi/Fish-bustershttp://scr.bi/Fish-bustershttp://scr.bi/Fish-bustershttp://www.myfwc.com/Fishing/http://www.myfwc.com/License

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