Florida Freshwater Fishing Forecast for April 12-19, 2026
Sunday's Comprehensive Fishing Article for Florida's Freshwater Anglers
Fish Are Feeding in Shoreline Shallows During Midmornings
The Florida Freshwater Fishing Forecast for April 12-19, 2026, gives anglers the last weak lunar influence days of the month and ideal spring weather conditions. All fishing factors considered, anglers will need to adjust to a fairly strong easterly wind today through Tuesday, but bright sunshine will force fish to hold tight to protective cover as fish feed primarily during the midmorning hours.
Feeding activity will improve slightly when pressure drops just enough to trigger opportunistic feeding when the moon is overhead and solar noon is approaching Monday and Tuesday. The east wind will subside slightly Tuesday and Wednesday and ideal 7-10 mph speeds will occur for the remainder of the week.
I predict fish will remain in the shoreline shallows even when pressure declines a little, but they will be on the outside edges of vegetation Monday and Tuesday. And with the consistent fairly strong east wind, water in some lakes will be pushed into the western shorelines and eastern island shorelines, which means in the deeper sections of those shoreline water will be returning out into the lake, creating a minor undertow affect, which is where I’ve always found the bigger fish to be waiting in ambush.
So be targeting the deeper shoreline area vegetation for big bass facing the shallows, waiting for a well-fed prey to move deeper as pressure drops.
Usually to Access to The Highlands News-Sun Newspaper Short Article you’d need subscriptions to their print or e-news editions. To access my complete article which includes detailed analysis and predictions you’ll need a paid Substack subscription, but today’s article is free to subscribers. It’s much shorter this week due to an overloaded schedule, which occurs from time to time.
The most important fishing factor is to be out on the water when fish are actively feeding.
Major Solar-Lunar Period: Today the moon is overhead at 9:34 a.m. producing a 6-7 feed rating from 8-11 a.m. Daily the overhead moon occurs later by an average of 45 minutes and improves to a solid 7 feed rating by Wednesday from 10:30 a.m.-1:30 p.m. The second half of the week the feed rating improves as the new moon influence produces a 7.5 feed rating Thursday through Saturday during the early to midafternoon hours.
Minor Solar Lunar Periods: Today the moonset occurs at 3:10 p.m. producing a 4-feed rating from 1:30-4:30 p.m. Daily the moonset occurs later by an average of 1 hr. and remains at the same feed rating.
A second minor period happens today when the moonrise occurs at 4:01 a.m. producing a 3 feed rating from 3-5 a.m. Daily the moonrise occurs later by an average of 34 min and remains at the same feed rating until the second half of the week when it harmonizes with the sunrise period and produces a 4 or slightly better feed rating during the early morning hours.
A third minor period happens today when the underfoot moon occurs at 9:57 p.m. producing a 2-3 feed rating. Daily the underfoot moon occurs later by an average of 46 min and remains at the same feed rating.
Best Fishing Days: Over the next four days Monday and Tuesday will have enough downward atmospheric pressure change to cause some minor fish adjustment activity during the early afternoon hours. Bright sunshine is predicted so you can expect fish to be holding tight to protective cover while moving to the outside of shoreline feeding areas as pressure drops about 0.11 in hg. But a fairly strong 12-15 mph east wind will occur as fish feed during the afternoon.
The second half of the week feeding activity will improve as the new moon, which occurs Friday, becomes the major factor to produce feeding activity. Pressure change and the sun-to-cloud ratio will not be a factor, however, the consistent east wind will be at ideal speeds of 7-10 mph and expect fish to be on western shorelines and east island shoreline due to the steady easterly wind.
It should also be noted that next weekend during the second half of the 7-day new moon phase—Saturday through next Monday, the feed rating will be better than the first half of the new moon week because of the lunar perigee next Sunday and the lunar high two days later. And water temperatures will have climbed into the upper 70-degree range which will cause fish to feed at their highest annual rate.
Lake Istokpoga S68 Spillway and Lake Level Status: Lake level average is currently at 37.22 NAVD88 with four S68 spillway gates closed. The NAVD88 Offset to NGVD29 is + 1.16 feet = 38.38NGVD29. Current maximum high level is 39.35’ NGVD and the low level is 37.70’ NVGD.
Prime Monthly Periods: April 14-21 strong new moon, April 28-May 3 weak full moon, 13-20 strong super new moon, May 28-June 2 weak full moon, June 10-17 strongest super new moon possible-solid 10 rating for 4 of the 7-day phase due to the orbit perigee and lunar high occurring within the same 24 hours of the new moon.
Dave Douglass has been an artificial bait only bass fishing guide since 2005, and the writer of the Highlands News-Sun fishing forecast article since Oct. 2016 and previously the writer of the Highlands Today fishing forecast article which began in Nov. 2005. Contact email DavidPDouglass@hotmail.com or phone 863-381-8474.