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Archive for April, 2010
Tuesday, April 13th, 2010
 Jake Gipson and Matt Wercinski grew up fishing together in the ponds and lakes of golf courses in northern Florida.
Monday, the pair reeled in $100,000 in prize money at the National Guard FLW College Fishing National Championship.
Half of the money will be donated to UF in the form of a scholarship, and $25,000 will go to the students’ Gator Bassmasters club.
The pair received a certificate for a boat that is valued at $25,000.
The three-day tournament took place in Knoxville, Tenn., on Fort Loudoun Lake and featured the top 25 teams in the country.
After more than 1,000 casts, the duo caught a total of 10 bass throughout the weekend, with a final weight of 29 pounds 10 ounces.
“We work really well together,” said Wercinski, a finance junior. “When he can’t catch big fish, I can, and vice versa. It just seems to work out.”
They beat the second place team, Texas State University, by 10 ounces.
“We just felt fortunate to make it to the finals,” Gipson said. “We couldn’t believe we won it.”
The pair also got a new Chevy truck and a boat wrapped in Gator colors.
Both the truck and the boat are theirs to use until they compete in the FLW Cup in August, a high-level professional bass fishing tournament.
“We’re really excited,” Wercinski said. “We hope to put the boat somewhere people can see it.”
Till next time tight lines and good fishing….
From Staff Writer BASSonline – fishing@bassonline.com
BassOnline.com / 888-829-BASS
Tags: bass fishing report, bass fishing tournament, Florida bass fishing
Posted in Central Florida Fishing, Florida Bass Fishing, Tournament Fishing | 1 Comment »
Saturday, April 10th, 2010
Dear Lori,
Thank you for all your help reserving our trip. Which from start to finish was simply a great experience!
Capt. Roger is an excellent guide, he is a good teacher and is very hard working. Through his efforts he put us on a large number of fish, the majority of which we caught.
Please let Todd know that this was a trip I will never forget. I look forward to being a repeat customer.
Sincerely,
John Leen
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Thanks John,
We look forward to fishing with you in the future..
Till next time tight lines and good fishing….
From Staff Writer BASSonline – fishing@bassonline.com
BassOnline.com / 888-829-BASS
Tags: Florida Fishing Guide, miami peacock bass, peacock bass, South Florida Fishing
Posted in Customer comments, Florida Fishing Guide, Florida Peacock Bass, South Florida Fishing | Comments Off
Friday, April 9th, 2010
Overview
Florida is considered one of the top destinations for bass fishing in the United States.
Florida is the go-to state for bass fishermen, especially when big fish are the goal. Its lakes and rivers are full of plant life, and the water stays warm throughout the year, allowing bass to continually put on weight. They also are the dominant game species in many of Florida’s waters, so anglers don’t have to search for a good bass hole. These attributes have made the waters of Florida the prime destinations for tournament and casual anglers alike.
Lakes Overview
Many lakes in Florida have bass in them, but some are particularly productive and well known. They are the Kissimmee Chain of Lakes ( lakes Kissimmee, Toho, Cypress and Hatchineha), Lake George, Lake Istokpoga and Lake Okeechobee. The Kissimmee chain, located in central Florida, features vast beds of emergent and submerged vegetation that hold bass throughout the year. Bass roam the edges in the early morning and under low-light conditions, and move into the shade created by the vegetation when the sun shines. A good way to hook bass is to flip and pitch plastic worms and jigs into holes in the vegetation. Lake George, located in northern Florida, is the second largest lake in the state. The lake has a drop off that begins in six to eight feet of water, and anglers are wise to begin there. Cast along the drop off with lures like spinnerbaits and crankbaits, then slow down and fish a jig or plastic worm once fish are located. Lake Istokpoga is located in southern Florida. Islands dot the lake, and the grass that grows in the water around the islands is one of the best places to find bass. Fish the edges of the grass with topwater baits when the light is low, or pitch a plastic worm or jig into the vegetation when the sun is shining. Lake Okeechobee in central Florida is the most well-known bass lake in the state. Fish the huge expanses of vegetation, keying on the edges, holes, and places where two types of vegetation meet. Though many anglers focus exclusively on the vegetation, the lake features deep-water channels that also hold bass. Anglers who find and catch bass in deep water often find most success with a crankbait.
Geography
Florida heats up during the day, particularly during the summer. When the air gets warm, so, too, does the water. That is why bass in Florida lakes tend to feed most aggressively early in the day when the water is at its coolest point. Bass will feed along vegetation edges or in areas of moving water, and anglers should work topwater baits like poppers and buzzbaits if there is no wind. If the wind ripples the surface of the water, select lures like spinnerbaits and lipless crankbaits. In general, the best bite occurs before 10 a.m, but the fishing has the ability to linger on throughout the day.
Dock Considerations
The boat docks that line Florida’s lakes provide year-round cover and shade, as well as ambush points for bass. The best docks are near deep water, and bass can be found on docks throughout the year. These docks are complex structures built over a sloping bottom. Anglers should work jigs and plastic worms around dock pilings, or tie on a tube jig and skip the lure as far underneath the dock as possible. The tube falls slowly through the water and attracts bites from bass that are not aggressively feeding.
One of the most well known and most productive methods for catching a monster bass in Florida is to use heavy tackle and a live shiner. The rod and reel should be heavy action and capable of handling big fish, and the fishing line should be at least 20-pound test. In areas of sparse vegetation, the shiner can be fished below a bobber. Where the vegetation is heavy enough that it makes fishing with a bobber difficult, the shiner can be hooked and allowed to swim freely. Some anglers prefer this method in all cases. The best areas to fish live shiners are shallow and full of vegetation.
Warning
Hydrilla is perhaps the most common type of vegetation in lakes in Florida, but many anglers avoid it because it grows so thick and can foul lures and become wrapped around trolling and boat motors. But it provides an abundance of shade, protection, and ambush opportunities for bass, so they use it. Anglers should first fish the edge of hydrilla beds with quick-moving lures like spinnerbaits, lipless crankbaits, and topwater baits. If the edges fail to produce, tie on a jig or plastic worm and target the holes and openings in the hydrilla. Be prepared for a quick strike from a big bass.
Regulations
Anglers are allowed to keep five bass per day from Florida waters, and only one of those fish can be 22 inches or longer. There are certain regional regulations like on Okeechobee, too. In south Florida, anglers may keep only one bass 14 inches or longer. In waters south and east of the Suwannee River, any bass less than 14 inches long must be released immediately. Finally, in waters north and west of the Suwannee River, in any creek, tributary, or stream of the Suwannee River, and the Suwannee River itself, any bass less than 12 inches long must be released immediately. See the regulations for a map, and for any lakes with special regulations.
Tags: bass fishing guide, Florida bass fishing, florida fishing guides, florida lakes, lake okeechobee, lake toho
Posted in Florida Bass Fishing, Florida Fishing Guide | Comments Off
Monday, April 5th, 2010
April 4, 2010, I had the pleasure of going out with repeat customers Allen and his son Tommy, Kevin, and Brian we did a half day fishing trip in the Florida Everglades for largemouth bass. The Elia family is from Lewiston, New York they managed to catch alot of fish with one around four pounds. Little Tommy managed to catch a few fish on worms also, but most bass were caught using live bait.
Looking forward to seeing you guys next year.
Till next time tight lines and good fishing….
From Staff Writer Capt Brett Isackson (bretti@bassonline.com)
BassOnline.com / 888-829-BASS
Tags: Everglades Fishing, fishing in everglades, Florida bass fishing, florida fishing, largemouth bass, south florida
Posted in Everglades Fishing, Florida Bass Fishing | 1 Comment »
Sunday, April 4th, 2010
On April 3 I took out Bob Lacourciere and his son Chris with buddy Craig out for a peacock bass fishing trip.
It was a slow day, yes we do every once in a while have one of those. But we put fish in the boat, up to 3 1/2 lbs, all in all a Good day on the water!
We look forward to fishing with you in the future!
Till next time tight lines and good fishing….
From Staff Writer Capt Tony Masiello (tonym@bassonline.com)
BassOnline.com / 888-829-BASS
Tags: florida fishing, Florida Peacock Bass, miami lakes, miami peacock bass, peacock bass
Posted in Florida Peacock Bass, South Florida Fishing | Comments Off
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