Thursday April 16, 2010 was another great day on the water. We put together 32 bass and all weighed over 3 pounds but 3 and we had caught so many 5 plus pound fish that we decided to put some in the livewell for a picture, ( I forgot to get them to kiss the fish ) and we would have had 6 in the picture but Ethan the youngest liked catching them but would not touch them so just to let everyone know he did catch one of the 7 pounders his older brother Steve Jr was holding.
It was a really windy day and just about killed my batteries to stay in the general zone where these fish were stacked up. I had some areas where the wind was not as bad for a break and we caught a few good ones there as well.
The day was pretty consistent and we would have had more than 50 fish, but they miss some. You have to really set the hook hard on these bass or you will miss more than you should. Heck, Ethan is only 7 but he did really well with setting the hook. Now, if only he will hold the fish…next year he will be in good shape. Great job guys and it was a pleasure once again to fish with you again for the last 4 years we have fished.
We caught most of the fish on wild shiners, we caught the rest on Yamamoto Swim Senkos weightless and spinning tackle including two 5 pound bass.
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.
Today I had the pleasure of taking out repeat customer George Flemming in the Everglades for a full day of action pack fishing.
We started out out throwing Senkos and Shaky heads on the bottom and catching a few bass, as the day went on we notice the fish moving location. With the full the next day, the bass started showing up on the there beds.We search around till we finaly found one that would eat.
I hope you’ll join me in November for sport’s most uniquely personal experience, the Darrell Gwynn Foundation Hot Rods & Reels Charity Fishing Tournament during one of NASCAR’s most prestigious events – Ford Championship Weekend at Homestead-Miami Speedway. You’ll have a rare opportunity to fish the speedway’s lake with a NASCAR driver, celebrity or team owner in a virtually one-on-one environment. Recent tournaments featured Tony Stewart, Carl Edwards, Kyle Busch, Martin Truex, Ryan Newman, Daryl Waltrip, Richard Childress, Bobby Allison and many others. Each boat is limited to a fishing guide, NASCAR celebrity and two participants – you can’t get much closer or more personal than that!
For a $5,000 donation, you receive two seats in a boat, rod & reel combos, tackle and gift packs, get to mingle with NASCAR stars…AND have a chance to win the Miccosukee Million (as in $1,000,000!) if you catch the largest fish. All proceeds from my event, and its companion Hot Rods & Reels tournament at the Daytona 500 in February, benefit the Darrell Gwynn Foundation and Speediatrics Units at area hospitals. It’s a great experience for NASCAR fans, avid fishermen (and women) and corporate clients. I invite you to join me this year – click on the link below to learn how you can climb aboard the Hot Rods & Reels adventure.
Orlando 67 Days of Smiles – Stacey and Kyle are a couple life long friends and are now friends of ours. Originally from Michigan now residing in New York, they enter a promotional contest offer by Orlando and won the whole thing!
As winners of the Orlando 67 Days of Smiles contest Stacey and Kyle have gotten to experience just about every attraction in Orlando. Our goal was to bring the Orlando Outdoors to Stacey and Kyle, so what better way then to experience the two most impressive indoor and outdoor activities in Orlando, World famous bass fishing with Florida’s largest fishing guide service “BASSonline Fishing Outfitter” and to shop till you drop, with the World’s largest Hunting and Fishing retailer, “Bass Pro Shops Outdoor World.”
The excursion started by meeting at Bass Pro Shops Outdoor World at 5:45am. We all know how important it is to look the part, so after distributing the FREE hats and shirts Bass Pro graciously offered. We headed off to one of Orlando’s most popular big bass lakes, Lake Toho world famous for producing trophy bass. We knew in the back of my minds, even if the fish didn’t bite the beautiful scenery and wildlife would leave a stunning impression.
When we arrived at the lake everyone genuinely sounded and looked very excited to get started. After the guides put the boats in the water and everyone toured the Big Toho Marina, off we went in the boats where the real adventure was just about to begin.
Once we arrived at our first location, it took no time at all before the first fish was reeled in. That one came from the guys boat, yes it was the guys against the girls for now. After several more fish were caught the kidding back and forth escalated to lots of laughter. Thankfully all went as planned, the fish bit and the bald eagles flew overhead as if they were watching the whole thing. Bass were caught by everyone and yes some fish were missed(Stacey) but it was all in fun and part of an Orlando Outdoor adventure that everyone will never forget.
Till next time tight lines and good fishing…. From Bass Online Staff Writer BassOnline.com / 888-829-BASS
BassOnline.com is Florida largest freshwater guide service and outfitter, specializing in Florida bass fishing in the Florida lakes, canals and rivers. Considered by many as the freshwater bass fishing experts in Florida!
