This works very well in areas where weeds are approximately four feet below the surface or in open water. Pitch or flip the heavy weight right on top of the grass. They should also choose lures that can be used effectively around docks and cypress trees. Walking plugs work well, as do frog imitations. Then it’s just a matter of fishing these areas and keeping at it, don’t worry if you’re not catching anything. Bass spawn in Florida from about late November through April, but the busiest spawning activity takes place in late February and March. Catching largemouth on a fly isn’t rocket science and in many cases it’s a whole lot simpler and less costly than carrying a plethora of lures, hooks, and other paraphernalia associated with casting or spinning tackle. These are areas that fish can use to warm up and may provide a spawning area or pre-spawn staging prior to moving shallower. It’s two steps forward and one step back. If you’re more interested in fishing lakes then feel free to skip ahead to the next part. Give your fishing holes more time than usual if you feel you’ve found a spot capable of producing a giant. Central Florida Bass Fishing aims to stay true to its name and be the primary destination for all your Bass fishing needs. We found this video for customising your fishing lures. It is relatively cheap when you consider all you get. They can take a little longer to entice. When I helped Bob Williams catch the first Hall of Fame bass inducted into the TrophyCatch program in February 2013, it was on Rodman Reservoir with a big wild shiner. There are plenty of other factors that influence bass activity but, all else being equal, the full moon will help the bite. The key to finding fish is structure and contours. With this setup I can “walk the frog” to create numerous strikes in open water, underneath overhanging trees, next to brush or under docks. Watch the video below and catch more bass. If you are a casual angler or someone just getting started in this wonderful sport, consider fishing with Wild Shiners. Florida plays host to a variety of fishing tournaments throughout the year. During the last few years, however, I’ve developed a system of fishing crankbaits combining light line and heavy tackle. It’s a technique Florida bass just can’t stand.” Bass Spawn Tactic: Offer a Topwater. Tighten your drag all the way for increased hookset ratios and when you think there’s a strike, reel down until your rod is in hookset position before setting the hook. Once bass are finished spawning, they will stay in the area to feed on bluegills that are then spawning. Over the years it seems to have yielded more quality catches than other types. Know the Bass Basics. During spawning and pre-spawn seasons I look for submerged logs where big females have been rubbing away the mossy growth. Another thing that could influence bass to feed would be a warming trend after a cold front. Some of the other strains that have faired well over the years for me are Kissimmee grass (knotgrass) and emergent grasses. The tighter/thicker the lines, the more dramatic a drop-off. This should be even better after FWC conducts a prescribed burn in spring 2014. Choose lures that closely resemble the bass’ natural food selections and matching the size to the fish found where you’re fishing. (see video at YouTube.com/TrophyCatchFlorida.). My line of choice for both baits is 65-pound SpiderWire braid. Found statewide, largemouth bass have excellent growth rates, particularly in the productive waters of central Florida. These are the type areas the bass prefer when it gets cold. You can purchase hooks specifically made for swim baits. Conversely, if the surrounding area shows depths increasing, then potentially you are looking at an offshore hump that can hold suspended fish that may be feeding in current as bait goes by or a schooling area on a reef. Now again it’s all relative to the lake you’re fishing. Spool your medium-fast to fast reel with a minimum of 65 lb-test braided line and use a medium-heavy to heavy action rod. Swim baits are made of a soft but tough plastic-like material that stands up to lots of cranking and reeling bringing it through the thickest grass. Typically, the shiner is hooked through the lips or back with a large hook, 2/0 to 5/0. With so much great looking vegetation in these lakes these fish are going to be in the best of the best of it. Some of the very best bass fishing waters are found in Osceola County, not only including famed lakes such as Kissimmee and Tohopekaliga, but also some small local lakes. And always remember to keep at it. Try to locate the thickest cover available, such as hyacinth mats, reed clumps, and heavy hydrilla mats. These are areas of grass or land that come out to a point. A slew of information will come up about the lakes, fishing trends and guide services. How much experience do you have and where? Understand that these Florida bass want to be out deeper (unless they’re spawning in January, February, and March) but they will only go out deeper if there is some type of cover for them like hydrilla, brush piles, or shellbeds. Do not forget if it is over 8 pounds it is eligible for TrophyCatch, so try not to exhaust the fish letting it fight too long. Anywhere where there is something different going on in the vegetation or bottom content is where you’ll have a higher chance of catching fish. Setting the hook with these type lures can be tricky and is different from your traditional worm fishing. When I'm fishing the Gambler Ace, I cast just past the isolated cover and drag it up to the cover, where I like to lightly twitch the bait. January through April bass will spawn in isolated cover like lily pads, reeds, hydrilla or Kissimmee grass. It starts with a long, heavy-action rod, I typically use a 7'6" or longer Fitzgerald rod. Start with an internet search. Half a peanut butter and jelly sandwich or a 16-ounce steak? An early morning presentation of a ¼- to ½-ounce rattling crank bait (chartreuse, chrome or shad are all effective colors) is a good starter for kids and pros alike. One of my favorite techniques that I have fine tuned over the years to work well in grass is swimming a spoon. Another condition that is very important to this type of surface action is water temperature. Once you’ve found about 3-4 that look healthy and like they have a good population of fish it’s time to get your tackle ready. The longer rod allows me to make longer casts than more conventional, shorter casting rods and the flipping stick enables me to set the hook faster and harder from a considerable distance. After 60 years of filming and chasing bass, I’m still fascinated and still learning. Learn some valuable tips from local fishing expert Debbie Hanson on the best way to tackle this fishing oasis. Most fishermen think that bass strike because they're hungry. Without a doubt the toughest thing about catching bass is finding them. Water levels are typically lower, so fish are concentrated. Contours are also important with vegetation lines. Once you’ve found about 3-4 that look healthy and like they have a good population of fish it’s time to get your tackle ready. I have a few good videos explaining how to use jerkbaits on my YouTube channel youtube.com/orlandobass, Now between senkos/ worms and jerkbaits/flukes you should be set but a few other good and easy to use lures to have are. On a cloudy day or around dawn or dusk, you may find the trophy bass cruising a little further from cover. Florida seldom sees deep chills, but even ordinary cold fronts have a big impact on our bass fishing. If you're looking for the ULTIMATE Orlando fishing experience, give us a call....it's time to go fishing! Be patient. Do you have the proper permits, license and insurance? What you’re looking for is decent size ponds that have vegetation growing in them like hydrilla, lilly pads, and reeds. It is a Mecca for those anglers who pursue big bass, but its lakes and rivers can also kick out high numbers of bass … My mainstays are a Tightlines UV whisker punch'n rig or a Gambler BB Cricket. Be prepared, when the big bass slams the bait it is like hitting a brick wall. A weedless "Texas- or Carolina-rigged" worm is effective for fishing Florida lakes with heavy plant cover. Power fishing can be very productive, and one very effective lure is the swim bait. When releasing your fish, make sure the fish is good and lively before putting it back into the water. FISHING TOURNAMENTS. Tips from the Pros for Largemouth Bass Flipping Tips -- Brian Coleman, FLW Pro. Of course there are some others that work really well in Florida like flipping and frogging but in the interest of keeping this article simple I decided to just put the lures that have the best chance of catching you fish in my opinion. I use a 4/0 hook and 20-pound big-game line, with the hook below the lateral line near the bait’s tail. Jerkbaits are one of my favorite all time lures. Here’s a suggestion for fishing for bass in the summertime. Remember you will spend 4 to 8 hours with a person you do not know very well. One can still take advantage of this information with a Navionics mobile app that shows the same chart detail on your phone. Largemouth on a fly? Another great tool for finding these fish is an underwater video camera. These techniques will increase your odds of catching that TrophyCatch-caliber bass. This is a great time to use the flipping technique. If there isn’t new fresh growing hydrilla then they’ll be in the older stuff that has stopped growing or if there isn’t a good population of submerged grass then they’ll be up shallower in the maidencane and reeds. During the pre-spawn in Florida, water temperature will be the first factor in successful fishing. My arsenal for this style of fishing is a Fitzgerald Rods Stunner HD Series 7'3" Hvy or a 7'3" Med-Hvy both paired with Abu Garcia STX 8:0.1 gear ratio reels. Mom wanted panfish for fried fish dinners served with collard greens and cheese grits. Spoons have recently taken a backseat to newer, more innovative lures, but they have been catching quality sized bass for many generations and seem to be on the rebound as a popular go-to bait. A chatterbait… let’s be honest is just plain fun to use. Shiners are always a good bet to catch bass, but when fall rolls around and the bass start feeding up, they are what I consider a “needless expense” although some prefer the use of shiners, as they are generally wanting to relax and catch fish, they really are not needed and can save a person anywhere between $60.00 and $120.00 on a full day on the water. The camera will show you things depthfinders can’t—fish species and size, baitfish, and exactly what the bottom looks like. By paying close attention to water temperature and the number of daylight hours, you can make better predictions on the movements bass are likely to make -- giving you a greater chance of fall fishing success. I use a heavy-action Vexan, I prefer a 7'4" H to 7'10" XH rod. A depthfinder is almost essential. The best it’s ever been? Hard bottom areas adjacent to the outside edge of hydrilla are very good. What are typical weather conditions and what clothing should I bring? This comes in handy when a cold front comes through that may have killed some shad off and the bass are looking to pick up an easy meal on the bottom." When my clients and I submit our catch into the FWC’s TrophyCatch program, we always remember to handle the bass lovingly, by putting it in an aerated livewell in between taking pictures. You will see more fish brought to the boat that way. The majority of the bass in Florida will be in hydrilla or any type of soft vegetation like eel grass, peppergrass and hornwart anyway. TrophyCatch is a great program sponsored by the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission (FWC) and funded by numerous business partners. Navionics supports the FWC TrophyCatch program (TrophyCatchFlorida.com, see maps with verified catches). This is really nothing more than living in the moment and not letting work or home distractions take away from your fishing time. Because ponds are more accessible for most people I’m going to start with them. It’s fun getting recognized for a great catch, and even better to be rewarded for letting your trophy swim in Florida. Retrieved slowly, it will wobble widely on the surface, with its back out of the water and its rattle clicking methodically. One last tip from a pro, use scent when trying to penetrate thick cover — it acts as a lubricant to allow the bait to ease into the cover. Additionally, if fishing near schooling bait, you can cast beyond them and use a fast retrieve followed by a sudden stop to let the lure sink down below the school and then crank it back up again. First run the hook through the head of the worm like you would any other time. Now if the pond has hydrilla or sparse vegeation a jerkbait/ fluke can be money. If you don’t own a bass boat or electronic GPS, but bank fish, kayak, canoe, or have a pond crawler, don’t fret! A 1/4-ounce head will get it to 10 to 15 feet. What equipment will you provide and what should I bring? Rig it up on a swimbait hook and just cast and slowly retrieve. Similarly, bulrush in 5 to 6 feet of water, or spatterdock that is not too dense both provide great habitat. If you love the sport as much as I do, you’ll cherish every moment on the water and want to preserve the memories and the opportunities. Lower the rod tip to make the lure swing forward. I hope this article helps you fill your Instagram with fish pics. Fishing Florida’s freshwater lakes is nothing less than exciting and thrilling and provides a fun-filled day for the entire Family to enjoy. If a bass picks it up and starts to move you need to set the hook. The fact that some of the biggest bass tours operating in the United States make regular stops here should tell you something about how hot of a bass fishing hotspot Lake … It's the time of day when generally the convection currents are low and there is very little sun to move the air around, producing almost a slick or mirror-calm surface. You need warm water, 70 degrees and up for your best surface-lure fishing. Keep an eye out for it. This period offers some of the best fishing of the year. Fish em’ sloooow, and hang on. Pitching to deep timber is one good method for catching bass lethargic after a cold front. It has become my favorite bait for late spring and early summer. During the heat of the day, find deeper structure and switch to Texas- or Carolina-rigged plastic worms. What I. mean by that is if the patch is matted out and it is not continuing to grow up around it, that patch is done growing and there may be no fish in it. Lake George, Florida’s second-largest lake after Lake Okeechobee, is a great largemouth bass fishing spot anglers should utilize. It’s about learning and getting better and better until you can pull up to a pond and know what to use and where to go just naturally. I put these two together because just like, senkos and worms they’re pretty similar. A real key to success with the wake bait is finding the right speed. Flipping is intended for pinpoint presentation to visible, thick cover between... Punching Mats in Florida -- Rich Howes, a Bassmaster Classic contender, has entered his own catches in TrophyCatch. While fishing on Lake Okeechobee, grass beds are the main structure that big bass will relate to. Provoke a topwater bite with a plastic frog, and target depths of 2 to 5 feet with a swimming jig, soft stickbait or lipless crankbait. So grab your fly rod and seek out one of Florida’s most plentiful and widespread gamefish. Florida bass are more sensitive to these front, so while the water temps are right in some of the bigger lakes, the fronts and winds cause them hold off. A sweet casting 9' six weight with a decent amount of backbone is my personal favorite, closely followed by a 7'11" eight weight when I need the bigger stick. A popular technique with Florida bass anglers is punching grass mats. Generally the tackle consists of 7-1/2 to 8-foot flippin’ sticks and stout baitcasting reels spooled with at least 20-pound mono. This setup gives me several advantages over the lighter type of rod used by most crankbait fishermen out there. Let’s say you rig a green plastic worm on a 3-0 hook. Consider these late fall fishing pointers when heading out to your local freshwater spots: With this retrieve, I do not trim the frog’s legs, and I still move the lure with the rod, not the reel. Usually the weightless is the way to go however. What you’re looking for is decent size ponds that have vegetation growing in them like hydrilla, lilly pads, and reeds. Here are a few tips that might help if you visit the Sunshine State this winter. In April and May, especially on cloudy days, water temps remain just cool enough that fish will sometimes feed on top all day long. Bass prefer hydrilla that is not too thick. I think the thing to remember about frog fishing is that fish are going to relate to whatever cover and structure a lake has, so you can, and should, expect a strike on literally every cast. The idea is for it to work its way back into the cover where the big bass will be lying in ambush, especially on sunny days. Surprisingly, fish aren’t camera shy either. While growing up at my mom and dad’s marina on the shore of Lake Okeechobee, I heard many tales coming from old, weathered fishermen about mainly three things – wild shiners, Johnson Spoons and big bass. You’ve probably heard that old saying: Big Bait = Big Fish. Winning Techniques: Both Texas- and Carolina-rigged plastic worms produce bass in warmer weather; like every lake in Florida, live golden black eyes are the go-to choice for anglers who choose to use live bait. What the pond has in it is going to help choose what lures to use. Ponds and lakes. Target shallow depths less than five feet and focus on ambush points—a stump, rock or any type of a grassy point. Once the bass engulfs the swim bait—do not immediately set the hook—allow the bass to take the lure for a few seconds (waiting for the “tick” feel) then set the hook with authority. I like a seven-foot four-inch, medium-heavy to heavy action rod with a high speed reel loaded with 50 to 65 lb braided line for frog fishing. While these cover types certainly hold fish, there’s usually an untapped population of fish living offshore, in open water. It’s just a matter of how many and how big and that can only be found out by fishing. A Zoom Speed worm is probably the most versatile bait ever and is a Florida staple you should always have tied on. Bass will typically hold on these year round as they create great ambush points for them to attack. Reading the detail just takes a little practice. Otherwise, take note:A true combination of a crankbait and topwater plug, a wake bait is a hard-kicking, noisy, in-your-face sort of lure that truly is one of the most unique lures that has been introduced in a long time. These particular grasses grow only on a hard, sandy or shell bottom. that I released during the FLW Tournament on Lake Okeechobee in February 2013. One of the reasons that the fishing is unlike anywhere else here is simply because Florida is literally unlike anywhere else. The plastic worm is the most dependable artificial bait for largemouth bass. I’d say 90 percent of the bass are in one percent of the water. Move you need warm water, 70 degrees and up for our newsletter below Florida. Bait swim with the hook “ contour line ” indicates a change in one foot depth brick... Found statewide, largemouth bass live in a shifting combination of both cover and “ power can. Periods the bass relate to and cheese grits, bass will spawn in isolated cover the... 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