Central Florida Bassin with Frank

We have been fishing several different lakes in the Lake Wales/ Winter Haven area and getting ready for the winter/spring season. Early cold weather this past fall set the crappies into a feeding mode and slowed the bass activity. Frequent fronts have plagued the fisherman and tested his or her ability to pattern those little/big green fish. As an example, a day on Lake Parker found the water temperature at 61.5 degrees and the bass completely turned off, while a few days later, the water temperature had risen to 70 degrees. The change in conditions warmed the bass and increased their activity level, resulting in several bass being caught and released. All fishing is being done with artificial lures. When customers book a fishing trip, we go to the same area with wild shiners to try for a trophy after we’ve located the bass with artificials. We urge folks to practice CPR; catch, photograph, and release to preserve the genetics on a given body of water. With good photos and measurements, a beautiful fiberglass replica can be made, leaving the trophy bass to reproduce.

Many different baits have been working, but the Zoom trick worm has worked the best of us. We have also done well with the Zoom brush hog, both regular and baby sized. Vary your colors according to the water conditions. On clearer lakes go with watermelon or watermelon/ red and in stained or dirty water, use green pumpkin, black, junebug, or redbug. These are guidelines, but do not be afraid to experiment.

I have fished Toho, Johns Lake, The Winter Haven and Lake Easy with good results. The biggest bass recently was in the 8# category with several in the 6# range. Toho has been producing good numbers on shiners and the last two young men I guided did well. They boated 15 bass, two pickerel and missed several bites.

Easy is a good name for the lake just north of Crooked lake. Although the sizes of the bass are not huge, they are scrappers. The last three outings on Easy produced catches of 30 to 35 boated bass. They ranged from 1 1/2 to 4 # and are  a joy to catch and release. Wacky rigs and Carolina rigs will usually make for an exciting trip. These were all half day trips.

The Winter Haven Chain has been very good using shiners. I usually start on Summit and then move to Winterset. The smaller of the large sized shiners work best with the medium-large size also working. When using large shiners, you don’t want the huge shiners and when using mediums, you don’t want extremely small shiners. Trolling the shiners has worked best, but if you locate bass, anchor up and fish with a cork for a while.  These lakes have clearer water and are very productive when using artificial baits. Wacky rigs work well and for some of the weedy areas, a Texas rig will put the bait where you need it without many hangups.

We will be back in the Fall and look forward to guiding customers on the various lakes in Central Florida.  If you are coming North, consider a fishing trip in the New York, Finger Lakes area. We guide on several of the lakes and enjoy having folks visit the upstate region. Visit our New York site at mudlines.com

Good fishing.

Frank

We have been very busy on various lakes. Toho has been typical for this time of year. The bass are on the move, and when you locate areas holding them, the fishing is good. Gar and pickerel have been a casual problem so far, and we have caught a couple of bowfin. Shiners have been the big producer. Some former areas are still not accessible due to weed growth, but the bass are close by and just a little harder to target. The majority of our fishing has been on the north half of the lake.

The Butler Chain has been producing good numbers of bass, but not the lunker size that some people want to catch. This is a fun place to fish with lighter line and tackle while trolling shiners. The lakes on this chain are not over crowded and usually, there are places to get out of the wind. It is always fun to show clients how and where the wealthy have chosen to build.

The Winter Haven chain has been both good or slow, depending on at the weather. The past 3-4 weeks, the activity level has spiked and the bass are very active. Wacky rigged trick worms, Texas rigged creature baits and various crank baits are all working. A day trolling shiners can be very rewarding. Summit and Winterset are good along with some of the northern parts of the chain.

Kissimmee is working and several big fish have been caught in the last month. Shiners are producing, but if you want to fish artificial, fish slow. The mats and grass clumps have been productive. When you get bit, anchor or slow down and fish the area thoroughly.

Good fishing,

Frank

BASS has hit a grand slam. A special THANK YOU to BASS and especially the anglers for supporting the interviews as they come off the water. The professional way the anglers handle interviews after a tough fishing day will give the average angler renewed confidence to fish hard as they see the best fisherman struggle. This coverage has stripped away the wrapped boats, fancy shirts, and media hype, giving the viewer an opportunity to experience, both, the highs and lows of the competing anglers.
As a footnote, my wife and I, have struggled in the past to get good coverage, and through some additional cable purchases and investigation on how to connect our computer to the television, we had a front row seat for several hours.

Thank you.

Frank and Melody Tennity, Longtime BASS member

I have been on several different lakes in the past two weeks, chasing those green fish. Summit and Winterset have been good and tough. The bass were very active on Winterset, taking wacky rigs and creature baits. Summit produced a couple of good fish, but then conditions changed and fishing became difficult.

Fishing on Rochelle and that section of the chain was off for me as the water had cooled. We managed a few keeper bass, but not the quality fish that had been active on a prior visit.

The Butler Chain was good last week, although no big fish were caught. We managed to have a good day trolling shiners. Two other boats, with anglers using artificial baits, reported one bass per boat.

Toho reared her nasty side and only small bass were on an active pattern, however, one of my friend’s customers managed a 7-8 pound toad.

Cold and rain again this week, makes it hard to get excited about guiding on such poor days. Warming trends should get the bass back on track and in a spawning mood.

Frank

Lake Toho is in a state of transition, but still producing some good fishing. The bass are moving, and at times it can be difficult to pinpoint their location. Cold nights have dropped the water temperature across the region, slowing the bite. Shiners are the best bait to use in order to have the opportunity for a big fish.

The Winter Haven chain of lakes is similar to Toho. We caught bass using small creature baits on the outside weed edge in six foot of water. Move in and out until you locate the bass and remember to fish slow.

Lake Tarpon, north of Tampa, provided a real challenge. The water temperature was 59 degrees and the wind kept the main lake rolling all day. We managed to catch a few bass with most being on the small side. Weather had a huge impact on the fish activity. Most bass were caught using a wacky rigged Zoom trick worm.

Remember, we are comfortable when fishing, but it is winter to these Florida strain bass. Fish slow, then slow down more. Pick an area where the fish should be, and work every inch of that area, slow and methodical.

Frank

We have spent several days fishing, both, the northern and southern sections of the Winter Haven chain of lakes and Lake Toho. This has been over an extended period of time, so all of the information is not current, but the methods have worked during all of our visits.

The North chain produced fish using creature type baits along the outside edge of weed lines. Baits were rigged Texas style using a light gambler weight and worked slowly along the bottom.

The South chain gave up some nice fish by wacky rigging a Zoom trick worm.

Keep changing baits and fish slow. The water has cooled and the majority of the fish are not aggressive. Last week on Lake Parker, wacky rigged Zoom trick worms produced about a dozen bass, with most being just under legal size. As I tell my clients, the bass are all fun to catch, but some are a little more fun than others. When that big fish hits, it is “FUN”.

Each year when we return to Florida in the fall, one of the most interesting sights is how much Toho has changed from our last fishing trip in April. We have never been disappointed. This presents a challenge and we enjoy being able to try new locations, searching for these cherished green fish. We start by trolling shiners, mark the spot when we get a bite, then return and look the area over and try to determine why the bass chose this spot. Usually we anchor and fish for a while to check for more bass. The next step is to find other similar areas, check for bass, and develop a pattern. Toho has been very good, but recently, with cooling water and spraying of weeds, the fish have started their transition. Challenging. Are you up to the test?

Frank

Dec. 2013-April 15,2014 Bass Fishing Trips

Melody and I have returned to central Florida for our 10th season. It seems like such a short time ago that we chose this area to become our winter home, plant new roots and make new friends. We will be available from December 15, 2013 through April 15, 2014 to take you on a guided bass fishing trip. Our advice is to leave a message on the recorder or wait until December 10th to book a trip. If you are in need of an excellent guide before Dec. 15th, please call Randy Yager @ 407-744-1350.

We have not listed our cell phone number on the web site, so I will post it in the blog for your convenience. My cell is 863-605-1500. I have been fishing several lakes and locating fish for the Fall/Winter season. The water is cooling and new cold fronts will push the temperatures lower. Bass are both active and negative, depending on the daily weather patterns. Crappie fishing is picking up and should really turn on soon.

I look forward to spending time on the water with some of my previous clients/friends and making new friends.

Frank

In case you were wondering, here are 5 of my favorite bass fishing baits. With a little patience, these baits are sure to catch you some big bass in Central Florida. Come on a fishing trip with me and I’ll tell you more.

1. Zoom Baits
2. Spinnerbaits
3. Topwater Baits
4. Jig & Pig
5. Shiners by the dozen