2020 Bassmaster Eastern Open Lake Toho

For the last week leading up to the first tournament of the season, its officially been upside down day for 7 days. Outside of Florida the entire country is experiencing winter weather with reports from clients in Wisconsin that they have up to an inch and a half of ice. On everything. Meanwhile, in Central Florida where anglers will launch from downtown Kissimmee Lakefront Park with a full field expecting to fish in conditions that usually would be windy, cold, rainy, they will enjoy lows of 61 degrees to start and and blustery high of 82. Weather that fits more along with November or March.

South winds out of Miami will continue to impact the temperatures and ultimately destroy any anglers hopes of fishing shallower than 4 feet in search of bedding bass or doing what Florida is famous for, catching big bass in the grass. The conditions will make for a challenging event that will possibly highlight some of the competitors that have traveled from Northern lakes where open water is more of their comfort zone.

The upside of having a tournament on the Kissimmee Chain of Lakes is that there are no shortage of big bass and there will be a good number of Pros who find them and make the event as exciting as it always is when Bassmaster comes to town.

So, what are the bass doing and how will they probably be caught?

For the last 2 months bass have been residing in 4-5 feet of water along with the forage they have been feeding on. During the last full moon they were gorging as they went into a full blown spawn with water temperatures dropping to 62 degrees. The coldest we have seen this winter. But it was a quick wave of spawners that only lasted a day which worked out great for my client pictured, Kent took advantage of by landing this massive 10 lb 2 oz Toho trophy.

That quick burst of spawning activity was followed by a rise in water temperatures that have the lakes running at 71 degrees at the time of this writing. Fog and cloud cover have helped to hold temperatures down but the fog may play into the tournament with a delayed launch. The good news is that if you can find the bass in an area they are feeding in, there will be a wad of them that can hold up for the entire three day tournament as the weather looks to be holding steady rather than turning drastically like it can in Florida.

This might be the most I've ever written about the weather but it will be a large factor for this tournament. But enough about that.

Lake conditions are great with water quality above average on all lakes. Hydrilla was sprayed again in October but only Cypress and Lake Kissimmee show the results from that. Lake Toho, which always factors into a win for this tournament has submerged vegetation all over the lake. Don't be surprised to see some big bags come from 6-8 feet of water. The bass are there but to be successful, more wind will be needed to trigger them to feed.

In a recent tournament on Lake Toho, it was won using a Carolina Rig in open water hydrilla for a 26lb bag. It was much colder during that tournament but I expect this technique to still play heavily in who is able to crack the top ten.

In another first, I'm going to predict a hard jerkbait could also be a key bait for a high finish on Toho based on where the bass are positioned and how they are feeding. Shiners are the key bait right now and few baits mimick them well. A hard jerkbait is on that tackles that job well. The variety of baits can range from a floating Rapala, a Bagley Bango Lure, Yo Zuri 3DB to include a personal favorite, A Bomber Long A.

Another bait that not many talk about outside of Kentucky and Florida is the 10 inch worm. With light winds expected throughout the tournament, a Zoom Old Monster could take us back to its glory days of dominating tournaments with the most fundamental lure ever made. This particular presentation will require a great deal of confidence from whomever throws it as it will provide quality bites but not a high number. Missed fish could be a factor talked about a lot during the weigh in.

Chatterbaits, Swim jigs and Spinnerbaits are usually good options this time of year in Florida but I don't expect them to factor in unless winds get above 10 mph this week.

Time for my usual weight predictions for this tournament. Honestly, I don't want to venture into throwing numbers out there because fishing based on the last week have been challenging unless using shiners. That's not unusual for this time of year but the temps and winds should mean lure fishing is on fire as well. That hasn't been the case.

But I've never been shy about sticking my neck out so no reason to stop now!

Average weights for the the top 10 should range from 27lbs as the high and 16lbs at the low. The field will be stacked tight in weights between 13 and 16lbs. The Pro that leads day one will struggle to repeat the same number over 3 days. Launch times will be huge with bass feeding early and becoming less active after 10 am. Pros making the run to Kissimmee or other lakes may end up back in Toho early to try and salvage a limit. Total winning weight should be around 56 lbs. To be in top ten, 36 lbs might get someone there.

Its all going to be a huge gamble with one angler hitting the jackpot for the 1st place prize that they all are chasing. I'll be on the water hoping for lots of big bags and great results.

By Steve Boyd
Owner - Florida Bass Adventures

The Evolution of Competitive Bass Fishing

In all things one fact cannot be debated, evolution requires change. Some changes happen organically, some out of ones control while others need to be forced. But no matter what, change is inevitable.

Recently, competitive bass fishing has seen a change with a large contingent of anglers leaving BASS to compete in the newly formed MLF Fishing League. Many were invited and its unknown how many turned down the opportunity.

Which is the curious question, how many saw it as an opportunity that benefited the sport or did the question revolve around how it benefited themselves? I can't fault them for asking the latter as BASS has taken much more than they give back to the "Talent" that keeps them in business.

In a recent article for BASS, Gene Gilliland wrote an article positing the question of whether Catch, Weigh, Release tournaments would be the end of traditional 5 fish limit weigh in tournaments. His article focused heavily on the merits of the traditional format while understandably ignoring those that CWR could offer. Why is it understandable? Gene works for BASS and his job wasn't to be objective.

His job was the same as any who are trying to minimize evolutionary changes that they believe could one day threaten their existence. Had he been confident in the strength of traditional tournaments he would have wrote an article touting the upside to the new format and the many benefits it could offer.

Before I go any further I do want to point out that in tournament fishing there are many different levels, all being different in various ways to each other while all having one thing in common in that they are all catching bass. It's the anglers, organizers, directors, rules that make each somewhat different from each other.

While I can see how CWR tournaments for local, jackpot, small boat, local federation competitions would directly benefit the bass populations and drastically reduce mortality rates I am not writing this opinion so that it is something to be pushed on those groups. The evolution for them needs to be one that happens organically and with help from larger tournament organizers like MLF, BASS and FLW because it would be a big change.

One aspects of Gene's article was that the traditional tournaments will survive due to the excitement of a weigh in at the end of the tournament. Because most local tournaments outside of BFL or BASS Weekend series are tournaments of 45 boats or less, this isn't an argument that relates to them. It's not a jab meant to cast aspersions on small tournaments, just a fact that there aren't crowds standing around waiting to see what they bring in.

This goes directly to the point of evolution in the sport. The one thing that BASS clings to when it comes to traditional tournaments are the people who come to the weigh ins.

Now that FLW has been purchased and moved forward with format changes this next detail is directly related to how BASS functions.

When BASS is choosing tournament destinations for say the Elite Series or Opens, quality of fish or lake aren't what dictates the final decision. They take bids from the localities and whomever submits the best offer literally wins the chance to have BASS come to their area. It's not bad business as I'm sure many traveling competitions do the same. The difference with BASS is that they don't pay any of that forward to the competitors.

Then there is the sponsor money that BASS takes in for event advertising that comes in from local print, internet, tv and radio to promote the event. It's big business that BASS is completely entitled to do and run however they see fit.

But, the problem with this is that it serves themselves, not the anglers who are what's called the "talent" and who ultimately are what fans come to see. To this day, anyone competing in a BASS event is competing for their own entry fee with no money being put into the event by BASS. Again, within their right. If you choose to enter one of their tournaments, you accept how they choose to run it.

Again, this is not in relation to a one day BASS Weekend event. This would apply to the Elite Series and Opens.

So, what are the benefits of CWR and why do they make sense for anglers who went to MLF?

While BASS clings to the weigh ins, it is actually what has been holding the sport back for quite some time because what has been needed to help that along is a tv audience large enough to demand top dollar for advertising. Sure, fans at weigh ins are great, but they don't pay and there isn't a free fan experience anywhere besides a bass tournament.

In doing this, MLF made it possible to guarantee a certain dollar amount competitors receive for coming on board. This is a game changer for Pros wanting to fish harder, take more risks and for the first time feel like Pro level athletes that aren't competing for their own entry fee. They found a reason to make the anglers more important than the fish while finding a way to reduce mortality rates that occur from keeping fish in a livewell for 8 hours.

Another argument Gene had was that by going to a CWR format, it would play into the hands of environmental groups and further hurt tournament fishing. He said his with no foundation of evidence to support his claim which I consider to be nothing more than fear mongering designed to stop what is desperately needed in our sport, Evolution!

By moving to a CWR format, MLF has created a fan base that is willing to watch it on tv and now the local fan experience goes towards other things. It's still a fun event at the launch area but the anglers are now more of a small aspect because many fans have been watching live while they were on the water.

What's funny is that BASS already has this format available to them with their BASStrak live feed that they carry. There is only one thing holding them back from evolution, themselves.

P.S. The fear of change is common but making decisions based on fear leaves a person paralyzed and beholding to that emotion.

I once asked a stock broker client of mine what it was like to be in that business. He said I didn't want to know. I asked if it was because of the constant changes of the market and unpredictability of stocks? His answer was yes. I reminded him that I'm a bass fisherman. Uncertainty is my life!

Addressing Tournament Safety Requirements In Competition

ADDRESSING SAFETY IN COMPETITION IN TOUGH TIMES

When you grow up involved in sports as I have, risk isn’t something that gets thought about on a regular basis. But even at a very early age there were limits to what I was willing to do. Skydiving for example is something that if I have to do, I will. But it won’t be by choice!

Interestingly, competitive bass fishing causes many including myself to take risks that normally would be considered beyond safe. But because of improvements in boat manufacturing, pushing the envelope is more about putting too much trust in our equipment.

Our own recent loss made me think of Dale Earnhardt's accident and the push for better safety in NASCAR.

And while there probably isn't a best time to address this topic after the loss of life at the recent Costa Series event on Lake Okeechobee, it may be the best time to look for preventative options. Boating accidents are not uncommon during tournaments but happen often enough that safety regulations should be put in place by major organizations so that when they do happen steps are in place to save lives.

My suggestions would be to look at the difference between how ocean vessels are required to have certain safety equipment in place because well it's an ocean and help isn't always easy to come by.

We have always been behind when it comes to big picture safety in bass fishing. A life jacket is the extent of what freshwater anglers believe they need to be considered safe. Having other fishing boats near by is often what anglers rely on when any incident occurs.

Because we now have anglers leaving freshwater launch areas heading out into the ocean as well as anglers traveling hours to fishing spots, safety measures are needed more than ever before.

We cannot wait for a wake up call or the aha moment to realize more could have been done.

I encourage BASS and FLW to begin requiring EPERBS be placed in all boats that activate upon submersion or ending up upside down as well as EPERBS on lifejackets. The busiest tournament season happens during winter months when water temps are near 50 degrees which makes response to these incidents time sensitive. Safety equipment can help immensly with this.

I also would encourage both organizations to loosen rules regarding anglers having access to weather radar apps that have alerts. When I am guiding this tool is a must to keep clients safe and alive. The same should go for tournament anglers.

Lastly, I would ask that the safety briefing prior to the tournament include emphasis on anglers understanding when to call the tournament director.  If Anglers wait until they have a Loss of electrical power, propulsion or bilge pumps it's too late. It's too easy for us to think of the tournament and put the trolling motor down and keep fishing but the end result is not worth the risk.

Currently boats run with Power Poles or Talons. This means anglers no longer keep an anchor in the boat. When everything else fails a $25 anchor with the bow into the wind can be what saves a life and also should be required in every tournament boat.

As tournament anglers we have gotten very comfortable with expecting too much from our boats in bad weather because accidents rarely happen. But when they do it often results in near death experiences or loss of life.

Lets follow the lead of NASCAR  and be innovative with safety rather than waiting until it's too late. 

Florida Bass Adventures

Best Practices When Handling Bass

Following is a two part article regarding best practices when handling and releasing bass alive. Part 1 will cover initial actions when catching a bass and what can be done to help them survive the process.

Recently, the University of Florida conducted a study of how handling a bass impacts its ability to survive after being handled by anglers. The study focused solely on the grip used to hold a bass out of water immediately after being caught. The person conducting the study was not a highly knowledgeable angler or one who had any experience with catching and releasing large bass.

When the word got out that this study was going to be done I contacted Fish and Wildlife and asked why anglers like myself or other guides were not contacted for input on the study. The response I got was that the study was being controlled by University of Florida and they awarded the money to the person doing the work.

Not the best answer I could have hoped for considering this study might get some merit simply because it had a university's name on it.

The results of the study? No definitive results could be concluded from the study. Feeding times of fish handled after being caught varied slightly based on angle at which they were held but not at a consistent level to be considered scientific.

With all of that being said I like to propose a broader approach to handling a bass that starts from the moment they are caught to the moment they are released. The thought behind this approach is based on 15 years of guiding, handling numerous big bass and releasing them alive. Many that were caught on more than one occasion validating the success of how they were handled.

Some situations will make my proposal more difficult to follow. If you are fishing in a river system with strong current or a lake with lots of trees please make the best attempt to follow the following suggestions as you can.

To begin let's look at a scenario of hooking a bass and the actions that take place after it is hooked.

Once a bass is hooked it has an initial response to pull back and fight. The struggle and energy the bass expends will put a strain on it's muscles and just like humans will push lactic acid into them. The longer the fight, the more lactic acid that ends up in their muscles.

Think of when we lift weights and the effects we feel afterwards. The pain is the result of the lactic acid that is pushed into the muscles and the blood that follows trying to heal broken down cells. This pain takes some time to clear our bodies and allow us to get back into the gym.

For a bass this is one part of how they can struggle to survive being caught and surviving afterwards. Catching a bass in a tournament and releasing them alive gives us the idea that they survive but this is what isn't always known. Not all bass float to the surface and die. Some take days to die and still do not float to the surface.

The only way we can do something that helps this is to reduce the lactic acid build up. How do we do this? The best way is to slow down the rate at which we try to bring the fish in. Once a bass is hooked it only takes a second to slow down and in turn, the bass will calm down.

Many might doubt my thoughts on this but for 15 years I've done with with countless anglers and watched as they have proven my theory to work 100%. I personally have done this will small mouth and know it works on them as well.

The added benefit to doing this is your catch rate goes up significantly and lost fish rate goes down to about 1%. For tournament anglers this is money in the bank.

The photos above are of a fish we named Frankenstein. We caught and released this bass 9 times over a 3 week period. 

By Steve  Boyd
Owner - Florida Bass Adventures
Orlando Trophy Bass Fishing Guide

BASSMASTER SOUTHERN OPEN HARRIS CHAIN IN ORLANDO, FLORIDA

As I write this scouting report for the upcoming Bassmaster Southern Open on the Harris Chain of Lakes, I can't help but think of the competitors that will have probably seen more big bass on beds during prefish than they will once the tournament launches. For many it can cause quite the conundrum.

For David Dudley in 2008 there was no question of whether or not he would swing on a trophy bass on the last practice day. And during his interview he wasn't shy about letting it known that he yanked a giant off the bed. His reasoning? He probably wasn't going to get there in time to catch it anyway, so why not.

Many felt he was trying to sabotage any angler that pulled up on that fish before he could but there is more to consider. Anglers from all over the world come to Florida for the fish of a lifetime during the winter months and when tournament anglers see any of our lakes on the schedule, it's the first thought they have.

The one downside to being a competitive angler is that a high percentage have never caught a bass over 10lbs and it has nothing to do with lack of skill or lack of effort. My personal best in competition is just over 7lbs. Timing of many tournaments isn't in the favor of anglers being able to target trophy bass unless you fish on the Elite Series or FLW Tour. And during practice most will focus on locating good fish without really wanting to catch the big fish.

So, here we have anglers coming to prefish the Harris Chain hoping for perfect weather and the opportunity to catch the biggest sack of the year. What do they find? Air temperatures in the high 70's, water temps on the rise approaching 70 degrees and bass everywhere looking to make babies!
Every angler asked about pre fish will comment on how they wish the tournament will have been held a week earlier because the fishing is on fire! After the last cold front conditions were perfect for bass to move up in a large wave into shallow water as it brought water temps down to ranges they needed to spawn shallow.

And this is where the decisions that any angler who found these bass would have been faced with. Dedicate time to a big bass on a bed and go full David Dudley, risking others around seeing them or pass up the fish of a lifetime. I'm going Double D's all day! Hoping any big fish will still be there a week out isn't worth passing it up.

The trend leading up to the tournament will not favor high numbers of big bags but will see some big fish caught that will make the big bass competition something to watch. Warm weather will continue pushing fish into areas that will make them difficult to see but for those that stay shallow they will be dissappointed with culling a lot of dinks.

Another trend that will probably cause issue for those relying on site fishing will be consistent fog and cloud cover early in the mornings. Bass will be feeding early and late so patience will be testing for anglers who make the long run into Griffin as they may miss the best activity times.

High water will be another challenge for anglers as warm winter rains have raised water levels as much as 8 inches in area lakes. High water is always a challenge as it tends to put fish in areas that are hard to get to. But for anglers that adjust it could be crucial. There are many overflow type ponds that normally are not accessible but because of recent water increases will be wide open. Shaw Grigsby took advantage of this situation to win here in 2011.

Areas that are expected to produce for this tournament would be the Ocklawaha River into Lake Griffin and Haines Creek into Lake Eustis as both will have current flowing. The canals coming out of Lake Dora will get a good flow of water and bait that will push bass further back into the residential canals that always produce well this time of year.

I would also expect The Dead River canals and any residential canals on Lake Eustis to be productive. But all of these areas will get a great deal of attention so my expectation would be for the tournament to be one off areas that are closer to the launch point and are able to reload bass each day without pressure. Big And Little Lake Harris have offshore vegetation that could be key to located bass that others may not find because of shallow water beds that kept them away from areas of the lake that are in 8-10 feet.

Quite a few years ago I won a tournament on the Harris Chain off one stretch of bank working grass beds in 8 feet of water throwing crankbaits, rattletraps and Texas rigs. I lost more big fish that day than I care to remember but the situation this week is very familiar.

I haven't guided any of the competitors for this tournament but my tips would be fish deeper water areas looking for staging fish that can replenish. I would also recommend fishing close to the launch area and maximize fishing time. Even though warm weather has kept fish active I would still approach the areas with slower, more precise presentations rather than fish for aggressive bites.

Winning weight should be in the 17-19 lb a day range and to make top ten anglers will need to catch a consistent 14lbs a day. Low weights for Florida but it should be a tight competition among the top 15 with places changing daily.

Steve Boyd is a Former Marine and owner of Florida Bass Adventures Guide Service located in Orlando, Florida. For more information visit our site Florida Bass Adventures Orlando Bass Fishing.

Catch And Release Orlando Bass Fishing

Catch and release during our Orlando Bass Fishing trips is great for maintaining a fisheries trophy bass population but it's also great for sharing fish! We've now caught the same fish 5 times and named it Frankenstein. That's 5 different people who have gotten to catch and experience catching this pig.

Today it was Sam and Michael fishing on Lake Toho and the first fish is my buddy! Training fish is a guides secret job!

Of course it helps that each time we catch Frankenstein I feed it two shiners! Yeah, I'm nice like that! 

http://www.floridabassadventures.com

Proper Rod Position For Increased Hook Ups When Bass Fishing

Today's tip is one that is designed to increased your percentage of bass landed after the hook set. If you are a tournament angler or trophy bass hunter this tip is important because landed bass or missed bass can make the difference between a tournament win or trophy catch of a lifetime.

Wherever you live more than likely, you have been taught to keep the rod down especially for anglers that predominantly fish for smallmouth bass to keep them from jumping. Unfortunately, what has been passed down from generation to generation has been inaccurate with no ability to prove that it works. Like most of my tips I will emphasize the understanding of physics and the use of our senses to help determine the correct choice for the best outcome. 

From my observations of clients there is a strong belief that keeping the rod tip down can prevent a bass from jumping, but the reality is nothing can keep a bass from coming to the surface. Bass use the path of least resistance to determine what response is best once they have been hooked so you don't have to have a physics degree to know that if we are pulling down, the easiest path for them is up. This is true whether you are in deep water or shallow water but shallow water fish have less of a choice so they are more inclined to seek the surface. Smallmouth bass are nomadic type bass that leads to them being a stronger fish with more endurance than a largemouth meaning surface jumping to attempt to shake a hook is always a possibility. 

So, if pulling down isn't the best option, what is? First, lets start at the hook set and what you can do immediately after. Once you set the hook the most important thing you can do is hold there for a second and feel what direction the fish is headed, the size of the fish and consider any obstacles that might be in the way. I would call this assessing the situation and it allows time to slow things down and make correct decisions and adjustments to what the bass is doing. The other benefit to taking that second is calming yourself down and in turn not begin to reel too fast or horse the fish into the boat. I can't begin to tell you how many clients I have shown that when you stop yanking the fish to the boat they actually calm down and will swim towards the boat rather than fight for their lives. It's why clients sometimes call me the "Fish Whisperer". 

How I found out that a fish will follow like a dog on a leash was while I was fishing a lake here at home in about 16 feet of water. I had pulled up some line during a cast and felt it would be a good idea to get it out of the lake. As I pulled on the line I felt a slight tug and new there was a fish on. As I slowly pulled up the line I could see it was a big bass. It swam almost all the way to the surface only trying to swim away at the last minute as I began to lip it. From that moment on I knew bringing fish to the boat became more of a process of staying in the moment and not getting carried away. 

Now, as I said earlier bass will attempt to surface regardless of what angle you pull. The benefit of keeping the rod up is having the ability to see the line and as it begins to go horizontal, you can bring the rod down and pull the fish back into the water forcing it to swim. Then bring the rod tip back up to once again have visibility on the line. This is the action/response that should happen between the angler and fish once hooked. The fish will make a choice and it is up to us to respond accordingly. Just remember there is always more than one option to the action.

 One last thought. It is always good to consider what we lose by keeping the rod tip down and what is gained from keeping it up. The first thing we lose when holding the rod tip down is our ability to see the line and one of our senses, vision. If you are setting the hook upward, by going down with the rod, you immediately take away line sight. Being able to see the line tells us what direction the fish is going and allows the opportunity to make adjustments to what they are doing.

Getting a bass to bite your lure in my opinion is the hardest part of catching them. After learning that once on the hook my response and actions to what the fish is doing will be the ultimate factor in whether or not I end up holding them has meant more catching and less fishing. Give it a try and hopefully you will too.

Thanks for reading,

                                Steve Boyd

    Owner - Florida Bass Adventures Guide Service

                 http://www.floridabassadventures.com

                   http://www.orlandobassguide.com

                  https://www.orlandobassfishing.net

                   http://www.laketohoguide.com

The Myth of Pattern Fishing

In every magazine you read there will be at least one article dedicated to identifying a pattern on a body of water. It's a popular topic that anglers have searched for as if searching for the Holy Grail.

Much like Sasquatch there are conversations among anglers about how so and so was on a particular pattern and how it was how they won the tournament.

And just like Sasquatch there is little detail, no video and every story gets better with who is telling the story.

Like many problems in bass fishing there is poor use of terminology that inherently weakens those using it. Pattern fishing is up there as one of the worst as being vague, deceptive and detrimental.
To be more specific would broaden and anglers mind and open up the gateway to more possibilities.
For example, there are Seasonal Patterns that exist that can be tracked very easily on a body of water. But of one simply says "pattern" and tries to relate it to a "dock pattern", "bridge pattern" or "brush pattern" they are missing the specific elements that come with a seasonal pattern.
Angers are pre fishing for weeks looking to get on a pattern and never once stop and search for the biological behavior that happens during a seasonal pattern.

Seasonal patterns place fish in very specific areas on a lake and only daily influences dictate how much they move from one day to the next.

I could literally write an entire book just on this subject so for the sake of a tip, think In these terms.
If you are traveling 60 miles in a day to fish a pattern just to find the similar things needed to meet pattern criteria think about the fish that aren't doing what you are doing.

Instead seek out the specifics of biological behavior based on the season and you'll find yourself spending more time catching rather than driving.
Have fun!
http://www.floridabassadventures.com

Florida Black Bass Length Limit Regulations and How They Impact Bass Fishing in Orlando

At the end of June Florida enacted new statewide harvesting regulations for all species of bass. This new regulation will have equal numbers of proponents and opponents from each side arguing their points. Even though my living is based on the quality of our bass population my view on this is as objective as possible but realistically its hard to be against anything that can possibly have a positive impact on a resource.

The old regulations allowed anglers to possess 5 bass above 14 inches with only one being allowed to be above 21. Those length limits were in place for many years and the result of decimation to lakes in the state that were the result of no limits or management in place at the time. The time allowed to determine if those regulations were working was a positive in my mind especially considering we went from no limits to a limit.

During the initial regulation many things changed in the world of bass fishing, technology and social impacts from the age of internet. These impacts played more of a role in the declining success of the old regulations than the regulations themselves. Essentially, times were changing rapidly and for those of us who have lived here our whole lives it was obvious a change was needed.

Now this isn't to say people here in Orlando or the state of Florida were screaming for changes. This is where I have to applaud the state for being proactive. Yes, anglers in the state are vocal and involved but most of the time it has to do with plant management or management of an individual lake. Local anglers are predominantly tournament competitors so catch and release is popular so they didn't have much reason. Anglers who used to keep bass have moved on to crappie, bluegills and bream and aren't the type to complain.

In this case I truly believe the trend of today where anglers are influenced on where to fish based on social media, BASS and FLW tournament results which are real time. Or in the case of Florida, the best place to go for big bass in the winter was more of a deciding factor on what changes were needed.

The issue with the latter is when no one else can fish, our bass are spawning. And in no fault of those who come down to experience this, bass that are trying to reproduce are under attack at the highest point of the year. They are also in areas that make them most vulnerable. Bed fishing with shiners might be considered cheating at the worst for tournament anglers but for tourists coming to catch and eat their legal catch it's all the rage.

Can you blame them? I might not like it and definitely don't agree with it but they have been in their right to do this. Unfortunately, there have been many occasions where visiting anglers would come with 3 to a boat, catch a legal limit, (15 with 3 over 21) and take them to shore. Put them in a cooler, come back out and repeat the process. And when they come, they fish all day non stop. This process has been a factor in our trophy bass populations but to be clear, it is not the only one.

These anglers will be impacted the most from this new regulation where 5 bass can be kept with no minimum size restriction and of those 5 only one can be over 16 inches. Because of the believe that if they are spending money to catch bass, they should be able to eat their catch for a meal and get a return. And historically, keeping the biggest bass possible was part of the process.

Anytime I talk to someone about eating bass it seems that almost all agree that a 2-3 lb bass is the best to eat. But speaking from childhood experience, that isn't what happens. My family were some of the worst offenders of keeping and killing trophy bass without thought every weekend. Seeing a big bass getting filleted was not a rare thing in my house and it left an impression. Mostly because if you lived in that era and still fish as I do, you know how different times are.

The new regulations have some foundation in Ray Scott's philosophy of properly harvesting a fishery to help increase trophy bass populations. Smaller fish are always the most aggressive and make competing for food more difficult for larger bass that evolve into ambush predators as they get larger. Weeding out smaller bass has been proven to be the most successful tool for increasing trophy bass populations.

An immediate benefit of the new law will be the cost required to catch a bass if your intent to keep it. Wild Shiners have always been the best option for catching trophy bass. But now, an angler can go out and use minnows, crickets and night crawlers to catch a limit of crappie and bass at the same time. Previously the bass caught while crappie fishing would be too small to keep but now that will change. This should result in increased numbers of anglers who can keep bass compared to before the new regulations. Best of all, the increase in harvested bass wont mean a decrease in large bass numbers.

For those coming to catch a trophy, the odds have the potential to go up and best of all a trophy bass can become more of a photo op rather than a meal. Steve Boyd
Owner - Florida Bass Adventures
http://www.floridabassadventures.com

Big Bass Fishing in Orlando

We're coming up on that time of year when bass fishing in Orlando is purely about chasing big bass in search of a personal best trophy. It's the time of year when numbers of bass will go down but quality definitely is on the rise. Of course it's also winter time so not every day is a day that makes the hunt easy.

Our bass in Orlando can spawn from anytime in October to as late as June depending on where you are in the state. Once we get into Winter though many factors go into the bass fishing and all play into the success of a bass fishing trip. Because our lakes are shallow the seasonal weather has more of a stronger effect on each lake. Florida is only about 55 feet above sea level with almost all of our lakes being natural averaging 10 feet or less. These lakes are all heavy with shallow vegetation and perfect habitat for big bass.

Knowing that our bass spawn heavily during the winter months is one key to anglers knowing what to expect from a fishing trip to Orlando. Cold fronts rolling through bring an assortment of weather conditions in the course of a 5 day period. Potential rain, high winds before and after a front and drastic water temperature drops can all be experienced from a passing front. None of which are conditions that are favorable to catching big bass.

That is if you are using artificial lures! The exception that makes much of our trophy bass season successful in Orlando is our ability to target bass with live bait. The use of live bait for bass fishing is unique to Florida and while we do it year round it's the Winter months that it really becomes a major tool. For those that think using live bait is cheating or think it's easy, you are very mistaken.

During the winter months we can use shiners 12 inches in length and weigh almost a pound. Ever thrown a 1pound lure?  It's an experience that every client should try at least once for the experience of seeing a 10lb bass blowing a shiner out of the water.

Of course the other consideration is getting the most out of your trip. On post cold front days when winds are blowing in excess of 20 mph and water temps are dropping fishing with lures can mean a very difficult day. Live bait can mean the fish of a lifetime. That alone should make using live bait worth the trip.

An Orlando Bass Fishing Trip to Remember

The 2014 Orlando bass fishing season is underway and it has been nothing short of amazing! The cold weather is going to come but so far this winter it has been more of a wet season without the brutal cold fronts that many in the North are dealing with. A low pressure system was kind enough to park over the state of Florida and with it came 2 weeks of rain and clouds. Perfect for big bass fishing in Orlando!

George Eby was a recent benefactor of the weather and great bass fishing we are having with a trip to Lake Toho. What many in the area were not aware of was that the conditions had become perfect for the bass on Lake Toho to move up in a massive wave of spawning activity in the span of a few days. One of which happened during George's day on the water. Live bait was the bait of choice for this trip with the goal of catching his biggest bass ever. It will be a day George remembers for a long time.

The morning started out rather slow with a clouded sunrise on our first spot but after a short wait we boated our first bass of the day, a healthy 4lb bass. Soon after we made the move to our second area and not long after the bite started and it was a full on explosion of big bass. George landed his first big bass and largest ever, a long and healthy bass weighing in at 8lbs. One of the most notable things about our bass on Lake Toho has been just how clean and healthy they are and this bass was a great reflection of just how great the fishery is doing.


After catching a few more smaller bass the action heated up again with two back to back chunks. This has been very consistent for our trips with action coming in short bursts of feeding and requiring us to keep the bait in the area while it is happening. On mornings like this you never know just how long the bite will last but on those rare occasions we sometimes happen to be at the right place at the perfect time. So, it was safe to say I was happily surprised when George landed his next big bass of the morning weighing 7 1/2 lbs and putting up an excellent fight.

After a brief lull in the action we decided to hit our last spot of the morning in hopes of catching one more big bass before ending Georges Orlando bass fishing trip. The wind had picked up quite a bit making it more of a challenge in this area but with some hard work and determination were rewarded with the last fish of the day coming in at just under 8lbs.

For a guide this is what gets me up in the morning because not every day do you get to see a client experience the best day of his life on the water. But when you do it is all worth it and knowing you helped achieve what they came to Florida for is a great feeling.

At the end of the day 25 bass were caught with the best 5 coming in at 34lbs! Truly a day to remember and just what George was hoping for - a Trophy Bass Fishing Adventure!

Orlando Bass Fishing Report for December 2013 Lake Toho

It's the end of the year in Orlando and the bass fishing on Lake Toho has been quite remarkable considering the inconsistent weather. Generally, we can look forward to some cooler weather reaching into the 40's this time of year and water temperatures not far behind. But as is somewhat typical with the weather in Florida, nothing is typical. With water temperatures running in the high 60's on our Orlando lakes bass have been in a strong pre-spawn holding pattern without the surface feeding that is normally associated with it.

The benefit of this weather has been clients catching great numbers of bass on a daily basis regardless of the weather with the big bass for the month coming in right at 10lbs. While the fishing has been great for numbers and size, live bait is what is accounting for the best quality and size being caught by my clients right now. This is common for this time of year especially when bass begin staging for an upcoming spawn and they begin to target wild shiners which are larger and in abundance in our Orlando lakes. With the great month we have had in December clients can look forward to an excellent 2014 Orlando bass fishing season.

Summertime Bass Fishing in Orlando, Florida

It's late August and typically a time when anglers in other areas of the country are having trouble locating bigger bass. Fortunately, here in Orlando the summer season can be very exciting especially during the first few hours of the morning. Florida Bass Adventures clients Bee and his 10 year old son Kevin Xiong found out just how good Orlando summer bass fishing can be during their day which was spent fishing Lake Toho.

Bee and his son Kevin from Minnesota chose to spend a day bass fishing with us during their Orlando vacation and hopefully catch some big bass. Bee had mentioned during our initial conversation how much his son would be looking for to the trip to Lake Toho. As Bee put it, Kevin often can be found fishing from sunup to sundown trying to catch bass back home. These trips are my favorite to do as a guide because kids are the future of our sport so being able to help mold their desire to continue fishing is an awesome opportunity for me.

We started out the morning meeting at the ramp to Lake Toho and then heading out to our first spot of the day. Not long after anchoring the boat and putting our bait into the water Kevin hooked up with his first bass of the day. Shortly after taking photos and releasing the first bass Bee set the hook on a nice 4 1/2 lb bass that put up an excellent fight before coming into the boat for more pictures. For the next 40 minutes Bee and Kevin continued to catch bass that were all above 4 lbs with the largest being a healthy 7lb bass that Kevin caught. This was his biggest bass ever leading Kevin to say that Lake Toho was definitely his favorite place to fish.

It is very rewarding to hear the excitement kids get when they are out for a day with us and Kevin definitely was enjoying the success of his day. Trips to Costa Rica catching Mahi Mahi didn't come close to how good this day was and before the trip was over Kevin was asking his Dad when they would be coming back to Orlando.

If you are unsure of what to expect when coming to Orlando for a day of bass fishing take a look at the awesome memories Bee and Kevin will go home with from their day. Bass fishing in Orlando is a year round opportunity with great weather and big bass that our lakes produce. Lake Toho is minutes from Orlando area theme parks and definitely should be at the top of anyones list when considering a bass fishing trip.

Florida Bass Adventures has been guiding clients to trophy bass in Orlando since 2003 specializing in trophy bass fishing on Lake Toho. For more information or to book a trip visit our site. Trophy bass fishing is all we do so feel free to take a look around and see what we have been up to!

http://www.floridabassadventures.com/

Sincerly,

Steve Boyd