Fall
Fishing Forecast: October, November, and December
for Lake Tohopekaliga (“Toho”) and
Kissimmee Chain of Lakes Florida
by Capt. A. James Jackson
A J's Freelancer
Bass Guide Service
October, November, and December If you’re
hoping to catch some trophy bass during the next few months, your
odds are better at Lake Tohopekaliga than anywhere else in the
nation. So, come on down and treat yourself to the bass fishing
trip of a lifetime!
In Florida, the dog days of summer draw to an
end around the beginning of October, and we gradually ease into
fall. With the passage of several cold fronts, lake conditions
begin to change. Water temperatures dip back into the 70s and water
levels rise, approaching normal once again, which energizes the
fish population in our Central Florida lakes. The Florida largemouth
bass finds new vigor, and both fish and fishermen become more active.
Choice of Bait During the fall months, we fish
the hydrilla and maiden-cane grass fields in 3 to 6 feet of water.
Artificial lures and wild shiners both work well at this time of
the year. But, if it’s lunker bass you’re after, wild
shiners produce the really big ones. This doesn’t mean that
you can’t catch trophy bass on artificial lures - you can
- just not as frequently as with shiners. However, if fishing with
artificials is your choice, it’s best to use only weed less
baits: plastic worms, soft-jerk baits, spoons, and top water lures
because the grass is very heavy.
Pre-spawn As water temperatures approach the low-
to mid-seventies, the bass begin to group in pre-spawn staging
areas, setting the scene for a lot of action at these locations.
Fishing Toho in the fall becomes a more productive and enjoyable
endeavor because you don’t have to run all over the lake,
catching one fish here and another there. You can spend more time
fishing in each location.
Average Catches On a good day at this time of
year, catches of 15-29 bass are common, with catches of 5 to 6
pound bass a daily occurrence. When it comes to bass in the 10+
pound class, it is not unusual to produce a couple each week. (As
always, your personal statistics can be better or worse, depending
on weather conditions.) And, for every bass you catch over 10 pounds,
you can expect to lose one or two in the heavy grasses. Nevertheless,
the months of October, November, and December offer you plenty
of opportunity to hook big bass; but it’s up to you to get
them in the boat!
Gift Certificate Need a unique holiday gift for
someone special? How about a day of trophy bass fishing on Lake
Toho? Just give me a call and a beautiful gift certificate will
soon be on its way to you - a gift your special person will never
forget.
Hope to see y’all soon!
Capt. A. James Jackson
AJ's Freelancer Bass Guide Service
(800) 738-8144
www.orlandobass.com
Address your fishing related questions to capjackson@aol.com.
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