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Lake Tohopekaliga (Toho), Central Florida
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 ServiceOctober, 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.*******************************************************************