Florida Bass Fishing - January Edition

[MCS]

They are bitters, love the price, selection, and the colors. My new favorite Bait Co

X2 I know some people look and say there are other big name baits that may look the same but it is the color, plastic with pork and salt and price that make them one of my top bait companies.

[Jacob044]

Fished at a pond in the middle of orlando (city area lol) Caught one 2-3lbs. Picked up some new color plastics on the way back.

 

Picked up....

Native Shiner Vibe

and Emerald Blue

 

Would that pond be lake Underhill. It's full of bass. Fished it often when I lived in Orlando. My biggest there was 5 lb.

[SFL BassHunter]

Has anyone fished Mills Pond Park before? It's in Lauderdale. Going to meet my buddy up there.

[MCS]

Would that pond be lake Underhill. It's full of bass. Fished it often when I lived in Orlando. My biggest there was 5 lb.

Is that the one by invanhoe exit when you come into orlando on 4 from the east?

[Pz3]

The lake by the Ivanhoe exit is Lake Ivanhoe, that lake is one of my favorites to fish at from shore it is aerated and stocked. You can walk around the whole thing basically. Lake Underhill which is on the east side of orlando under the east west express way south of the executive airport. Personal best in both lakes is around 5lbs but I have a feeling there are 8lbs+ in both.

 

Ivanhoe

 

Lake Underhill

 

 

The pond I was fishing at was right infront of arnold palmer hospital.

Its called lake beauty park. I don't know why they call it a lake but its stocked and aerated as well.

[dsidle61]

Fishing seems to be picking up here. Tried a new spot I found on my way home from work for about an hour and caught 7 fish. None were huge but still a lot of fun. Got them on a Watermelon Red Magic Speed Craw.

 

Any of you Jax guys ever fish that pond behind the Equestrian Center on Normandy Blvd? It's been there for 10 years according to google earth and it seems to have a lot of nice vegitation in it.

Never fished it, but I work for the company that runs the place.  I visit out there on calls a few times a year, honestly didn't even know there was a pond there.  If I ever get back out there ill have to check it out, that where you pulled out those fish?

[AK-Jax86]

All this Orlando info came at a perfect time lol. Me and Czar are taking our family to Downtown Disney and we r gonna sneak off to do some fishing for a few hours and hit up Bass Pro on the way back to Jacksonville.

[Pz3]

I use to live right by lake Bryan. This guy I use to know worked there fished quiet often. Said he caught good size fish 8lb range before. I always wanted to go fish there but never took the time to figure out how. It is literally right next to downtown disney. I would imagine bv water sports would let you take a cano out and fish in it. I can't imagine the lake not having any good fish in it with all the tourists being on it. It is a watersports jetski type lake so.... might want to ask when its least busy too if you don't want wake. 25$ per hour (sucks I know) cano rentals. I wouldn't pay for a ponton at their price though. Has to be a good lake though, why else would there be a fishing guide on it??

 

Might be worth a look into.

http://www.bvwatersports.com/#!boatrentals/c1yws

[Jacob044]

Is that the one by invanhoe exit when you come into orlando on 4 from the east?

 

3 has got it. The lake Underhill runs under the 408. Lots of bass in there. We caught dozens on the airport side but the really big ones came from the south side near the grass shore and there is a deep hole just off shore where I got the 5 lb. bass. Lots of fish there.

[JaxBasser]

Never fished it, but I work for the company that runs the place.  I visit out there on calls a few times a year, honestly didn't even know there was a pond there.  If I ever get back out there ill have to check it out, that where you pulled out those fish?

 

Na, went out there yesterday and didn't catch anything. The water is super clear, didn't even see a bass. Did run into a 4 foot water moccasin though.

 

The pond I was catching them in was off of Cecil Commerce Center/New World Ave.

[BassinLou]

Just got back from a couple of hours of fishing at canal close to my house. Bite was slow, but somehow convinced these guys to bite. 

 

 

Even an Exotic (Mayan Cichlid) decided to hit. 

 

 

I was using a booyah spinnerbait. 

[SFL BassHunter]

Nice ones!

[Pz3]

Good catches, about the same sizes I've been catching recently. I keep finding pigs but they wont bite at all. I've been finding them all day by dropping worms or spinner baits on their heads. I'm guessing their males gaurding spawning sites.  Thats has to be why they keep ramming my baits but not biting. They are real tight to cover too. I have to drop the baits right against the reeds to get a reaction from them.

[BassinLou]

Good catches, about the same sizes I've been catching recently. I keep finding pigs but they wont bite at all. I've been finding them all day by dropping worms or spinner baits on their heads. I'm guessing their males gaurding spawning sites.  Thats has to be why they keep ramming my baits but not biting. They are real tight to cover too. I have to drop the baits right against the reeds to get a reaction from them.

 

When you come a across a big female who doesn't swim away but holds her ground, you may have a contender. Keep poking around the area, and your bound to find what her limits are and she will start getting ticked off. That's when the fun starts. I swear, if someone would be walking by when I am stalking a big girl, they would think  I am insane. Because I am talking to her and myself to keep my cool. LOL.... 

[Pz3]

Are they females? Always thought they were males. Usually I can get the smaller ones in beds to bite. These big ones I keep finding are ramming it a couple times and then leaving. They have to be more seasoned and they know my tricks already lol.

[Bassintheweeds]

Thought id update you guys on my trip to Florida. I will go in Order.

 

 

Snuck out of the house early and fished a small feeder creek to the St. Johns.

 

Ended up a with a decent red. Not a bad start to 2014.

 

That night we drove south to hit up the Big O

 

Then I decieded to not check into the Hotel for a few hours...

 

Ended up being a great choice with the first Largemouth of 2014 a solid 3.5 plus!

 

Next day we hit Oke rented a boat and this was the biggest at about 3 pounds Lake was nasty nasty water so I had to fish the rim canal most of the day.

 

 

Last full day I hit Baymeadows park in Jax and got a dink but thats all.

 

Thanks to MCS for mentioning some spots to me as well as anyone else who helped out!

[BassinLou]

Are they females? Always thought they were males. Usually I can get the smaller ones in beds to bite. These big ones I keep finding are ramming it a couple times and then leaving. They have to be more seasoned and they know my tricks already lol.

 

The males usually run on the small side. Sometimes you get a decent buck, 2-3lbs. But, the females are the bigger ones. The question is, was the buck preparing the nest for some romance, or did the female already vacate the nest leaving the buck to guard the nest. 

[Pz3]

There is no telling, I can't get a good sight on it I just know I've spotted the most beds tight against all types of cover 2-3ft deep and I just keep casting away in it. They aren't no dinks. have to be 5+ lb fish staying mostly in the same spots. If I go back tomorrow they will probably still be there.  

[MCS]

Most the beds I am seeing up here are up tight on cover just like Pz said but the fish on them are small 1-2 maybe 3 pounds and spook real easy.

[BassinLou]

There is no telling, I can't get a good sight on it I just know I've spotted the most beds tight against all types of cover 2-3ft deep and I just keep casting away in it. They aren't no dinks. have to be 5+ lb fish staying mostly in the same spots. If I go back tomorrow they will probably still be there.  

 

If you are identifying 5lb fish, staying in the same spot, then you have a bedding female. What baits are using in that situation? Using a lizard with a 1/4 oz weight pegged in place, on a 3/0-4/0 should do the trick. Jigs also come to mind as well. 

[BassinLou]

After hanging with the family for a bit, I managed to go out right before sundown. I was throwing the spinnerbait again not getting any bites until.... a 4lb+ beauty slammed my bait. She made a beautiful headshake with her gills fully flared and then my bait popped out. As I was reeling it back in I could not believe she threw the hook, I had a trailer hook on it, the hit was solid. When I reeled in my bait my spinnerbait was broken broke in half!!!! The wire severed right where you tie off. I had the portion of the blades, the fish took the head, skirt, and trailer hook. I was so disappointed. I have been using strictly Booyah spinnerbaits. What spinnerbaits do you guys recommend? I do not want this to happen again!!

[MCS]

I have used war eagle, BPS and academy's H2o brand. War eagles weight heads tended to get nicked up but they have nicecskirts and cool colors. bps was solid so has the h2o but the finish chipped. You could try terminator titanium. I also been eyeing the strike king pro in bluegill.

Also look at fat sack tackle and seibert outdoors. I think in all honesty ordering from someone like seibert or a smaller builder that has a decent following will get you the best quality. Only reason I don't is because I want multiple items etc and I don't want to pay shipping on just one type bait. Then order the rest and pay again.

[Pz3]

After hanging with the family for a bit, I managed to go out right before sundown. I was throwing the spinnerbait again not getting any bites until.... a 4lb+ beauty slammed my bait. She made a beautiful headshake with her gills fully flared and then my bait popped out. As I was reeling it back in I could not believe she threw the hook, I had a trailer hook on it, the hit was solid. When I reeled in my bait my spinnerbait was broken broke in half!!!! The wire severed right where you tie off. I had the portion of the blades, the fish took the head, skirt, and trailer hook. I was so disappointed. I have been using strictly Booyah spinnerbaits. What spinnerbaits do you guys recommend? I do not want this to happen again!!

 

Speak of the devil! I've been using the walmart 1$ spinners discussed earlier in the thread. They were hit and miss baits though. Some the skirts fall apart, some don't, I did how ever pick up this today.

 

 

I'll let you know how it does after a few times out. That fish hit solid and shook violently enough to destroy your spinner thats pretty rough. Bad batch of baits? Older spinnerbait?

That one spinner bait with the jointed head might be worth looking into. Supposibly it cuts down on losing fish when they shake.

[BassinLou]

Speak of the devil! I've been using the walmart 1$ spinners discussed earlier in the thread. They were hit and miss baits though. Some the skirts fall apart, some don't, I did how ever pick up this today.

 

 

I'll let you know how it does after a few times out. That fish hit solid and shook violently enough to destroy your spinner thats pretty rough. Bad batch of baits? Older spinnerbait?

That one spinner bait with the jointed head might be worth looking into. Supposibly it cuts down on losing fish when they shake.

 

That particular spinnerbait has caught me several fish, and I have had to manipulate the wire back in place quite a few times. Would titanium wires be immune to this abuse? 

[BassinLou]

I have used war eagle, BPS and academy's H2o brand. War eagles weight heads tended to get nicked up but they have nicecskirts and cool colors. bps was solid so has the h2o but the finish chipped. You could try terminator titanium. I also been eyeing the strike king pro in bluegill.

Also look at fat sack tackle and seibert outdoors. I think in all honesty ordering from someone like seibert or a smaller builder that has a decent following will get you the best quality. Only reason I don't is because I want multiple items etc and I don't want to pay shipping on just one type bait. Then order the rest and pay again.

 

MCS, I was thinking along the same lines. The problem is I have a utility box full of spinnerbaits, and they are mostly booyah's!!