BassObsessed Posted February 5, 2015 Posted February 5, 2015 Today I fished a half day at Lake Toho. It rained off and on the whole time but the bite was better than the guide expected. After just a few minutes fishing at the first spot we saw and heard a big bass blow up on the bait. I set the hook and started to wrestle the giant out of the thick grass. As the bass surfaced and went to change direction you could see it was huge..12lbs plus huge like a football. She was turning the boat slightly. Just as she was about 10ft away from the boat and made a strong attempt at hiding in a bunch of reeds she got off. I was highly frustrated. Either the hook wasn't in the thick lip section deep enough or popped out of the open pocket area. Who knows but that was the first hit of the day and a monster. Soon after the bite was pretty regular and caught a few doubles with one being 8lbs. There were a few pickerel and gar that hit the bait also. There was a front coming through and knew the bite wouldn't last long. I looked over at the reeds and saw the line going crazy , set the hook and started the tug of war battle. It felt like a nice one especially dragging her through the Toho grass. After netting her and getting her in she weighed 10lbs. Not soon after that thge bite slowed to just a couple fish before it was time to head back in. Caught about 15 fish. 9 Quote
Super User Dwight Hottle Posted February 5, 2015 Super User Posted February 5, 2015 Your making the some of the guys who live in Florida sick. WTG on your trophy hunt. 3 Quote
Super User Catch and Grease Posted February 5, 2015 Super User Posted February 5, 2015 Nice fish, an 8 and a 10 in one day is a awesome, awesome day! Quote
Super User buzzed bait Posted February 5, 2015 Super User Posted February 5, 2015 Awesome fish! Quote
Super User A-Jay Posted February 5, 2015 Super User Posted February 5, 2015 Sorry to hear you lost that first one - that's never how any of us want start a day ~ ever. But it looks like you recovered nicely by having an excellent trip and that's Another Great Fish ! Congrats. A-Jay 1 Quote
FloridaFishinFool Posted February 5, 2015 Posted February 5, 2015 What did you catch those on? This line in your post " I looked over at the reeds and saw the line going crazy , set the hook..." kind of makes me think of live bait? Congratulations on the nice fish! And for toughing it out on a day like today! Oh, and one more question, which Toho lake were you on? East or West? Quote
Super User 00 mod Posted February 5, 2015 Super User Posted February 5, 2015 You are on a roll! Congrats! Jeff 1 Quote
BassObsessed Posted February 5, 2015 Author Posted February 5, 2015 Thanks guys.. yeah it was all on live shiners. The best way to target the giants although I would have liked to throw an assortment of artificials at them. Quote
FloridaFishinFool Posted February 5, 2015 Posted February 5, 2015 Was this on Toho East or West? Quote
Super User F14A-B Posted February 5, 2015 Super User Posted February 5, 2015 Yup, no surprise on the golden shiners getting it done... Nice catch... Quote
BassObsessed Posted February 5, 2015 Author Posted February 5, 2015 Was this on Toho East or West? This was on West Toho. Quote
FloridaFishinFool Posted February 5, 2015 Posted February 5, 2015 Thanks! West Toho is on my top 5 lakes in Florida. East Toho gets the most attention and tournaments and commercial use, but West Toho is the best kept secret! Or was... I have seen more big bass come out of West Toho lately than just about any other. It is also a very historic lake. A Seminole Indian chief Eematla AKA "King Phillip" kept his tribe and family protected on the islands in West Toho back in the late 1700's and early 1800's. His son known as "WildCat" Coacoochee was born on the Southern island there around 1807 and would rise to be a great chief like his father and fight side by side with Osceola in the Seminole Indian wars. Quote
Super User senile1 Posted February 5, 2015 Super User Posted February 5, 2015 Very nicely done! I'm assuming the fish in your left hand (to the right facing us) in the first picture was the 8 lb'er? It amazes me how long the Florida largemouth are. The same would apply to the bottom picture. That is a beautiful bass! Quote
BassObsessed Posted February 5, 2015 Author Posted February 5, 2015 Very nicely done! I'm assuming the fish in your left hand (to the right facing us) in the first picture was the 8 lb'er? It amazes me how long the Florida largemouth are. The same would apply to the bottom picture. That is a beautiful bass! Thanks. Yes thats the correct pic. All the fish were fat especially the monster that got off. Quote
Super User Scott F Posted February 5, 2015 Super User Posted February 5, 2015 Who was your guide? Quote
Super User Goose52 Posted February 5, 2015 Super User Posted February 5, 2015 More scores for what Dwight referred to as "indigenous swimbaits"... Great fish - looks like you're having an AWESOME vacation ! Quote
Super User Senko lover Posted February 5, 2015 Super User Posted February 5, 2015 I read about someone calling shiners "Central Florida Swimbaits." If you think that something's wrong with shiners, you obviously missed the pictures. Quote
Super User South FLA Posted February 6, 2015 Super User Posted February 6, 2015 Bingo! Congrats, Floridian bass welcome all snow birds with open arms, unlike Cali bass, lol! If you are going to central Florida with family, you need to roll a fishing trip into it somehow. I lived in Orlando for three or so years and I can tell you that for the entire state the bass fishing from Toho to highway side ponds to hotel retention ponds is INCREDIBLE and BassObsessed proves it! Also don't shy away from the use of "indigenous swim-baits" AKA Golden Shiner, lol! Quote
primetime Posted February 6, 2015 Posted February 6, 2015 Awesome day, getting to see a 12lb fish is exciting enough (and heartbreaking, but landing them in Toho is often tougher than hooking them at times). 15 fish-8 & 10, I say that is a fantastic day and I am sure you were plenty happy hiring a guide since finding fish and a pattern on West Toho is almost Impossible especially from December to March when fish are in both pre and post spawn so you never know when to go deep or shallow. That is a day you will never forget and if you do, than you are living the bass fishing dream, but I do know 1-2 people every week have a day like that on West lake since I enjoy reading reports and seeing pics of huge fish...... I fished the lake for the first time about 7 years ago and it was the day after a woman landed a 15.6 or 14.6...Something crazy, so I had no problem staying focused on a tough day because I kept thinking....a 20lb fish is in this lake, and it could hit my bait, and that would change your life, and I have heard people I trust tell me they have seen fish close to 20lbs in Toho and back in the day at Stick Marsh, Pond 13...I think the next fish that is super big like the 16.8 from Lake Tarpon will come from Apopka since people avoid it at all costs, water color is awful, but Fish and Wildlife say that the forrage base to bass ratio is perfect and has been for a few years now. The fish are always healthy & heavy, but average is .6 per hour, and that is slow...The local River in Tampa can average 2-3 per hour on a bad day so tough to make that trip but I think the guys pounding that lake will land a trophy soon. Property is a steal on the lake right now as well.... 1 Quote
Gotfishyfingers? Posted February 6, 2015 Posted February 6, 2015 Nice job bro!!! How big were the shiners you were using? Quote
BassObsessed Posted February 6, 2015 Author Posted February 6, 2015 Nice job bro!!! How big were the shiners you were using? Thanks man. They weren't jumbo like Iv'e seen and used before but around 5'' or so. Quote
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