FL Topwater

[The Guy]

What time of year/water temp do you FL guys generally experience the best topwater bite? Thanks

[SoFlaBassAddict]

Year round for me.  Water temps generally don't matter too much in my area, but the recent cold snaps have knocked the fishing back.  Thankfully things are warming up again.

[South FLA]

Pretty much all year long in S. FLA., extreme conditions here usually shuts any bite off.  This morning I went out and the pattern was flipping and pitching pads, and they didn't come after the top water as I expected, but I usually try to catch'em on top!

[RoLo]

Okay...you didn't ask when bass "can" be caught on top,

you asked when is the "best" time.

In central Florida, there are 2 seasonal periods that offer the 'best' topwater bite:

> Post-Spawn (70 to 80-deg F.) mid-April to mid-May (very best period)

> Post Summer (80 to 70-deg F.) October (2nd best period)

Roger

[Bassin_Fin@tic]

Okay...you didn't ask when bass "can" be caught on top,

you asked when is the "best" time.

In central Florida, there are 2 seasonal periods that offer the 'best' topwater bite:

> Post-Spawn (70 to 80-deg F.) mid-April to mid-May (very best period)

> Post Summer (80 to 70-deg F.) October (2nd best period)

Roger

By post summer do you mean "fall", Roger? I know we don't really have a fall but if so then that is the very best time for me for topwaters when that water first starts to cool down and before we get any massive fronts rolling through every 2 days. I would have to say post spawn is second for me since the majority of the fish seem to be hungry little wolfpack dink males coming off of beds. In fall I get much better size as it seems the females start to get real fat around that time.

[RoLo]

Okay...you didn't ask when bass "can" be caught on top,

you asked when is the "best" time.

In central Florida, there are 2 seasonal periods that offer the 'best' topwater bite:

> Post-Spawn (70 to 80-deg F.) mid-April to mid-May (very best period)

> Post Summer (80 to 70-deg F.) October (2nd best period)

Roger

By post summer do you mean "fall", Roger? I know we don't really have a fall but if so then that is the very best time for me for topwaters when that water first starts to cool down and before we get any massive fronts rolling through every 2 days. I would have to say post spawn is second for me since the majority of the fish seem to be hungry little wolfpack dink males coming off of beds. In fall I get much better size as it seems the females start to get real fat around that time.

Yes.

I've seen this seasonal period variously referred to as the "post-summer",

"fall prime" and "pre-turnover" ('pre-turnover' in the north).

Just as you pointed out, it comes right on the heels of the summer,

and in central Florida is typically triggered by the first cool nights in October.

It's a great topwater flurry, but in our experience it doesn't last as long

as the post-spawn bite, which sometimes remains in high gear up to two months.

Roger

[The Guy]

Okay...you didn't ask when bass "can" be caught on top,

you asked when is the "best" time.

In central Florida, there are 2 seasonal periods that offer the 'best' topwater bite:

> Post-Spawn (70 to 80-deg F.) mid-April to mid-May (very best period)

> Post Summer (80 to 70-deg F.) October (2nd best period)

Roger

Thanks Rolo that's exactly the info I was looking for

[IwillChooseFreeWill]

Here in north FL, we do get somewhat of a winter, at least temperature-wise. Topwater along the gulf coast freshwater I have found works best once water hits the low 70s to mid 80s. For some reason during spawn they like to keep that closer to the bottom since most of the ponds and lakes are 20ft deep or shallower... I assume it may be because of the cold rains we may get in the spring that affects water temperature widely, some of these pond's water temps may go from upper 80s to mid 60s in a day or two after a heavy cold rain.

In the summer when the water can get into the low 90s, they go deep again where the water temperature is cooler and stable, and come up at dawn and dusk for feeding on shallow bream.

[frogflogger]

We catch bass on frogs 12 mo.s a year in the everglades- not after cold fronts but on the days leading up to them - wind is helpful