World Famous Lake Toho covering 18,810 acres of what is undoutably some of the best trophy bass fishing in the State of Florida, and with very good reason. This amazing body of water can, on any given day or any given cast reward an angler with a 10 pound bass, what everyone considers a trophy bass, or a catch of a lifetime for many.
With many options for catching these trophy bass ranging from wild shiners to crank baits, one thing is for sure, the possibilities are endless, the fun and excitement has no boundaries. Tournament anglers flock from around the country to fish tournaments here. Whether it be a B.A.S.S tournament, FLW, Extreme Bass or local club tournaments, these directors hold their tournaments here for a very good reason, BIG BASS!
Depending on what time of year you wish to fish Lake Toho can play a role on the numbers, or the quality of the bass you will catch. Now everyone knows the summer months for bass fishing can be tough with the extreme heat, many anglers feel that the bass just won't bite. This is very far from the truth. Generally the summer months the bass fishing will still be productive in the early morning hours and late afternoon. Many will say "the big gals bite early or late" but I can assure you they will bite all day long. Most of my biggest bass, 7 to 10 pounds have come between the hours of 11am and 3 pm, right in the heat of the day!
Fall and winter are probably some of the best times to bass fish on Lake Toho. Cold fronts will roll into Central Florida, lowering our air temperatures and also dropping our water temperatures. This will trigger bait fish, shad and shiners to bunch up in pods making them an easy target for largemouth bass to ambush. This will trigger the bass feeding frenzy as they fatten up for the spawn, which typically starts early January and will last sometimes into May.
Spawn season is typically our busiest time of year, as this is generally one of the best times for people to get a chance at catching that trophy bass from Lake Toho. Many anglers, even the most experienced, will request live wild shiners as their bait of choice just to increase the chances of them catching that Trophy Bass that many anglers may spend many years trying to catch.
Spring can be just absolutely off the hook bass fishing! Trophy bass have finished their spawn, and what are they looking to do? Well this is the time that trophy bass once again go on a major feeding frenzy! They have laid their eggs and for the most part remained dormant, as they remain close to the bed, watching over the buck bass guarding the nest. Now if the buck has been caught and not released, the female bass will return to guard the nest. Once the spawn is complete for her, she will start feeding up to regain strength, and these gals can be very aggressive when they feed. This will make for some seriously fun bass fishing.
There is good reason these bass make it to 10 pounds or better, they are smart! We know the waters we fish, but remember, they know the waters they live in. Many may find that statement laughable, but think about it. Many big bass are not caught in wide open waters. They are usually caught from beds, which can be close to or even under docks. Close to or in openings in grass beds, or in and around sunken timber. Now when you hook one of these gals, they will make a run for cover, Hitting that dock, trying to get to thick cover, or tangling you up in that timber. That to me, and many other pro anglers says these bass are smart. It's not just a matter of setting a hook, and reeling her in.
We must always remember when you do catch a spawning bass to handle her with extreme care. Please take that picture fast, supporting her belly and gently releasing her back into the waters. These trophy bass are also our "breeding stock" as we like to call them. It's their gene that helps map our future in the bass fishing industry, and when these trophy bass are released alive and well it will increase the next bass anglers' chances at also catching that bass of a lifetime, and who knows, that next angler could be your own son or daughter.
Capt Tim Fey
Bassfishingfl.com