MAIN SITE | ARCHIVE NEWS

ARCHIVE NEWS & REPORTS

Florida Bass Fishing Report & Forecast May 2021 Winter Haven Kissimmee Toho

Posted by scott on May 1, 2021

One of the things I love about fishing in Central Florida in May is that the lakes are not too hot yet, and the bass are out schooling chasing bait all over the place whether it’s on grass flats, deep water, or up in the jungle fishing in “the junk.”  On most lakes from Lake Kissimmee to the Winter Haven Chains we can catch a lot of fish each trip along with quality big fish each time out.  This is where all the fun starts because the fishing will be hot, hot, hot.
 
That being said, let’s start out on Lake Kissimmee and the Kissimmee River fishing out of Camp Mack.  So far for this time of year the lake levels have been lower than normal regulation than they were last year because of the lack of rain fall and the US Army Corps.  The shad and shiners are spawning so that means plenty of extra bait fish for the bass to school up on.  To you and I that translates to an awesome opportunity for catching a lot of bass on topwater baits.  This year the bass have been more “selective” during the different bait fish spawns and stages from wanting bigger gold colored baits for chasing shiners to a silver or white smaller profile for the shad.  It’s truly an occupational hazard to try to over analyze what a bass is doing but hey, that’s what I do.  If you see bass chasing smaller bait, throw a smaller white/silver bait.  If you see them running shiners, throw a bigger gold/black bait.  Simple.
 
Heading back closer to the heart of Polk County and the Winter Haven Chains it is still a big time summer pattern in the mornings, it’s just a slightly different pattern with different bait being the main forage.  Here, white bait, shad, smaller glass minnows, whatever you want to call them are the main forage on a lot of the smaller spring-fed lakes.  There are still some wild shiners in these waters, along with tons of bluegill and specks but the bass mostly chase the minnows and shad in the mornings.
 
I love having the original Pop-R, flukes, and smaller swimbaits tied-on for this time of year.  You’ll see “wolf packs” just roaming around chasing bait to the surface and you can catch a ton of fish if you are patient and select your casts well.  I’m normally fishing deeper in 8’ out to 20+ feet of water over grass this time of year and we catch a lot of good fish.  Here on these lakes, keep your colors more natural if fishing the spring fed lakes and keep it bright or dark in the off colored waters.
 
Kanon - Lake Winterset.jpg
#campmackbassfishing #floridabassfishingguide #campmackbassguide #kissimmeebassfishingguide #floridabassfishing #bassfishingguide #winterhavenbassfishing #floridafishingreports #laketohofishingreport #lakekissimmeefishingreport #fishingreport #laketoho #campmack #lakekissimmee #winterhavensouthchain #orlandobassfishing #legolandflorida #lakewales #winterhaven #disneybassfishing 
 
Read full post »

Central Florida Bass Fishing Report April 2021

Posted by scott on April 4, 2021

Well here we are just into April and the bass are already in their summer patterns.  The fishing and catching the last month have been very steady with lots of families going home with tons of pics of big bass and big smiles.  To me, that’s what counts the most.  The key here is finding the bait.  Where you find bait I can almost guarantee that you will find the bass.

 

In both Winter Haven and out at Guy Harvey Outpost’s Camp Mack we’ve had some of the most memorable days for kids and family trips in recent years.  We’ve had so many days with kids catching the biggest bass of their life then Dads and Moms trying to catch one bigger.  Those are the trips I love taking out on a daily basis.

 

In Winter Haven you can catch as many fish as your heart desires on topwaters, flukes, jerkbaits, and both shallow and deep diving crankbaits.  With kids in the boat fishing artificial always have several bags of senkos which you can rig-up either Texas or wacky (sideways).  For your flukes and jerkabaits natural whites and pearls are your best bets with a “ghost ayu” a close second.  Once in awhile I’ll “test the waters” as it were with a limetreuse deep diver for giggles and it’s always fun when that works.  Don’t be afraid to play around once in awhile and think outside the box.  For your shiners here your best bet will always be ML-L domestic shiners which you can get from Caribbean Bait on Lake May.

 

Over on the Kissimmee Chain I will still spend most of my time offshore in “deeper” waters with shell beds, eel grass and scattered hydrilla.  Not only are there a lot of fish out there it’s easier for me to give shiners swimming lessons off the back of our 220 Viper while clients fish artificial baits up front.  For lures we always start with several topwater baits from Pop-R’s to prop baits and Spooks in black, gold, and I really like white to change things up ever now and then.  For flukes it’s really hard to beat white in these tannic waters, and if a senko is your thing NEVER EVER leave the dock without a bag full of black & blue baits sticks.  Wild shiners are always a good insurance policy to entice a few extra fish plus it’s always fun watching a bass wake behind a shiner busting it to the surface before engulfing it and running-off.

 

As always please practice CPR - “Catch, Photograph, and Release”.

#floridabassfishing #floridabassfishingguide #floridafishingcharters #captscotttaylor #kissimmeebassfishing #campmack #bassguide #campmackbassfishingguide #laketohobassfishingguide #winterhavenbassfishing #winterhavensouthchainbassfishing #lakewalesbassfishing #davenportbassfishing #celebrationbassfishing #championsgatebassfishing # westgateresortsbassfishing #disneybassfishing #orlandobassfishing #tampabassfishing

#winterhaven #southchain #floridafishingguide #bassfishing #floridabassfishingguide #floridafishingcharters #fishingguide #florida #loveflorida #campmack #lakekissimmee #laketoho #kissimmeechainoflakes #legolandflorida #lakewales #disney #orlando #familyfriendlyfishingtrip #kidsfishing #bigbass #trophybassflorida #trophyhunter #bigbassguide #a1bassfishingguide #makingmemories #takeakidfishing #bestbassguides #floridasbestfishingguides #howtodoflorida #reelanimals #floridasportfishing #awesomefishingadventures #legolandfloridaresort #legolandbeachretreat

#bassfishingguidewinterhavenfl #kissimmeefloridabassfishingguide #floridabassguide #campmackbassfishing #campmackbassguide #kissimmeebassguide #freshwaterfishingflorida #floridafreshwaterfishing #artificialbaitsforbass #militarydiscount #firstresponders #veteransdiscount

 
Read full post »

Central Florida Bass Fishing March 2021

Posted by scott on March 8, 2021

How does it get any better than March in Central Florida? The weather is warming up, and we have Spring Training baseball plus incredible bass fishing, and THAT folks is a winning combination.
 
Well, February turned out to be a better month weather-wise than was originally predicted by multiple sources. The first week was brutal then it stabilized and so did the bass fishing after that on both the Winter Haven Chains and the Kissimmee Chain of Lakes. We ended up catching better numbers of fish in Winter Haven but caught bigger fish on average out of Camp Mack.
 
So starting out in Winter Haven, we’re still working with a mix of pre and post spawn fish and that makes for great days on the water. The air and water temps should be rather stable - even though we are always subject to cold/storm front for a day or two - which will keep the fish feeding.
 
I’m a firm believer in fishing offshore over deep vegetation with a variety of shad imitation baits. Flukes, swim baits in your favorite brand, crankbaits, and jerkbaits are all highly effective this time of year. At some point this month the post-spawn fish should start schooling and chasing bait which brings your topwater baits into play. As for fishing with shiners I’ll have a combination of wild native and domestics from 3” to 6” whenever possible and switch them up until the bass tell you what they prefer that day. Some days it flat does not matter, other days they get a little particular as to their dining preferences.
 
Heading east to Lake Kissimmee and fishing out of Camp Mack I’m expecting a lot of great trips making lots of memories with new and old guests alike. Here, trips are a little more customized for each guest and their fishing preferences. If a client is more focused on strictly artificial baits we’ll be using a combination of hollow body frogs & soft body frogs like Gambler Buzz’n Cane Toads, Gambler EZ Swimmers, senkos, and Zoom Trick Worms. Those are all baits that are highly effective up in the jungle in heavy cover, as well as offshore over submerged vegetation.
 
For most trips though it’s fishing offshore over eel grass and hydrilla as well as shell beds in open water. On these trips we can effectively fish a combination of both live and artificial baits. I like to give 5”-8” wild shiners swimming lessons off the back of the bay boat while guests fish with lures up front. A few of the best baits are a Spook or Spook Jr, a Devil’s Horse, jerkbaits, bladed swimjigs, and of course you have to have some flukes or senkos on hand.
 
Please remember to Catch, Photograph, and Release the bass you catch, especially during spawning season. “Let ‘em Go & Let ‘em Grow”
 
Capt. Scotty Taylor
855-FL-GUIDE (855-354-8433) or TMCGuideService.com
Senior Pro Guide at Camp Mack, a Guy Harvey Lodge, Marina & RV Resort - GuyHarveyCampMack.com
Official Partner & Guide for VisitCentralFlorida.org
 

#CampMackBassFishing #FloridaBassFishing #CampMackBassGuide #FloridaBassFishingGuide #LakeKissimmeeBassFishingGuide #LakeWales #WinterHaven #WinterHavenSouthChain #LEGOLAND #DisneyBassFishing #OrlandoBassFishingGuide #TampaBassFishing #TheVillagesBassFishing #FloridaFishingReports #VisitCentralFlorida #VisitFlorida #ChampionsGateBassFishing #GuyHarveyOutpostResorts #TravelInspired #SpringTraining #DetroitTigers #LakeWalesFishing #Davenport #Sandydunes #HainesCity #KissimmeeStatePark

Read full post »

Florida Bass Fishing Report February 2021

Posted by scott on February 1, 2021

February bass fishing in Florida is traditionally an all-time fan favorite. This is the month when you “typically” get the bigger waves of pre and post spawn bass moving across the flats but they are totally weather dependent. The Farmer’s Almanac is forecasting a slightly warmer than normal month for average temps with not too much rain early on so hopefully that holds true.
 
When we are fishing out on the Kissimmee Chain running out of Camp Mack, a Guy Harvey Lodge, Marina & RV Resort we’re definitely wanting to start our mornings on the flats. One thing that never gets old is running the river and turning the corner around a point to find the sun showing us the first faint glimpse of light, and half-way expecting to see Chief Osceola sitting on a stump as we pass by...
 
The best part of this for our guests - and me - is that we should have a solid topwater bite rolling as we hit our first stop of the day. I like fishing an area I know has lots of shell beds along with some eel grass and scattered hydrilla along with some “holes” or a river channel not too far away. Most likely when you put all those pieces of the puzzle together you’ll have a lot of bait, and where there is bait there’s bass. I’m partial to Spooks, Pop’r style baits, Gambler EZ-Swimmers, and flukes for this style fishing. Later in the day you’ll always want to have some sort of senko, ribbontail, or larger creature bait on for working the reed heads and pads.
 
Over in Winter Haven fishing the South Chain we’re going to find fish in the same pre and post spawn conditions but we’ll approach them slightly differently. On a couple lakes we’ll normally find some topwater bites and these are easy to pick up with flukes and your favorite topwater. The best way to approach these lakes is using your electronics scanning for grass, bait, and bass. But when doing this, please be courteous of other boats and try not to just run over the line they are fishing. Sorry, but it’s happened WAY too often the past month of two. Back to the bass, have your allotment of belly-weighted swim baits, jerkbaits, and traps on hand, they will serve you well. If the wind is blowing and you’re in the middle of a front you’ll need to hit the “spot lock” on your trolling motor and work a Texas-rigged speed vibe or ribbon tail worm on top of the hydrilla very, very, very, very slowly.
 
Capt. Scotty Taylor
 
Alissa Petersburg.jpg
 

#CampMackBassFishing #FloridaBassFishing #CampMackBassGuide #FloridaBassFishingGuide #LakeKissimmeeBassFishingGuide #LakeWales #WinterHaven #WinterHavenSouthChain #LEGOLAND #DisneyBassFishing #OrlandoBassFishingGuide #TampaBassFishing #TheVillagesBassFishing #FloridaFishingReports #VisitCentralFlorida #VisitFlorida #ChampionsGateBassFishing #GuyHarveyOutpostResorts #TravelInspired
Read full post »

Central Florida Bass Fishing Report January 2021

Posted by scott on January 2, 2021

Paula and I would like to wish everyone a Happy New Year, and may it be a whole lot better than the last. That said, the one constant that we’ve had through this entire mess is fishing. The fish don’t have a clue and don’t care. They’re swimming around looking for their next meal and my goal is to put us in a position to get them to eat a Spook, a fluke, or a shiner.
 
So looking forward to this month’s fishing adventures we need to consider the air and water temps, moon phases, and weather pattern consistency. The Farmer’s Almanac is forecasting a cooler than normal January. If it’s a “flat” cooling trend then it’s not a big deal but if it spikes back and forth then that’s when it can change things, especially on the bigger ponds. Really, the only major factor to effect the full moon fish would be a major cold front pushing in within a 36 hour window before hand. I look at it this way since I do not target bedding bass: their are dramatically more fish in pre or post spawn patterns than actually spawning at one given time down here. I’ll take the higher percentages and actively feeding fish and let the others “do their thing” and keep the population healthy & strong.
 
Fishing out of Camp Mack on the Kissimmee Chain of Lakes I’m focusing on flats with shell beds, pads, eel grass, and/or hydrilla that is adjacent to deeper water. It doesn’t have to be some big drop off or channel, even older creek beds and ledges with even a 6”-12” differential can provide security to fish when fronts pass through. The baits of choice will be a Spook or other topwater bait early in the morning with the usual assortment of flukes and senkos in the mix. Always have a swimbait like the Gambler EZ Swimmer on hand along with a trap or chatterbait for good measure.
 
Moving over to the Winter Haven South Chain it’s a slightly different ball game with generally deeper spring fed lakes compared to the vast shallower “big” lakes. This is when electronics come into play big time. You want to find deeper grasslines next to flats where the fish can feed-up before and after the spawn without traveling too far. Look for deeper water when a front hits, and plenty of cover for the bait. Jerkbaits, flukes, and crankbaits are all on-deck out on these waters. Focus on more natural colors with the clearer waters and don’t be afraid to downsize your line and gear to get more bites.
 
#CampMack #LEGOLAND #KissimmeeChainOfLakes #LakeKissimmee #Hatchineha #LakeToho #LakeWales #WinterHaven #SouthChain #LakeWinterset #Davenport #ReunionFL #CelebrationFL #Lakeland #FloridaBassFishingGuide #FloridaFishingReport #FloridaBassGuide #OrlandoBassFishing #Disney #DisneyBassFishing #KissimmeeBassFishing #FloridaFishingCharters
 
Read full post »
TMC Guide Services, LLC
TMC Guide Services, LLC
Book Now!