Recent rains have the water level a little closer to where it needs to be on both the North and South Chains. Still down about two feet though. Most canals can be safely navigated. Only a few remain impassible Also, due to the rain and slightly cooler nights, the water temperature has fallen a few degrees which has the bass more active. Look for schooling bass to become more frequent as the water temp slowly continues to drop. Keep a rod ready with a shad imitating lure such as a topwater or rattlebait that can be cast quickly and at long distances to take advantage of actively feeding schoolers that can pop up anytime, anywhere.
 Crankbaits and Carolina/Texas rigged soft plastics remain to be the most consistent producers, especially for bigger bass. Shad or chartreuse colored crankbaits are usually best. As for plastics, junebug, redbug, and blueberry colors are always good. Most of the bass are suspended, and therefore hard to catch, holding around deeper offshore structure areas such as shell beds, ledges, humps, and dredge holes chasing schools of shad. They are relating to the shad schools more than to cover. As always, find the bait, find the bass.
 Should soon start to see more and more fish moving onto shallower eelgrass and hydrilla flats where spinnerbaits, rattlebaits, and jerkbaits are at their best. Try slow rolling white or chartreuse spinnerbaits through the grass or rip out of it with shad colored rattlebaits and jerkbaits. Soft swimbaits can be productive as well in these areas. In the green water lakes look for deep shoreline areas to produce a few bites via the flippin’ stick. Texas rigged soft plastics and Jigs weighing 3/8-1/2 oz are best. Black/blue combinations, green pumpkin, and watermelon are all good color choices.

Kissimmee Chain

 Due to high water and an explosion of vegetative growth, the bass in the lakes have become much harder to locate. Hydrilla and eelgrass beds can be found throughout all the lakes, from shoreline areas all the way out to the outside grasslines in Kissimmee and out to mid lake areas in Toho, Cypress, and Hatchineah. The rivers and creeks have been flowing with all of the rainfall, and has the water throughout the chain looking much better. The vast amount of submerged vegetation is helping to filter out the water and make it cleaner as well. Creek mouths, canals, and rivers are holding lots of fish with the moving water. Any current break or eddy will hold fish when the current is flowing. Most of the fish caught in these areas are 1-3 lbs, however there are some big fish mixed in as well. Fish these areas with Texas/Carolina rigged soft plastics and shad colored deep diving crankbaits.
 Most of the bigger bass are still being caught by way of the flippin’ stick along outside grasslines or by slow dragging Texas/Carolina rigged worms around offshore structure and cover. 1/2 – 1 oz weighted soft plastic craws and creature baits flipped along grasslines along with jigs of the same weight are producing larger than average bass for those willing to bypass numbers of smaller fish. Black/blue combinations, junebug, and watermelon colors are always good here. Try casting 7 – 10 inch junebug, black/blue fleck, and watermelon ribbontail worms around hydrilla edges 4 – 8 ft deep. Spinnerbaits, rattlebaits, and bladed jigs can be good as well. Stick with shad or shiner imitating colors.
 Cooler nights should continue to drop the water temperature and improve the topwater bite. Chuggers, stickbaits, propbaits, and all types of frogs can be good. Shiner, shad, and bream colored plugs will all work. Black, green, and brown for frogs. Boat trails can be great early in the morning along with any type of vegetation edge. Keep a soft jerkbait or stickbait handy to follow up on missed topwater strikes.

Capt. Monte Goodman
Central Florida Bucketmouths
www.cfbucketmouths.com
863-661-7226

 Amazingly these lakes remain mostly in pre-spawn mode due to the cold weather. Most female Bass are still full of eggs and holding in deeper water. Water temperature getting into mid 60’s will start what should be a very strong spawning cycle. We could see bedding Bass well into April or even May with this late start. Most fish are still being caught on crankbaits, spinnerbaits, and jerkbaits fished over deeper submerged grass. This pre-spawn pattern should soon give way to a flippin’ stick and sight fishing. In the clear water lakes look for spawners from the shoreline out to as deep as you can see. In dark or green water lakes flip grass, cattails, pads, or reeds in 2-5 ft with 1/2 oz Texas rigged craws or creature baits. Smoke, junebug, and watermelon colors will all produce. Also try ripping a 1/2 oz rattlebait through submerged grassbeds in 4-10 ft. Chrome/black, gold/black, or red are good color choices. Get a few quick photos and release the fish immediately so that it may return to the bed and finish it’s job.

Kissimmee Chain

 Huge tournament stringers, up to nearly 40 lbs, indicate a strong bite on the Kissimmee Chain now. Texas rigged soft plastics are producing the bulk of the bigger Bass, however spinnerbaits, rattlebaits, and jerkbaits are catching their share as well. Look for sandy bottom areas with sparse or isolated cover 2-5 ft deep for spawning Bass. Cast or flip craws, creature baits, or other soft plastics around the cover. Junebug, watermelon, and black/blue always great color choices. Fish extremely slow. Search just outside spawning areas for pre and post spawners. Look for thicker cover such as floating mats, heavy pads, or gatorvine. Flip 1oz or heavier Texas rigged craws deep into the cover. Also look for any submerged vegetation such as eelgrass or coontail growing just a little deeper than adjacent spawning areas. Shad or shiner colored rattlebaits, spinnerbaits, and jerkbaits should entice a few bites in these areas. Swimbaits in 4-6 in size range also should continue to produce plenty of bites.

Central Florida is where you’ll find beautiful lakes, great bass fishing and Monte Goodman. Monte has made a career of doing what he enjoys and does best as a professional bass guide and successful tournament angler. Guiding and fishing competitively for the past 15 years has given him the experience, skill and knowledge it takes to be a great fisherman. Monte is also a vocal advocate of Florida’s habitat and conservation efforts, supports and practices “catch and release” himself and encourages others to do the same. A member of tournament trails such as FLW, FOMNTT, BFL, and B.A.S.S just to name a few. Credited with well over a hundred local tournament wins, was back to back Angler of the Year in the largest B.A.S.S. affiliated club in the world, and has won numerous Big Bass honors. Monte’s ability to adapt, his versatility and lengthy resume has earned him a reputation anyone would be proud of.

Winter Haven

As the water level and temperature continues to drop, so does the winning weights in recent tournaments held on the south chain. The few canals that remain passable are in terrible shape once again. Lots of props getting dinged and motors overheated. Also boat ramps are becoming dangerous. The ramp on Lake Cannon is still usable but all canals leading out of cannon are impassable for most boats. Same for Lakes Hartridge, Jessie, and Howard on the north end. Both ramps on Lake Shipp are in bad condition. On the south end, Lakes Summit and Roy boat ramps are still in good shape. Lake Winterset canal remains closed as new Helena Rd. bridge is under construction. The north chain no longer exists as all canals look like dirt roads. All residents along shorelines of both chains continue to have beautiful, lush, green grass as they pump out thousands of gallons of lake water every day.
 Fishing has been really good despite the low water. Size is down, as is always the case for this time of year. However lots of fish are feeding up for the upcoming spawn. Some fish have already begun to move shallower, although most remain in deeper water chasing shad schools. In the clear water lakes try topwater or lipless crankbaits early around shoreline cover. Jerkbaits, both hard and soft also worth a try. With all baits, probably better to stick to shad imatating colors such as chrome or white. As the sun moves higher, look to midlake areas or around dredge holes for schoolers. Watch for birds diving as they will sometimes give away a school’s location. Lots of 1-2 pounders pushing shad schools to the surface. Any lure resembling a shad thrown into the frenzy will normally work. Lures that can be casted far are usually are best. However some days, for whatever reason, these schoolers are extremely difficult to catch. I’ve even thrown wild shiners right on them as the bass were jumping clear out of the water chasing shad and still not get a bite. Keep in mind your throwing one bait in the middle of ten-thousand shad. There are some big fish mixed in with these schoolers as well. You definitely have to get a little lucky to catch one though.
 In the dirtier water lakes look for any submerged grass you can find such as eelgrass, hydrilla, coontail, etc… Bass will use these submerged grassbeds as staging areas before moving into shallower shoreline cover to spawn. Slow roll chartreuse/white spinnerbaits through the vegetation. Also try a lipless crankbait. As the water gets colder these baits get better and better. Let the bait get down in the grass, then rip it free as this is when most bites will occur. Chrome, gold, chartreuse, white, and red are all good color choices. Some fish still hanging around open water structure/cover. Brushpiles, ledges, and shell beds are still worth a try with a crankbait or Texas/Carolina rig. Also deeper shoreline vegetation holding some nice fish. Flip worms or craws around pads, cattails, or reeds.
 

Kissimmee Chain

 The bigger bass have become much harder to find and catch for most anglers, which is typical for this time of year. However large limits of fish (over 20 lbs) continue to show up at the scales just about every tournament. The water is cleaner and vegetation healthier than it’s been in years. A testament to what limited weed spraying and good water levels can do for this fishery which has to be one of the very best in the country right now. Fish are feeding up and getting fat as butterball turkeys as they prepare for the spawn season.
 It’s hard to go wrong in Lake Kissimmee. Seems almost anywhere you stop there’s at least a few fish biting. Although some areas are better than others. Lots of undersized fish biting and plenty of keeper sized as well in and around boat trails early in the morning, especially around the mouths and intersections of the trails. Topwaters, spinnerbaits, shallow or lipless crankbaits, jerkbaits, and swimbaits are effective in these areas. Weedless frogs also catching their share of fish along with soft stickbaits around scattered grass, pads,etc… Try flipping inside edge of outside kissimmee grassline and pods of grass and pads just inside with junebug/black and blue craws or worms. Also keep another flippin’ stick rigged with 1oz or heavier weight to punch through some of the thick floating mats that are all over the lake. These can be especially good during cold fronts. Some of the bigger fish are still holding a little deeper on brushpiles or shell beds in open water and may be caught on crankbaits and Texas/Carolina rigged worms. Try topwaters, spinnerbaits, and lipless crankbaits around submerged hydrilla and eelgrass in Lakes Hatchineha and Cypress. Also reedlines in both lakes holding a few fish as well.
 Since the bass in Lake Kissimmee have been biting so good, Lake Toho is receiving the least amount of fishing pressure on the chain now. Fish are schooling early around hydrilla pods and points. Most are undersized with a few nice fish mixed in. A few big fish are being caught on shiners. Artificials have been much tougher to find a big fish on. Topwater, lipless crankbaits, and jerkbaits will keep you busy unhooking fish for an hour or two. After that, try ripping a chrome/gold lipless crank or slow rolling a white spinnerbait through the hydrilla for a bigger fish. Also fish a Texas/Carolina rigged junebug, watermelon, or black and blue worm slowly along the bottom. Look for any type of mat; hydrilla, hyacinth, mud tussock etc… Flip mats with 1oz or heavier weight and small craw or creature bait. Keep an eye out for early spawners as fish could begin moving up anytime depending on water temperature, moon phase, and the weather. There is a lot of clear water for sight fishing bedding bass in all the lakes on the chain.    

Central Florida, where you’ll find beautiful lakes, great bass fishing and Monte Goodman. Monte has made a career of doing what he enjoys and does best as a professional bass guide and successful tournament angler. Guiding and fishing competitively for the past 15 years has given him the experience, skill and knowledge it takes to be a great fisherman. Monte is also a vocal advocate of Florida’s habitat and conservation efforts, supports and practices “catch and release” himself and encourages others to do the same. A member of tournament trails such as FLW, FOMNTT, BFL, and B.A.S.S just to name a few. Credited with well over a hundred local tournament wins, was back to back Angler of the Year in the largest B.A.S.S. affiliated club in the world, and has won numerous Big Bass honors. Monte’s ability to adapt, his versatility and lengthy resume has earned him a reputation anyone would be proud of.