As surface temperatures push towards 90 degrees the bass keep moving deeper in search of more comfortable areas to escape the heat. Got to get out early for best action or fish at night. Bites hard to come by after about 9:00 a.m. In most area lakes, especially the clear ones, fishing shallower than 8 ft is just about a waste of time. Look for fish to be hanging around brushpiles, shell beds, or submerged grassbeds in 8 ft of water or deeper. Deep diving crankbaits along with Texas/Carolina rigged soft plastics will be the top producers in these areas. Try shad or chartreuse colored crankbaits as fish will primarily be feeding on shad or bream until the water cools down and they begin to move shallower. For plastics stick to old adage of lighter colors on brighter days and darker colors on more overcast days. Experiment with different weights, shapes, and sizes until the fish tell you what they want.
  Also look for midday schoolers to be chasing shad and glass minnows around the deepest areas of the lake, most will only be 1-2 lbs but any fish after 9:00 is a good fish. Any lure that can be cast into the schoolers should work. Heavier topwaters and rattlebaits are usually best as they can be cast longer distances. For those catching fish deeper than 15 ft please return them to the water immediately to prevent them from inflating their air bladders and becoming unable to swim back to the bottom which would ultimately result in their death. Any fish that can’t swim back down must have the air removed from it’s swim bladder or vented. Berkley has a ventilator tool that folds and fits in a sheath for about 10 bucks and it works great. It takes less than a minute to vent a fish and save it’s life and you some money in dead fish penalties. Also don’t forget to cool down the water in your livewells about 10 degrees below the surface temp. Ice works but freezing bottles of water which may be used over and over is a much cheaper and very effective alternative. The 32 oz gatorade bottles work great. Place one in each side of your livewell every 3 hours and your water will stay cool all day.
Kissimmee Chain

  This place is as hot as the weather. The Kissimmee chain is fishing as good as anywhere in the country. Even with closed locks, rising and falling water levels, and surface temps approaching boiling point, 30 lb five fish limits are coming to the scales in just about every tournament. A 6 lb average in the dog days just once is impressive, but every tournament, that’s stupid good. It’s hard to say which lake is fishing better now because it’s equally as good on both sides of the southport locks. The improved water clarity and vegetation growth has to have something to do with the chain’s success. Let’s hope it stays this way and it should with good management. It’s good to see these lakes returning to their former status as one of the best bass fisheries in the country.
  There’s a very strong but short lived early bite. Topwaters fished along inside and outside grass edges and down boat trails are working good for first hour or so of mornings then fizzles out fast with the rising sun. Also flip outside grasslines early with 1/2-3/4 oz Texas rigged craws or creature baits. Jigs are also taking their fare share of big fish. As it gets hotter and brighter fish further back into the thicker portions of the grass. There’s still some bluegill bedding activity in the lily pads as well, which always means there’s a few big bass hanging around to feed on them.
  Look to offshore structure for the best midday action. Brushpiles, shell beds, and hydrilla are all holding quality fish. Texas/Carolina rigged soft plastics are usually best bet in these areas. Black/blue, watermelon, and junebug are always good choices in these lakes. Shad or chartreuse colored crankbaits are also worth a shot. Try flippin’ a craw or creature bait into hydrilla mats which can be a slow but very rewarding tactic. Also check mouths of creeks, canals, and rivers after rains for schoolers. Crankbaits and Texas/Carolina rigs are usually best when there’s current flowing.

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.

United States Specialty Sports Association (USSSA) – Baseball
Date: 7/7 – 7/11
Venue: Lake Myrtle Sports Park – Auburndale
- This USSSA Baseball event will host 25 teams and will bring in over 350 spectators to Polk County.
- For more information on this event check out www.centralfloridasports.com www.usssabaseball.org 

US Chung Do Kwan National Championships – Martial Arts
Dates: 7/8 – 7/10
Venue: Lake Eva, Haines City
- The US Chung Do Kwan National Championships will bring into Polk County 500 participants and 700 spectators.
- For more information please visit www.uscdka.com or www.centralfloridasports.com

Southern Trophy Hunters Big Buck Expo
Dates: 7/9 – 7/11
Venue: The Lakeland Center – Lakeland
- The Southern Trophy Hunters Expo will host show features such as Equip 2 Conceal Firearms Courses, Hunt Church with Randall Myers, Flint Knapping & Primitive Archery with Billy Berger, and Muzzy Hunting Camp Backwoods Adventures. The event will bring in over 550 participants and over 3500 spectators to Polk County.
- For more information please visit www.thelakelandcenter.com  and for local sporting events and news check out www.centralfloridasports.com

Independent Softball Association (ISA) Youth World Warm Up
Dates: 7/10 – 7/11
Venue: Christina Park – Lakeland
- The Youth World Warm Up will bring in over 600 participants and 250 spectators to Polk County for a two day event.
- For more information on this event please visit www.isasofbtall.com or check out www.centralfloridasports.com

Don’t know what’s hotter, the weather or the bite. The Kissimmee Chain continues to amaze. Surface temperature is approaching 90 degrees yet tournament fishermen are still finding 30 plus lbs of fish consistently. Don’t know of too many fisheries around the country that can compete with that. Rising water temp mixed with low water levels have fish searching out deeper, cooler, areas. There’s still plenty of fish along outside grasslines. Topwaters and spinnerbaits will work early then switch to flippin’ a 1/2 oz or heavier Texas rigged black/blue or watermelon craw or creature bait. Sometimes casting soft plastics with lighter weights along grass edges can be more productive especially in clear water areas.  Junebug, blueberry, watermelon, and redbug are all great color choices. 7-10 in Ribbontail or paddletail worms along with 5 in stickworms paired with 1/4 oz or less weights is a good combination for casting. Look for offshore hydrilla, eelgrass, or peppergrass, submerged or matted as either can and will hold fish. Try 3/8-3/4 oz white spinnerbaits or shad colored 1/4-3/4 oz rattlebaits over submerged grassbeds. Work Carolina/Texas rigged worms slowly along bottom to pick off less aggressive fish. In thicker, matted hydrilla try topwater frogs/rats over the top of the mat then punch through it with 1/2 oz or heavier craw, creature bait, or jig. Pray for a breeze as the hydrilla gnats will be out in full force. Brushpiles planted offshore and shell beds should also be holding fish. Shad or chartreuse colored Deep diving crankbaits along with Texas/Carolina rigged soft plastics will produce in these areas.
Winter Haven

Finally, there’s enough water to go from one end of the chain to the other. Only lakes Mirror and Spring are inaccessible on the South Chain and lake Smart on the North Chain. Both chains still need about 2 ft to reach normal levels. Overall fishing is pretty tough. There’s plenty of fish to catch and they are biting. The hard part, as always, is finding them. Most fish are in deeper, cooler, water. Only the deepest of shoreline areas will hold any concentrations of fish in most lakes and these areas become stagnant after about 9 a.m. The one exception to this is boat docks which provide cooler, shaded, water for bass to wait out the day in. Pitch Texas rigged soft plastics such as craws, lizards, worms, or creature baits as far underneath the docks as possible. Spinnerbaits and crankbaits can be good around the docks as well. Look for offshore structure such as shell beds, ledges, humps, and dredge holes. Find some sort of cover on the structure such as brush or hydrilla to locate schools of fish. Fish these areas with shad or chartruese deep diving crankbaits and Texas/Carolina rigged worms. Junebug, redbug, and watermelon colored worms always good here. In more stained water lakes concentrate on depths of 6-12 ft. In clear lakes 8+ ft. Also look to mid-lake areas in clear water lakes for schoolers. Toss topwaters, rattlebaits, and jerkbaits to these mostly 1-2 pounders. Occasionally a big fish is mixed in with the smaller fish. Tournament fishermen please remember to take good care of your catch. There’s way too many dead fish being weighed in. Use ice to cool down the water in your livewells. Surface water is about 10-15 degrees hotter than water 8 ft or deeper. That variance will cause temperature shock in fish and kill them. Two 32 oz bottles filled with water and frozen will keep most livewells cool all day. Start the morning with one and add the other halfway through the tournament. Also fish caught deeper than 15 ft down need to have their air bladders vented. It only takes about 30 seconds to vent a fish and save it’s life. The vent tool I use is a bends mender which can be found cheap online. There are videos on youtube showing how to properly vent a fish.  

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.

The Grand Opening and ribbon cutting of the Florida Sports Hall of Fame will take place on Tuesday, June 22 at 10:00 a.m. at the Lake Myrtle Sports Complex in Auburndale and will be followed by the induction of the 2010 Florida Sports Hall of Fame Class that evening at The Lakeland Center. The hall of fame will be open until 2:00 p.m. that day, closing in preparation for the induction at 6:15 p.m. that evening. Hall of Fame members scheduled to appear at the event include: Bobby Allison, Donnie Allison, Doug Sanders, Charlie Owens, Don Garlits, Fran Curci, Jimmy Carnes, Roger Strickland, Hubert Green, Pat Borders, Catie Condon and Ruth Alexander. “We are so excited to be able to share this grand opening with the Hall of Fame members, the people who make this new building what it is,” said Florida Sports Hall of Fame Chairman, Rick Dantzler. “This promises to be a star-studded, memorable event for everyone who attends,” Dantzler added.

Following the grand opening, four new members will be inducted into the Florida Sports Hall of Fame. The 2010 Florida Sports Hall of Fame class consists of Lake Wales native and baseball standout Pat Borders, Olympic gold medalist Catie Ball-Condon, long time sports columnist Jack Hairston, who will be inducted posthumously, and professional golfer Hubert Green. The induction ceremony, which will also feature the Polk County All Sports Awards, will be aired live on Bright House Sports Network.

For more information or to purchase tickets, contact Polk County Tourism and Sports Marketing at 863-551-4750.

FYSA ODP
Dates: 6/11 – 6/13
Venue: Lake Myrtle Sports Park – Auburndale
- This FYSA event will host over 30 teams and bring in over 800 spectators to Polk County.
- For more information on this event please visit www.centralfloridasports.com www.fysa.com

Independent Softball Association (ISA) Youth Best of the Best
Dates: 6/11 – 6/13
Venue: Christina Park – Lakeland
- The Youth Best of the Best will bring in over 800 participants and 350 spectators to Polk County.
- For more information check out www.isasofbtall.com or visit www.centralfloridasports.com

World Amateur Baseball Association (WABA)
Dates: 6/12 – 6/13
Venue: Chain of Lakes Sports Complex – Winter Haven
- This AAU event will host 43 teams and bring in over 450 spectators to Polk County.
- For more information on this event please check out www.centralfloridasports.com www.wababaseball.org

Independent Softball Association (ISA) Hit My Stick Easton Classic
Dates: 6/12 – 6/13
Venue: Auburndale Sportsplex – Auburndale
- This event will bring in over 100 participants and 200 spectators to Polk County.
- For more information check out www.isasofbtall.com or visit www.centralfloridasports.com

Independent Softball Association (ISA) Youth Best of the Best
Dates: 6/12 – 6/13
Venue: Bartow 555 Softball Complex – Bartow
- This event will bring in over 800 participants and 100 spectators to Polk County.
- For more information please visit www.isasoftball.com or www.centralfloridasports.com

Florida Five Star Girls Team Classic – Basketball
Dates: 6/4 – 6/6
Venue: Polk State College – Winter Haven
- This event will bring in over 500 participants and 300 spectators to Polk County.
- For more information check out www.centralfloridasports.com 

World Amateur Baseball Association (AAU)
Dates: 6/4 – 6/6
Venue: Lake Myrtle Sports Park – Auburndale
- This AAU event will host 43 teams and bring in over 450 spectators to Polk County.
- For more information on this event please check out  www.aausports.org

Florida Youth Soccer Association ODP
Dates: 6/4 – 6/6
Venue: Lake Myrtle Sports Park – Auburndale
- This FYSA event will bring in 15 teams and over 300 spectators to Polk County.
- For more information please visit www.centralfloriasports.com www.fysa.com

Tampa Pro Bass – End of Season Classic
Dates: 6/5 – 6/10
Venue: Camp Lester – Lake Wales
- This event will bring in over 70 participants and 20 spectators to Polk County.
- For more information check out www.home.roadrunner.com/~tampapro.com or visit www.centralfloridasports.com

Independent Softball Association (ISA) Youth Tournament of Champions – Softball
Dates: 6/6 – 6/7
Venue: Bartow 555 Softball Complex – Bartow, Christina Park – Lakeland
- This ISA event will bring in over 750 participants and over 300 spectators to Polk County.
- For more information on this event please visit www.isasofbtall.com or check out www.centralfloridasports.com

 Bass are heading deeper to escape the rapidly rising water temperature. Look to offshore structure such as drop-offs, dredge holes, and mussel bars to find the largest concentrations of fish. If there’s some form of cover available on or around the structure that makes it even better. Submerged grassbeds and brushpiles will both hold schools of fish. Try shad or firetiger colored deep diving crankbaits in 7 – 12 ft of water. Also drag Texas/Carolina rigged soft plastics slowly along the bottom to entice less aggressive fish. Junebug, redbug, and watermelon are always good color choices. Look for schooling bass 1-3 lbs in open water areas in clear lakes. When visible on the surface, these fish will eat almost anything thrown in amongst them. Use shad imitating topwaters, rattlebaits, and jerkbaits. In dirtier water lakes there’s still some fish on the deeper shoreline areas. Flip grass, cattails, pads, or docks with soft 1/4-1/2 oz soft plastics or jigs. Also try fishing submerged grassbeds 3-6 ft with spinnerbaits, shallow crankbaits, and rattlebaits.

Kissimmee Chain

 Look for outside grasslines to provide the most consistent action. Try topwater baits or spinnerbaits early then switch over to flippin’ stick as the sun gets up overhead. Use 1/2-1 oz weights to penetrate the thick grass. Some big fish are holding around lily pads feeding on spawning bream. Flip black and blue craws/worms into the cover. Check river, canal, and creek mouths for schoolers after rains as water levels will be kept low for lock maintenance project and upcoming hurricane season. Locks will be closed until January 1rst. Offshore submerged grassbeds, shell beds, and brushpiles will all hold fish throughout summer months. Fish these areas with junebug, black/blue, and watermelon colored Texas/Carolina rigged soft plastics. Deep diving and lipless crankbaits in shad or firetiger colors will also produce. Tournament fishermen bring extra ice along to cool down livewells and save your catch. Water temperature is 10+ degrees cooler than surface temp under thick grass mats and depths of 8 ft or more. This sudden temperature change can and will kill fish, especially larger ones.

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.

 There’s still plenty of spawning bass on the Kissimmee chain although most have spawned out and started to recover from a tough, long, and cold spawn season. Most fish remain in the shallows. Some have begun to migrate to deeper water. Look for late spawners around hard bottom areas with scattered cover 3-5 ft deep. Cast or flip Texas rigged soft plastics in and around cover. There’s lots of very aggressive buck bass guarding fry the shallows to keep you busy. Also bluegill and shellcracker are spawning in the pads. This will always attract some big fish to these areas to feed on them. Find the bream and the bass won’t be far away. Try spinnerbaits, topwaters, jerkbaits, swimbaits, or anything else in the box you can think of as the bass are in attack mode. Use colors that will mimic bream such as black/blue or chartreuse. Fish faster as the bass and their prey are becoming more active with the rising water temperature.
Winter Haven

 Most, but definitely not all, fish have spawned and moved to deeper water areas. There’s still some fish that have not spawned yet so don’t rule out the shallows, especially in the dirtier water lakes. In the greener or darker water lakes flip grass, cattails, pads, or reeds with 1/2-3/4 oz Texas rigged craws, creature baits, or other soft plastics to tempt some late spawners. Also try slow-rolling 3/8-1/2 oz white or chartreuse spinnerbaits through any submerged grass as these areas will hold schools of post-spawn bass. Rattlebaits are worth a shot in these areas as well. In the clear water lakes look for late spawners as deep as you can see down to the bottom. These fish are harder to see but far more cooperative. For the post-spawners try rattlebaits, spinnerbaits, and deep diving crankbaits around deeper submerged grassbeds or brushpiles. Also Texas/Carolina rigged soft plastics worked slowly are worth a try. There’s schooling fish in mid-lake areas however most are smaller sized. These schoolers will readily bite rattlebaits and topwaters thrown in front of them.

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.

 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.

 Both bass and bass fishermen remain in staging areas due to the cold. For fishermen it’s the couch, for fish it’s deeper water. Until the water temperature rises from the low 50’s up to the mid 60’s this “staging pattern” will continue. The spawn, which is normally half over by now, has not even really got started good yet. Fishing remains extremely tough for now. A few good warm days should send the bass into a spawning frenzy as they are about to pop. Crankbaits and Texas/Carolina rigs should give way to flippin’ sticks and sight fishing soon. Try spinnerbaits, rattlebaits, and jerkbaits in shad/shiner colors early around shoreline areas, then switch over to flippin Texas rigged soft plastics around cattails, reeds, pads, and grass. 

On top of cold fronts coming down one after another we also are plagued by low water levels. Many ramps are unusable and most canals are too shallow to navigate through. Lakefront homeowners however must not notice this as they continue to pump out who knows how much water from the lakes every day. If this is not enough of a challenge for fishermen to overcome, throw in the fact that hardly a blade of grass remains in our lakes due to relentless chemical treatments of aquatic vegetation which affects the entire food chain from grass shrimp to bass. Also the dying vegetation decreases the amount of dissolved oxygen from the water which may even lead to fish kills. Whereas living vegetation increases the amount of dissolved oxygen in the water and serves as a natural filter for our lakes and also keeps the water clear. As dead vegetation breaks down it turns into a mucky mess that you can’t keep off your baits or hooks. The water goes from clear to puke green. The fish wander around with no submerged cover to relate to and become much harder to locate and catch. Hydrilla has been around for a long time now and it’s not going away. Even after millions of dollars are spent to treat hydrilla, it still eventually comes back. Instead of wiping it out completely, why can’t we just try controlling it? That way everybody wins. Aquatic weed control companies still get to make some money, fish populations can thrive, and we and our future generations can enjoy some fantastic fishing. The local economy would also benefit as people outside of our area would show up in large numbers and spend lots of dollars. It sickens me to watch what was one of the best areas in the world for bass fishing go down the tubes for reasons that CAN be controlled.
Kissimmee Chain
 
 Up and down would describe the fishing on the Kissimmee chain during this crazy weather we’re having. A consistent pattern is virtually impossible to find. The lakes are changing on a weekly basis due to weed control and weather. Even shiner fishermen are struggling to stay on fish. Healthy green hydrilla is becoming hard to find along with clean water. High winds have muddied up the already cold water making for some very tough fishing conditions. If you don’t like the lakes now just wait a week and come back, they’ll change again.
 Check inside pads, flags, and reeds for spawners. Search for clean water hard bottom areas. Cast or flip junebug or black/blue soft plastics around isolated patches of cover 1 – 4 ft. Also topwater frogs, jerkbaits, spinnerbaits, and swimbaits worth a shot. During colder weather try flippin’ craws or other plastics around heavy matted vegetation with 1 – 1 1/2 oz weights. Offshore hydrilla beds are still holding some big fish. Try rattlebaits, spinnerbaits, or jerkbaits over the grass. Stick with shad/shiner colors. Tons of empty beds but check back regularly as 75 % or more of bass population has not spawned yet and they may move up overnight. Remember to get a few quick photos and return the fish back quickly to it’s bed unharmed so that it may pass those genes along.

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.