Overall fishing’s gotten pretty tough around Winter Haven. The surface temp is around 90, therefore most bass are staying in deeper, cooler water. Good electronics are a must right now. Those that know how to use their electronics are still having some success despite the heat. Finding the shad schools is the key to finding the bass. Look for some type of cover: submerged grass, brushpiles or anything else you can find in 8 ft of water or deeper. If shad are hanging around the cover than so are bass. Concentrate on 8-14 ft in darker water and 10-25 ft in clear water. Same old Summer patterns still best. Shad colored deep diving crankbaits along with Texas/Carolina rigged soft plastics will continue to produce the most consistent action. Don’t forget to vent fish caught deeper than 15 ft. Also look for schoolers in open water. Throw any shad imitating bait of your choice into the frenzy. Lures that can be cast long distances are best as it always seems the fish surface just out of range. For those of you hell bent on fishing the bank, get out very early to catch a few fish flipping deeper grassbeds, pads, reeds, or cattails in dark water lakes. After that try a few docks and head for the A.C. Best time to fish is at night.  

Kissimmee Chain

The bite has definitely slowed on Kissimmee. Not as many fish hanging around brushpiles as there was a month ago. Bass are mostly in shad chasing mode now and feeding mostly at night. Flip outside grasslines early, then further in as the day progresses. Also look for schoolers around mouths of trails early. Try shad colored topwaters or spinnerbaits. If there’s no clouds and wind the bite dies off in a hurry. Shell beds are worth a shot with shad colored crankbaits and Texas/Carolina rigged soft plastics. It’s a real chore to catch a few fish on clear, calm, hot days after about 9:00 a.m. There’s a few fish hanging around the little bit of hydrilla that remains in lake cypress. Flip or cast soft plastics around any visible grass that’s matted. Try rattlebaits or spinnerbaits around the submerged grass.
 Toho fishing a little better than other lakes on the chain now. Offshore hydrilla beds should produce the best results. Try spinnerbaits or rattlebaits early around submerged grassbeds then switch over to Texas/Carolina rigged soft plastics during midday hours and fish slow to entice bites from hot, lethargic, fish. Flip matted hydrilla with 1/2 – 1 oz weighted soft plastics or Jigs. Also check creek mouths for flowing water and schooling bass.

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.

  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.

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.

 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.

 One word sums up the fishing in and around Winter Haven area lakes over the last couple of weeks…DEAD! This will continue until the water temperature rises to around 60 degrees and gets the bass thinking about spawning again. Until then expect very few bites and be prepared to fish extremely slow. With water temps from the mid 40’s to low 50’s, Florida bass’ metabolism almost stops completely. Therefore they are not going to eat much. However this does not mean they are impossible to catch, just much much tougher. Don’t expect them to chase down a fast moving lure or come up from the depths to smash a topwater bait. During these cold water periods downsize to smaller lures and fish them much slower than normal. Use 1/8 or 1/4 oz spinnerbaits and rattle baits instead of 1/2 or 3/4 oz versions. Try smaller soft plastics as well, 4-6 inch worms instead of 8-10 inches. Also use tighter wobbling crankbaits and fish a little deeper.
 In the clear lakes fish deeper submerged cover or structure with jerkbaits, rattlebaits, spinnerbaits, and deep diving crankbaits in shad/shiner imitating colors. Also try Texas/Carolina rigged soft plastics such as finesse worms or centipedes. Lizards are also a great choice this time of year. Junebug, watermelon, and blueberry are all colors worth trying. As the water temperature reaches into the mid 60’s start looking for bedding activity to increase especially around new or full moons. Good polorized sunglasses are a must when “hunting” for spawning fish as they can be the difference between catching a big fish and not even knowing it was there. Remember to get a quick photo and release the big bass right where you caught it immediateley so that it may finish making future trophies for us and our children to enjoy some day.
 Fish rattlebaits and spinnerbaits over and through submerged grassbeds such as hydrilla, eelgrass, etc… in dirtier water lakes. White/chartreuse color combinations are usually best bet with spinnerbaits. Chrome or gold colored rattlebaits are hard to beat. When the water warms slightly the flippin’ bite will get better as fish will be moving shallower to spawn. Look for grass, pads, reeds, and cattails growing in sandy bottom areas as these will be the most attractive areas for bass to spawn. Flip Texas rigged craws, creature baits, and other soft plastics with as little weight as possible. Smoke, junebug, black/blue, and watermelon candy colored baits will do the trick.

Kissimmee Chain

 Like all other Florida fisheries the Kissimmee chain of lakes is fishing extremely tough now with the frigid water temperatures. Even some of the top tournament fishermen and guides in the state are finding it a challenge to produce a five fish limit! Icy nights have had the water temperature down as low as 43 degrees, 10 degrees colder than I have ever seen on this chain in my life! The fish have never seen water this cold either and they are acting accordingly. Slow is the name of the game in order to get a bite and with many thousands of acres of cover for them to hide bass can be very difficult to locate much less catch. To make things worse the entire chain is receiving heavy chemical treatments for hydrilla which has the grass dying off and the lakes changing almost daily. Find fish one day in the hydrilla then come back a couple days later to find no grass or fish. The key is finding the thickest stuff around and fishing it slow.
 Lake Toho was the first to receive chemical treatments and although there is still plenty of hydrilla it’s fading fast. Seems most fish have moved shallower in preparation for spawning. Try rattlebaits, spinnerbaits, and jerkbaits around submerged hydrilla. Look for healthiest, thickest grass you can find. Stick with shad/shiner imitating colors. Also look for thick matted vegetation adjacent to good spawning areas. Flip floating mats or gatorvine with 1-1 1/2 oz black/blue, junebug, or watermelon Texas rigged craws or creature baits. Also check bedding areas for spawners as there is plenty of clear water for “sight fishin”. Cast soft stickbaits in junebug, blueberry, and watermelon around shallow emergent vegetation.
  Lakes Cypress and Hatchineah have the healthiest hydrilla beds on the chain as they are the last to receive treatment. Try rattlebaits, spinnerbaits, and jerkbaits around the submerged grass. Check along reedlines with flippin stick as big bedding bass could move in anytime.
 In Lake Kissimmee fish pads, grass, cattails, flags, and reeds growing in hard, sandy bottom areas in 1-4 ft of water. Cast soft stickbaits, swimbaits, or worms around the cover. Flip thicker areas with 1/4-1/2 oz Texas rigged junebug, black/blue, or watermelon craws or creature baits. Also try flipping floating matted vegetation such as water lettuce, hyancinth, pennywart, or mud tussocks especially on colder days. Use 1-1 1/2oz weighted Texas rigged craws or creature baits to penetrate the thick mats. Topwater frogs are worth a shot on warmer days around scattered emergent cover.

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.

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.

Kissimmee Chain

The Kissimmee chain continues to amaze with 5-6 lb per fish averages winning tournaments, however these bigger Bass are not easy to find. There’s high, clean water and healthy green grass throughout the chain. It’s been a long time since the lakes have looked this good. Looks like you could catch a fish anywhere but this is definitely not the case.  Smaller size fish 1-2 lbs are plentiful and schooling around mouths and intersections of boat trails in lake Kissimmee. Prop-baits, poppers, and other topwaters along with spinnerbaits and lipless crankbaits should do the trick early and late in these areas. As the water cools the topwater bite should continue to improve. For bigger fish try flipping outside grasslines or lily pads with 1/2-3/4 oz Texas rigged craws or other soft plastics during mid-day hours. Black/blue, junebug, and watermelon are always good colors to try. Black and blue 3/8-1/2 oz jigs have also been catching their share of big fish. Lots of hyacinths and other floating vegetation mats to fish around. Look for areas where the mats are blown up against other types of vegetation such as pads, reeds, or kissimmee grass. You need stout tackle to remove a big fish from these mats: 50+ lb braided line, heavy action flippin’ sticks, strong hooks, and at least 1 oz weights to penetrate the cover. There’s a few fish biting along the reedlines in lake hatchineah. Most are undersized but there are a few bigger fish mixed in.
 Lakes Cypress and Toho have good offshore hydrilla beds growing which are filtering the water as it flows south to Kissimmee. These hydrilla beds are also holding some big Bass. Try ripping a lipless crankbait or slow rolling a spinnerbait through the submerged vegetation. Also try Texas or Carolina rigged junebug, blueberry, or watermelon colored soft plastics fished slowly along the bottom to pick off less aggressive fish. Topwaters will take a few fish early and late around edges of matted hydrilla along with frogs fished over and through the mats. Try flippin’ a 1/2-1 oz Texas rigged craw or worm into the hydrilla mats during mid-day hours. This can be a painstakingly slow bite but there are some real big needles in the haystack for those that are patient. Keep an eye out and a rod ready for schoolers that can appear out of nowhere. Also try flipping outside grasslines on the southern half of lake Toho.
Winter Haven Chain and surrounding lakes

 Low water remains as the chief topic of discussion on the Winter Haven Chains. Without some heavy rains, the South Chain will soon be completely impassable. Right now most canals are still navigable except to lake Mirror from lake Cannon. Be careful as there are many pipes and other obstructions in the canals that will damage or destroy a prop in a hurry. Canals in the North Chain look like dirt roads. Fishing has remained good however. Weights in local tournaments have fallen off slightly although it’s still taking a 3 1/2-4 lb average to win. The majority of fish are still in 8 ft of water or deeper and are keying in on huge schools of shad. We’ve caught fish as deep as 22 ft recently. As the water begins to cool more and more fish will begin to move shallower. The predominant pattern remains fishing 10-15 ft deep around brushpiles, hydrilla beds, and ledges with shad colored deep-diving crankbaits and junebug or watermelon colored Texas/Carolina rigged worms and other soft plastics in the clear water lakes. Look for schooling Bass that could pop-up anywhere and get to them fast with a shad colored lipless crankbait or soft jerkbait. In the dirtier water lakes fish a little shallower 7-10 ft around brushpiles, submerged grass, and shell beds. Use firetiger or shad colored crankbaits and junebug or redbug colored Texas/Carolina rigged worms and other soft plastics. Also there’s some nice fish in emergent shoreline cover. Try flippin’ 3/8-1/2 oz Texas rigged junebug or black and blue craws or worms around cattails, reeds, pads, and kissimmee grass. Boat docks worth a try as well. A few cool snaps should spark a good rat-l-trap and topwater bite.

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.