Every so often we get questions about fishing Florida, and for good reason. The weather’s pleasant for those of you who want to thaw out for a while and there’s always the chance of catching the bass of a lifetime.
Florida can be tough, though. The water’s shallow and there’s vegetation everywhere. They don’t jump in the boat. Some of the tried and true techniques that work in other areas of the country don’t seem to interest Florida bass all that much. Here are a few tips that might help if you visit the Sunshine State this winter.
If you are a casual angler or someone just getting started in this wonderful sport, consider fishing with Wild Shiners. That’s one of the primary natural forages for Florida largemouth bass.
Some of you might think that fishing with live bait isn’t what “real” bass fishermen do. Nothing could be farther from the truth. Regardless of what you fish with you need to have the right offering, present it in the right place and at the right time. There’s nothing wrong with live bait.
If you choose to go with a Wild Shiner keep two things in mind. First, fish the edges of the grass lines. And, if your shiner gets tangled up in the grass don’t pull it out into open water. Lots of times the biggest bass grab them when they’re hung up in the grass. It makes for an easy meal.
Topwater baits are also popular. Generally speaking I fish with a frog — I throw Snag Proof models — or with something that creates ripples or a disturbance on the water’s surface. This is really shallow water. You want the sound and pressure waves to move out, not down. Bass can feel that sort of thing from a distance, farther than human anglers might think. You’ll avoid a lot of frustration if you use weedless baits.
Plastics are also popular. Fishing them is all about the grass. Throw one in the grass, over it, around it, through it and underneath it. When you’re in doubt about what to rig I’d suggest going with a 7-10 inch ribbon tail worm. My preference is something made by Luck-E-Strike.
No matter what you fish with, however, please keep some things in mind. First and foremost, Florida bass almost always relate to the grass in one way or another. Never forget that. It’s important to fish different configurations of grass with different baits and from different directions.
The other thing is that Florida bass are notorious for moving around. Just because you caught them on one type of grass yesterday, or that morning for that matter, doesn’t mean they’re there now. Always search different types of grass in different places. The importance of covering water can’t be over stated.
We hear guys say all the time that we should let the fish tell us what they want and how they want it. That advice has never been more to the point than when we’re talking Florida largemouth bass.
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