TyTy

That is exactly what I was looking for thank you.

Can someone give me a summary of the bass seasons in Central Florida? Like when does the spawn start and end (approximatly), is the best time of the year considered right before the spawn right? Im looking for kind of a Cliff's Notes of the FL bass fishing seasons. Thank you

Looking for a dove hunt for my wife and I in the Orlando greater area. We are willing to drive wherever if need be. Anyone know of anything?

I've gotten ticked at them before and put a rig out with a small hook and a dead minow on it. They swallow the hook and then you can actually catch them. I bash em on the head then toss em back for the gators.

What is the trick to keeping them off your shiners? They are on my shiners like flys on you know what. Maybe I am in the wrong areas but it seems like everywhere I go they get me. Im surprised bass fisherman don't loath them. They always seem to be chasing bait fish that bass would be interested in. Not to mention all the expensive shiners they take. I was in Lake Monroe the other day and everywhere I went it was like a gar surface feeding frenzy. Couldnt get bit by anything BUT gar.

I am not familiar with that lake but pretty much ever lake in central fl is the same on species: Gamefish: Largemouth Bass Crappie Sunfish/panfish (whatever you like to call them) Trashfish: Gar Bowfin/Mudfish Some have carp (dont see them often) Most all of our lakes have gators but they stay away from people (but not small pets). For lure selection...this time of year your best bet is bass fishing. The most versatile lure for FL bass is the plastic worm texas rigged (google it if you dont know what that is, surely you will find tons of illustrations). I would say plastic worms and if you go to a bait store, shiners under a bobber are your best bet. With the plastic worms, cast them around structure, use as light of a weight as you can get away with depending on wind. If you can try them weightless (the heavier worms at least). With the shiners cast them around structure/weeds/etc on a bobber and see how that works. FYI basically every body of water has multiple bass fishing guides on it. For probably between $250 and $350 you coould hire a guide to go to any number of places around here. Also Turkey Lake has some program with Bass Pro Shops where they rent aluminum boats for a low cost I think. I have never done that but that would be a do it yourself way to get out on the water. I dont know where Old Davenport Lake is but I know where Davenport is. Turkey lake would be a 30 min drive or less from Davenport probably so you could do that if you want to get out on the water for less than the cost of a guide.

George: what is the water level at now? (5/20) It's been raining for four days straight up here in Orlando with a lot of it really heavy...then drizzle...then heavy again. If I wasent going out of town this weekend I would DEFINATLY be down there. With all this rain surely they are going to open the spillways and fill it back up wouldnt they? I am going to kick myself if I get on here after Memorial Day and find out the spillways were open all weekend and everyone cleaned up. DANG! I feel like I am going to miss out. Out of the 5 or 6 times Ive been they have never been open.

Outstanding info senko...thank you! My buddy and I got skunked on Sinclair last September but we didnt hit the docks either. One thing I noticed when we were there but we didnt have time to investigate...balls of minnows right at dusk all around one of the islands on the south side. There must have been 20-40 in the one stretch. We didnt see them getting chased but we werent there for long...we had to go meet up with some folks and were running late.

While we are talking about lodging...I dont suppose anyone knows if it is legal to camp at the Stick Marsh ramp area? Probably not but I have a friend who comes down to fish with me and he is anti-hotels, likes to rough it and he keeps asking me if we can camp there. I can't find anything online.

I mean our shallow, kissimmee grass lined around the edges, no obvious structure, sloping down to a max depth of 12' type lakes. I think these are called 'grass bowls'. When I cant get a bite going on senkos and trick worms around the edges and maybe pitching into the holes...I kind of run out of tactics and sometimes feel lost or that I am just doing the same thing over and over with no result. These are some great tips. Another thing I forgot to mention I will usually try is the docks (if there are any)...but then I am REALLY out of rabbits in the hat. Often when this happens I have plenty of time to fish and I end up just wandering around pitching senkos over and over in and around the edges. It can be kinda frustrating feeling like you dont know what you are doing yet you dont know anything better to try.

The hotels are over to the east in Sebastian on Hwy 1. I suggest you book ahead of time, the time I went we didnt book ahead and I think 3 of the 4 we stopped to check at had no vacancy and it wasent a holiday weekend or anything, just a normal Saturday. I dont think there are any hotels in Fellsmere, there are some rooms for rent though I think. I think one of the bait shops has a cuople rooms for rent.

Okay so here in Central Florida we have all these 'grass bowls' so they call them. When you get to one and you try pitching the edges of the kissimmee grass, maybe try topwater on the edges, whatever it is you do...on the edges and it dosent work, no bites nothing. What is your next step? I guess with me I look for submerged grass that is further out from the kissimee grass but unseen with the naked eye. I try throwing plastics and working that, maybe rattle trap. I would call that my step 2. I really don't have a step three...Im usually kind of lost after that. What is your angle of approach on these kissimmee grass lined Florida lakes that are so prevelant in Central Florida?

12 hours huh? That stinks. That basically makes it impossible to do in the same day...guess that is why most people just buy them. Would be perfect if you lived on a lake...just bait them up by the dock and net them before you go out. I also did not know about that law. I dont want to break the law even if they dont enforce it much so I guess I will take the net out of the boat. I am googling it now but I cant find anything. I guess I could try the small hook/cane pole shiner catching tecnique but seems like that would take a LOOOONG time to get enough to really use.

I have been debating that. I cant go for 2 or 3 weeks after this so Im kinda forcing the trip I guess. Darn it. My thought was to stay out of the thick wood and anchor and fish shiners. Another thing that I did last time I was there that worked well was instead of trying to troll through the wood when the wind picked up I would just troll to a new spot and kind of wedge the boat in between two stumps and then just fish 360 degrees around the boat.

No Im not sure if they are where I am baiting. Do you stick to small ponds and canals and stuff or are you able to catch them on the main parts of lakes, edges, etc? Where do you that Purina Game Fish Food? Never heard of it. I have used oatmeal but I bought some cat food because I read to mix it. I think this weekend Im giong to try baiting up an area and leaving a container or something full of cat food and oatmeal staked at the spot and come back later. Maybe that is it, Im not baiting and giving it enough time. When you say come back later do you mean like the next day or a few hours?