I am extremely excited because we are leaving for Florida today, although I have been to Florida before I have never been able to bass fish.  This year will be my first time bass fishing..... I will be fishing in a pond near Panama City.

Since I am from Wisconsin I am not familiar with Florida bass.  So I was wondering if anybody could help me out with what do to catch the gator bass.

The pond I will be fishing is pretty good size has a pier, and plenty of lily pads

Thank you very much for any help I appreciate it.....

Sounds like a frogging day to me, start out with a Rage Tail Shad first on top early, if they arent reacting to that try a hollow body frog then go pitching and flipping if that fails, good luck

Trig a 8" ribbon tail... Run a small crank along edges of pads... Soft plastic craw/beaver baits or trig worms in the pads.... Long slender top water rapalas...

Lastly... Golden shiners!

Have fun!!

Are you taking any tackle?

T-rigged 10" Paddletail worm day or night and a buzz bait at night should do it.

Tom

Top water frog around the lily pads and loud cranks in open water. Good luck and hold on tight!

My favorite goto bait. Zoom Horny Toad "JuneBug"

I dont think you could ever go wrong casting some wacky rigs at the pads then just pullin it off and lettin it sink down from there! frogs of course

If you can get down south a little bit more, to the kissimmee chain, i think you'll find it worth the trip.  They pull 8, 10, 11 pounders out of there every single day.  Pads for miles.  Throw a dark 5" senko texas rigged and weightless, on 65# braid.  That's my favorite place on Earth to fish.  Hogs all day. Numbers my friends up north don't believe.

I am extremely excited because we are leaving for Florida today, although I have been to Florida before I have never been able to bass fish.  This year will be my first time bass fishing..... I will be fishing in a pond near Panama City.

Since I am from Wisconsin I am not familiar with Florida bass.  So I was wondering if anybody could help me out with what do to catch the gator bass.

The pond I will be fishing is pretty good size has a pier, and plenty of lily pads

Thank you very much for any help I appreciate it.....

 

Having lived in both the north and south, I owe you a fair warning.

Unlike the cooperative northern bass you're used to in Wisconsin,

Florida bass are cantankerous snobs 

 

BTW, your timing is perfect for a trip to northern Florida, which will

coincide with the late spawn/early post-spawn period.

At this time too there's normally a good topwater bite.

In the natural lakes in Florida's Panhandle the main pattern

is the 'waterlily pattern' (pad fields). All lures tend to work in spring,

but if you're on a trophy hunt, I'd focus on jigs & craws, mat-punching

and swimbaits like the Gambler Big EZ.

 

Bring it on

Thank you guys for the help, I have brought all those lures and am very excited..... thank you

Everything that was just suggested...

For me in order...

Frogs in the pads in the am

When the sun gets over the trees throw a sq bill or a soft plastic swim bait along the pad line

9:00, Flip beavers and Jigs

11:00, Spinnerbait and swim baits out a little deeper

2:00, Back to holes in the pad field...It's wacky, shaky, beaver and jig time

4:00, Buzz bait or poppers along the pad, weed line

Be advised, all this is subject to change!!

6:00 Go home and pass out

Mike

Frogs, Rat L traps and Senkos. Good luck.