Florida Trip in late February

[HawgHunter75]

I'm planning on heading down to Florida for a few days towards the end of February, I was just curious where you guys would go if you were going. Also if this is a bad time of the year to catch a few nice LM's. I'm familiar with Toho, but that is about the only lake I have fished down there.

Any tips or suggestions are greatly appreciated.

James

[bigrod]

i go every year in Feb. Actually I think i'm going on the 6th this year. It is always a good time. They are spraying the grass at Toho right now. I go to walk in water and crooked and kissimmi? Truthfully the only thing that would hurt you in Feb is if a cold front comes through it shuts the bass fishing way down most of the time. I have been doing an anual trip with guys for about 10 years or so and it is a great trip especially when the weather here *****.

[smuckey41]

my buddy and i went in early feb. about 5 or 6 years ago and it was a blast. we had just realy getting into bass fishin and or dumb butts where using 12lb berkley vanish it is when vanish just came out. any way we missed alot of fish on brake offs and bad hook sets. but every cast if we did not catch one then we had at least two or three blow up on the zoom horny todd wich was the only soft buzz frog out at the time. the picture of my profile is the the biggest one we cought. but we had or chances just was farley new to bass fishin. i had one that i did not even see on a weightless 12in worm and my buddy was freaking out he was running with it and he was making a huge wake.but i was to busy trying to get my line off a brush next to the boat that the wind blow it on to. he said it was huge. the lake we fished was called istopoka next to lake placid before you get to the big "O" it is a awsome lake and i am ready to go back. that lake is one of the top lakes in florida as far as catch rate. and the lake record is a 16 pounder. if you want more info on that lake or any else you can p.m. me if you want. one of the best trips i have ever had.

chuck

[HawgHunter75]

Thanks for the input guys, I appreciate it. Do you guys mind if I ask what you had the most success on as far as lures go, or were you fishing live shiners?

Oh, I was doing some research on Istopoka, Chuck. It looks like the Florida Wildlife guys are planning on spraying it in Feb. I'm not sure, but what I have read is that this'll make the fishing very tough. Sounds like a great place though, I wonder how bad it will make it.....

And if they are spraying Toho now, do u fellas think it'll be in decent shape in a month or so ? That should be long enough I would think, but I was curious what u guys thought.

Thanks as Always,

James

[keepersize]

Orange, Lockloosa is an easy drive, north Florida. If you are looking for size go with shiners, either way you can't beat getting in your shirt sleeves this time of year. Enjoy and let us know how you did.

[smuckey41]

we used only buzz frogs and big worms and cought fish on both. and we where fishin reel shallow water. got stuck a couple times and we used paddles to move around by pushing them of the bottom. and or best spot was marked by a gator we would throw those buzz frogs and he would work his way over and chase them. when he got in or fishin area we woul cast where we did not wont to fish to lure him over there so we could fish or good spot then he would slowley work his way back over. i even have it on tape the gator chasing the lures prutty cool stuff. man i realy wont to get back down there good times.

[JUSTINHALL]

I will be down in Florida fishing in the Gulf from February 18-28 so if any one is down there and want to do some salt water fishing you are welcome to come fish with me. We mostly grouper fish but you pull up a list of things. I go out of Cedar Key straight over from Orange Lake already mentioned here. It is a blast normally do it every year 2-3 times a year.
Open invitation to any one down there whether I know you or not, the day is on me.

[diverrob1225]

I just moved back to the area from Tampa, and after 4 years of fishing a small club, here's what I found:

1.Zoom Trick Worms in Junebug w/red flake. Last years Bass Series Harris Chain winner used black, your choice.
2.Watermelon Super Fluke fished around the weeds.
3.Senkos in Junebug or watermelon red around the weeds, in the weeds or boat docks.
4.Spinnerbaits in white (sometimes a little green mixed in didn't hurt) or white/chartruese.
4.If the lake has hydrilla, rattle trap type baits often times work very well.

Those are my opinion from what worked for me and they are in no particular order, but that's what I had tied on at the beginning of every tournament. Most of the colors we use in this area didn't seem to work as well, I guess due to the water color. It's usually tannic stained, which kind of resembles iced tea, only a little darker.

As far as which lake, you can pretty much take your pick, and if it has been sprayed, it will be more difficult. I've fished all mentioned above with the exception of Okeechobee. Unless it's rained a ton in the last 8 months, there's not enough water in the lake to make it worth the extra drive time.

I never shiner fished, but you will have a much better chance at landing the fish of a lifetime with live bait. For shiner fishing, I would consider Stick Marsh/Farm13. If you go there, from what I've heard, be careful due to all the stumps/underwater trees.

[pastorbass]

Go to the fishers of men website www.fomntt.com and read the tournament reports from the Florida divisions. The director there does a pretty good write up and you should be able to pick up on some patterns and hints and such. However, our Lake Cumberland Fishers of Men tournament a couple of weeks ago out produced the Toho tournament on the same day. Someone pointed that out to me and I thought it was a neat comparrison.