Kissimmee Chain of Lakes, FL Fishing Report

Lake Kissimme is on fire! 30 lb bags of fish are being caught every tournament. Big Bass are biting along grasslines early especially in shad spawn areas. Spinnerbaits and flipping sticks are working great. In cleaner areas, which are few and far between, topwater baits are worth a shot. Some big Bass are holding on offshore structure as well. Use deep diving crankbaits and Texas/Carolina rigged worms on shell beds and brushpiles.

In Toho cleaner water is more easily found, especially on north end. Try topwater or spinnerbaits early around hydrilla edges then switch to Texas/Carolina rigged soft plastics as the sun gets higher.

The water is pretty low and the fish are done spawning. Bass are now moving to the hydras in deeper water (8-9 feet deep). Fish are being caught on 10 inch Jimbo worms and if fishing in the morning us topwater lures like devils horse and spooks.

Lake Toho is finally starting to heat up. Wild Shiners are producing some BIG Bass. The artificial lure bite, however, is still a little slow. Lately, we've been able to catch good numbers of Bass on Rat'l Trap type baits, and soft plastic jerk baits. But, the size hasn't really been there. Under the right conditions, we're finding some BIG Bass on Beds. So, if you're into sight fishing for spawning fish, this is when you want to be here!

1/28/2013

With water temps hovering into the low to mid 60’s bigger fish are finally starting to bite. Caught at lot of 5 to 7lb. fish one fish over 8 lbs. this week.  Fish are biting live wild shiners on both bobbers and free lines. Both on the Butler Chain and Lake Kissimmee the fish are outside the grass lines and you catch a number of fish.  Artificial bite is a little slow for bigger fish but you can catch some smaller fish up to 4lbs. on spinner baits, hard jerk baits flukes and rattle traps. Took Neil McQuality and his dad Jim of Chicago Illinois they caught 9 fish over 5lbs with the largest weighing 7lbs. caught by Jim. Some fish are starting to spawn if you can find the beds slow down and use soft plastic creature baits to lure them off their beds.

Great Fishing!

Capt. Pete Matson

A#1 Bass Guide Service

800-707-5463

Fish are starting to bed. We are catching 20-30 fish per day on full day trips on shinners. The fish are averaging 3-4 lbs. The use of flipping sticks are catching the larger fish. The water temp is around 70 degrees.

There's been some good schooling Bass action early in the morning. These fish are being caught on top water plugs, Zoom Super Flukes, lipless crank baits, and Texas-rigged worms. After that, there's been some decent Excalibur X50 (trap type lure) action on off-shore hydrilla beds. Wild Shiners are also catching some decent fish in the early morning hours... I've been posting big Bass pictures daily to my Facebook page at: www.facebook.com/chuckpippinjr

Cold weather keeping the bass deep.

Lake Toho and the Kissimmee Chain of Lakes are beginning to heat up.  It was a pretty slow summer and fall, but the cooler water temperatures are starting to get the Bass going.  You'll find a few areas of schooling fish in the early morning hours.  Then, your best bet is to find some off shore hydrilla beds and shell beds using a Carolina-rigged black/blue trick worm, or a Chrome/Blue XCalibur X50 lipless crank bait.

Cold weather and wind making it for some slow fishing.

Water levels, thanks to all the rain we've had this summer, are at a great level. Air temperatures are slowly beginning to fall, as we've move out of the summer months. Fall fishing is a great time to be here, especially for those who like to fish artificial lures. Live bait, Wild Shiners, are also producing some good fish... I've been posting big Bass pictures daily to my Facebook page at: www.facebook.com/chuckpippinjr

Fishing Reports Coming Soon. Stay Tuned Folks.

Rain is necessary to keep our lakes full of water, but enough is enough. It's been raining everyday. However, it's not really messing up my fishing trips as most of the rain is coming in the late afternoons. The fishing's been about normal for this time of year. We're still catching some big Bass on live bait (Wild Shiners). The artificial lure bite has been a little slow. Toho, overall, fishes pretty small this time of year. This is why, during July and August I do the majority of my guide trips on the Butler Chain and on my private lake where I live.

8/8/2012

With water warm temperatures in the high 80’s big fish are not biting that well. Caught at least 20 fish each of the last 3 times out.  Fish are biting shiners on free lines. Lake Kissimmee the fish are outside the grass lines and you catch a number of fish up to 5lbs on worms and rattle traps early in the morning. When the sun gets up they are very tight to cover flipping seems to work if you can find them. Some smaller fish up to 2lbs. on flukes and rattle traps when you see them schooling.

Great Fishing!

Capt. Pete Matson

A#1 Bass Guide Service

800-707-5463

Jay's Bass Bustin Guide Service One of the Best Bass fisherman I've ever had on my boat, Nomura from Japan caught a 10, 9 & 7 pound Bass using only artificial baits on a hot Central Florida full day.www.Jaysbassbustin.com

-       Nothing changed since last report.

-       Crank baits, Carolina rigs, Texas rigs near the open water structures.

-       Deeper grass lines are place to be.

-       Water temp is around 85 degrees.

-       Bunch of rain cooled the water temp and has helped the bite.

-       Early morning top water.

-       Crank baits in afternoons.

-       Shallow 2-4 ft in the morning

-       5-8 ft in the afternoon.

-       Flip an outside draft works well with crawls and creature baits.

First week in June proves again to be excellent for big bass again. Billy Hayes of Missouri caught a 10. 3 lb. linker first thing in the morning on top water bait on Lake Toho. With water levels low fish are biting on weed beds in 5-6 feet of water. Caught another fish over 7 lbs. most fish are 2-4 lbs. Top waters in the early morning and rattle traps fished mid to late morning. Fish are biting live wild shiners on fished on corks. Both on the Butler Chain and lower Kissimmee Chain we are catching 15-20 fish in a ½ day. Artificial bite is a little slower for bigger fish but you can catch some smaller fish up to 5lbs. on watermelon red flukes, frogs and chrome blue rattle traps when you see them schooling on the surface.
Great Fishing! 

-Fishing is the same story, not much has changed.

-More fish moving into deeper waters.

-Water is still in the 80s.

-The fish have been biting well on crank bait and Texas and Carolina rigs off shore. The fish are near the shell beds, ledges, and hill grass. Fishing in the morning is the best time, but is good throughout the day overall.

05/14/2012

With water levels low fish are biting on the outside edges of the weed beds in 5-6 feet of water.  Caught at least one fish over 8 lbs. the last time out but most fish are 2-4 lbs.  Top waters in the early morning and soft plastic worms fished slower later on in the day. Fish are biting live wild shiners on fished on corks. Both on the Butler Chain and Kissimmee Chain the fish are doing well and you will catch 15-20 fish in a ½ day.  Artificial bite is a little slower for bigger fish but you can catch some smaller fish up to 5lbs. on watermelon red flukes and chrome blue rattle traps when you see them schooling on the surface.

Great Fishing!

Capt. Pete Matson

A#1 Bass Guide Service

800-707-5463