While things are cooling down up north the fishing in Florida is heating up! Thanksgiving is the beginning of our peak season for catching trophy sized bass here in Orlando Florida on West Lake Toho. This is the time of year where we catch more bass in the 10-pound plus range than any other time of year. Why are the winter months so much better than any other time for catching giant bass in Florida? It’s because these are the spawning months. It begins in late November and goes all the way through till late April. We don’t get a winter like most other parts of the country so our bass essentially spawn in between cold fronts. As it starts to warm up they head up to spawn and as another cold front comes through they head back out to the pre-spawn areas again where the big egg filled females stack up into groups. Which make the numbers of trophy sized bass that are caught at this time of year increase dramatically. Fishing for spawning bass can be much more difficult to produce consistent numbers of big bass. The best way of catching these giant Florida bass is in the pre-spawn staging areas. These areas make for great fishing with good numbers of fish being caught along with good chances at a trophy. Numbers of big bass have already started being caught. We have caught several big bass that look like they’re loaded with eggs and only weeks away from moving up to spawn. What are the best methods for fishing Lake Toho during the winter months? Well it really doesn’t make any difference what time of year you are here. Large Golden Shiners are always the best way to produce good numbers and big bass. Especially during the winter months when these giant females are looking for a big meal before and after they go in to spawn. The Golden Shiners produce over 90% of the trophy sized bass caught out of the lake. Artificial lures can be productive if you’ve had a warm stretch of weather and you’re just before the next cold front. Although catching these big female bass with artificials can be very random. But either way whether it be large wild shiners or artificial lures this winter season looks to be one of the best we’ve seen in quite some time. The winter months are also our busiest months. Reservations should be made as far in advance as possible to be assured that we availability for you on the date that you want to go on your trophy Florida bass fishing charter on Lake Toho. Bass wishes, Captain A. James Jackson