Fishing lake TOHO

[Greg Duggan]

HEY ALL.

i am planning a fishing trip to lake toho for March 30 > April 3. i will be flying in on friday. fishing saturday and sunday then back home on monday.

i am looking in to using a local guide. he says that i should consider live bait for at least one day. as far as i am concerned, live bait is for rookies. i haven't used live bait since i was a kid and i only allow live bait on my boat if you are 5yrs or younger.

but the research i have been doing says that from November to March, 6" golden shinners will produce the largest fish. i hope to land something in the 8/10lb class. to go all the way to Fla and catch 3/4lbs will be kind of a let down.

what do you southern guys think, should i stick to my guns and only fish with artificial baits??

or should i just listen to the local pros and go with the flow?



also can you guys recomend any local guides. i am currently working with Capt Bill Wipple.

i will be staying in the orlando - kissemmee area.



Thanks for input

GregD

 

[Bruce Freeman]

I hope you fair better than I did 2 weeks ago. Keep an eye on how the Classic goes to get and idea I guess. But you should consider at least 1 day of shinner fishing, I know it's kind of like cheating to me also, but you may miss out on the fish of a lifetime if you don't at least give it a try.



BF

 

[Ross Kline]

Go to this web site www.gatorrods.com and click on the guide service. Dumas Wiercioch

is an excelent guide service, I went out with him a few years ago on Toho and had a great time & caught a lot of fish. I also don't like useing shiners, but I'm going out with a guide tomorrow on lake Tarpon in Tampa and he said that is what there catching the big ones on too.



Ross



By the way, Dumas makes some nice rods too, I own 4 of them.

 

[John Glover]

Read the reports on the BFHP from Hugh Crumpler and George Welcome. When shiner fishing is on, it's on. I'll be fishing the StickMarsh/Farm 13 next week and will let you know how it was. I too will avoid shiners if possible, but it's hard to throw a Senko when a half-dozen other boats around the spillway at the Stick using shiners are pulling in 10-13 lb. fish.

jag

 

[Greg Duggan]

Ross,Jack

let me know how the bite is, i never thought i would be using shinners. but if that is whats going to put a monster bass in the boat, then so be it.



bruce,

how was your trip to Toho, i searched the site and found your post back in November. did you use a guide?



GregD

 

[Joe G]

greg toho has been tough the last 7 weeks and west lake is very thick with hydrilla . water level is also up about a foot and a half i fish it about 2 times a month but more latly cause of the fed tx . i love art. baits but if i was coming here for one day like you id look into wild shinners they are your best shot at a 10 plus fish.

 

[Greg Duggan]

Joe,

Thanks for the reply, i am leaning toward using shinners. i have been doing a lot of reading the last few days and it seems to be the common answer.

tipically, how is the bite during late maech early april?

what would you expect for weather that time of year?



tahnks again for any info

GregD

 

[Bruce Freeman]

GregD. The trip was fine but the fishing sucked, I towed my boat down and did not use a guide or shinners. I was there 8 days and only got out on the water for 3 of those. The bite of course will depend on the weather and the fish. But by all means if this is your first time down, use a guide and plenty of shinners and you should have a blast. Like Joe said the fishings been tough and even the shinner bite was off while I was there. 15 to 25 mph East winds will do that.

Have Fun

BF

 

[Greg Duggan]

Thanks Guys,

i will post how the trip turns out. i am sure we will have a blast either way.

what a better way to spend time with your 9 yr old son. on one of the best fishing lakes in the country! i hope he remebers it as long as i do



GregD

 

[Mad Kayaker]

Greg,



Remember to bring a few of them back so we can put them in our livewells for our first tournament! heh heh heh



Bill, The Mad Kayaker