But in January of 2001 Lake Toho was actually put on the Map. All of these lakes have long been known as some of Florida's best trophy bass fisheries. These lakes are world famous and have consistently produced big trophy bass year round. Lake Kissimmee, Lake Toho, Lake Cypress, and Lake Hatchineha. Big Bowfin also haunt these lakes where potential record fish are waiting to be caught. These Bass waters located south east of Orlando, Florida include lakes Toho, Cypress, and Hatchineha. J.C.The Kissimmee Lakes Chain, Florida - An Angler's Guide To Fishing The World's Trophy Hot Spots Fishing Planet Earthįishing The Kissimmee Lakes Chain, Florida Attach a popping head to the tail via an articulated shank, and you’re ready to walk over wood, through pads, and across bowfin salad with a minimum of hangups and veggie collection. Both materials protect the hook point, acting as weedguards. Pierce a rabbit strip on a 3/0 wide-gap hook, secure it behind the eye, then tie a pinch of stiff bucktail on top. GEAR TIP: Bow Busting Looking for a bowfin fly? The Slop Buster is an articulated popper that works through the nasty cover in prime dogfish (and bass) haunts.
You are, after all, angling for a living dinosaur that’ll be really ticked when you set. At minimum, 30-pound braid is pretty safe, but there’s no harm in beefing up to 65-pound. With fly gear, I’ll take a fast 8-weight rod. If I’m fishing conventional gear, I like a bass stick designed for frogging. Stout rods aid in making a forceful set and strong-arming the fish away from cover. Strong, sharp hooks are essential for not only penetrating the jaw but also staying pinned as a bowfin spins and twists wildly during the rumble.
These fish have hard mouths with lots of cutting and clamping power. No matter how you target bowfins, the same rules apply to tackle. They’ll run at your feet or head for snags. Sometimes you have to agitate them into striking by dropping a fly right in their faces, but when they hit it’s like a black hole opens in the water. “Targeting them shallow when you can see them is especially fun.
“Bowfins are arguably the most scrappy junkyard-dog fish in freshwater,” he says.