Orlando Fishing

[crankybait]

Alright, so with all the talk of the "majestic" fishing down in Florida, While planning a trip for Spring break, I thought hey why not go see what all the fuss is about. So, I will be in Orlando (have to stop by Disney World ) For 3 days. April 1st 2nd and third. either that or March 31st, April 1st, and 2nd. Well, I was thinking hey, it's new land to me, I'll be needing to research and find a good guide. So while I look around, do any of you know of any good lakes/reservoirs/fishing areas in or near Orlando? What should I bring? Would my Medium Action St.croix avid do? Should I spool up with braid? And do you guys know of any good guides with nice prices down there? I'm talking like less than 200 bucks, or if around 200 then atleast for a good ammount of time. So far only on i found was 250 for 4 hours... I had 3 hours on the Susky for 75. Better yet, anyone live in the area? Thanks
-Cranky

[Vabass22]

I dont think you need to bring your own rod, most guides will let you use theirs.

[crankybait]

Well incase I don't use a guide, because I won't just be taking one trip witha guide then call it quits for fishing. I may not even get a guide.

[JRL]

Lake tohopekaliga. No doubt one of the best lakes in Florida.

[WTL]

Tons of guides in that area, including a service that is run by walt disney world. Lakes of note in that proximity are Tohopekaliga, East Toho, Cypress and Hatchineha to the south. There is a pretty decent RV camp, lake Cypress Resort, down canoe creek road and I think they could tell you about local guides. I have spent months of time fishing those lakes right then (spring break for me too, at least used to be), and you will find some bass on bed, some prespawn and some done with their duties. You are in store for lots of hyrdrilla, shallow water, mudcats, pickeral, big bass, spinnerbaits and worms.

[crankybait]

Wow, alright, sounds cool! im psyched! I'll be checking around for guides and whatnot. Thanks a bunch for your help. Would tohopekaliga be short for Toho, as in where the competitionsare heald? I'd love to get to fish there!!

[flbassman]

Definitely bring your own rod. Area is loaded with guides for the big lakes, but we have these things called retention ponds, which is basically a 1-10 acre pond fed by groundwater and rain runoff that can hold a lot of bass and big bass. Most central florida ponds you see hold bass. Texas rigged worms will do just fine, and if you can get some live bait, it's good too. Pm me as it gets closer, I should be able to help you out a bit......

Ps-toho is short for tohogepilika.

[crankybait]

http://disneyworld.disney.go.com/wdw...ailPage&bhcp=1
http://www.wdwinfo.com/recreation/fishing.htm

seems good. possibly one day on Toho, that would be the trip of my life!
I'll hafta look into shiners. Want to try cane pole fishing too, don't seem to expensive. Oh god this will be good. I'll make sure to drop you a pm around time.

[flbassman]

Cane pole fishin? Easiest thing ever. Effective too. Crappie, bream, bass, catfish.....Just take an old rod, tie some 20 pound mono to the third eye down, run it through the tip, cut it a little shorter than the pole, and tie on (very well) a leader and hook, bait up with bread, worms, whatever, toss it off the shore and you're ready to go. A variation is skitter/jigger fishing, which is the same thing, with a beefier pole. You can use a store bought popper for skitter fishing, just flip it up along the weeds, and pop along. For jigger fishing, use a bought jig if you want, or dress up a jighead with feathers, rattles and mylar. Best to go at night in a canoe. It's like flippin, just toss it into some cattails,weeds or other slop, and jig back slow. Wear a headlight and watch out for gators. Sportsmanlike? Questionable. Dangerous? Definitely. Fun and large bass producing? Oh yeah.

[Christopherkeene9]

Hey guys this is my backyard!

There are TONS of guides to choose from, if you don't book one before you come down when you get into your hotel the lobby will have TONS of guide pamphlets! I take it you are only looking for freshwater as we have some of the best Saltwater fishing right here on the East Coast of Central Florida. Will look some stuff up! Also if you're will to drive about 1 to 1 1/2 (not really that long to us Floridians and the traffic we have to put up with) you can check out Capt. Jim on the forum here as he runs a guide service out of SW Cent. Florida almost S. Florida!

Let me know if you have any questions! Would love to be able to meet up with you but dunno as thats TUNA season for me!

[crankybait]

Alright, Seems really cool. Yeah, I just checked the member map to see if anyone was in the area. Oviedo really isn't too far. I'm not really looking just for freshwater, Just any good fishing in general. I'm going to bring my tackle so I can fish at random ponds around the area, because on google earth it says there is plenty. I'm realy hoping to find a guide or atleast someone who knows the area because chances are Florida is a totaly different pattern. I'll be planning though. Worst case I'll shore fish.
As to cane pole- If I get this correct, you would be fishing with about 5 ft of line.. ? Is that enough to reach mot fish?
Chris, If you have any free time, I'd love to meet ya.

[Christopherkeene9]

Okay heres the Lowdown on Cent. Florida fishing PERIOD.

You have some of the BEST bassing lakes in the country/world within minutes of Disney.

You have the Mosquito Lagoon within and hour on the East Coast by the Space Center (can see VAB and launch pads all day Long). Here you can catch HUGE bull reads while in 2ft. of water or less. Along with some of the BIGGEST speckled trout in the country.

Then you have Offshore Central Florida. You can go on a head boat (don't recommend it) to catch bottom fish such as grouper, snapper, and Dinky sea bass along with the Pesky no good Atlantic Sharpnose sharks with the possiblilty of a Cobia, Kingfish, and Dolpin. OR you can charter (cheapest $600) for a whole day catching Kingfish (for sure), Dolphin (maybe in April), cobia (always a possiblity), any bottom fish including Amber Jack, with always the possibility of a Sailfish. You can also charter a The Ticket (most revered boat on the East Coast of Central Florida) for some real offshore fishing. $2200 dollars for a regular day of fishing or $3700 to go to the otherside (min. 80nm from shore) to catch some HUGE yellow-Fin tuna.

Then if you feel like driving about 4hrs. you can go down to Ft. Lauderdale/Miami to go after the most prized sportfish of all, Swordfish. Don't know the rates down there though!

Christopher

P.S Hope this helps some!

[lizardsrule]

Bring your rod, and a MH would be better than a medium. My Hawg hole is about 1-1.5 hrs north of Disney world rotfl. I would also check at Disney world, they are doing some type of fishing tours from there, and I've heard it's great. Hope you catch a hawg, but better rig up some stout line, there is lot's of rugged cover here.

Lizards

[crankybait]

Hmm well saltwater seems outta the question... that's big moeny, more than the airplane tickets cost. yeah i posted two links on the disney guide service, but the price is steep. Quite overpriced, and the anglers over at Americananglers told me this... I don't know much about guide pricing besides the fact that i can get 8 hours on the susky for 50 bucks less than 4 hours at disney. Hopefully by thhat time, I'll have a MH. Only thing is i doubt it will be the same high quality as my St. Croix. I'm probably going to get a whole new rig just for the trip, Could probably use it afterwards anyway. Maybe like a stout worming rod with some 12 pound test or so.
Where do you fish liz? I'm still looking around to find a good place, while not fishing the random scattered ponds around disney. I'm planning to have one big fishign trip on a nice big bass lake, then fish the disney lakes for the rest of my time. Any tips you could offer on that body of water would be appreciated.

[lizardsrule]

You could only fish the lake I fish with a boat. There is a dock, but that's a small area that gets worked pretty hard. If you really want to go to that lake, I will work it out with you about details or even meeting you there. Of course with your parents permission. I thought Disney had some ponds that the people who stayed at Disney could fish ofr free if not a real inexspensive price. You'll have lot's to do in a short time while here. If you are set on bassin, then find out exactly when you'll be here, and when you'll have time to fish, and I "MIGHT" be able to help you out. But as already stated, if you just fish some of the little ponds in residential areas, you can catch a lot of bass and some big ones to, without having to schedule o pay a bunch of money. There is a guy who I've been fishing with out of Lake Ocheechobee who is actually a pro angler that is now guidning on lake Toho. Here's a link to his sight I can't remember how much he charges. He actually fishes the Bassmaster series and the FLW series, and is orignally from Michigan.
www.artoffishing.com

Lizards

[crankybait]

Hmm, alright. Yes, I've heard of Art Ferguson before. But he offers 4 hour trips at 250... Dad would never let me do that. The ponds, From what I've researched, you have to pay for docktime. I will be fishing for most of the time, maybe take a bit of time out for some rides... But my parents have agreed to let me fish as much as possible.
As soon as the plane tix are booked (USA was full, so we will have to go for continental) I will send you a pm.

Also, when shore fishing, Should I be worried about snakes and gators?

[JB]

cranky,
while in fla, don't be lured in by those friendly country types like ma n pa kettle. Sure, they offer free room n board plus fishing in thier 10 acre pond full of 13 lb bass...but thats only to lure ya in son! Their aliens I TELL YA~

link

[flbassman]

Worried, no. Careful, yes. Gators won't bother you unless you try real hard to get bit. Water moccassins will bite you if they get half a chance, but if you watch your feet and stay out of high grass, you shoulld be alright. I've lived in florida almost my whole life and only personally know three people that have got snakebit, and none of them had any serious permanent problems..... All the hotels in disney have retention ponds that guests can fish at. If you want to save money and headaches, and decide to stay outside disney, use google earth to find a hotel with a pond out front or back. Try to book a guide for a big lake if you can, but if you can't afford it, don't worry too much, you can fish ponds, get a nice taste of florida bassin, and once you get out of harvard premed, buy yourself a nitro and spend the winter on toho

[crankybait]

Haha yeah, See, Lizard's sig would be the same for me. But yeah I'm planning on atleast one trip on a nice, wel known lake with somebody who actually knows the place, then messing around, fishing the other ponds for the rest of my time. We'll see what happens... either way, I know i'll have a great time.
JB- how the hell do you have that pic? its from like a year ago... From one of my skunked trips, haha.

[Christopherkeene9]

Would your Dad be up for a saltwater trip on Fin Loco w/ minimal Gas $$$?

[texasbasser]

cranky, Why dont you want to go saltwater fishing? It would be way cheaper to pay for some gas with chris than a saltwater guide. Maybe you could hit it up with chris, then on the way back down to orlando fish some lakes. JMO

[crankybait]

minimal gas=???
I'm up to any form of fishing as long as it won't stick a knife thru my recently fattened wallet, haha. Still working out the rough details. But yeah, I'm down for almost anything.

[Capt_Jim]

Yeah check me out if you are in Orlando.

I am only 1 1/2hrs away and do both fresh and saltwater.

250.00 a day for the boat.

www.florida-bass-fishing-guide.com

[flbassman]

Originally Posted by crankybait

minimal gas=???

Springing a bit of dough for the petroleum. It costs a decent bit to tow a large boat to the coast, fish all day, drive back to shore and tow home. Chris is offering to take you out (provide reels, baits, spots etc.) in exchange for gas money. Good luck with whatever you decide.

[crankybait]

yes, I know what gas money meant, I would pay gas money if i fished with anyone, that would just be the courteous thing to do. but being that I have no boat and only fished from a boat once, I have no idea what range that would be.