The bass fishing is what draws most anglers to this area. Whether you are looking to come here to fish for bass for several days or just get away from the theme parks for a day or two, there is some world class largemouth bass fishing in the Kissimmee, Florida area. The Kissimmee Chain of Lakes are the place to be here. Lake Toho (West Lake Toho), Lake Kissimmee, Lake Hatchineha, Lake Cypruss and East Lake Toho are the popular lakes to fish on the chain of lakes.
Lake Toho
Lake Tohopekaliga, known to the locals as Lake Toho, is an 18,810-acre lake located southeast of the city of Kissimmee. Lake Toho is known as one of the top bass lakes in Florida. Catch rates are usually very high on this lake, especially if you are using big, live shiners as bait. Big fish are also very common on this lake. Bass in the 7 to 8 pound range are fairly common and fish up to and above 10 pounds are definitely a possibility on this lake.
Lake Kissimmee
Lake Kissimmee is a 34,948-acre lake located 40 miles south of Orlando and 18 miles east of Lake Wales. This lake is home to quite a few fish camps and some excellent fishing for bass. Anglers catch good numbers of bass on this lake and big fish are definitely possible. Bass in the 7 to 8 pound bass are fairly common and bass up to and above 10 pounds are possible here. Most of the bigger bass will be caught with big, live shiners as bait.
Lake Hatchineha
At 14,500 acres, Lake Hatchineha has plenty of water and plenty of fish to keep you busy. This lake has a lot of vegetation in it, which has caused some access problems in the past for anglers. We recommend checking on the current access with a local bait shop before planning a trip specifically for this lake. If you do fish the lake, the bass fishing is solid with good numbers of bass and plenty of big bass too.
Lake Cypress
Lake Cypress is around 5,500 acres and it is a popular lake to fish on the chain. Anglers target bass for the most part and fishing the vegetation is where they usually have the most success. Good numbers of bass are here with lots of big bass too.
East Lake Tohopekaliga
East Lake Toho is a good-sized lake at 13,550 acres. It doesn’t quite compare to Lake Toho (West Lake Toho) as far as consistently putting up such big numbers of fish and the consistent big fish, however, East Lake Toho can definitely have its day. Anglers do report having some very good catches on this lake and some anglers choose to fish it when the winds pick up as big Lake Toho can be a lot tougher for boat control on windy days.
Best Baits for Largemouth Bass
Largemouth bass will eat so many different baits and there are so many different lures that are made for catching these fish. Anglers have more options than they really need, but since we have all these options, it’s nice to know about the different baits that are available.
Minnows, nightcrawlers and leeches are definitely the best live baits for largemouth bass. When it comes to artificial lures, you have so many options. Soft plastic worms, lizards, crayfish baits and minnows work great. Hard baits such as crankbaits, topwater lures, spinnerbaits, jigs and jerkbaits are also all awesome choices for largemouth bass.
To learn more, take a look at our pages below.
Best Live Baits for Largemouth Bass
Best Lures for Largemouth Bass
Best Rigs for Largemouth Bass
There are so many different rigs for largemouth bass. While you definitely don’t need to use all of them to consistently catch bass, it is important to learn how some of the rigs will help you fish certain areas or certain baits in a way to catch more fish. Most good bass anglers will use several different rigs in a variety of situations to consistently catch quality largemouth bass.
The standup jighead, Texas rig, drop shot rig, wacky rig and Carolina rig are definitely some of the best rigs for largemouth bass page.
Best Techniques for Largemouth Bass
There are many different techniques that are used for largemouth bass fishing. Casting a variety of baits to cover water is most popular, however, flipping & pitching is one of the best ways to catch bass around shallow water cover.
To learn more, take a look at our best techniques for largemouth bass page.
Learn More About Largemouth Bass
Our largemouth bass fishing section has tons of tips on the best lures, live baits, where to catch them and how to catch them.
Visit our largemouth bass fishing website to learn more.
