Odenville angler Scott Canterbury was named 2019 Bassmaster Elite Angler of the Year at the season finale last weekend on Michigan’s Lake St. Clair.
Bassmaster Elite Angler of the Year 2019 wins $100k
Best Bass Lures vs. Most Popular Bass Fishing Lures
What are the best lures for Bass fishing? And, what are the most popular lures for Bass fishing? Are they the same? Some of them are, but just because they’re popular, doesn’t mean they’re the best.
In this video, I describe what I believe are the best all-around lures for Bass fishing vs. the most popular lures for Bass fishing. You’ll probably disagree with some of my opinions, but that’s okay. Leave me some comments and let me know what you think.
What’s up, guys? In today’s video, I’m gonna talk about some of the best lures for bass fishing versus some of the most popular lures for bass fishing and how those are not the same. Before I get started, go down and click that little subscribe button in the right-hand corner of your screen and hit that little bell so you know when I put a new video out. So let’s get started.
What Is The Most Popular Lure For Bass Fishing? The Frog
00:26: All right, so let’s go ahead and talk about the most obvious, probably, what is the most popular lure in bass fishing? Definitely, not the best lure in bass fishing, but the most popular. And that would be the frog. It’s a very versatile bait. You can use in open water, up in grass, near docks, down a riprap, around boat ramps, all over the place. Very popular. Everybody wants to catch them on a frog. If I started a lure company, if I started my own lure company, I’d probably only make frogs for the first three years, because everybody buys frogs and everybody always wants to buy the newest and latest and greatest frogs. Here’s one from Lunkerhunt, I can’t wait to try that. I love frog fishing. I caught a 9lb 13oz earlier this year on a frog in a private lake. Did a video on it, I’ll post the link to that video in the description.
But anyway, it’s not the most or the best lure for bass fishing. One: It doesn’t work all the time and it doesn’t work everywhere you go. Some places it’s seasonal, some places people never catch them on frogs. And the biggest thing with frogs, it’s a very low hookup ratio. Everybody’s expecting that bite. When that bite finally comes, when they finally get that big giant explosion on the frog, first thing they do is they rip it right out of its way before it’s even in its mouth. So very low hookup ratio with frog fishing. I know people are gonna disagree with me on that, but go right ahead. Leave it in the… Tell me all about it in the comments. How you disagree with me. But this is definitely one of, if not the most popular lure in bass fishing, and I have bunches of them, ’cause I do like frog fishing, but it’s not the best.
What Is The Best Lure For Bass Fishing? The Fluke
02:18: Let’s get into what is some of the best lures in bass fishing. That’ll be the pattern for this video. We’ll talk about a popular lure and then one of the best lures. One of the best lures in bass fishing, and I know people are definitely gonna disagree with me on this, and that is great, is the fluke. The fluke is made by Zoom. The super fluke, the fluke is made by Zoom. This is made by Bitter’s, a local company. It is not a fluke, but everybody refers to them as a fluke or a soft plastic jerkbait. It’s a fluke. That’s what it is. The fluke is probably one of the best lures for bass fishing because it can be thrown in a variety of locations, around docks, down riprap, around boat ramps, out in open water, through the grass. You can fish a fluke in a lot of the same places you can fish a frog, but it’s not as intrusive and it’s a little more enticing.
03:06 Speaker 1: Again, a lot of you guys have seen my video on how to fish a fluke, my favorite color is watermelon red. I do throw other colors, but I love watermelon red. I’ve caught them in lakes, as far West as Texas, all the way up to Upstate New York, Michigan and every place in between, a lot here in Florida on a fluke. You can fish them with a small weight on them. You can fish them on an underspin. People put them on umbrella rigs. People Texas rig them. People Carolina rig them. And I like to fish them weightless on a 4/0 offset extra-wide gap hook, dead sticking it. You can work them on the surface, you can work them under the water, like I said. One of the best, most versatile baits in bass fishing, is the fluke or the soft plastic jerkbait, ’cause this is not an actual fluke. This is made by Bitter’s. But that, in my opinion, is one of the best lures for bass fishing. Easy to fish. Tons of videos out there on how to fish a fluke. I have a video out there, but definitely one of the best lures in bass fishing. Let me know what you think. On to one of the more popular lures in bass fishing.
Topwater Lures: Best & Most Popular
04:18 Speaker 1: Next, I’m gonna talk about topwater lures. And I kinda struggle with which category to put these in, whether it’s most popular… It is one of the most popular techniques or one of the most popular lures for bass fishing, but it’s also kind of one of the best because you can catch fish in a lot of different areas throughout the year on a lot of different types of bodies of water with topwater lures. So I’m not really sure which category to put this in. They don’t bite topwater all the time. The conditions have to be right. A lot of early morning, overcast, cloudy days like this. But also hot and sunny days where there’s no wind and no clouds in the middle of the summer, they will hit a topwater plug.
05:01 Speaker 1: But you have probably one of the most popular type topwater lures out that’s been out for a while. It’s actually been out for years and years and years, but made a big-time come back the last few years, is the Whopper Plopper. This is a Berkley, the plopper. Basically, a Whopper Plopper. People love fishing those. One of the reasons I probably wouldn’t say it’s the best is because those big treble hooks right there are gonna hang up in all kinds of stuff. So you’ve got to fish them in relatively open water or close to cover, but you can’t really throw that up in cover. Topwater plugs, you have your Whopper Plopper type baits, you have your walking baits, like this Dual Pitch here from 13 Fishing, a Whopper… Walking type bait. This is the 108, the 94, this is a Berkley one. These are all versions of the original Zara Spook that’s been developed over the years. One of the reasons the Spook has been copied so much is because it’s a very good bait.
06:03 Speaker 1: Again, I don’t know if it’s the best or the most popular. We’ll put this in a category of one of the best, most popular baits in bass fishing, topwater plugs. You also got your popping baits and your prop baits, can’t forget the prop baits, like the Devil’s Horse. I don’t have any Devil’s Horses in this box but this is one by Berkley. The Spin Rocket, a dual prop bait. Love fishing topwater. Easy to use. Hundreds of different types of topwater lures. You can use them all over the place, smallmouth, largemouth bass, spotted bass, all hit topwater. Striped bass hit topwater, we don’t want to leave out the stripers. We want to include everybody. But we’ll throw that in both categories of the most popular and one of the best lures for bass fishing. So not to hurt any of these top water enthusiasts’ feelings. Best and most popular.
07:08 Speaker 1: So here’s another one. Now that I think about it, it’s probably one of the most popular and definitely throughout this whole country, probably, probably one of the best lures for bass fishing and that is the old standby. Everybody’s caught a fish on one Texas rig worm. They’re inexpensive. They make them in a variety of sizes, shapes, and colors. You have your trick worm type. This is a DOA lures, eight-inch CAL, it’s a trick worm. You have your ribbon tail worms, you have paddle tail worms, you have curl tail worms, you’ve got worms all over the place. You go into a tackle store, and they’re gonna have more rows and selections of soft plastic worms than anything. And there’s a variety of ways to fish them. You have your wacky rig, you have weightless, the floating worms. But as far as plastic worms go… There’s a fish blowing up on the surface over here. But as far as plastic worms go, the most popular way they’re fished is probably Texas rig.
08:21 Speaker 1: You have your screw and bullet weights, like I like. You have… You can just put a regular bullet weight on there. This is a little heavy metal tungsten weight with a bobber stopper and a 4/0 hook. These can be fished all over the place. I’ve caught them all over the country on a Texas rig worm. So just like the last one, it’s probably one of the most popular but it’s definitely one of the best lures for bass fishing. If you’re just starting out and you need to get confidence in catching fish, tie on a Texas rig worm. I promise you, it’ll work in your lake. Can be fished around docks, around boat ramps, around riprap, rocky points, shell beds, up in the grass, around grass. You can pitch them, you can make long cast, you can skip worms, you can do all kinds of stuff with them. Very versatile. Works for all three major species of bass: Large mouth, small mouth and spotted bass.
09:15 Speaker 1: The Texas rig worm: I’m not gonna go in depth in it because I’m trying to cover a bunch of baits. Texas rig worm, probably one of the most popular and best lures in bass fishing. But where I would lean it more towards the most or the best and take it out of the most popular is because it is a very slow and methodical lure to fish. And people get bored of fishing and people don’t have patience anymore. Everybody’s a power fisherman. Not everybody can be Kevin VanDam, the power fisherman. It takes a lot of patience to fish the Texas rig worm, because a lot of times, you’re dragging them or slow hopping them. So it takes a lot of patience. And that’s why I would take it out of the most popular lure in bass fishing category and put it into one of the best because there’s probably been more tournaments in the history of bass fishing tournaments, fished on some variety of a plastic or Texas rig worm than any other lure there is. Close call with the next lure I’m gonna talk about but we’ll lean this more towards best and take it out of the most popular.
10:27 Speaker 1: On to the next one. This next lure is probably one of the most controversial lures of recent years. I don’t really know which category to put it in. I think it created so much controversy because it worked so well. It doesn’t work everywhere you go and it doesn’t work all year long in a lot of places. So I would kind of take it out of the best category there because you can’t throw it in a variety of situations. It doesn’t work well around heavy cover at all. It works better in cooler, deeper water. I did a video on it, recently. It is a very popular bait. It was more popular until they outlawed it in most of your major tournaments, like Bassmaster and FLW. And I’m sure it is not legal in the MLF tour, but it is the umbrella rig, or Alabama rig, as it’s also popularly known. I love throwing this thing. I learned how to fish it, I learned how to catch. I had an opportunity to do really well in a Bassmaster Tournament up in Tennessee, until I had some motor problems on the second day. Several years ago, about five years ago.
11:46 Speaker 1: The umbrella rig, people… It’s one of those lures that people love to hate. I meet people that hate it. And I find that most people hate it because they never learned how to fish it. They were beat down badly in tournaments by people throwing umbrella rigs. And they got it outlawed. A lot of whining about the umbrella rig. I like it. Not sure… Let’s put this in a category I didn’t talk about. Let’s put it in the most hated category. Even though, I love to fish it. People love to hate it, hate to love it, but it works. There’s not many lures that you catch multiple fish on one cast. You’ll have your occasional top water plug, where you get one on the front hook, one on the back hook. A lipless crank bait or a crank bait, but these are known for catching multiple bass at a time. So, a lure that can regularly catch multiple bass at a time and wins lots of tournaments and when the bite is on, and you have a 200-boat tournament and every single boat in the top 20 catches them on an umbrella rig or an Alabama rig, you have to put it up there with the best. Most popular? No, because people don’t like to fish them, you have to throw them with big heavy rods.
12:55 Speaker 1: Here I have a seven-foot, 11 heavy action, 13 fishing muse with 50… I think this is a 50-pound braid, and you got to wing it out there. So lot of people, especially people that don’t use bait casters are not gonna lean towards throwing an umbrella rig or an Alabama rig. So we’ll put this in its own little category by itself as the most hated, or most love to hate, hate it to love. Leaning towards one of the best lures of all time, because it won so much money in tournaments in a short period of time before people whined and cried it right out of the tournament trails. So umbrella rig, I love it. Let me know what you think about an umbrella rig. On to the next one.
13:37 Speaker 1: Moving on. Let’s talk about one of the best baits. It’s popular, but again, it can be slow and methodical so a lot of people don’t like to fish it. You can’t catch them everywhere you go in the country on it, but when I leave the state of Florida, I seem to always have one tied on. For a time, Denny Brauer was the all-time leading money-winner in Bassmaster’s history and he fishes with jigs. Jigs, and there’s all kinds of jigs, there’s shaky head jigs, there’s jigs with just grubs on them. But when most bass fishermen talk about a jig, they’re talking about your standard, here’s a BOOYAH jig. Let me get this out of the… This is a bankroll jig. Hundreds of different varieties of jigs. Flipping jigs, casting jigs, skipping jigs, shaky head jigs. I’m leaving some out. Swim jigs and kinda hard to throw it in the category of jigs, but the bladed jig. I guess it is a jig but it’s not really a jig. Chatterbait, bladed jig.
14:56 Speaker 1: Jigs: Probably more money won in tournaments around this country throwing a jig than any other lure there is. I don’t throw ’em a lot here in Florida. We have a lot of grass and to be honest with you, aside from the occasional flipping or punching jig or occasionally during the bluegill spawn, if we don’t have a lot of hydrilla on the Kissimmee chain and the bluegill are spawning right outside the Kissimmee grass edges, you can pitch a big jig with a whole gambler crawdaddy on it, right down those grass lines. And I think the bass think it’s a bluegill running up and down and we’ll catch some really big bass.
15:36 Speaker 1: Anyway, the jig is probably one of the best, most productive, most versatile lures in bass fishing because it can be fished so many different ways. You can throw it without a trailer. Most people put trailers on them. Different varieties of trailers, creature baits. People will put frogs on the back of jigs, you can… With soft body frogs, people will put swim baits… Well, this is a bladed jig and it has like a little swimming fluke on the back but people will put those on your standard casting jigs. They make them up to two ounces, probably bigger than that. You have your little skipping jigs. Finesse jigs, you can fish them around rocks, you can fish them around docks, you can fish them in grass, you can fish them on shell-beds, you can fish them on boat ramps, you can fish them on humps. Just about everywhere. They work everywhere you go. I’ve caught fish on them on Lake Champlain up in Upstate New York, on the Douglas… On Lake Douglas in Tennessee. I’ve caught ’em on Lake Norman.
16:38 Speaker 1: Jigs are probably one of the most productive baits there is. They can be… You can drag ’em. You can hop ’em. You can skip ’em, do a bunch of different stuff with jigs. Don’t fish ’em a lot here, probably should ’cause I love fishing ’em. I’ve got boxes of them, varieties of jigs. But probably one of the best, if not the best lure in bass fishing is a jig. And let me know if you disagree with that because I’m sure you will. I’m not saying it’s the best for everybody, but overall, throughout the country, jig’s probably one of the best lures for bass fishing. Fished a variety of ways. Fish ’em in brush piles. I probably should try that on some of the brush piles I fish, instead of just throwing a worm all the time. But let’s move on to another lure.
17:33 Speaker 1: So moving right along. If I didn’t talk about crankbaits in this video in the best bass fishing lures versus the most popular bass fishing lures, people would have a heart attack. Crankbaits: Again, one of those lures that might fall into both categories. They’ve been out forever. I’m sure any old grandpa tackle box you find in the corner of a garage that hasn’t been touched in 20 years, that you open up is gonna have a crankbait in it. Every kid, when he gets his first lures, they start throwing crankbaits. They do take some skill to learn how to fish ’cause most of the time, with a crankbait, you’re not just gonna throw it out and reel it in. You have to… There’s a lot of different cadences. The ripping crankbaits, you can crank and pause, you have varieties of crankbaits, your square bill crankbaits, you have coffin bill, your round bill, like the shad rap here, these usually dive deeper.
18:35 Speaker 1: Crankbaits, you have lipless crankbaits. I love throwing lipless crankbaits, that is a crankbait, but not your standard. When people think of a crankbait like you see in this box here, they don’t think of a lipless crankbait. But a lipless crankbait, we’ll throw it in the category with crankbaits. Very versatile baits. You can catch them on all varieties of bass, large mouth, small mouth spotted bass, on crankbaits and lipless crankbaits. They have a variety… They have sinking crankbaits, floating crankbaits, suspending crankbaits. Various different types of bills, different sizes of bills that take the lures to different depths and about every type of color you can possibly think of from ones that are supposed to resemble shad patterns to your crawfish patterns. So they can represent or attempt to resemble many different types of food that bass eat. And I’ve caught a lot of fish on them. Love throwing a crankbait. Don’t get much opportunity to do it here in Florida, but I’ve caught a lot of fish on ’em and they’re great search baits.
19:42 Speaker 1: If you’re on a lake, and you don’t know where the fish are, if you need to cover a lot of water to find fish, crankbaits, lipped crankbaits and lipless crankbaits will get the job done most of the time. But I think because they’ve been out for so long, they wouldn’t hit the most popular, the most talked about lures out there because they’ve just been out for so long. Everybody makes a crankbait. They work. A lot of tournaments won on crankbaits but I rarely get anybody that calls me and says, “Hey, can we throw crankbaits today?” It’s always the frog. Frogs, frogs, frogs, frogs. So we’ll put that in one of the best categories and ot one of the most popular categories. Popular, but not one of the most popular crankbaits.
20:32 Speaker 1: Moving right along. This one’s gonna start some controversy. A lot of people are gonna disagree with me on it. But let’s talk about flipping and punching. Flipping and punching, what category am I gonna put that in? One of the best lures or techniques for bass fishing, or one of the most popular? I’m gonna put it in one of the most popular techniques for bass fishing, and by far not, one of the most, or the best lures for bass fishing. There’s gonna be a bunch of people that disagree with me on that. As a fishing guide, if I get a request from a different part of the country, or just randomly, about how are the fish biting? The question, how are the fish biting? One of the things… I’ve actually had people call me and go, “Are we gonna be frogging or punching?” Like those are the only two techniques we could possibly ever do here in Florida is frogging or punching. By punching… Punching’s kind of a newer term that’s come in in the past few years ’cause we always refer to it as flipping. And I guess, it’s kind of been separated out ’cause people flip wood, they flip docks, and we punch through grass, but it’s all kind of in the same category.
21:48 Speaker 1: Big heavy rods, which a lot of people don’t like to fish with. This is a 7 foot 11, extra heavy, 13 fishing rod, 65-pound braid. I only have a one ounce weight on here because we were punching through some scattered semi-heavy hydrilla a while back with a vile bug creature bait there. Most of the time when people are flipping or punching, they’re throwing creature baits. There’s other lures you can throw on there. The majority of the time, it’s some sort of craw or creature bait when we’re flipping or punching. It does work a lot, it doesn’t work all the time. There’s tournaments won on it, but not as many as you think are won flipping or punching. Have I had 20 and 30-fish days flipping or punching? Yes. I’ve had 30-fish days on Okeechobee, and on various lakes on the Kissimmee chain, so it can be productive. The majority of the time, you don’t get very many bites when you’re flipping or punching. As far as flipping and punching, lay downs and wood outside of Florida, other parts of Florida and some of your man-made TVA, Tennessee Valley Authority Lakes, it does work well.
23:05 Speaker 1: I still wouldn’t put it in the best… One of the best lures for bass fishing because, to be one of the best, it has to be something everybody can do, not everybody can do this. It doesn’t always happen. It is a technique that will let you down a lot of times. You go out and practice or pre-fish for a tournament and you get on a big flipping bite or a big punching bite. You’re all geared up, you’re gonna put a sack in that live well, 20 pounds, 30 pounds. Tournament time comes and those fish have moved, and you’re not gonna find them when you’re punching or flipping. You need to put on a search bait, like a crank bait or jerkbait, top water, that type of stuff. So I would put… So many people are gonna disagree with me on this. I would take this out of one of the best bass fishing lures and put it into one of the most popular. Am I saying don’t go do this? No, because I love flipping. I don’t get many opportunities to do it when I’m guiding. Love it, won some money flipping, punching, but not the best. Because not everybody can do it and it doesn’t work all the time everywhere we go and it can let you down. On to the next one.
24:14 Speaker 1: Okay, this is gonna be the last lure I talk about in the video. And I know I’m leaving some lures out, like jerkbaits and bladed jigs. Talk about those real quick. Everybody likes storm bladed jigs or chatterbaits. They work, very popular. It’s good bait. They don’t work everywhere you go and they don’t work all the time. Jerkbaits, versatile bait, moving bait. Don’t really… I don’t think the chatterbait and the jerkbait meet this category of best of anything. They’re just good overall baits. Don’t work all the time. Don’t work everywhere you go. I love throwing a chatterbait. I love throwing a jerkbait, but they’re kind of honorable mentions when you’re talking about best or most popular. Chatterbait or bladed jig will get way up there with the most popular but because a lot of people have never caught fish on them. Everybody talks about them. A lot of money has been won on them, but I’m not gonna put them up in the category of most popular or best because a lot of people have never learned how to fish them or don’t know how to fish them or on bodies of water where they don’t work very well.
25:16 Speaker 1: So anyway, this is gonna come to… This isn’t a very popular bait for a lot of people. A lot of times, people just say they’ve fished with them but they’ve never caught anything on them. I catch a lot of fish on them. I know guides, buddies of mine that have fished for a living that hate fishing with them, but you can cover a lot of water with them. A lot of tournaments are won on ’em. They work great. There’s some lakes where they work really well.
25:39 Speaker 1: And the spinner baits. Spinner baits, a lot of my videos, you’ve seen us catching fish on spinner baits. They work all year. They work in warm water, during the transition times of the year, like we’re getting into now, the fall. They work in the spring, during shad spawns, there’s varieties of them. This is your conventional spinner bait, one or two blades. I’ve fished them with as many as five blades on them. They make heavy deepwater spinner baits. They make them small, finesse spinner baits. This would be kind of your average spinner bait, two blades, 3/8 ounce. You can cover a lot of water with them. They’re not super intrusive. They do tend to work better here in Florida anyway, when you have some wind. I’ve been on lakes in other parts of the country where they’re just eating a spinner bait. It could be dead calm and sunny and crystal clear water and they’re gonna eat a spinner bait. What do the fish think they are? If you ask most people, they would think, they would say it was a small school of bait fish. The one thing you need to remember with bass is they don’t think, they react so I think it looks like food to them.
26:41 Speaker 1: Spinner baits: A lot of people don’t like fishing them. I’m about to go throw one here because the fish are just starting to blow up behind me. But I love fishing spinner baits. I think it’s one of the best lures of all time. Definitely not one of the most popular because the majority of the people I meet when I tell them we’re gonna be catching ’em on a spinner bait. They’ll say, “I don’t like throwing spinner baits.” And most of the time, when they say that it’s because they’ve never caught anything on them. And there haven’t been a ton of innovations in the spinner bait industry in the past few years. So they haven’t been talked about as much. But it’s a good versatile bait. You can fish them all over the place. Fish ’em through grass, open water, deep water, shallow water, around wood, around rocks, around grass, out in open water, schooling fish, whatever you want. I’ve caught large mouth, small mouth, and spotted bass on them. Spinner bait.
27:33 Speaker 1: So I know I left some lures out. I can’t talk about everything ’cause who wants to watch a two-hour long YouTube video. I didn’t talk about the ned rig. That’s very popular. I don’t throw a ned rig very much. Drop shot, I left the drop shot out. I left jerkbaits out, like I was talking about earlier. I like throwing jerkbaits are great.
27:56 Speaker 1: But I covered what I think are some of the most popular bass fishing lures and some of the best lures for bass fishing and how some are in both categories. Some are in one category versus the other. I hope everybody doesn’t agree with me. Most people should have some disagreements because that’s what’s great about fishing, it’s different. Everywhere you go, every state, I’ve been to every body of water. Sometimes you can travel 10 miles down the road to a lake or lakes that are connected to each other that don’t fish the same. So for me to sit here and say this one bait is the best lure for bass fishing, or this one lure is the most popular because popularity also goes by region, or area or species versus small mouth versus large mouth versus spotted bass.
28:44 Speaker 1: But overall, throughout the country, from feedback I’ve gotten from the 5,000 some-odd people that I’ve guided over 21 years and other fishermen that I’ve interacted with. This video, I highlighted what I think are the best lures for bass fishing versus the most popular lures for bass fishing, which aren’t always the best. And some of them that kinda hit both categories. So thanks for watching. Please subscribe to my channel. Let me know what other kind of videos you wanna watch, and I’m gonna do a little bit of fishing. And then I’m gonna go spend like three hours editing this video. So see you next time.
Catching Bass In Windy Fall Conditions
Fall Largemouth Bass fishing in Central Florida Lakes can be fun. Fish are usually actively feeding on Shad, Shiners, and schools of minnows. In this video, we’re at the Butler Chain of Lakes near Orlando, Florida. It’s windy, cloudy, and much cooler than the day before. We didn’t catch many good-sized Bass, but we sure caught a lot. My customer, Les P., brought one of his own favorite lures, a jerk bait made by Rapala.
Johns Lake Fishing Guide
Johns Lake is a part of the Ocklawaha River Watershed in Winter Garden, Orange County Florida. The 2,424-acre lake has two distinct water pools (East & West) with a connecting channel. This guide should help you while bass fishing johns lake.
The honored pastime can also boost your levels of Vitamin D and help promote stress relief. In the state of Florida, a number of lakes provide healthy relaxation to residents and visitors through fishing opportunities.
1. A Great Location
Johns Lake is located just northwest of Orlando. It is only six miles east of Clermont, Florida and 1.4 miles west of the Florida Turnpike on Highway 50. The area around the lake is developed, but there is an open shoreline on the southeast end.
The ramp is capable of launching two boats at the same time with a floating dock that you can tie boats up to. You will find a small area to beach your boat on.
The parking lot is well-maintained and can hold up to twenty vehicles. An overflow lot across the street will accommodate an additional ten cars.
There is no long boat ride to get out to the fishing spot at Johns Lake. After a few minutes of idling, you will arrive at your first spot. There are plenty of docks for fishing and plenty of undeveloped shorelines for bass fishing.
To purchase the map above click here.
Remember that Florida requires a fishing license if you cast a line or catch and release. Youth under sixteen years of age, or adults sixty-five years or older, are exempt from this requirement. You will need proof of age and residence.
Those who possess a commercial fishing license, as well as many veterans, are also exempt. Be sure to get a license online or at your local tackle store before venturing out.
2. The Water Has Plenty of Fishing Options
Two main bodies of water make up Johns Lake. They are known as Johns Lake and Johns Lake Main Body. They are similar in size.
To the east of the main bodies of water is a small body of water known as Black Lake. On the west side lies a small body of water known as Clear Lake.
There is the main cut joining both bodies of water, above which you will find a piece of land known as Deer Island. Above Deer Island, the main bodies get connected by a body of water known as Horseshoe.
The main cut is an idle zone that holds some good schooling bass both earlier and later in the day. In the afternoon, areas on either side of the canal are at peak productivity. Carolina rigged worms and lizards can get used as bait.
Ample cover gets provided by thick grass beds, lily pads, reeds, hydrilla, submerged trees, and branches. The fish hold tight to cover in Johns Lake. The waters run twelve feet or deeper in some areas.
Irregular bottom contours and moderate water fluctuations make it a great place for fish to hide and get caught. Even in high winds, there are plenty of places to fish both in and out of the wind.
3. Trophy Bass Fishing on Johns Lake
The largemouth bass is the primary species you will find on Johns Lake. These have beautiful color, and often hide between rocks, among water vegetation, and under the roots and limbs of sunken trees.
Largemouth bass prefers to feed on perch, sunfish, and minnows. Our fishing guides can set you up to fish with artificial baits, live bait or a combination.
Largemouth bass never stops growing. The larger the fish, the older it usually is.
The State of Florida restocked Johns Lake with bass fingerlings in the early 2000s, after it became inundated with water after a storm. Those fish are now reaching trophy size. Some weigh up to fourteen pounds.
Largemouth bass tends to be more active early and late in the day. They get known for being tough fighters when you are reeling them in. Many of the fish on Johns Lake fight like smallmouth bass.
Bass love to stalk wounded prey, so shredded worms make great bait. You may also wish to choose fish that are fresh during the season you are fishing.
Bass has boney jaws, so a sharp hook is a good idea. Bass swim with the current, so you may want to face the wind while you are fishing.
The pressure of an oncoming storm will make the bass more active. A great time to fish for them is when the clouds start rolling in. They will be more likely to bite than when it is sunny out.
4. Johns Lake Bass Fishing Tips
Bass love to hang out under lots of covers. Be sure to fish under rocks, wood, boat docks, bass, and lily pads.
On sunny days, bass will hold tight to cover and wait for their meals. You may want to go to the bottom with bait like a jig or a Texas-rigged soft plastic.
A jig consists of a lead sinker with a hook molded into it. It is usually covered in a soft body to attract fish. Jigs are intended to create a jerky, vertical motion. This stands in contrast to spinnerbaits, which move through the water horizontally.
A Texas rig involves a bullet-shaped weight that gets threaded on a fishing line and followed by a plastic bead. The line is then secured to a hook that is usually offset by a worm hook.
On cloudy days, the bass is much more active and willing to expose themselves to feed. These days, spinnerbaits, chatter baits, and topwater plugs are great for making big catches.
Spinnerbaits are lures that feature one, two, or more spinner blades on an overhead shaft, combined with a lower shaft that is a lead weight and a hook covered by a skirt. The skirt usually has red tentacles.
Spinnerbaits are popular bass-fishing lures in shallow areas. They are easy to fish with and fairly weed-free and tangle-free.
Chatter baits feature a hexagonal-shaped metal blade on a lead-head jig. They are extremely popular for bass-fishing.
A topwater plug floats and moves around the surface of the water in order to attract fish and attempt to strike the lure. Non-floating versions can be retrieved at a good speed to cause them to travel at the water’s surface.
5. What To Bring
If you are a beginner fisherman, it is easy to forget the basics when you go fishing. On cloudy days, remember to bring some quality raingear with you, including a raincoat, rain boots, and an umbrella.
Shorts and T-shirts are fine for warm Florida weather. You will want to wear comfortable tennis shoes or boots, however. Waders will allow you to walk into the water comfortably.
Remember to bring your fishing license. If you are staying overnight, remember to pack a bag.
Don’t forget your sunscreen and insect repellant. You will want to remember to pack any medications you need. You may need a waterproof bag for transporting your necessities on the boat.
Remember to bring your phone and camera, and bring portable chargers if you plan to take pictures. Polarized sunglasses are also a good idea because they will block the sun and allow you to see through the water without glare. Many fishers also like to bring a lightweight hat to block out the sun.
Remember to bring your basic tackle, which will involve medium-heavy to heavy rods, spooled rails, and great expectations to have a good time.
An extra pair of shoes and socks are always a good idea in case you get wet. You may also want to bring a towel.
6. Vary Your Methods
Both the spring and fall are great times for topwater action in Johns Lake. The summer and winter are better for slower presentation baits and jigging.
Many anglers recommend trying baits that resemble forage fish. Water pressure is strong on the lake, so you may need to fish differently. Try plastic worms or lipless crankbaits.
Some anglers have had luck on Johns Lake with a Colorado rig. They recommend starting at lake points and working down the ridges until you find fish. Topwater lures, including hula poppers and spooks, get recommended for catching bass.
Where is Johns Lake Boat Ramp?
Johns Lake boat ramp is located at 13620 Lake Blvd, Winter Garden, FL 34787.
How many ramps are their at Johns Lake Boat Ramp?
Johns Lake boat ramp is big enough to launch two boats at one time. 
How many parking spots are their at Johns Lake Boat Ramp?
There is plenty of boat and trailer parking with at least 28 parking spots available. 
How do you catch largemouth bass at Johns Lake?
The best bait to use to catch more bass is shiners. Artificial baits include swim jigs, chatterbaits, flukes, rattletraps, speed worms, and jerkbaits.
Conway Chain of Lakes Fishing Guide
With 1,800 acres of water spread across four interconnected lakes, the Conway Chain of Lakes is a beautiful place for fishing in Orlando, Florida. Bass, shad, bream, and catfish are all commonly fished for in these clear waters.
Easy to get to and nearby many famous attractions, taking a fishing trip or a full vacation to this area couldn’t be easier. If you’re looking for a fishing spot that’s guaranteed to deliver, this lake system is the place to be.
A popular place for watersports, family days out, and angling, the Conway Lakes has so much to offer. Let’s take a look at why this destination holds a top spot for bass fishing and how you can make the most of it.
Welcome to the Conway Chain of Lakes
Conway’s four lakes are all connected by canals and can be accessed throughout the year. Officially, there are only three lakes, Lake Conway, Big Lake Conway, and Lake Gatlin.
Due to the shapes and canals linking the four portions of these two lakes, they’re often referred to as West, East, Middle, and South. Or confusingly, sometimes they are referred to as Middle Lake, Little Lake Conway, and South Lake.
All the lakes boast exceptionally clear water with a mostly sandy bottom and the canals are maintained year-round. The average depth is around 8 ft but there are places that see 30 ft depth.
The lakeshore is prime real estate with private docks. Public access is limited but worth the effort thanks to the chain’s beautiful water and impressive fishing opportunities.
How to Get There
It’s easy to see why the Conway Chain of Lakes is so popular. Not only does it have clear water, it’s also perfectly located. Just 10 minutes from Orlando International Airport and immediately south of Downtown Orlando, the Conway lakes are easy to get to whether you’re local or visiting.
There are also shopping, dining, and entertainment districts in close proximity for the lakes making this a fantastic overall vacation destination.
Public Boat Ramps
There are two public boat ramps serving the Conway Chain of Lakes. There is no parking available at Venetian boat ramp and a small amount of parking at Randolph Avenue ramp.
Venetian Boat Ramp: 5509 McCawley Ct, Belle Isle, FL 32809
Randolph Avenue Boat Ramp: 5638 Randolph Ave, Orlando, FL 32809
Fishing Locations
While much of the lake bottoms are hard sand, there are patches of eelgrass and peppergrass. There are excellent fishing opportunities throughout the lake chain so you can spend days exploring the different pools and seeing what you catch.
As the water is so clear, it’s not difficult to spot deeper sections and offshore ledges to try your luck by.
No matter what the wind direction is, you’ll always be able to find a sheltered spot as different sections of the lake chain offer protection from varying wind angles. From the public boat ramps, you can travel through the cut to the northeast and head up into Little Lake Conway.
This eastern section of Little Lake Conway has two small islands with water depths up to 22 ft on the approach to the smaller of the two. To the northeast of the islands is a further section of water reaching 30 ft of depth.
To the west of Little Lake Conway, there’s another deep section on the approach to the cut up into Lake Gatlin, seeing depths of 30 ft.
In the main pool of Lake Conway, you’ll find two large sections of deeper water, one in the western third of the lake and the other to the northeast. A third deep area is located in the southeast of the pool.
The south lake has depths between 20 and 26 ft in the center.
Catch Those Bass
Lake Conway fishing is great for a variety of species including live bait. Crappie and chain pickerel are found in these waters. But many anglers come to the Conway Chain of Lakes for the same reason. Bass fishing.
Largemouth bass is famous here at Lake Conway, especially for schooling in the summer months. Typically early morning, you can see schooling activity out in open water so be sure to arrive early.
White spinnerbaits and topwater lures are a good choice for schooling bass but give different methods a try to see what works on the day you’re out.
Bass caught in the chain are often around 4 lbs with some anglers catching chucks around the 10lb range. Many anglers catch 30 or more bass in a single weekend and some catch significantly more.
With crappie another fantastic fish to go for here, you won’t leave the lakes disappointed.
Fishing for the First Time?
If your first fishing trip is to the Conway Chain of Lakes, you couldn’t have picked a better place. With year-round fishing opportunities and a wealth of beautiful scenery to explore, this is a great place to get started.
If you’re looking for bass, it’s important to understand their habitat and behavior. Bass tend to like clear water but get protection from grass and ledges. You can recognize these lively fish by their green bodies and dark blotches patches across their backs.
Because they like cover, try fishing for bass near protected areas like boat docks, rocky patches, and ledges. This is even more important on bright, sunny days as the light makes them unwilling to swim in clear open water.
Lures for Bass
You’ve got your rod but what about lures?
You’ll want a range of lures to try out on your bass fishing trip. Topwater lures can be great for schooling fish as they float on the surface and attract the bass. These lures come in many colors and their action on the top of the water mimics the bass’ natural prey.
When a bass takes the lure, wait a few moments before reeling in to ensure the bass is properly hooked.
White spinnerbaits are another good option, especially for overcast days when bass are more likely to come into open water. These lures have metal parts that spin in the water and create movement that attracts bass. They also catch the light and glint, making them more visible to fish.
A variety of jigs will also help you catch some bass. Jigs have a lead weight and the body of the lure is usually plastic or silicone, mimicking the shape of a small fish. Swim jigs or flipping jigs using a vertical jigging motion do rather well depending on the weather.
What to Take
You’ll want to be well prepared for your Florida bass fishing adventure, especially as the Conway Chain of Lakes is so beautiful you’ll be out there for hours at a time.
The first thing to ensure you have is the appropriate Florida fishing license. You can purchase your license online, at a licensed agent or tax office. Reduced prices are available for Florida residents.
Be mindful of the weather conditions for your trip but with the Florida sunshine, comfortables shorts and a t-shirt are best. Take closed-toe shoes like trainers to prevent injuries from lures and bring waterproofs in case of rain.
Sunscreen is crucial in Orlando, especially when fishing. The sun’s rays bounce off the water surface so a hat is not enough to protect your face. Insect repellent will also come in handy, no one wants insects to ruin their fishing trip.
Sunglasses with polarizing lenses are a must on a sunny day. They cut out the glare from the sun on the water and allow you to see through Lake Conway’s clear water to the fish below.
Leave spare dry shoes ashore as water might get into the bottom of the boat and a towel is always useful to clean your hands after handling all those bass you’ll be catching.
Last but not least, remember your camera and dry bag to store it in. No one will believe you caught that huge bass if there’s no photo evidence!
Take a Fishing Trip to the Conway Chain of Lakes
The Conway Chain of Lakes is a fantastic place to try your hand at bass fishing as the waters are clear and abundant with fish. These four large pools offer a range of lake bottom surfaces from shallow sand to eelgrass and deep holes.
The Lake Conway area is easy to reach with the neighboring Orlando airport and evening dining and entertainment are just a stone’s throw away. Downtown Orlando and Disney are all close by so a vacation to this area has something for the entire family.
The Conway lakes are popular throughout the year and you’ll see many anglers enjoying the rich pickings. Go for bass, crappie, or bream and don’t forget to take photos of every catch.
If you want the best fishing trip possible, book a charter with us and we’ll teach you all the tricks to catch the bass you’ve been dreaming of.
Lake Kissimmee Fishing Guide
Whether you’re an experienced angler or if you want to try out bass fishing for the first time, Florida’s beautiful freshwater Lake Kissimmee is one of the top destinations for fishermen from around the globe.
It’s Florida’s third largest lake at a whopping 35,000 acres, and its more remote location means that it’s a haven for largemouth bass, panfish, and much more. It’s also the biggest lake in the Kissimmee Chain.
Located about 15 miles from Lake Wales and 40 miles from Orlando in the Osceola and Polk counties, the lake is also famous for its Florida cowboy history and stunning wildlife.
However, it’s the promise of an unbeatable bass fishing experience that attracts the most visitors. It even hosts the annual Florida Bass Federation Tour and the Bassmaster Classic events, and other fishing competitions.
If you’re looking to catch one of your biggest bass fish ever, then Lake Kissimmee fishing is the ideal experience. Still, you’d like to know a bit more about what to expect from the region, the best times to go fishing, and what you can do to get the perfect catch.
Consider this post as your ultimate guide to an incredible Lake Kissimmee fishing experience.
The Basics of Lake Kissimmee
Let’s begin by taking a look at what makes Lake Kissimmee bass fishing so popular.
The lake is known for its slightly warmer water temperatures, which is one of the biggest reasons why it’s such a haven for bass. Fishermen in search of large catches prefer to head out during the summer, as the combination of the heat and the warm water temperatures bring out some seriously huge fish.
If you can, we suggest that you schedule your fishing trip during the full moon phase. The light brings the fish much closer to the shallow sections of the water, making them much easier to catch.
Don’t let the tannin-stained color of the lake’s shallow waters fool you. The lake is home to countless bass, especially on the South end and even within the Kissimmee River.
However, in spite of the large concentration of bass, the lake’s thick, heavy vegetation. This means that it’s not as crowded as some of the clearer lakes.
More experienced fishermen — or those fishing with a guide — can use the lake’s vegetation to their advantage.
Where There is Grass There is Bass
Common knotgrass, maidencane, and bulrush provide ideal hiding places for large groups of bass. In fact, it’s this very vegetation that helps to protect bass. This allows them to live to grow to the large sizes the lake is known for.
When you head out on Lake Kissimme Florida, don’t be surprised when you encounter areas that are completely inaccessible due to an overgrowth of vegetation.
Overgrowths of hydrilla, in particular, have been known to cause navigational issues for some anglers. So, if you’re on the less experienced side, it’s best for you to go with a guide.
Finally, be aware that, because of the lake’s shallow waters, it’s a bit more susceptible to temperature changes than other lakes. Make sure that you check the daily Lake Kissimmee fishing report before you head out for the day.
What to Expect From Lake Kissimmee
One of the best things about Lake Kissimmee fishing is the potential for big bass.
It’s not unusual for fishermen to catch bass that weigh anywhere from 5-8 pounds. Many are able to catch bass fish that are larger than 10 pounds.
We’ve already mentioned that the south end of Lake Kissimmee is a haven for bass. We also suggest that you and your guide take a look at the smaller creeks and canals. Make sure that you also check out Philadelphia Point ad North Cove. Especially if the south end of the lake is a bit more crowded than you’d like.
Keep your eye out for large concentrations of reeds or eelgrass, as this is often where larger schools of bass spend their time. You may even see some success fishing close to docks, as schools will concentrate underneath them.
Often, bass simply “lie in wait” for their next meal, which is a huge part of what makes them so easy to catch.
Find The Schooling Bait And The Bass Will Bite.
So, what are some of the signs that usually signal the presence of a large school of bass?
The shiners will likely start to come to the surface of the water, and you should be able to notice the bass following right behind them. The shiner become agitated and actively swim away from the area where the bass are concentrated.
If you notice the shiner consistently leaving/pulling away from one area, it’s a good indication there’s a large amount of bass nearby.
In addition to bass, you can also expect to encounter crappie, panfish, and shellcrackers (also known as redear sunfish.
Tips For Successful Bass Fishing in Lake Kissimmee
One of the best ways for you to catch some seriously huge bass is by using the proper bait and lures.
Some expert fishermen swear by the ribbon tail worm as bait. As we mentioned above, golden shiners are usually the bait of choice for this area.
When it comes to shiners, the great thing about Lake Kissimmee bass is that you can pretty much use any size of shiner you’d like. The most important aspect is live bait, not the size.
Fishermen have had much success using shiners that are four inches long, while more experienced fishermen suggest that you use a seven-inch shiner to catch a huge bass.
You may also want to try white spinnerbaits, lip-less crankbaits, and even jerkbaits.
On Lake Kissimmee, you can watch a school of bass fish fight furiously over your bait. This is a prime photo opportunity and a wonderful experience for new fishermen. When this happens, we suggest you use lip-less crankbaits or topwater lures.
Keep in mind that you may need to leave your shiner bait in a single area for up to half an hour before you see any results.
As with all types of fishing, patience is key if you’re out to catch big bass.
Additional Lake Kissimmee Bass Fishing Tips
Let’s quickly go over a few of our top bass fishing tips for Lake Kissimmee.
Though it might sound counterintuitive at first, we do suggest that you face the wind whenever possible. Keep in mind that bass swim with the current, which means that facing the wind ensures that they run into your bait before they discover your boat.
Before you head out, get a good look at the weather report. Always try to plan your fishing day for the time right before a larger storm front moves through. The pressure will encourage heightened activity, while the time directly after a storm makes them a bit more skittish.
If you’re looking to catch bigger fish over ten pounds, then we suggest you have a look at these tips from Field and Stream.
However, nothing beats the personal, one-on-one advice that you’ll get from hiring a fishing guide. Plus it is always better fish with a buddy on Lake Kissimmee.
Read on to learn more about how to hire one.
Do You Need a Lake Kissimmee Fishing Guide?
Get excited about heading to Lake Kissimmee on your next fishing trip.
It’s certainly one of the most popular spots in the country for bass fishing. It’s also accessible to fishermen of all levels during different times of the year.
If you’re new to the area, or to largemouth bass fishing in general, we strongly suggest that you hire a local fishing guide. The fishing guides are familiar with Lake Kissimmee. Even highly experienced fishermen opt to go with a guide. They can discover lesser-known spots, new baiting techniques, and much more.Â
Click here to book your fishing charter with us on Lake Kissimmee or another one of Florida’s stunning lakes.
You can choose your dates, which lake you’d like to visit, the length of your trip, and much more.
We can’t wait to help you have a bass fishing trip you’ll never forget — and we’re confident that you’ll want to return to Lake Kissimmee again and again.
What is the largest bass caught on Lake Kissimmee?
The unofficial biggest Largemouth Bass caught on Lake Kissimmee weighed 19.20 lbs. This fish was caught by Dave Ochs, who manages Lake Rosalie Bait and Tackle, 
Where is Lake Kissimmee Public Boat Ramp?
There are two public boat ramps on Lake Kissimmee. Lake Kissimmee South Boat Ramp is located in Lake Wales, Florida 33898. The second public boat ramp is located on the Northeastern side of the lake at 4900 Joe Overstreet Rd, Kenansville, FL 34739.
