The Florida Largemouth Bass
Deep water techniques are far closer to those of the winter techniques as the water temperature is much colder in deep lakes - rarely warming up much at all. The Florida Largemouth Bass head into the deep water when the summer heat is very hot, warming up the surface water and thus driving them and the baitfish down to the deep water.
When December arrives, cold fronts chill the water to 50°F/10°C. At this temperature the Florida Largemouth Bass become sluggish and inactive feeders and move to deeper water.
Fishing Deep Water
The best way to catch Florida Largemouth Bass in deep water is by appealing to the sense of territory and annoying them. They may not be hungry, but a lure dropping a few feet from them and swimming by them will cause them to strike at the lure.
Use a 1/2 ounce to one ounce weight 4/0 to 6/0 hook with a craw styled bait. Worm baits work well too, but make sure you choose a thick weed mat made from hyacinths, Kissimmee grass and alligator weed. Another great lure to use is a spinner bait with a plastic worm.
Fish from the bottom by lily pads or reeds when fishing floating cover such as hyacinths. Pitching and flipping to the reeds is an effective means to cause the Florida bass to strike out of anger for approaching it's territory. Another good method to use is to jig the lure near the bottom, then pull up to the mat and then jig a few times more.
Wood works to moderate the temperature. Pitch a worm near the wood working any branches very methodically from the wood closest to you, then finish with the wood the furthest from you. This prevents spooking the fish that are closest to you.
Florida Largemouth Bass approach spinner baits from the side. And as such, the hits feel soft. Any movement on spinner baits should be answered with a quick pull to set the hook. To enhance the action of the spinner bait, add a stinger, a trailer hook - a No. 2/0 or larger, with a large eye over the point and barb of the hook on the lure.
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Tackle
Selecting tackle can be very difficult for many anglers. Matching the right rod and reel to a particular lake or fish can be easy. However, for most, it is not cost effective to have multiple rods and reels for various situations. Therefore, there is usually compromise. Most angler pick a rod and reel combination that can work for largemouth bass, pike, trout and other lake fish.
Once you know the type of fish you will go after, spend some time in a good bait and tackle shop. They will help you select the right rod and reel combination.
The next step is to select a few line test strengths. You never want to go too strong or you won't be able to tell if you are getting a strike. If you know you are going after lunker sized bass, use a high test line, say 16 pound. If you are going after bass that are no more than 8 pounds in your area, try a six to 10 pound test line.
Fly Fishing
Many people think that fly fishing is only for shallow water fishing. However, using flies to catch bass in deep water is very effective. Just as you would use a weight to cause a bait to sink with a bait caster, a weight is used to cause the fly to sink to the right level. Careful attention must be given to the actual weight of the sinker or the fly won't behave properly. However, most anglers choose wet flies rather than attaching a weight and consider the use of a weight to be amateurish.
Fly fishing can be a lot more difficult for novice anglers especially if you want to get into creating your own flies.
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