Afternoon Ambush: Lake Toho Midday Bass Report

A Weird Feeling… That Paid Off

I’m floating a few hundred yards off the shoreline on Lake Toho. Not exactly the true middle of the lake—it’s massive—but far enough from any visible structure or cover that it feels… weird. I’m not casting at docks, reeds, or lily pads. Just open water. But beneath the surface lies a field of submerged hydrilla.

Hydrilla is invasive, sure, but it’s the backbone of the Florida freshwater food chain. From minnows to bluegill, bass to birds, snakes, gators—you name it. When you find hydrilla, you find the gang. And I found it.

Already, I’d landed seven bass from this underwater jungle. Nothing huge yet, but the signs were all good. I knew if I kept grinding, a big one would eventually bite.

Speedworm Success

I switched over from the weightless jerkbaits to my baitcaster rigged with a Florida-rigged Bitters Vibe Speedworm in Okee Candy Gold. (Florida-rig = Texas-rigged with a pegged tungsten weight.) First cast, bombed out 30 yards. First retrieve, too fast. Nothing.

Second cast—I slowed it down. Let the bait sink. Felt it bumping through the weeds. THUMP.
I dropped the rod tip, counted to two, and unleashed a hookset from the right side of my kayak across to my left shoulder. The rod loaded up, the kayak added leverage, and the 3/0 EWG buried home. This fish was no dink. She tried to bulldog down under the kayak, into the Hobie Drive. I missed the first net attempt. Got her on the second.

That fish was the first of twelve on the speedworm. Three were solid. The rest were dinks, but I ended the day with 19 bass total. Not bad for a post-lunch trip.

Trip Change-Up: Avoiding Headwaters

Originally, I had planned to do a jerkbait showdown at Headwaters Lake. But that plan changed when I saw a news story that morning warning about toxic algal blooms on the lake. The Florida Department of Health advised staying away—and since kayak launching usually means wading in, and my hands are usually cut up from bass lips and hooks, I decided to steer clear. Algae blooms give me headaches and nausea anyway.

Instead, I slept in, played some video games with my sons, ate a bowl of Fruit Loops, and hit the road after lunch. I launched from Whaley’s Landing in St. Cloud around 2 p.m., fished until 6, and got home with enough time left to hang out with the family.

Soft Plastics Recap

My first six bass were on weedless, weightless jerkbaits. I rotated between two:

• Fish or Die Warbird in Liberty Tree (Watermelon Red)
• Bitters Skip Shad in Houdini (Copperfield)

I fished them on 10 lb braid with a Yo-Zuri Pink fluorocarbon leader. I like the pink in high sun—it supposedly refracts less light. Whether that’s true or not, the fish bite when it’s tied on.

With the sun high and the heat heavy, I slowed my retrieve: cast, let it settle for 10–15 seconds, jerk-jerk, pause. Every bite came on the fall. I’d start to pick up slack, and feel weight.

I’ll do a full jerkbait test soon, but spoiler alert: both baits caught fish. Seven total between them, with the Bitters Skip Shad edging ahead by one fish before I ran out of Houdini color.

Speedworm Steals the Spotlight

Once I switched to the Bitters Vibe Speedworm, it was game on. Key setup:

• Rod: 7′ Bass Pro Fish Eagle (budget-friendly and sensitive)
• Reel: Bass Pro Mega Cast (still kicking 2.5 years later)
• Line: Reaction Tackle 20 lb Moss Green braid
• Rig: 3/0 EWG, 3/16 oz tungsten weight, pegged

The trick was to slow roll the bait through hydrilla. Feel it bumping. If it gets stuck—rip it free and let it fall. A lot of bites came on that reaction drop.

The colorway—Okee Candy Gold—was picked by my son during our recent Fastfood Bass Challenge. He said it looked like Watermelon Candy with gold flakes. Good eye, kid.

Bitters plastics are soft and get torn up fast, but you get 20 for 7 bucks. They’re salted and coated in pig fat too—which, frankly, speaks my love language.

Favorite Bass-Specific Casting Setup

This rig is for bass only. No saltwater use. The rod has tiny guides that don’t play well with leader knots, so I stick with straight braid.

• Rod: Bass Pro Fish Eagle, 7′ Medium Heavy
• Reel: Bass Pro Mega Cast
• Line: Reaction Tackle 20 lb braid

It’s an incredibly affordable combo that handles speedworms, swimbaits, and anything that needs accuracy and power to fight fish out of cover.

Final Tally

• 7 bass on jerkbaits (weedless, weightless)
• 12 bass on speedworm, 3 solid fish in the mix

Closing Thoughts

Thanks for reading, Spacefish! If you caught the cover photo, you saw me rocking my new brown Fish Skinz shirt, featuring a sick largemouth-and-frog design. Picked it up at Kayaks By Bo over on 520 in Cocoa. Awesome spot—tons of kayak gear and Fish Skinz apparel.

Stay safe this summer. Watch for storms, hydrate constantly, and be aware of gators—it’s mating season. Also, keep your eyes peeled for aggressive water moccasins. I had one swim right at me yesterday on Toho and had to pedal away fast.

Until next time—tight lines and ripped lips!