Kayak Bassin’ on Lake Underhill

Happy Monday Spacefish!

Over the past few weeks, I’ve been on a serious bass kick, and I kept that streak going with a trip to Lake Underhill—the first time I’ve fished it in two years. Now, Underhill isn’t one of my favorite lakes aesthetically. It’s not exactly a scenic gem, tucked under the 408 and surrounded by urban sprawl. But it holds big fish and is surprisingly convenient, just a 50- to 60-minute drive from my front porch when I leave early in the morning, comparable to Stick Marsh, Headwaters, or Fox Lake in travel time.

I launched from Lake Underhill Park, which is one of the things I do like about this lake. The area is well-lit with streetlights and has enough amenities that you can rig up and unload in the dark without any issues.

Finesse Froggin’

I fished Friday morning and shared the lake with just two other guys in a Bass Tracker—pretty chill. But be warned: Underhill is well-known and gets a lot of fishing pressure, especially on weekends.

To try something new, I downsized my topwater frog game with a 2-inch, ¼ oz H2OX hollow body frog from Academy. I went with the “Natural” color pattern—pale yellow belly, green back with black/yellow spots. A couple of things I like about this frog: it’s ready to fish right out of the package, and the skirt legs are uneven, which helps it walk more effectively. I’m usually a fan of popping frogs, but on pressured lakes with clean, clear-ish water, the subtler walking style can make a big difference.

Best part? It’s only $4.99.

I threw the frog on a 6’10” casting rod, paired with an Abu Garcia reel and 20 lb moss green H2OX braid (straight to the frog—no leader). My cover photo fish was caught on this setup, fishing the northeast side of the 408. I landed the frog on the rocks and slid it naturally into the water. After a few side-to-side twitches, a bass shot out of the eelgrass and crushed it. Another fish pictured below came off the edge of some lily pads.

Buzz’n Gator Produces Again

Alongside the frog, I threw a Bitters Buzz’n Gator in Watermelon Red Pearl to target fish busting shad in open water. I didn’t have a proper walk-the-dog plug with me, so I rigged this bait on a 7′ spinning rod to get long casts and cover water fast. I caught three fish on this, including one solid one (pictured below), by burning it over the surface around bait schools. The bass responded well to the speed and flash.

How I Fished the Lake

Here’s a quick tip for newer Florida bass anglers: Get out early. Not because you can’t catch fish later, but because summer topwater fishing is 🔥 in the early morning.

Remember—bass are cold-blooded and move to find comfortable temperatures. As the sun climbs, the shallow water heats up fast. That means oxygen levels drop, and the bigger the fish, the more susceptible they are to suffocating. You might still see baitfish or fry in the shallows later in the day, but the bigger bass won’t hang around once the water gets too warm.

So here’s the move: Start shallow early, then transition deeper as the sun rises. I began by targeting the outer edges of lily pads and reeds, then shifted to the open lake looking for bait schools. Later, I focused on deeper water with eelgrass bottoms. I got bites consistently from launch until about 11:30 AM.

As the day wore on, I caught smaller fish on Bitters Speedworms (Okee Candy Gold) and Skip Shads/Flukes in Houdini. The topwater bite was still the highlight—the first two hours were magic.

What I Wish I’d Brought
Two baits I regretted not packing:

• A walk-the-dog style topwater plug like a Heddon Super Spook Jr in Bone—perfect for daybreak bait-chasers.
• A spinnerbait for mid-day action in the same shad-chasing areas—great for staying subsurface once the sun is up.

All Hail The Beefy King

Like I said, Lake Underhill isn’t my favorite. It’s bowl-shaped, noisy, and surrounded by highways, airports, and concrete. But it has good fishing—and more importantly, it’s just a mile away from one of Central Florida’s finest food institutions: Beefy King.

I come for the bass, but I stay for the roast beef sandwich. All hail the Beefy King.

Thanks for taking the time to read this report! It’s getting HOT out there—check those weather apps for afternoon storms, and pack plenty of water and Gatorade. Central Florida bass fishing usually means heading inland, away from the sea breeze, and if you’re targeting deep lake bass, you’re going to be exposed to that Florida sun. Be sure you’re wearing the right gear!

If you’re in the Cocoa area, check out Kayaks By Bo for all your kayak fishing and summer apparel needs. They’ll hook you up with the right gear to make your day on the water a whole lot more enjoyable.

Stay safe, stay cool, and go rip some lips this week. Until next time!