Going to Florida over Xmas break

[loanwizard]

I am looking at the Madeira beach area or Lake Kissimmee area. Any ideas about the best fishing in late december down there? Fresh or Salt water? Effect of 1 weeks salt water on my bass boat? Good places to stay (house with pool AND dock)?

Thanks in advance for helping an Ohio fella out.

[Swampy]

I am looking at the Madeira beach area or Lake Kissimmee area. Any ideas about the best fishing in late december down there? Fresh or Salt water? Effect of 1 weeks salt water on my bass boat? Good places to stay (house with pool AND dock)?

Thanks in advance for helping an Ohio fella out.

I really don't know much about that area of Fl. However I can tell you that's a good time to catch large C. cats here. Your best bet for bait that time of the year is cut blue gill,heads seem to work best for me in the late fall & winter.

[loanwizard]

Where in Fla is that Swampy?

Thanks,
Shawn

[Swampy]

I'm in the Gainesville area it's in north cental Fl.

[loanwizard]

Too cold there for me I am going further south... hope to see some 70's down there.

[capt.kirk]

LOAN WIZARD
to bad you are not going to be a month eailer,as there is going to be a
tournament at lake kissimmee on NOV 26th,bad thing is its for that kind
of fish we dont talk about much on here.AS for saltwater on your boat
wash it down,and flush the motor after every outing,be sure and rinse
eyery place you can reach,even if you have a galvinized one take care of it
thats what the biggest problem is here in florida,rusty trailors.
good luck in finding a place to stay.
KIRK :D

[loanwizard]

Thanks for the info. I may get some golden shiners with my cast net or bread and fish for ol bucketmouth, or I might get some fathead minnows for speck or crappie. BTW what are shellcrackers? I talked to a biologist on the phone yesterday and said Kissimmee was the spot to be over Toho and others. How far is it from Haines City to a ramp on Kissimmee? I will probably be staying at the Southern Dunes (Golf and Country Club) on 27 if I go that route.

Thanks,
Shawn

[Big Country01]

a shellcracker is another name for the red ear sunfish,and hanes city is about 30 to 40 min. from kissimee...

[loanwizard]

Ok, gonna be on the intercoastal at Englewood, around Lemon Bay. Anybody have any tips on catching snook, or Redfish? Though about going near a channel marker or buoy and usin the cast net for pin fish and whatnot for bait. Any Saltwater or Gulf fisherman here?


Thanks,
Shawn

[Big Country01]

this time of year as the water starts cooling off the snook and reds start to work up into the backwaters you still should be able to find some on the flats but not many my preference would be to use a d.o.a shrimp and reel slow and remember if you think you're reeling slow enuff slow it down even more this works good on the snook and trout for the reds i use a gold spoon called a luvvin spoonful they luv it if they are there they will hit it....
good luck,wiz