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LAKE TOHO - BEFORE AND AFTER THE DRAWDOWN
By Steve Boyd
Now that the draw down of famed Lake Toho is complete the first question on every ones mind will be is the lake going to be any better? To be fair in determining this one has to take a close look at Lake Toho before the draw down.
Located in the heart of Osceola county Lake Tohopekaliga or Toho for short has been producing trophy bass for over 50 years.I can recall trips with my Father and Grandfather to Lake Toho when I was a boy and my Father would wade the entire Lake while pulling the boat behind him. Anyone who has fished Lake Toho in those days will tell stories of how pristine the waters were and that everyone waded due to the clarity of the water. Trophy bass were also a regular occurrence back in the day.
As with anything times change. The presence of hydrilla in the 90’s was at first considered a nuisance. In the summertime the lake can resemble a golf course with matted hydrilla throughout the lake. But in a 2001 Bassmaster top 150 tournament Dean Rojas shattered records in a way that was never expected. 45lbs 02 oz in one day! A record that may never be eclipsed or equaled again. Hydrilla, as it seemed was the perfect source of habitat for the growth of Largemouth Bass. In some part due to the ability of Bass to hide and ambush baitfish undetected in the thick matts that form throughout the lake. Mostly because it provides bass with the perfect hiding place from anglers.
The downside to the non-native plant was that after years of aggressive weed control, dead and decaying plant matter choked out shoreline habitat that is vital to allow proper sunlight and water temperatures needed to achieve successful bass reproduction .
Only three months into the completion of the draw down it is too early to declare total success but initial signs are impressive. Catch rates are excellent so far with quality bass being caught throughout the lake. Native plants such as arrowhead, water hyacinths, eel grass and maidencain are already visible in areas where they had been choked out. Bass that had been in open water areas of the lake immediately moved to shallow areas of the lake in pursuit of new habitat with high oxygen content. Time will tell the whole story as to whether or not the draw down was a complete success but koodos have to be given to the Florida Conservation Commission for bringing back the lake Toho that we all have known for so many years.
Now is the best time to experience trophy bass fishing in Orlando and reap the benefits of the drawdown to possibly catch the biggest bass of your life.
Steve Boyd is a Licensed Full Time Central Florida Bass Fishing Guide and Native of Orlando, Florida with over 25 years of experience fishing the lakes and rivers in the area. As a tournament angler that competes at the tour level Steve will show you proven techniques as well as cutting edge techniques to make you a better bass angler.
The Orlando Bass Guide
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