headwaters trophy

My client, Hunter, visiting from Texas came during prime time this November and we boated a 9.17lb giant!

Fall is one of my favorite times of the year to target trophy bass. Here in central Florida, late October and November is when our summer weather officially transitions. Average air temperature and water temperature begins to drop after we receive a tropical storm and/or a cold front. These weather changes will transition bass and bait fish from their summer patterns into their fall/winter staging areas of the lake.

Just like in the spring, shad will spawn during the fall and the bass will follow the shad into main canals, the mouth of ditches and nearby deeper pits of Headwaters Lake. This is a great time to target those big bass with big baits.

My arsenal will consist of 6-8” inch paddle tail swimbaits, glide baits, rattle trap, jerkbait, and spinnerbait. All bait fish presentations to mimic those shad that the bass are gorging on this time of the year. We received two tropical storms and two cold fronts that dropped the water temperature down from 76 degrees to 67 degrees. These big bass will feed heavy during pre and post frontal conditions so we committed to trophy hunting all day by throwing big baits.

When you’re throwing big baits, it takes patience and commitment because you’re going to get fewer bites, but when you do get bit, it’s generally the “One.” On this day I had my client throwing 6” and 8” inch paddle tail swimbait along the edges of main canals and the points at the mouth of ditches nearby deep water transitions. On my forward facing sonar I can see the bass and shad staged in these areas.

Throughout the day we caught a number of fish around the 2-4 lb range, but still didn’t connect with a Florida giant yet. Through my years of experience I have come to learn these trophy size fish have very specific feeding windows throughout the day so areas where I know bait and fish are present, I will fish multiple times throughout the day. You may fish a productive area in the morning and catch smaller sized fish, return later in the day and present your bait to a big bass during their prime feeding window, so again, commitment and patience is key.

My client and I returned to an area later afternoon where we caught smaller sized bass in the morning, and started slow rolling an 8” swimbait along an edge of a drop off near a ditch mouth. After a second cast to the same area, his rod loaded up and just stopped. Seeing his rod doubled over I immediately knew it was a giant. This fish took a few surges around the boat and had big head shakes that had us concerned it was going to come off. Hunter stayed calm and let this fish take drag during those surges. As soon as we got this fish in the boat the excitement was at an all-time high, high fiving and grown man bear hugs. We committed to throwing big baits all day and it paid off. We boated a 9.17lb giant! When we got the fish in the boat we both noticed a big gizzard shad tail in the bass’s throat. This fish was feeding, and clearly was still willing to eat on a full stomach. The proportions on this bass was just perfection – 24” long and 9.17lbs.

Headwaters Lake has been producing so many trophy bass since its opening in August 2020. I feel privileged that I get to guide my clients on this lake. We have broken so many of my client’s personal bests and I get goosebumps every morning I launch the boat knowing the quality of fish lurking in Headwaters. If you want to experience some of the best bass fishing in Florida, you need to fish Headwaters Lake. I love what I do and seeing the enjoyment of my clients holding a giant bass. Give me a call at 407-693-6153 or visit my website to book a guide trip with me.