As early February ushers in the spawning season in the heart of South Florida, seasoned pro Jesse Mizell starts hunting bass on famed Lake Okeechobee. Mizell shares a wealth of knowledge on finding productive bass fishing areas and how to catch them using a handful of standard baits. Without further ado, here are Mizell’s top spawning season tactics for Florida bass.
FEATURED PRODUCT (retail links)
- BLADED JIG – Z-Man Evergreen JackHammer ChatterBait, 1/2-ounce: Buy at Bass Pro Shops, Buy at Tackle Warehouse
- TRAILER – Gambler Komodo Trailer 4″: Buy at Bass Pro Shops, Buy at Tackle Warehouse
- ROD – 13 Fishing Envy Black 3 Crankbait Casting Rod, 7’4″ Moderate: Buy at Bass Pro Shops, Buy at Tackle Warehouse
- REEL – 13 Fishing Inception G2 Casting Reel (review), 5.3:1: Buy at Bass Pro Shops, Buy at Tackle Warehouse
- LINE – Sufix Advance Fluorocarbon Fishing Line, 20-pound: Buy at Bass Pro Shops, Buy at Tackle Warehouse
TEXAS RIG
- PLASTIC – Gambler Fat Ace Stick Worm: Buy at Tackle Warehouse
- HOOK – VMC Ike Approved Wide Gap Hook, 4/0: Buy at Tackle Warehouse
- WEIGHT – VMC Tungsten Worm Weight, 5/16-ounce: Buy at Tackle Warehouse
- PEG – VMC Sinker Stop: Buy at Bass Pro Shops, Buy at Tackle Warehouse
- ROD -13 Fishing Meta Casting Rod, 7’3” Heavy – Fast: Buy at Bass Pro Shops, Buy at Tackle Warehouse
- REEL – 13 Fishing Inception G2 Casting Reel, 7.3:1: Buy at Bass Pro Shops, Buy at Tackle Warehouse
- LINE – Sufix Advance Fluorocarbon Fishing Line, 20-pound: Buy at Bass Pro Shops, Buy at Tackle Warehouse
FROG SETUP
- FROG – SPRO Dean Rojas Bronzeye Poppin’ Frog 60: Buy at Bass Pro Shops, Buy at Tackle Warehouse
- FROG HOOK UPGRADE – Gamakatsu EWG Dbl Frog Hook, 4/0: Buy at Bass Pro Shops, Buy at Tackle Warehouse
- ROD – 13 Fishing Meta Casting Rod, 7’3” Heavy – Fast: Buy at Bass Pro Shops, Buy at Tackle Warehouse
- REEL – 13 Fishing Inception G2 Casting Reel, 7.3:1: Buy at Bass Pro Shops, Buy at Tackle Warehouse
- LINE – Sufix 832 Braided Line Lo-Vis Green, 65-pound: Buy at Bass Pro Shops, Buy at Tackle Warehouse
BOAT SETUP
- SHALLOW WATER ANCHOR – Power-Pole Blade 2.0 Shallow Water Anchor: Buy at Bass Pro Shops
- TROLLING MOTOR – Power-Pole MOVE ZR Trolling Motor Black: Buy at Tackle Warehouse
- OUTBOARD – Mercury Pro XS 250 hp: Check out at Mercury
IDENTIFY PRIME SPOTS
Mizell stresses the importance of finding bass spawning flats. A combination of good bottom, cover, and water clarity is key. He demonstrates how to use shallow water anchors to detect hard bottom areas and the naked eye to identify prime isolated clumps of vegetation. As the video attests, there’s a lot of subtlety to locating the best spots, and Mizell teaches us exactly what to look for.
HOW TO CHOOSE LURES FOR THE CONDITIONS
Transitioning through various lures, Mizell showcases the versatility required in Florida bass fishing. From hollow body frogs to ChatterBaits and Texas Rigs, he demonstrates how to use these different presentations to find and trigger bass into biting. Mizell uses the hollow body frog and ChatterBait as search lures for covering vast swaths of flats that appear seemingly the same. Once he identifies what the bass are relating to, a Texas-rigged stick worm becomes the cleanup tool of choice, as it’s ideal for poking around specific spots, such as isolated grass clumps, while keeping the bait in the strike zone longer.
KEY ROD SETUPS
Mizell is quick to discuss his gear choices in detail. From heavy action rods for frogging to medium-heavy setups for ChatterBait and Texas rigs, each rod setup is tailored to maximize efficiency and effectiveness based on the fishing technique and target depth. He also details his preferred reel gear ratio and go-to line for each application.
Mizell’s expedition through Lake Okeechobee during the spawning season is a comprehensive guide to mastering Florida bass fishing. From locating bass to selecting the right gear and techniques, use these insights to be successful during one of the most exciting times of the year for bass fishing.
