Bass fishing Orlando Area in April

[mlamm24]

Looking for any recommendations for a guide/fishing service in the Orlando area mid April. My boys are 9 and 11 and have experience on Lake Erie and of course every pond in WNY. Thinking they will be ecstatic if they can hook into a nice bucket mouth!

[2BuckBizCT]

I fished with Frank Carbone > https://www.hawghunterguideservice.com/author/frank/ about 10-12 years ago for peacock bass in the Miami canals. It was a fun time zipping around the canals at high speeds in his bass boat. We pulled up to a cuban dive restaurant on the water for lunch, etc. Anyway, he might be worth reaching out to and can steer you to someone reputable in Orlando (if not himself).

Edited February 7 by 2BuckBizCT

[Wolc123]

About 45 years ago, my parents took us to Disney world, and we camped at Ft Wilderness campground.  I wasn’t too interested in the Magic Kingdom, but I thought catching some of those monster Florida Largemouth would be cool.  There were canals throughout the campground.  I used some of my trapping money (muskrat hides went for $12 ea back then), to rent a canoe at the trading post.  
 

Prior to the trip, I had placed my first order to Bass Pro Shops, which included a Garcia Ambassedor 5500C reel (still works) and a pistol grip heavy action freshwater rod.  I loaded the reel with 17 lb test mono and was pitching a big purple Texas rigged plastic worm.  
 

I paddled around a turn and noted a great blue heron, standing along the bank, behind a weed bed.  That told me that there must be fish there in those weeds. Being unfamiliar with level-wind casting, my pitch went a little too far.  I tried to stop it with my thumb, but it wrapped several turns around the big bird’s neck.  
 

Out on the camp road, there were several busses and trams making the rounds, and hauling folks off to the Magic Kingdom.  The heron flapped its giant wings and got airborne.  It flew out towards the buses, until the slack came out of the line, which sent it crashing to the ground.  
 

All vehicular traffic out on the road stopped and there was considerable wailing and crying from little kids on the open cars of the trams.  I removed my shirt and tried to use it to protect myself from the big beak and talons, as I worked frantically to free the stricken bird.  
 

The mele went on for several minutes, until a sharp beak or talon parted the line.  The bird got airborne again, with the 10” purple worm and several feet of line still attached.  I didn’t end up getting any bites from fish that morning, nor the following week when we stayed at my mom’s high-school friend’s place, on a private lake in Umatilla.  They had some orange groves there and said there were largemouth bass and “shell crackers” in the lake.  I saw none of either.  
 

The only fish I caught on that trip was a couple small salt water catfish and a big sting ray in the ocean off the beach in St Augustine, where we camped for a couple nights , on the drive home.  The ray probably weighed 60-70 pounds, and it hit some shrimp on my bait hook.
 

 It fought strong but stupid, pulling straight out between some wood posts, until it ran out of steam, then allowed me to drag it straight back in.  It could have escaped easily, by cutting my line, on the barnacle covered posts.  
 

My little brother and I had biked to the beach that morning and I sent him back to get my dad and the gaff hook that I had made by hose clamping a hay hook to a shovel handle.  The ray broke my 17 lb test in shallow water.  My dad had the gaff in it, and we dragged it up on the beach.  I cut off the tail and stinger and put the rest of the carcass in a garbage can on the beach.  
 

I think Florida freshwater  fishing is overrated, compared to what we have here in NY.  I wouldn’t care if I never fished there again.  My little brother likes the saltwater though.  He caught this nice sailfish on a charter out of Miami last winter:

This 30 plus pound carp that I caught last fall, 30 minutes away from home, in WNY, likely outfought any (6) Florida largemouth: 

Good luck on your trip.  I think Disney world offered bass charters on the park lakes back when we were there.  Not sure if that’s still the case.  

Edited February 7 by Wolc123