West Lake Toho was heating up in more ways than one on Sunday May 31st. Twenty-nine teams finally arrived to try to figure out the pattern on the Kissimmee Chain of Lakes. The club points lead and the top ten classic qualifiers are on the line with only three tournaments left in the season. President Karl made the decision to give the club members all the fishing time that he could by moving the weigh-in to three thirty to accommodate another bass club tournament, but most of us were WELL DONE by the end of a 98 degree tournament day. Some of us were done a lot sooner!

The decision to move this months tournament to Lake Kissimmee worked out for the best as twenty-six teams arrived at Overstreet Landings launch ramp to find a much better lake level than Miami-Garcia. The check-in procedure was a little different as the teams tried to keep the social-distancing mandates from FWC. President Karl and V-P President Buddy did their best to inform each team as to the new weigh-in procedures and time check without the need for a formal pre-launch meeting prior to the start.

Space Coast Bass Finatics paid a visit to the Big "O" this month amid much uncertainty and apprehension about these trying times. Twenty-three teams made the long trip down to Glades County, at Harney Pond Canal Ramp to see what the lake had to offer and see what the changes were from last year. The water level was falling as expected and there was a definite lack of vegetation from the constant chemical spraying and last years storm damage. Conditions were a lot different from last year as the current national emergency has caused many shutdowns and cut backs on operations.

There was the usual congestion at the boat launch ramp at Big Toho Marina as there were two other groups going out on Sunday the 23rd. President Karl worked out all the details with the other clubs as to the weighin times and locations to make the end of the day go smoothly. The weather was perfect and the wind had finally subsided to a mild 5 to 10 mph, just enough to keep the bugs away. Twenty-seven teams were check in by V-P Buddy and Treasurer Jack except for Raymond and Zack Taylor, who had trailer problems and did not arrive until 8 AM, making the twenty-eight team field.

The club almost fielded their first full member roster on Sunday January 23rd, as 29 teams arrived with no alternates at Blue Cypress Recreational Area otherwise known as Miami-Garcia Lake. This has been one of our best lakes to fish over the past years but this was not one of its best days as the 45' degree air temperature and the 58' water temperature had the big fish taking a break from biting. The catch weights and big bass were down by almost two pounds on average.

It seems that the best thing to do at Lake Cypress on Sunday the 15th was to leave the lake in search of better places. It was a clear and cool morning as the twenty-five teams arrived at the launch ramp to find out that we would be joined by twenty-five High School bass teams from the surrounding counties for a day on the lake. This made for some tight parking and boat docking challenges. We met some very nice bass fishing fans and some dedicated boat drives and working volunteers.

Space Coast Bass Finatics traveled to Sebring Florida to visit the renowned big bass factory at Lake Istokpoga only to find that the very people who are tasked to take care of the condition of our lakes, have again destroyed the lakes water grasses. This created a lake of suspended dirty water and silt surrounded by brown buggy whips and dead floating stems. This is perfect for hanging up your lures and hooks and aggravating bass fisherman. The arrival of twenty-four teams was greeted at the launch ramp with a hour and a half passing rain storm which ended just as daylight was breaking.

The club continue to improve, as twenty-nine teams arrived at Leroy Wright Recreational Area boat ramp on Sunday morning the 27th, to test their skills against the lake and the other teams. We even had another fishing team ask to join us but the roster is full for this season. President Karl Kearcher and V-P Buddy Perry were busy doing their respective duties with the arriving teams. Treasurer Jack Berry collected the appropriate fees and registered the participating teams along with any alternates and making sure that everyone has their starting boat numbers.

This was an auspicious beginning to the 2019-2020 season, as the club filled out the entire thirty team roster for the year with a little left over. No one could have predicted the amazing turnout that we had at Ralph Chisholm Park on East Lake Toho for the start of the season. The returning members filled up twenty-seven slots and we signed up three new teams to complete our roster. This was the only time we could have fished this lake for the next nine or ten months as the lake is scheduled for a draw down and major modifications to the west, north and east sides by FWC.

The end of the season for Space Coast Bass Finatics was capped off by the Classic Tournament held on West Lake Toho out of Whaley's Landing. The eleven teams who arrived at the launch ramp was going to be rewarded for their hard work for the past eleven months with a chance to claim the top honors for the year. The morning was still warm from the summer heat but promised to be a great day on the lake. Some teams arrived ready to go with nothing but winning on their minds, but others arrived a little on the rough side of yesterday's activities.