I've only ever bank/dock fished throwing Senkos on a spinning rod, but I recently got a fishing kayak and a baitcaster (MH/Fast Shimano SLX combo) and want to get more serious about fishing. I'm currently living on a small, round lake in central Florida that gets to about 60 feet deep in the middle, with plentiful docks, weeds, and lily pads along the shoreline. I can usually catch one or two bass going out in the late afternoon and hitting the weedlines with a Senko until sunset, but I feel like I could be doing better. I'm thinking of getting a fish finder so I can map out structure in the lake and see where the fish actually are as well as putting braid on the baitcaster to toss frogs or Texas Rigs into the nastier parts of the weeds/lily pads, but what would you guys suggest doing to catch more bass/get better at bass fishing?

You might get better advice catching bass in Florida on a Florida board.
It's a whole different ball game and different techniques out there than in Texas.

If you aren't the only person fishing that lake, then pay attention to the locals and how they are fishing!
Fishermen love to brag, and you can ask them what they are using and post the same question you posted here to them.
Ask around and pay attention to your surroundings!

If its one of the dredged out phosphate pits... try fishing after dark. Lots of them in south Florida that I fished years ago from the bank and they are tough because the water is crystal clear. Fish the boat docks, walkways, lily pads, and corners. Without a fish finder they all look the same and make it tough fishing. There's a reason you don't see many people fishing those places during the day.

https://www.gameandfishmag.com/editorial/florida-made-bass-fishing-bonanza/361643

You might consider reading local bass fishing forums and/or articles. This will help you fine tune your presentation for your particular area.

Asside from the spawning season, Bass fishing boils down to a few basics... Depth, structure, lure and sometimes current. These basics have less to do with bass and more to do with bait. These variables will vary throughout the year and will look different in Florida than in Texas. In fact, they will look different in south Florida than north Florida.

You are correct to think about a depth finder... This will help you focus your time on the correct depth and will allow you to locate hidden structure, humps, channels and ledges. You might also consider the Navtronics app, this will allow you to study lake contours before you fish it.

The only universal advice that I can offer is this... Follow the bait. Bass are predictors and are somewhat lazy about it. Meaning, at times you will find bass activity chasing bait (these are fun days!), but most the time they lie in wait of an easy meal.

Stay at it, try different things and remember. Remember time of year, air temp, sun vs overcast, water temp, etc. In time you will find a small arsenal of "go-to" lures and your hit rate will improve. Once you get to this point, I encourage you to continue to try new things from time to time... Its easy to get stuck in a rut when you are catching decent amounts of fish.

Enjoy the hunt!

Not that I am a great success at fishing, I am definitely am not as a matter of fact, but if you want to get better at bass fishing and understanding the ins and out of it there are 2 books I would recommend. First and foremost: https://www.amazon.com/High-Percent...swatch_0?_encoding=UTF8&qid=&sr= the author actually posts on here from time to time. This is an evidence based approach to fishing and definitely changed the way I think about when I fish, lure selection, and about fishing pressure. Secondly: https://www.amazon.com/Knowing-Bass...swatch_0?_encoding=UTF8&qid=&sr= This one is insanely expensive, but it does provide insight into the way bass work. I read it online (pirated I am sure) the link I have doesn't work anymore, but I am sure you can find it somewhere.

If nothing else these books taught me why I wasn't catching fish.

buy shiners tie a circle hook on and tie a small balloon about 5 ft above it and hold on to your rod

get a telephone

Most won't know what you're talking about!

i thought the same thing
Happy Easter

In order to catch fish you need to get out there and fish! Try different lures different techniques, your style of fishing will be different than any bodyelses.! That's the only way you will be able to catch fish!

Order some of these in 1/4 ounce... tackle warehouse has them as well.. fish will bite them when the going is tough... best bait I've found for schooling bass, and anytime there are small fry getting clobbered this time of year. Use braid with leader or no more than 10 lb test line

https://www.americanlegacyfishing.c...3yjCNdFMr0xVpfK7Xu_LHA1N0oxoCH94QAvD_BwE