...headed to Orlando, FL at the end of Feb. to do some fun fishing with my wife (our Christmas present). Have any of you used any reputable guides and/or have any ideas on where to stay? Please advise. Thanks.

Scott

www.reservefishing.com

Everything you need to find a guide and book trip on the spot.

Thanks for the search engine website. Perhaps, someone who has used a guide in central florida with good experience can make a reccomendation. Thanks

I can tell you to absolutely not use Steve Boyd. I booked him and took a couple of customers for a full day on Lake Toho. About 10:30 he said the fish weren't biting well and he was quiting...his experience told him we wouldn't get any more bites the rest of the day.

Then he tried to charge me for the whole day. I've hired a lot of guides but never run across one like this guy. I really think since he is so close to Disney he gets new customers all the time and isn't looking for much repeat business.

Scott Martin guides on Okeechobee some during the offseason. The lake has been really on fire the last year and he knows it as well as anyone. A bit of a drive but it'll be a good day of fishing with a top notch pro. I room with Scott on the Tour and he is good people.

Contact Capt Eddie Bussard , he owns Bass Challenger Guide Service. I had a heck of a trip with him and got my first DD fish there. Great guy and vary smart fisherman.

I can tell you one not to hire. Bears Guide Service. He advertises in bassmaster but after my experience with them I would not go back. Jim Bitter's brother owns a tackle store there(I can't remember the name) but they have some fantastic guides working out of there.

This is great information guys. What about Art Fergusan? He has qualified for the classic a few times?

I can't point you in the direction of good guides but I can steer you towards the best lakes. I have fished several tournaments in that area and my personal favorites for bodies of water are the Butler Chain and Kissimmee Chains. Lots of big fish and good numbers. If on Kissimme chain, talk with folks at Camp Mack and they can set you up. Butler is smaller but has 7 or so interconnecting small lakes which all fish differently. Amazing houses on Butler as well! Enjoy your trip.

Art Ferguson would be a great choice. I fished with him twice on Lake St. Clair for smallmouth. Would love to have a chance to fish with him in Florida. He has a website: artoffishing.com

WOW...lots of good comments and feedback.

Here's a couple to add to your list,
Capt John Leech www.floridabassfishing.com
Capt Kip Gronloh www.bassfishingguideorlando.com
Capt Tim Fey www.bassfishingfl.com

Good luck and good fishing!

Funny, I had a trip booked with Steve Boyd and he backed out and set me up with another guide the day before. We caught a few up to 3 pounds on live bait, was not what I was expecting. Had my wife with and she said we would have been better off fishing from the bank on our own.... He was a bit crude for her to enjoy the trip....

My advice is to be careful so you don't end up disappointed.

Boatclub.com

Take a guided trip the first day with them. Subsequent days you can rent a boat from them with a gps loaded with all the spots to work. They keep a boat at Toho at the marina that was used in the movie Bait Shop. Really good dude that operates the whole deal. My experience in 5 or 6 trips to central Florida is that the lakes are pretty easy to figure out (compared to Texas lakes) especially when you get a day of the guide showing you the spots that have been producing most recently. You will have a ball!

Thanks all! I just figured hire a guide, because I did not want to lug a bunch of stuff down on me and the wifes 300 dollar round trip flight that we have to use! Thank you all for the valuable comments!

I live near Orlando and know a ton of guides... Let me see who's on fish... shoot me a pm.