Florida’s long-awaited, new Florida Bass Conservation Center is now a reality.

The Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission (FWC) dedicated the center on Feb. 23. The center’s mission is “to conduct and utilize essential research to optimize production, stocking and recruitment of Florida largemouth bass to facilitate integrated conservation management of Florida's freshwater fisheries resources."

In 2002, officials recognized the FWC’s antiquated fish hatchery at Richloam in Sumter County had to be replaced if Florida hoped to retain its “Fishing Capital of the World” title, at least with regard to largemouth bass.

Richloam, one of the oldest fish hatcheries in the country (in business since April 1965), did much more with much less than many of the nation's 21st century facilities. However, it placed a major drain on the aquifer, used minimal recycling and was plagued by various fish predators that depleted production.

To solve this dilemma, FWC’s Ed Moyer proposed a state-of-the-art facility dedicated to propagation and conservation of Florida's famous largemouth bass – a distinct subspecies of the largemouth black bass.

Florida is home to the Suwannee and shoal basses, unique southern adaptations of the black bass that are very limited in range and need careful management to ensure their healthy futures.

Moyer, who, at the time, was director of the Division of Freshwater Fisheries, envisioned a new climate-controlled rearing facility to give biologists an opportunity to spawn bass and other freshwater species at the most opportune time to provide effective stocking throughout the state of appropriately-sized fish.

New sheltered raceways contribute to rearing significantly more fish in a more cost-effective manner than the old hatchery's dirt pond method. This technique also helps conserve water, minimize predation from birds, assure good water quality and maximize feed conversion which saves money and protects the environment.

The FBCC also plans to conduct a genetics program to ensure future stocking programs optimally benefit native populations which is critical to maintain the integrity of native Florida bass, Suwannee bass and Shoal bass. A dedicated lab and biologist specializing in warmwater fish health will further ensure the FBCC meets its goal “to produce healthy, genetically fit Florida largemouth bass and other freshwater fishes at the appropriate time, in sizes and numbers to effectively and efficiently support freshwater fisheries conservation projects.”

Near-future plans call for a comprehensive library, publicly accessible Internet-based data center, and facilities to allow scientists from universities, various government agencies and the private sector to conduct state-of-the-art research. In addition to scientific information, the data base will include angler use and success and bass growth rate data for various lakes so resident anglers, tourists and tournament sponsors may more effectively plan fishing trips.

Ultimately, Darrell Scovell, director of the Division of Freshwater Fisheries Management, anticipates developing a public education complex and visitors center. In addition to educational displays, trails and observation facilities, fishing ponds and instructions are planned at the site which is on Division of Forestry property.

Forestry officials may share in outreach efforts (pertaining to silviculture and land management), as well as Florida State Parks since the facility is at the nexus of several state and federal recreational trails, including the FWC’s own Great Florida Birding Trail. The tourism and outreach potential greatly enhances FWC’s abilities to explain our conservation stewardship message and the role of recreational fishing and other outdoor activities to the public.

The Sunshine State is recognized as the "Fishing Capital of the World" based on a number of factors, including Information provided by the 2001 National Survey of Fishing, Hunting and Wildlife-Associated Recreation which shows Florida as the No. 1 recreational fishing state in terms of number of anglers, number of angling days, direct economic impact, jobs supported and many other important factors.

For instance, Florida attracts 3.1 million anglers, who fish 48.4 million days, spend $4.1 billion and support 80,000 jobs. The next highest state is California which has 2.4 million anglers, 27.7 million days, $2.4 billion and 43,000 jobs. Nationally, and in Florida's fresh waters, black bass are the most popular fish sought after by anglers. In Florida, bass anglers spent 12.2 million days pursuing their sport in 2001.

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If you, like me, have purchased a Lifetime Fishing License the following will not effect you.

The state Senate will consider legislation that would require anglers fishing from bridges to get a fishing license and also would increase the price of licenses.

The measure is designed to offset a predicted $12.8 million budget shortfall the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission would face by the 2010-2011 fiscal year, FWC spokesman Henry Cabbage said Tuesday. The agency, which regulates hunting and fishing in the state, is facing a $4.4 million shortfall by the next fiscal year, which begins Oct. 1. The shortfall is predicted to grow to $5.8 million the following year and to $6.7 million by 2009-2010, FWC records state.

"Revenue streams for marine fisheries, freshwater fisheries and hunting, as well as imperiled species, such as panthers and manatees, are all in jeopardy," FWC states in the proposal for the legislation. "Since the 2000 merger of the Game and Fresh Water Fish Commission, Marine Fisheries Commission and parts of Environmental Protection involved in marine issues, numerous positions, projects and even programs have been cut."

The governor-appointed board that oversees the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission approved the increases at a September 2006 meeting, Cabbage said. The Senate bill is being proposed by the Senate Preservation and Conservation Committee. Under the proposal, a resident annual saltwater fishing license would increase from $12 to $15.50, freshwater license would increase from $12 to $15.50, annual nonresident freshwater and saltwater licenses would increase from $30 to $45 and short-term fishing licenses from $15 to $28, state records show.

In comparison, residents of Texas pay $33 for a saltwater license, residents of Alabama pay $16, residents of Louisiana pay $14.50. Residents of South Carolina pay $10, according to backup documents for Senate Bill 1982. Eight states offer exemptions to licensing fees, but Florida offers more exemptions and free licenses than any other state.

A 2005 study conducted by an independent consulting firm for the FWC found that "most Floridians support increases in user fees to cover costs of managing fish and wildlife, if it means more opportunities for these activities." Seventy-six percent of those surveyed supported the removal of the shoreline exemption for fishing licenses, which does not exist anywhere else in the country.

"Florida Sportsman, Florida Fishing Weekly and the Florida Wildlife Foundation have all urged for the removal of the exemption," the proposal before the Senate states. Now only nonresidents have to buy a license to fish from bridges and piers.

"Consequently, raising fees too much can easily backfire by reducing participation and negatively affecting businesses, tourism, public perception, good will and the social benefits of outdoor recreation, as well as reducing federal matching funds," the documentation states. "The current proposal carefully takes all of these factors into account and is thus very conservative.

"Even with the changes, Florida will still offer the best outdoor recreational fishing values in the nation for both residents and nonresidents," it says.

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If you asked 25 knowledgeable bass anglers to name the one lake or river in our bass-rich state that offers a fisherman the best shot at a trophy 10-pounder, you would probably get 25 different answers.

That is because there are so many bass waters where big bass swim. The names you hear most often are Okeechobee, Kissimmee, Tohopekaliga, Rodman Reservoir and the St. Johns River.

Here, in my opinion, are the places where a Florida angler or visiting fisherman stands the best chance of catching a double-digit bass.

RODMAN RESERVOIR

This politically embattled lake that resulted from the ill-fated Cross Florida Barge Canal remains a big-bass haven. That is because of the sheer volume of good habitat in the 9,000-acre reservoir, relatively stable water level and occasional drawdowns to control its hydrilla.

Much of that habitat is thick and remote enough to protect resident bass from fishing pressure and allow undisturbed spawning activity. There are bass in Rodman that have never seen a lure.

Like all of these big-fish waters, this is the best season for hooking into the bass of a lifetime. In Rodman, your best bet is to float a live shiner up against a hyacinth mat or pitch a big plastic worm or creature bait into holes in the hydrilla.

LAKE OKEECHOBEE

I know, I know — the Big O is suffering through another low-water period. But Lake Okeechobee has long been one of the most productive lakes in America when it comes to pure tonnage of bass per acre and it is no different in 2007.

Renowned big-bass expert Doug Hannon of Odessa has long insisted that Okeechobee surrenders more big bass than any water in the country. With its countless acres of shallow, weedy habitat, abundance of forage and sub-tropical location, the Big O has all of the ingredients necessary for growing big, fat female bass.

A good news/bad news situation: With the low water, the lake's big spawners are more susceptible and accessible while on the beds than at any other time of the year. That means you have a considerably better chance of tangling with a 10-pounder than most years, but we have to be diligent about releasing them back onto their beds.

LAKE KISSIMMEE

Over the last couple of winters, no lake has yielded more 10-pounders than Lake Kissimmee, which had taken a backseat to Toho after Dean Rojas' record-breaking 45-pound-plus stringer in 2001 and the massive restoration project there.

Last year, two bass topping the 14-pound mark were caught and released in mid-February and a South Dakota visitor landed a fish weighing 16.20 pounds. And there were untold 10-pounders that were fooled by live shiners and artificial lures.

Many of the trophy-class bass that were caught during last February's Bassmaster Classic — including Preston Clark's 11-pound, 10-ounce record fish — came out of Lake Kissimmee.

Look for much of the best bed-fishing to take place in areas called the A-Frame, School Bus and North Cove, as well as along the northeast shore.

LAKE TOHOPEKALIGA

There are no more hallowed waters in the bass fishing word than Lake Tohopekaliga in general and Shingle Creek in particular. It was on those fishing grounds that Rojas enjoyed his phenomenal January big-bass bonanza.

Today, anglers enjoy the benefits of a restoration effort bigger than anything ever attempted in Florida — a yearlong, $9 million project that improved much of the lake's nursery and spawning areas. It began with a drawdown that drained the lake of about half of its water for much of 2004. During that time, bulldozers and dump trucks went about removing muck in shallow areas and exposing the hard sand bottom that once existed. In all, 3,3338 acres of shoreline was restored by removing 1 feet of muck and planning desirable vegetation.

Top spawning sites include the areas that underwent muck removal last year, as well as tracts known as Overstreet's and Goblet Cove.

APALACHICOLA RIVER

This one might surprise many anglers. But the backwater areas of the Apalachicola River in the Panhandle are home to some of the most unmolested largemouth in Florida. Its remote location and reputation for saltwater fishing keeps fishing pressure at a minimum upriver.

Look for bass to be spawning in off-river spots (creeks and marshy flats) around grass and wood on shallow, hard-bottom banks.

Typically, the bass in this river are most likely to bite during an incoming to full high tide in places that are out of the current. A well-placed creature bait or Senko-type soft-plastic stickbait will likely come back with a 5- and 7-pound bass, as well as an occasional 10-pounder.

CRESCENT LAKE

The dark-horse fishery on the St. John River is Crescent Lake.

"Crescent Lake's a really awesome lake," Palatka pro Terry Scroggins said. "It has some really big fish in it, but most fishermen ignore it because it has a limited amount of grass and the water is dirtier than the rest of the river."

For a big bite, target main-lake points with a medium-diving crankbait or Carolina-rigged soft-plastics.

Tim Tucker's e-mail address is tim @ timtuckeroutdoors.com.

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