Lake Tohopekaliga is the 6th largest natural lake in Florida and is part of the Kissimmee Chain of Lakes. Lake Toho, as it is often called, is close to Walt Disney World and other central Florida tourist attractions. It is often named West Lake Toho to distinguish it from the adjacent and officially named East Lake Tohopekaliga. Lake Toho covers 22,700 acres. The bottom is primarily sand and with mussel beds present in some areas away from weeds. Lake Toho, as with many Florida lakes that are flood-controlled, requires a periodic drawdown to help restore sandy bottom and native vegetation such as Kissimmee grass, maiden cane, bulrush, eel grass and pondweed (peppergrass). Periodic drawdowns are created by the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission with the last being in 2004. They are used to remove muck around the shorelines. Game fish and forage become more concentrated during drawdowns, vastly improving angler success. In a normal year anglers catch about 33,000 bass, equating to .85 fish per hour per angler |
