It is certainly the most reliable way to catch a big bass, and for the uninitiated, it truly can be a memorable experience. For one thing, shiners as long as 12 inches and weighing nearly a pound are sometimes used. Slack line is reeled in, the rod is pointed down, and then the hook is set with a hard, strong upward swing, just like it's done with a plastic worm or jig. If a truly big bass has taken the shiner, the hook-set usually ends before the rod is fully raised, for it's like yanking on a load of bricks. Big bass don't get moved as easily as smaller ones do.
Golden shiners are available at bait and tackle shops throughout the area.
The Oklawaha bends and turns throughout its length, and anywhere it does is a good place to fish. Sweetwater Creek flows in from the northeast to join the Oklawaha in the stumps and timber, and it certainly has produced its share of quality bass. The bay leading into the creek is shallow and filled with vegetation and is a good place to try either plastic worms or topwater poppers. In years past, the Orange Springs area produced as many trophy bass as any part of the lake because of the heavy vegetation. Golden shiners were literally fished underneath the greenery, much of which was simply floating along the shoreline.