gar-tracker

Mud Wasp

Friday We pre fished for the Christian Trail North Shore, 2 boats flipped about 90% of the time without a bite, I caught about 15 dinks on a swim jig out in the grass. Saturday the tourny we scrapped everything and went to JS with nothing, we caught dinks all day and weighed in 5 of them.. 20lbs won it but lots of zeros and small weights, that cold spell has them shut down. We fished in, out, middle, I don't know where they are. Saw a few beds but not like I thought. I guess its a whole new ball game with this high water.

You must be on them, anytime people are asking about tourneys it means their catching fish.

You better know the lake, it freaky, I did it once for bass, wasn't worth the trouble. Same places they are in the day at the specific time of year. A million times for Specks but thats just in the Kissimmee River, not out navigating in the lake.

Agree, and stronger.

Exactly thats why I don't listen to any of that crap. It will hurt you more then help you trust me. Unless its a good friend or someone you trust. Any info I hunt for is what the fish are doing, in out etc..

That wind would have made the shoal impossible to fish. In fact it ruled out pretty much any outside line from the shoal to Pelican. It was brutal, I caught about a million dinks on Friday at the south end in one tiny pass. Saturday I caught a 5 and 4, Im kind of mad i didn't fish it but the wind wore me down for 3 days.

Timing is everything, man the weights must have dropped after the top 4, if 16 got 11th. Good Job. I heard it was won down south but I don't care or listen to that stuff. Did they launch from the outside? Or make everyone lock through?

Anyone fish it? I pre fished in that wind for 3 days and managed about 15lb a day, Got a couple of 5's but thats it. We opted out, I went home. Sounds like someone got a 32 lb sack.

Yup, I know the dude, he has a Big O that looks just like mine only with non skid. We were about a pound from cashing a check. There was the 32,a 24, 19, then the weights dropped like a rock. My fish didn't hold up, I didn't think they would it was two weeks ago. Some older guy in a Ranger comes by us while we're on a point that we were working pretty hard, most boats would go by us and keep moving the way one should. He says to me Man I just cant catch anything, what are you guys doing to catch those fish on, I respond to him well we're fishing a tournament but tell him what we're doing, he responds thanks a lot Ill get of you're way, I even point out some secondary fish to him that I knew we wouldn't be using. He then changes his bait gets up swing around and moves right into the point whey we were on the other side of it, casts in a and catches an 8 lber. I was frigging steaming, I try and be nice and this was my payment, we would keep coming around and hitting the same head I know we would have caught that fish.

Good gat al mighty!!! What a sack! Those are the days we reminisces on when we are out baking in the sun catching dinks.

Fishing can be insane or really hard, they are starting to bunch up but theres so much water its hard to find them. Personally I think we need a nice cold snap to bring them back, there some beautiful spawning grounds waiting. I think now there just kind of cruising. The Bucks are pee peeing like crazy.

Mother in law lives off Becker and the turnpike. West of the TP not Hiziengas place, (I wish)

Iv never seen the wind forecast as off as its been lately. Hey Sir snook when in Stuart where would one get to the surf and be able to fish? Is it allowed in specific areas? Id like to sneak out in the morning for some surf fishing in.

Yes sir, I am, I doubt these fish will still be there by then but I can only hope. I do have a Tournament on the 6th they should still be around for that one, I hope.

OK I was alone and was trying to navigate the timer on my cell and crouch in a weird position, and the photos came out crappy, sorry. Heres 2 of them, I had 2 the same size in the live well with about a 5lber, all released. The one in my left hand was a monster the photo doesn't do it justice. Today was not so good pitched out a couple of fish but not really anything to write home about, but keep in mind I didn't go back to these fish with any luck they'll be there in a week. One of the perils of a tournament fisherman always leaving the fish for tourny day.. Sunkinboat I want to ride in that Phoenix. I like them a lot.

Fish and fish with so much as a hit and BAM!!!! One thing about this lake you'll know when your on them. Had about a 30lb stringer yesterday. Heading out now to find more. Pictures pending.

I got to get over there, I swear I had more time before I retired.

Sounds like mine, she can drive 40 minutes to Stuart/Port St Lucie and do all the shopping she wants to. If your retired and she has the time she could go a little further to West Palm beach and make a day out of it. Dinner you have some decent places in Okeechobee, Steak, Seafood, Mexican.Chinese but when we get tired of them we head to Stuart.

Give me a shout when you get down here, Ill show you around the north end.

I purchased a house after doing a lot of research on this subject in 1993. I have been using it on a weekend basis since and after recently retiring I stay there about 4-5 days returning to my other place in Broward on weekends. I will be moving there full time in about a year. I had always wanted to live on the water. Before I give you my 2 cents i have to tell you my first priority was fishing, there were no other issues such as schools jobs etc.. 1. I narrowed down the lakes to Okeechobee, Toho, Kissimmee. After researching many of the smaller lakes I found access with low water to be an issue, like most of the smaller lakes I checked out Istapoaka, a lake I love, had some great homes but left you high and dry on low water conditions.Even at record lows I still have access to Okeechobee. 2. Although fishing was priority one I still thought of other issues like some sort of town to go to. No offense to anyone living there but I hate the Kissimmee, Orlando area, my kids are grown we did the Disney deal. I'm from Broward and have had my fill of traffic and crime, That being said Toho is a great lake but I ruled out Toho. Kissimmee had some homes but not many and I felt it very isolated as far as everyday conveniences many of the places Fishindaddy mentioned weren't available at the time. Also both Toho and Kissimme were pretty far from Broward so using it for a weekend place for the 10-15 years would have been hard. After checking out the north end of lake Okeechobee I found a decent home with access to the lake by ramp or home, and found the town a perfect size. That was my choice. 3. When I first found and bought my home at the north end of Big O I kept my boat in the water in a covered boat house, I had to go through a lock to enter the main lake which was no problem at all due to the fact its a small lock thats rarely crowded. Like what you mentioned you're looking for I loved the idea of just getting in my boat from the house and thought that was going to be a priority. HOWEVER, I later found that the ramp which is a 5 minute drive was a better option. I stay on top of cleaning my boat better, and can load and unload tackle easier with it on the trailer, and pretty much just found it was better to take the short ride. So keep that in mind when looking. I still like being on the water and sitting on the patio, I plan on keeping a smaller boat in the boat house for quick shots to fishing the canal area, and locking out to that part of the lake. I'm an hour and 15 minutes from Kissimmee, 2 hours to South Florida, a half hour to the Stuart area, and 2 hours from the west coast, I have several nice restaurants and a 3 movie theater within a 10 minute drive but still have a rural vibe to my area, the local tackle shop and one of the local churches both run tournament trails that fish about 50 to 60 boats. A good friend and ex fishing partner moved to St. Cloud and lives off the west side of Toho close to the Granada ramp. He usually trailers to the public ramp as well but at times puts in at the small ramp by his house. He like it, he fishes the night tournaments on West Toho and East Toho and has enjoyed the area and made a bunch of friends in the fishing community. Also I might add if you're looking for a gated community with sculptured lawns you may opt better up north, my community is hodge podge, I live next to a 400,000 dollar home and across the street from a house that should be condemned, but all I worry about is my home and lot. Hope this helps, good luck, wherever you choose you'll have a great time. Feel free to IM me with any questions.

<----- Thats a 9 3/4 that was only about 20 inch's long, it had a 5 inch top spread. Yes its Hog Heaven.

We got some water Boys, and still rising. Finally.

I don't know yet since I missed the others i may just wait till next year, If I do Ill call you. I heard there's a waiting list for non boaters.

Griffin road and 441, there's a giant wide canal the runs west, plenty of access from land and you can walk for miles.