gar-tracker

Hogs will swim, gators will grab them. Looks like the kids had a good time. Good job on the fishing and taking the little guys.

Very cool video, you should see someone about that nervous tick you got going there.

I wonder what size boat it is, no numbers? Weird.

Yeah you still have to stay out, little grassy is is still to low, its coming up but far from safe. It should be 11 by the end of August, then keep climbing and be perfect for the spawn. I got up to the edge in some spots but you start hitting, their still off a ways but it depends on where your at. Their still catching the tar out those schoolers at the mouth of the river, I usually stop and fish for the last half hour from the markers in and grab a few just to see if Old Hogmo is there. And no its not Skinny dippers FD. It has no name and isnt sold anywhere you couldn't get them or it if I told you. Stay tuned.

I'm going to make sure it was that good this weekend, then not tell anyone.

Heading back Thursday fishing till Sunday.

I hooked up with an old fishing buddy Sunday, Monday, and Tuesday. We caught and released over a hundred fish. Some dinks but most were nice 3 1/2 - 4 lb range, I lost one that went about 6 or 7. The cool thing about it was I was catching them on a bait I made, with the help of the tackle making section here I have been getting into airbrushing my own lures and getting and painting blanks. I saw this one bait and got an idea and it worked. Some were caught on topwater and swim jigs as well. I'm really psyched all the bigger fish came from this bait, 2 fish actually engulfed it and it killed them, I had to clean and eat them, probably the first bass iv eaten in years. Note the CANES hat, not that sissy FSU gear SF wears http://s918.photobucket.com/albums/ad22/ra1595/Summer%20bassin/?albumview=slideshow

My buddy was telling me about this Monday, some of these guys run too fast in those narrow canals. Save it for the lake, there's no room for error out there, I lost it in a 14 Jon boat with a 25 horse by the Fingers a 100 years ago, shot me up into the bushes, I had to get out and pull the boat back into the canal. It was the best thing that ever happen to me, as I graduated up to faster boats I was always careful. I'm surprised more people aren't hurt.

Thats right bosshog the local tournaments always had a minimum of 100 boats and at times upwards of 200, it was a 10 fish limit at the time. per man on team tournaments. We used to fish those LL buzz baits in the pepper grass fields outside of chocrans that ran up the shoal, that grass never came back like it was then, they were like islands of pepper grass, I remember when the hot spots were the rage. Later m the mid 80s the Sugar Shad became the bait, still have a bunch of them. BIG Os great, I fell in love with it as well that's why I bought a home up here, as I type Im 30 feet away from the rim ditch and Ill be in thew water in about an hour.

When Producto worms first came out I would go in to Golden Triangle and get a bag of them and then open a bottle of LUNKER LOTION also made by Producto, then proceed to empty half of the bottle in the bag of worms. I would walk up to the counter with the oil dripping out of the bag. I hope the statue of limitations is up now that I'm admitting this. Note I still use Producto's Producers.

Bocabasser that was a great area I had a friend that lived out, being from south Broward, Hollywood area most of my running around was a little further south. But like i mentioned in the original post those canals up north were great. I think the best of all was Plantation over were the Broward Mall wound up,.When they were just starting to build out there we would sneak a Jon boat in those lakes and canals that are by Inverrarry Golf course we usually got about 2 hours in the AM in before police or security came and ran us off. It was all good, and it was a great time, then the discovery of woman side tracked the fishing for a little while until you realized you were better off fishing

Well shes on her way back up, slowly but surely.

I forgot about the jelly worms, I used to get all my stuff at Golden Triangle, they had one on 441 north of Broward and one in north Miami. They would take a reel back after forever and give you a new one, I think I had a return go on for about 5 years with a Penn spinning reel.

If you get a hold of a small boat go fish out in the Clewiston channel you don't have to go far just stay by the markers. Thats stright out from the locks leaving Roland Martins. Like already mentioned Okeechobee s about the least conducive lake in the world for bank fishing.

Not trying to pitch the " I had to walk 30 miles to school" bit but just thought Id share this with you younger South Florida guys, I'm sure many of the guys my age in other areas have similar story's. Remember in the early 70s University Drive was the end of civilization going to west Broward. We used to walk along the banks out whats now Coral Springs, Pembroke Pines, Tamarac and the fishing was unreal, black creme worms, and top water plugs, then Producto worms and Culprit curly tail worms came out, I remember looking at the first Culprit red shad worm and listening to the old timers laugh about the colors. Many of the lakes the homes now surround were rock pits, they were later excavated into natural looking lakes. In 76 out of High School I got a job working as laborer forming foundations, we started Bonaventure, that development jumped way out west there was still very little between that and university dr. it was nothing but land and natural lakes, I started at 700am but would go out there at 500am and fish the untouched pristine lakes which no one was allowed in yet, I cant tell you how many monsters I pulled onto the shores. I would crawl broken back Rapalas parallel to the banks, just enough to make them wiggle and BAM. It was a blast learning to fish back then, then I got an aluminum boat and started fishing Holiday, Sawgrass and Lox, later a older friend took me to Okeechobee in the early 80s, then the tournaments started and I never looked back. I haven't fished the canals in years but the more things change the more its the same. Just thought id share. Gar Tracker

Thank you, I try to be helpful. I'm just busting my own chops. When I fished those canal many of the homes were just starting out being built. It was a wonderland. That's way before I started running around in the Glitter Wagons.

I used to fish Rodman on a weekend basis, those stump fields are loaded with big bluegill and bass at certain times of the year, I would throw a black 1/4 ounce jig with a blue zoom chunk up against them and let it fall. Also at the mouth of the Oklawaha coming from Rodman is a good spot to throw traps. Also the channel used to hold fish in the summer, the one out from the public ramp coming out of Interlachan. You should try to get used to Carolina rigs, all it takes is to catch a couple of fish on them to gain confidence. They were hard to get used to for me years back but once i got used to the bite I loved them. Great summer technique anywhere in Florida. The bite is a little different more of a movement, most beginner mistakes are to long of a leader, try a short leader about a foot to a foot and a half, this will get you used to the bite and you'll have a little more contact with the bait. We throw them with only a foot of a leader and tear the fish up at times, this has worked all over the state for me.

Tampa's rough with fresh water, other then Lake Tarpon and local holes your probably better off light saltwater fishing for snook reds and tarpon. I would take a little ride east to Kissimmmee. Toho, Istapoka.

I used to fish all those canals in the 70s and early 80s, there loaded with big fish. Signed: Master of Useless Information.

Were did you catch it up north or down south? Could be a Florida strain large mouth.

I think you may have to strip it and put a new real seat, it can be done from the bottom but the handle will have to be replaced with foam. But I'm sure someone more qualified can give a better answer.

Heres my first presentable baits, it took awhile but I'm starting to get the hang of it. The big Trap like bait is for my salt water buddy, its a mullet hence the long fin, he'll be using it for Snook and Tarpon. The Crappie is a squashed Bill Norman Deep Diver that God knows how old it was. And the gold bait is a twitch back Rebel, note the bent front eye ring, fish this in a walk the dog style and the action is unbelievable, Iv caught more big fish on this bait, I always wanted one in a shiny gold. I'm kind of proud of the Crappie pattern, pictures kind of stink, that's a whole other hobby. Feel free to give advise.

I'm just starting out myself and purchased a video from Amistad Tackle, it was a 12.95 download, I found it rather helpful. Edit too add: its a beginners video with all of the basics.

I wound up going with Flex coat, fairly simple to mix and puts a nice finish to the lures. Plus the drying wheels fun to watch after a couple of drinks.

Thanks Mitch will do, Ill pay you back with a trip on Okeechobee if you'd like.