SoFlaBassAddict

Mayberry ain't gonna be the same. May he rest in peace. http://www.nytimes.com/2012/07/04/arts/television/andy-griffith-actor-dies-at-86.html?pagewanted=all

I also just had to add, man I love reading RoLo's posts.... If there is one person that posts here that I go out of my way to try and read its definitely Roger.

As much as I want to say Florida, I really don't know. I've caught one over ten, and several close to that mark. The one over 10 was just pure and unadulterated luck. I've been trying to beat it for a few years now, and just can't break my PB. I've fished in plenty of big fish spots. One of the private strip pits I fish in has had a few over 10 come from it and a 13. Biggest I've caught on that lake was an 7.1. I've seen fish in there that may have pushed the 10 pound range, I lost one last year flipping that was much larger than my PB. But you never know the size until you put him on the scale. When I go out by myself, I bring a certified Boga with me. Thankfully I can easily get mine calibrated locally at the IGFA. I'm actually planning on only chasing big fish in my little pit lake from now on. Making a new TW order for some bigger baits as I type this.... I think you stand a chance of catching a 10+ almost anywhere. Actually getting that fish to bite, then landing it, well that's a different story entirely. I'd be willing to bet that there are many more double digit bass caught than most of us realize. Those big fish spots are generally well guarded secrets.

Yay on the fish, boo on the taxidermist.

Lmao I remember when I could do it non stop. I learned how on the Bimini flats. After throwing one enough, I tore up my rotator cuff. Hasn't been right since. I stick to using my small little nets now.

You know, I can deal with a lot. Not much bugs me.... That being said.... I LOOOOOVE MY AC! I would be a very, very unhappy person without it. I don't even like my house getting over 76 during the day. I need to walk inside and feel that cool blast of air. If I'm out camping or something, fine. But when I'm at home, believe me when I say the air conditioning will be cranked unless it's in the 70's or under outside.

I think we've got roughly 5000% humidity to go with the heat. It's nasty. I was down working on my saltwater boat today and was absolutely drenched in sweat by 10:30. Come home and put the little boat in the lake out back, surface water temp....91.3. Yeah. It's gonna be a rough summer. Most of the good grass in the lake is turning brown. I've had to resort to picking off open water schooling fish. Blegh. Nothing but jerkbaits, spoons, and other silly stuff that doesn't involve flipping.

The photobucket app. Makes it about as easy as it gets for the iPhone.

A local aquarium. No way they'd survive in the wild up there. Hell, they die north of Broward if it gets too cold. That arctic blast we had a few years ago really hurt the Peacocks up in WPB.

Wish I could tell you where to launch the boat, Shane. I do all of my Peacock fishing at the house. No way you'll get the Gheenoe in it without getting a visit from the cops. There are mating pairs swimming around with balls of fry all over the place right now. Had another spawn this year not long ago I'd guess. Blue Lagoon is about the best spot I know. You may try looking down in the Falls area way down south. Not sure if there are many ramps to use down there though.

Good deal. Hope you guys are able to get some potential business out of it. Doug, if I go up, I'll be working with a company that's got a booth that's debuting their products here in the states. I've been invited to go, just not sure on my schedule at this point. As much as I want to go, I've got a few jobs that have unexpectedly come up down here that have to take priority. What I really want is to get a contract with a couple of the companies that build the bigger exhibits. Seems like most of those are pretty set in stone though.

Thou shall not changeth from thy Blues Brotherseth... Or something like that. Man I love that movie.

What was that you were saying about a squirrel finding a nut, Bruce? Way to go. You're on a freakin roll right now man.

Quickest way to tell if a spinning reel is braid ready is to look at the spool. Most braid ready spools will have a strip or two of rubber running up the spool arbor. That being said, I still use a bit of mono backing on all of my freshwater reels with braid. There's no need to completely spool up a bass reel with braid. My saltwater gear will get braid all the way down 90% of the time.

This may be the only time I'll ever say I'd rather live up in your area than down here. It is just ridiculously hot right now.

I may be putting my surf fishing on hold for a bit anyway. Spent the last two days down in Homestead working on the boat and checking everything out. Always nice when it fires right up after charging the batteries for a bit. I'm hoping to get it out on the water at some point in the next week. As much as I want to go out trolling, I think I'm going to watch the tides and park over one of the deeper reefs with a few blocks of chum hanging over the side. Much better for the kids to do that. Plus, I want some yellowtail to stick in the deep freezer. Hoping for a few kings or sails to show up also. Would be a trip to let one of my nine year old daughters tangle with a sail or two.

A Senkos is made by Gary Yamamoto Custom Baits. A Dinger is made by Yum. A Shim e Stick is made by Strike King. In a nutshell, they're all stick style baits. Senkos are arguably the originator, and it has become a general term for all stick baits. Just like how a hard bait by Norman or Strike King are lumped into the crankbait name. Each brand name will call it something different.

I'm thinking about going this year. Trying to work it into my schedule right now is the only thing holding me back. I didn't make it to the last ICAST in Orlando and swore I'd do my damnedest to go next time it was around here.

Heck of a fish right there, Stu. Awesome. Sounds like the snook are turning on. I may need to wake my butt up and try to get out to the surf one of these mornings.

] Not quite. 12 breaks at roughly 19 pounds. 15 at just shy of 20. The 20 breaks at I believe 22. Yo zuri is updating their web page right now. Can't get the exact numbers. It d**n sure ain't twice it's rating. Darn good line though.

Heck of a change right there, Dale. Glad to see you making a post. Gotta love catchin them Snook. Great fighting fish, d**n good on the table too. Nice new rig. Seeing photos like that of those snook definitely make me miss my old shallow water boat. Hard to blame you when you're that close to the inlet.

I do it all the time. No problem if you use the appropriate gear for it. As to the OP, I've got one remaining bass spinning setup. I don't use it too often, anymore though. But when it does get used, I'm reminded of why I kept it. You don't "need" one, but there are times when it is a nice tool to have.

Sounds like a pretty good day guys. Wind must have been blowing pretty good out there. Lox is the place to be right now apparently. Shame the water is dropping so fast.

Shimano drag grease, Penn grease, etc etc. I generally don't like using the hot sauce products myself. Cal's is some great stuff, but like you I can't get it locally anywhere.

Treat the grass just as you would if it was hard structure. Fish the points, pockets, holes, etc. Finding a depth change, a mixture of different grasses, or a different bottom can all be keys to the pattern....if the bass are there. I'll make a presentation as far as needed and as far as the cover allows. I'm not going to hurl a flipping bait on an ounce weight out very far and try to bring it back through a mat. If its really thick short flips or pitches generally are an easier way to fish.