Shane Procell

The Florida everglades bass fishing is going off right. In the 11 years of fishing the glades, I've never experienced the bass turning on so early in the year in south Florida. The absence of a Florida hurricane this year has left the southern most portions of the everglades at below normal water levels for this time of the year. 1-2-2010 Tuesday, I had the pleasure of taking Keith Johnson of Texarkana, Ark. into the swamp for a bassing adventure. The previous day we had had 5-7 inches of rain in the glades and this day was forecast to be wet as well. It was overcast all morning. Overcast in the morning means top water in my book. We started with a Zoom Horny Toad frog. After at least 60 bass to 3 1/2 lbs. the bite died off and the sun was breaking through. We fished the rest of the day with Zoom trick worms and Zoom super flukes. Keith and I finished the day with over 150 bass and some wild alligator footage. [img 1-3-4-2010 I had the Turner brothers from Marrouge, La. and Hot Springs, Ark with me for 2 days. These fellas were a riot. One was a Baptist minister and the other a farmer. They kept me laughing both days. Many fish were caught on the "Rogue" floating twitch bait but most came on the Yamamoto Senko (wacky rigged) and the Zoom tick worm (Texas rigged). They caught close to 200 the first day and 75 this morning. Seems the mud fish was taking a liking to Barry....he boated 6 of them. If you haven't hit the glades this year...... go get em'. [img

As a professional guide I would recomend that you be able to contact previous clients directly. Anyone can build a professional website and get it to the top goolgle rankings as well as have a really nice fishing rig.....don't mean they can put you on fish. Ask as many questions as you feel is necessary...and if you don't like what you hear move on. For example...Live bait or artificial? Is the guide a trophy hunter or will numbers do? Does the guide fish while your fishing? If you an your partner are fishing you may not want the guide throwing as well, where if your solo you may want him to fish? You are doing the right thing by asking around. I'am sure plenty of BR members have hired excellent guides in Orlando as well as some duds. Best of luck and hope you catch some fattys!

I have caught many bass just as an airboat blows by.... still still wet with prop wash >.

I was in the Big Cypress today to do a little scouting for bass. I was shocked to see literally thousands of dead talapia, oscar and cyclid floating south. It was a river of death as far as I could see. I fished for an hour and never saw a live non native fish. The fish kept poping up off the bottom like corks. It had to be a 100% kill off on the non natives. I can't prove this but it sure looked like it from my perspective. This had me pondering how the fish kill would affect the native fish population in Everglades in the near future? In the Big Cypress, the non natives had gotten out of control and it was common to have a catch ratio of 1 to 1, native to non native. I believe the bass should thrive mainly due to less demand of the existing food source. I know that the non natives were aggressive towards the bass fry. However the biggest bass I ever caught(picked it up by hand as it could not dive) had a 1 1/2# cyclid stuffed in it's mouth. So I figure the bigger bass were eating them as well. Still.... good ridence to all non native species.

There is also some Fish farmer in Kissimmee raising the Australian Barramundi. You can google it and find it pretty quick. He lets you fish em for a fee. Summer is best for them.

Port Canaveral has a pretty decent pierand great jetties to fish.Nice little beach next to it. I would check out Kennedy Space Center if your that close. It's free entry and incredible! Sebastien Inlet state park has an awesome catwalk over inlet and pier/jetty. Has great beach next to it. Redfish, snook and shark. Well worth the drive. Cocoa has a good inlet and jetty fishing/beach as well.

Whike shooting a everglades bass show for "Go Fish", this gator took a swipe at my bass. The bass got off and the Tiny Torpedo was stuck on the back of his head for several hours. Eventually he took a dive and I was able to get the lure back.

Merry Christmas!

Merry Christmas from sunny south Fl.

Yea he had that about 4 or 5 months back while flying up to Alaska or Canada. He is a riot, definitely one of the wild men on T.V. It would be nice to hear he has recovered!

Dallas will get BLOWN out of the super dome!

Grandma and grandpa had a big bass camp on Toledo bend. Some of my earliest memories were watching all those guys bringing in coolers full of bass. My pops was out of the picture since I was 2, but mom and I would go brim fishing on Lk. Darbone and Lk. Bistanoe(sp) in La. She encouraged me to develop my angling skills. I picked up bass fishing on my own. I have refined it from experience and fishing with others over the years. Bassing became a full blown addiction by 20. Mom encouraged me to get my captains license and make a go at charter fishing. God bless my mom!

I was born and raised in #1 and now live in #3. I'am happy ;D Btw it's sunny and 68 ouside

Charlie is a personal friend. I have spent enough time with Charlie and his family that I would be remise if I did not submit a comment on this thread. As llPa1nll stated he is a decent guy. I have found him to be extremely loyal to his friends and employes. He is a wild man and does not take himself serious. He has said many times that the ESPN show is just about 2 guys having fun on the water. There is no setup or scripts, just whatever happens happens. BTW he's not acting, thats just how is....crazy. I was not around when whatever happened here happened, and that sounded like a great cause..... but Charlie gets thousands of challenges. I know he can't fish with everybody or make everybody happy. For those who like the BCM show, there will be a new season of his show in the new year. just saying

It's all good ;D

I heard that but I have still yet to see or catch one. Just a matter of time before they move into my home water. Hopefully they won't get out of controll like the cyclids, oscars and peacocks. lol ocsars and peacocks are both cichlids, there are a bunch of bullseyes in Broward/Dade area Thank you for adressing the technical correction. Down here in florida when we catch a Cichla ocellaris, we don't refer to them as a cichlid. And when we catch a Cichlasoma uropthalmus, we don't refer to them as a peacock.

It is on the edge of Kissimmee outside of Orlando.

I heard that but I have still yet to see or catch one. Just a matter of time before they move into my home water. Hopefully they won't get out of controll like the cyclids, oscars and peacocks.

That girl has some gut! WTG on the release. Sounds like you live next to a honey hole

When I run across an "old timer" on my local waters I always try to find out how it was back in the day. I take time to listen to their stories and ask alot of questions, especially what was working for them then. I have put many tricks in my tackle box that I have incorporated into my guide service. I have also spoken with several "Pros and Celebrity" fishermen but honestly more information came from the "old men". The old timers have nothing to loose by helping you and are usually more approachable.

Incredible! Thats a big boy for sure!

Pig for sure! Nice fish.

In the winter....South Florida Everglades for Bass and Peacocks is where its happening, unless you want to get out of the country. I would stay in Miami or Everglades City and crush some Big Cypress bass!

If your coming for Peacocks you best bet is the Miami/Ft.Lauderdale/W. Palm areas.

Thats awesome! Please excuse my ignorance but are bass natural to Italy and Spain? If not how did yall come to have such a good stock?