oldschool61

I am moving to Florida in a week. No more winter. So, job hunting, join a church, volunteer work, fishing, beaches, saltwater fishing, a little snake hunting, not in that order. I'd like to live on the SE Atlantic coast, but may not be able to afford it. I don't know anything about the Tampa-to-Ft. Myers area. Between Kissimmee and the Everglades the cost of living looks more affordable for me and full of bass fishing choices. My question is, which lakes are more shorebound friendly? I'd like to live closer to where I play and commute to work, the opposite of the way it's been the first half of my life. Not to stereotype but the pics I've seen make it look like if you don't have a boat you fish a heavily-used public pier or you take your chances with swamp, trespassing on someone's backyard, or alligators! Any advice on best lakes to fish from shore? Thanks in advance Chris

Thanks for being so free with your help and knowledge, FishinDaddy. Not my question, but I've been reading your advice and it really helps a novice like me to get such details. Good luck Fishing-Vol.

I missed the point. Awfully nice of you to include me in the conversation anyway! Newbie mistake. If I may, do they hit inline spinners as well as spinnerbait? I ask because I bought some heavy wire for making muskie lures I intended to use on barracuda and snakehead that might hold up. Sounds like surface frogs work best anyway. Thanks again.

I just joined this site and got several welcomes in response. On my first post I misunderstood the question posted, answered what I thought it was about, and was given good advice and included in the conversation anyway. Sure, it's a heavily commercial site, but they're up front about that, and they've been nothing but friendly and helpful with me.

I can't answer your question, but I'll be in Florida in a couple of weeks and plan to find out. I'm guessing by expensive you mean they bite through your line? I found barracuda to be frustratingly consistent that way and learned that they would strike on the diameter of 12# stainless steel strand leader but wouldn't touch the diameter of 24#, even the expensive 49 strand that is the most supple so I know it wasn't the stiff action of the lures or bait. I learned that they will hit on a short wire leader, but no more than 4 or 4 1/2 inches in length. I can't wait to find out how sensative snakehead are to wire, wire length or steel leaders. If they won't hit, I'm going to try a short length of narrow diameter polycarbonate or acrylic tubing. They're used to make those hard clear straws that are popular now. About 90% of light passes through them, so I'm going to find out if the barracuda around Ft. Lauderdale will hit on them at 8" length and see if they can bite through it or not. Maybe that will help with the snakehead if they're too wary of steel leaders. I've also read that snakehead are tremendous fighters and use their bodies sideways and fight the hardest when closest to shore, which is when you have the least margin for error in absorbing the fight. Did you find that to be true? Hope that helps or at least gives you some ideas.

Great fish, and great that you took such good care of her!