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It is easier than flats fishing. The flats are mostly devoid of visible targets/structure to cast at. Much of the flats grass' is gone forever, destroyed by runoff and malicious boat operators. Its mostly sight oriented and completely reliant on tide. But flats fishing is only a very small part of saltwater fishing. Those creeks you just fished are the ticket this time of year. Look for dark bottom or brown tannin stained water that'll be warmer.

Popper. You can vary the retrieve each cast to find which they want. Around wood, its less likely folks have been throwing treble hooked lures in fear of loosing them. The bass are less likely to have seen the popper there.

Amen..... last year on the Peace River was like fishing on the launch pad at Cape Kennedy

So true. I wish I had come to this realization when I was younger.

Because thats what magazine writers, "pro's" and internet experts tell them they need

I don't dispute bass guys rather I dispute those who think their experience catching bass makes them more of a fisherman than those sitting on a bucket. Bass fisherman as a whole seem to harbor an elitist attitude. The industry propagates that with techno bling gear, gangsta basswear and foolish "pro" adoration. One day all types of fishing will be serious threatened. Our unwillingness to stick together as anglers in general will not help our cause.

Ive never seen bass fishing as a brain game. Even during the poorest of conditions, they seem to bite out of reaction if the bait is placed in their face. Of course I only fish relatively small waters never deeper than 6ft. so the hunt really doesnt play into the 'game' much. I no longer really go after them with even med.hvy gear. With 10# now heavy for me. I'm enjoying the game more now than ever and for me the tug is the drug.

This has been the best bass fishing winter that I can recall. We have bedding bass and bass staging aggressively before bedding here. Since early Jan. they have been aggressive and fat. For me this has always been the peak. I fish tannin stained water which is less affected by colder temps. I find summer and fall the worst time to fish, less productive, the fish sluggish and neutral.

No doubt. It looks amazingly swampy from the youtube videos of it. Lots of targets to cast to. This might be the time to try it if the water is down that much, less flow to fight.,

The inshore spinner was discontinued after only a year and the Premier 10 might still be on discount at tackle warehouse. You tube is showing the new Generation Revo's so maybe we will see them here soon.

You and me must be the only 2 left who remember calling it 9 mile........ I gotta ask, have you tried fishing Deer Prarie Creek just before you get to River Rd. ?

Sorry I didnt see this earlier, are you still in N.P. on vacation? You have the areas best kept secret right in North Port, the CocoPlum Canal. Runs from North Port Blvd. behind all the malls south to the county line and past into Pt. Charlotte. Double digit bass have been pulled out of there often. Hit the bridges at Sumter, Salford and Cranberry. They are bedding and all the action is at the shoreline so be sneeky. Good Luck.

Been a lousy year for snook here. Cold early in winter moved them to river mouths but then it got hot now for a month or more. They seemed to have moved half way back out towards near shore. Hard to find and not much size to them.

Don't feel compelled to give up on mono just because what your read and what other do. There are plenty of us who are happy to stick with mono.

BPS is usually where I make all my rod purchases. I dislike most newer rods so I dont risk buying from internet sources as Id surely dislike the handle or something. Ive never found a Loomis,St.Croix,Falcon or Penn rod there that was bent or with misaligned guides. Ive been thinking about trying one of the house brand Carbonlights.

Hard to find but we'll worth the time searching is Maxima line.

Checked a couple dozen of them at my local BPS. Every one had a bent blank. Dont know if Bass Pro just stored them poorly or if its quality control but they were by no means straight. The guides didnt impress me even for a beater rod.

All they do here is scare every fish in the water......

I didnt say 'avid' bass anglers, I said anglers...... None of us should assume that everyone is in a place financially, that they may have to give up a hobby. You honestly think that of all the millions of anglers in the US there hasnt been someone, or many, who became disenchanted by boat prices higher than their first house or the latest uber light baitcaster or the price of Lucky Craft baits. Or hung out on this site and been drowned in suggestions to buy high priced shimano's or sensed that to fit in or find success in fishing they had to buy over their initial plans and then just give up.

Opinions are like, ........ , everybody has one! I think being "priced out" is a matter of ones position in life and situation. Many of us might feel it could never happen but sadly most of the country lives pay check to pay check. I'm sure there are plenty of folks who feel they are "priced out". Just like there are golfer's who can't afford fee's down here when they inflate prices for snowbird arrival. Sure there will always be a lot of Zebco 33 and Ugly Stick sales but there will also be those who just can't or won't fish, at least like they used to and join the bucket brigade so many of you hate so much.

Sure right, but if it was stamped Shimano we'd be on the 13th page praising it's perfection and happy at it's $459.00 price tag.

Thats exactly the opinion determined on that 'other' forum where this topic came up. So why is it this 'group' has made this effort to flame a brand or its successful model? Is it fueled by Daiwa's major competition? Their sponsored "pro's" or someone benefiting from $ and equipment of Daiwa's competition? It does seem a concerted effort by a group of individuals who on the surface have no ties to each other. As much as my unhappy experiences with shimano, has fueled my complete hate for everything they make and I'm happy to voice my disgust with them, I don't see myself going through all the effort these alledged real people have been going through on multiple forums. I was just chalking this up to yet another way that braided lines destroy reels.

I don't see peer pressure. Maybe just the opposite. I spend and use much more expensive equipment than the other freshwater fishermen around me. Here, if you use anything better than a tattered ugly stick and a squeaky spinning reel, you are out of the norm. I get more odd looks than I ever feel peer pressure. I get laughed at for using casting gear or having the latest lures and thought the fool. Maybe being considered the odd man out is a form of peer pressure.......

2 Ambassadeur 4500c's from the 70's.

I think the prices are inflated and I'm buying less because I don't think the quality of the products reflect their price. I like expensive reel's but only if I'm confident they are durable and will last over a decade with parts availability. That narrows the field. Rods are short term for me as they are less durable and manufacturers no longer make traditional styles which I prefer. That narrows that field also. But because in jon boats I and my fishing partner seem to break each others rods, I wont let the rod's price go over $100. I still have some expensive St. Croixs but wont take them on the boat. I'm playing around with making my own. Lures used to be a habit for me, always jumping on what was new. I have shrunk my inventory and now only stick to what has produced in the past in multiple conditions. I'd always been a magazine buyer but no longer buy them since the content is strictly a showcase for the publishers sponsors. I do buy old magazines in bulk on ebay and find their content more useful. I see no logic in buying a boat at a cost of more than my home was bought for. Its strictly jon boats and kayaks for me. My next boat purchase will be a combination of those, a Gheenoe or if finances don't allow it, a NuCanoe.