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Glen thank you for this vid, and informing all of us about the experience. God bless you and your family and sorry for your family members passing. If you live long enough we all go through these things. You have created a first class site not by accident, it comes from being a first class person and sharing the love. Thank you!

It was a huge mixed bag. Lost a big mud fish that wrapped around the trolling motor.

Sunday 3/27/23 first light-Noon temp 86* W/T 78* Partly Cloudy Met my friend Roberto and we ran out Alligator Ally to the mid region. We ran 4 miles in the boat and started. Roberto caught a Pea on the first cast and soon we were both catching them. At a ledge drop off we started picking up black bass on plastics. If you threw back into the pad fields you were constantly getting hit by exotics. We lost as many as we caught on the pad stems. The action slowed around 9:00 and picked up again when we moved to another location. I will try to post some pics but I’m not real good at it.

I fish the banks about 5 days a week. I always carry one rod, MH with 15 pound floro, a Fanny pac in front around my waist, with weights, hooks, cutters, pliers, and about six packs of plastic baits. The shore lines are so full of weeds and pads that make treble hooks out of the question. This keeps both hands available for use all the time. Never go without leather boots, just too many snakes. Also keep eyes open for moving weeds, this is gator country!

They will tear up your thumb if you lip them. I catch them every day in south Florida, but half that size. The Pitbulls of fresh water! I can only imagine that fight!

Contours often continue under the water, so a gradual slope my lead to a shallow flat, where a steep drop off is often deep water right away. It doesn’t always run true, but more often it does. I like bluffs after sudden cold spells, and often fish deep hugging the rock walls.

Lots of pics, but don’t know how to post them here. Techno Challenged! Last night

I have big bags full of baits in the garage. I organized them into smaller bags labelled but instead of digging through I buy more. My son will probably open a tackle shop when I pass. They all looked good back in the day!

I am the guy that will usually stays too long on one spot. If I find a piece of significant structure with a fish on it. I will work it slowly trying to find others. Bass will often hang with other bass of similar size. I have often caught several nice ones off a big piece of structure, especially if it is isolated on a big open flat area, or channel bottom. I will slow down and work it methodically. Painfully slow at times! Just what I like to do, it has worked many times!

Time spent on a topic that can't be determined. Most have told you it's impossible to give an answer you personally like. If you fish you will occasionally lose fish, some big, some small. If you don't catch it, measure it, and weigh it, It can't be determined, too many variables! A lot of fisherman will like to consider it big. It's as simple as that!

I would think the line was probably nicked on something and a weak point was made. This has happen to me many times with smaller size bass. It’s not the bass it’s an exquipment failure.

I know this is not technically a bass, but living where I do we catch these everyday. You catch them on bass baits, and when you do, you know immediately it not a bass. PEACOCKS BASS are the pitbulls of the freshwater world. They were introduced by the Florida Fish and Game to control an out of control exotic aquarium fish releases, like Oscars, and Mayans. They tested the introduction of Peacocks in landlocked small waters, and found that Peas and Black Bass could exist in the same waters, without problems. This gave us a unique fishery that Florida Fisherman could Exploit. Pound for pound they are real treat to fight, with rock hard hits, airobotic jumps and very long runs at speed. They love warm water, bright sunny days, the higher the sun the better, and super fast surface lures. No need to get up early to catch these guys. They react much like a saltwater snook once hooked. We are very fortunate to have this fish as part of our daily catches. All without having to go to South America. Cold weather will keep them from spreading further north of their present range, which is Palm Beach County. I hope some of you have an opportunity to hook a decent size Pea, you will never forget it !

Besides switching jigs or any lure, I always try changing the approach. Change the speed, try pausing the bait, try snapping up the bait, and try slow steady pulls. I have found over the years that when the fishing is tough most fisherman work the bait too fast. If I could only give one piece of advice, it would be SLOW WAY DOWN, and pause often. It has worked for me on tough fishing days.

A lot of fisherman just think that bass will always want what you do the same way. Many are happy to chuck and burn all day, and will keep changing baits, but always chucking and burning. I enjoy throwing to targets and cranking back, but many days this does not produce. Some Days that a great technique, but many times bass want a slow, subtle presentation,. Slow to a painfully slow level, especially on bright sunny days, and especially when the sun is high in the sky. I catch many bass over 20" to 26" with the bait sitting still after a two inch or three inch jerks of the rod tip. How long it sits still is up to the day, and the conditions. If that doesn't work, then just a very slow pull with an occasional stops. If your not feeling the bottom slow down even more. When you feel a clump of grass, or a big rock, just shake the bait without moving it, and let it die there for a while, then repeat. Bass will often be close to the grass clump or next to a big rock on the bottom. Patience and concentration will catch you some bigger ones when the fishing turns tuff! The best advice I can give most new fisherman is: (Slow, slow way down, and concentrate).

I fish the Everglades and south Florida lakes. We have mostly Sawgrass walls, massive Lily Pad field, Floating mats that change with wind direction and water levels, some hydrilla, an assortment of native weeds, a little downed wood, and a little docks and man made structure. No shortage of weeds and this dictates lure selection. A real jungle.

I usually use 4" and 6" Texas rigged, but have wacky rigged them both. I'm sure the 3" would work Wacky if you don't get hung up on rock in a stream. Smallmouth should love them. I know exotics in the Everglades would eat them up.

Every rest area on the Alley has a camera on a pole. If they would just monitor for activity, or fix the cameras if they are not working, it could be an easy catch. It’s not like you have many escape routes.

Mother Nature is very resilient.

There have been recent break ins, tailgate stolen, and an airboat trailer stolen along US 27, north of Alligator Alley, and at some ramps along the Alley. It has been in the last month, and four guys were hit on the same day. This has happened before over the years, and hopefully the police will be more vigilant. Cameras are all along the Alley so it might be a little safer then going to US 27 right now. Good luck, and if something doesn't look right, CALL and report. Please let others know, maybe we can catch one of these dirtbags!

Thanks for the report, glad you had a good time in our playground.

Just stay home and try another day, just makes more sense!

I would recommend a guide familiar with the waters around the Everglades. Captain Lou is a local certified and licensed guide that has a lot vids online with canal fishing for both Peacock and black bass in the Everglades. Look into some of his videos, (Bassin'withCapt.Lou). I can also clue you into local bank fishing spots with bass of all sizes up to 8 pounds that can be caught. Send me a PM if your interested in that. I would not recommend renting a boat at either Sawgrass or Holiday Park. I did that over 40 years ago and all it was was aggravation. Without a trolling motor and local knowledge, it would not end well. You would be better off fishing from the bank at some local spots, then going out alone in a rented tin can boat.

The only thing I can report from years of fishing during all conditions, is during full moon periods I have found morning to mid day fishing tough on many trips. During the full moon I like being on the water late afternoon to early evening, when the bite seems to recover from the last evening feast. I think the feeding periods at night have the bass in a neutral state come morning. Evening fishing would be a better choice, but dealing with the skeeters down here have made it not worth the trip. If it's not enjoyable, I avoid it since reaching the Golden Years!

Summer in south Florida is my least favorite time of the year. This is not because bass are not there, but as a senior fisherman the humidity is so hard on me. I fish early or late, and off the water by 10 AM. or not on the water until the sun is low in the west. It takes a real toll any other time.

It is certainly not a bass, but catching a big Peacock is an experience all bass fishermen would love. Here in Florida we have them up to 10 pounds, but South America up to 25 pounds. As soon as you hook one you know immediately it’s not a bass. The hit is always violent, then they take long runs, and go airborne several times. It will get your heart pumping fast. Once you lip one, the fight is not over, they will try hard to get off your thumb. The Pitbulls of the freshwater fishing world.