geo g

I started over 60 years ago. I was at a boy scout camp and a group of scouts spent the day fishing a mountain lake and I was hooked. Got my first Mitchell 300, and fished both freshwater and inland salt water. Moved to South Florida in 1973, one reason was the opportunities to fish. Got my first bass boat in 1987 and targeted the Everglades, Okeechobee, and other local lakes. I am blessed to be surrounded by seven man made lakes within a mile from the house. These are deep clear water lakes with an abundance of aquodic vegetation. They all have ample Florida strain bass, peacocks, snake heads, Clown Knife Fish, Oscars, and a few land locked freshwater snook. If not out in the boat, I fish from the shore at one of the local lakes. Still fish at least 6 days a week, and all year round because of the weather here. It is a fisherman's paradise, and my form of relaxation.

once a fish is pulled off a bed it would not be long until baitfish feast on the eggs. This just defeats the purpose why we love to fish. That is the reason I don’t target bedding fish.

The answer is NO! I don’t target fish if I see them on a bed. Just my belief, I don’t fault those that do.

Gators won’t bother you in a boat except, big males during breading season, and females when guarding a nest. Then it could get scratchy! Don’t want to be in a kayak! Most important thing in getting bites is placement of bait regardless of color, size, line used. Cold water slow everything down big time!

1). Bend the hooks up a little. Not enough to o grab weeds, but the slightest compression the hooks will stick. 2). Don’t set until you feel weight of fish. Then nail it hard. 3). Use at least 50 pound braid and up to 65 pound. 4). I use hi- vis braid because I’m throwing in and around heavy junk. nothing better then a HB frog bite!

You are a lucky man. I don’t wade in Florida for two reasons. Gators and snakes! I have been close to both many times just fishing from the bank. One time a seven footer quietly moved up behind me to within 6 feet before I turned and spotted him. They can be very stealth!

I have seen guys netting them in the Everglades and filling the bottom of a big John boat. When questioned they sell to Asian markets for some soup they make. Armored catch fish are prolific in some areas. There are many recipes on line for these fish.

Like everything else, we have them here. Dumped by some in the Asian food markets for a cheap local supply.

Love bananas but avoid on fishing trips. May give them a try again, thanks for the insight!

Hawk, What a refreshing post. You seldom see guys sharing spots they fish on a regular basis. We should take note and share more. It grows the sport we love. Thanks again and may a DD bass find your lure! Just 13 years in the making! I just noticed. I hope Hawk is still with us!

i could not agree with you more. I don’t agree with fishing like your a blind man. You use all your senses, not just feel. I often walk a fluke or Senko along the bottom through the bottom grasses. This require slack line after a jerk. My line will move before I feel it through the rod. Too feel it you need tension on the line and this technique will not work without slack in the line. Learning to walk a fluke on bottom catches me a lot of bass. Especially during cold front conditions.

Competition is a good thing. Provide first class service, a good product line, and dependability, and the future is bright!

Here in south Florida there are always bass present, but not always willing to bite. I will target peacock, and snakeheads, with fast moving spinners, and top water. Just fun to catch, and much meaner than black bass.

Great, I love my Costas!

I have been fishing everyday since the xmas break. Florida bass are more sensitive to cold fronts then their northern cousins. So the key has been to slow way down. Using plastics like senkos, flukes, and u-vibes, the bite has come while the bait has been sitting still. Weightless or with a 1/32 bullet for a slow realistic drop. A few small jerks, a slow pull, and then a long sit. This has created a slow constant bite, with usually 6 to 8 bites per hour. Anything faster has produced nothing, and I have tried it. Patience is the key!

Hollow body frogs, and swimbaits with a #5 gama swimbait hook. There are plenty of big old girls living there, if the grass doesn't go crazy, and they don't spray the place to death. The place can get dangerous on a real windy day. Wished I lived there!

Yes I agree they exist together and one depends on the other. But when out on the water grasses and weeds that are visible to the naked eye they can key you in on the other, and give you valuable information that you can use to catch fish. I have been doing this as long as you have and don't need any lessons on their differences. I supplied information to help others, take it or leave it, its as simple as that!

with regard to your response, 1,3,4,6 were all focusing on the grasses and not on the structure. Certain grasses matriculate in certain bottom types. While fishing look for these signals. When I talked about edges, I’m talking about defined weed edges. I know the difference between the two. Look at the grasses and the signals they give and your odds increase.

On the topic of grasses and pads. 1). I always look for areas with two or more grasses combined, rather then just one type. 2). The greener the grass the better especially during summer. 3). During cooler times I will look for edges. Sharp edges usually mean a significant bottom change, often with a ledge. Bass will often move deeper to the bottom of a ledge because water is constantly seeping through from the Aquafer at a constant 72*. They will still stay close to the veggies for hunting and ambush. 4). On flats an isolated clump of vegetation is better then a large mass of weeds. The isolated clump will draw bass from a surrounding area to it. The large mass will have bass scattered throughout and not concentrated in any one area. 5). Always look for any sudden movement in the emerged weeds or grasses that are not caused by normal conditions. Often a grass moving against the wind, or a sudden motion means something is alive there. In Florida beside fish, gators, turtles, and snakes will be easily detected when the grass moves. 6). Sudden changes in the type of cover often means a change in bottom type. This often happens on lakes like Okeechobee. that will go from rock bottom, to muck, to pure white sand bottom. Different bottoms, different grasses. Good luck and I hope this helps a little.

Far south Florida peacock are showing up especially in the glades. Top water is key, especially on sunny days. Florida strain bass are hitting slow moving plastics deep as the water drops and bass are forced back in the canals.

Alligator Alley just west of naples. Peacock are out in full force. Top water and small crank baits will do the trick!

Over 50 years of bass fishing I have had hooks buried in me on 5 instances. 2 required ER, and three were in a hand or arm. The ones in the hand were easy, keep pushing the barb through until exposed and then cut the barb off, and then back it out. I learned the hard way you need a good set of wire cutters, sharp and strong enough to cut the heavier wire hooks. They are with my first aid kit all the time, and have kept the rest of trip from coming to a halt! I have tried the string and jerk method and that crap just didn't work for me and my partner.

1). First of all go to the bait that you have confidence in the most. You will feel the bite only on a tight line or when its almost tight. 2).Use lines like floro or braid that give you a max feel of everything down below with your plastics. I use floro 90% of the time when Texas rigged, or wacky rigged. 3). Be a line watcher, the line will twitch and move way before you will feel it through the rod. I will twitch a bait and then give it some slack, a small sudden twitch I will take up slack and if I feel resistance or jerk, then set the hook. On tough days, bass often take the bait after a small movement and on slack line while sitting still. Slack line after a jerk or pull, will give a realistic movement to the bait with light weight. BE A LINE WATCHER!!!!!!!! 4). Be able to determine the difference between weeds, structure, and a bite. This comes with time on the water. Weeds and structure don't suddenly pull back or move. They are just there. 5).Always set the hook hard, that tick could be a double digit, or a yearling. You just never know! 6). I always believe a bass has taken notice of what I'm throwing, and moving in to take the bait. Be a believer, and have confidence in what your doing. Good luck and there is no substitute for time on the water.

Scumbags in action. Would love to catch them and introduce them to my little friend. Look on line for people selling stuff that match. Nothing lower than a thief!

If I am going to a new lake the prep starts at home. 1). I'll go on Google Earth and look at the lake looking for streams coming in, and water release points. Then look for visible vegetation, rip rap, boulders, down wood, docks, any standing timber, funnel points between grass islands. Look for free topo maps on line. U of Florida used to have them for all Florida lakes. 2).Then I will go to web and look for recent catch rates, and any talking points about the body of water. 3). upon arriving at the lake I will visually follow the lay of the land, steep banks usually mean deep water banks, flat banks usually mean shallow water. Talk to guys at the ramp if you can stir up a conversation. Always ask about danger points to avoid. They will give that info up, but not favorite fishing spots. 4). Look for visible vegetation. isolated clumps are often better then large expanses. Clumps will be magnets for the surrounding area. Expanses will have bass scatter throughout. Summer time, the greener the better, clumps with two types of veggies combined are better then just one type. 5). Look for bird activity, a dead giveaway for active feeding fish. Look for happy water, within casting distance. Don't run to happy water, the big motor will always disrupt and disturb, I learned that the hard way after wasting much fishing time. 6). Look for current, active bass will position in the eddies adjacent to current. If the wind is blowing it will cause current, especially between clumps of veggie islands, or between types of structure. These are a few things I do when going to new waters. Always fun trying to figure out a pattern on virgin waters. Good luck!