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I have been doing this for so long I don’t think about it at all. From the moment I feel the first tick, or see the line jump, I take up all slack, and as soon as I feel some weight, I set the hook. Depending on the boat position in relation to that the bite, I wil either side swipe or up set up hard. Because of our thick weeds in Florida especially the Everglades shallow flats it s important to get their head up quickly and headed for the surface. I set the drag tight to accomplish this. I use high speed baitcasters 90% of the time to pic up line before the hook set. Playing with a big fish in shallow heavy cover is a road to failure. All of this is done automatically without any conscious thought process. After 50 years of bass fishing I still have much to learn, but the hook set is not part of it. I seldom lose a big fish unless their is a terminal tackle failure. Check your line often, and re-tie if you see or feel any nicks. Next one could be a new personal best!

Down here in Florida some of the worst water turn overs have been in the hottest part of the summer during a real heavy thunderstorm. Water temps get above 90*, a bad thunderstorm develops with rain temperature in the 60’s*. 5” of rain water sinks rapidly to the bottom and pushes unoxigenated water up the column to the surface. I have seen thousands of fish floating on the surface dead from a rapid turn over. Sickening to see this but the gators are overjoyed!

I use baitcasters 90% of the time. In Florida as shallow as it is, with lots of weeds, and mostly light stain water, I use 15 pound Mono for top water. 15 pound floro for all plastics, because of sinking, and invisibility. 50 pound braid for flipping and pitching thick weeds. I don’t use leaders on the braid. Crankbits I will use both the floro and mono depending how deep the water is, and how deep the crank bait is designed to go.

Like I said in the report, they are not everywhere on the Alley but in packs. The packs are moving in groups, so when you catch one you may catch a bunch. The pack is constantly on the move and may not be there an hour later. You have to keep moving looking for the signs of Peas. They are much more active than black bass.

I have been fishing south florida for 50 years now. I have had days when 200 fish were a real possibility in 6 hours and now we have the possibility of catching Peacock on every trip. I would have loved to fish with Tom and observe his techniques and pick his brain for a while. Catching a huge double digit in one of his waters would have been icing on the cake. A wealth of information, experience and knowledge is the real greatness of this sport. We are just lucky to have Tom with us on this great site. God bless you my friend, and hope many more years sharing with us!

Thanks Joe, we had water temps in the 90's until this past week, and the big girls do not like that. Hopefully it will continue to drop!

Oct 16, 2024 5:00pm-6:30 super windy 30• cloud cover neighborhood lake We have our first cold front coming tonight, so the wind is crazy. Went to the neighborhood lake which I often fish. Since the waters are so hot all I have been catching were smaller black bass and some peacock bass. The big old girls have been avoiding all contact. With the wind at my back, I was making extremely long casts and covering as much water as possible. After catching 8 fourteen inch bass, I felt a very subtle tick for a bite, and then very little movement. Upon setting the hook I knew it was something big. It has been months since I caught a big girl in these waters and the wife was joking that I lost my Zen! Well it just goes to show even a blind squirrel finds a nut once in a while!

A friend that is a guide has caught over 100 in four hours on the Alley. They are moving around in packs, so once you catch one you will catch a bunch. His biggest have been around the bridge pilings. You have to cover ground to find them. I live in Davie on the east side of the glades.

I a canoe drag a ten pound weight and let the wind slowly blow you through a productive area.

30 years ago I read an article about two Florida Biologists that went out to study the food intake of alligators in the Everglades. The airboat they were in broke down in the swamp, and they were 8 miles from the closest road, and no cell service back in those days. The experienced man had to walk out in three feet of water and muck on a hot, sunny, Florida day. They had limited water supplies. The man walked out but it took 8 hours to get to the road. The woman left with the airboat was found unconscious when help finally arrived. She dehydrated and died after reaching the hospital. I learned a valuable lesson, always take a lot more water than you think you will need in case of mechanical problems when in the boat. With our modern electronics I always take emergency numbers of Fish and Game and those that have the equipment to help when in the back waters, especially when in the Everglades.

Ida is loaded with Peas. I have fished it many times. Caught some beauties in that west canal just north of the main ramps. Would love to catch a big clown in those same waters.

you have to be below West Palm Beach or will will not find any Peacock. The winter cold spells will kill them when water temps get into the 60’s. That is why they don’t grow into the 20 pounders of the Amazon. After a cold spell they will be belly up everywhere . Only the ones finding an underwater spring with 70* water temp live.

Took my two kids fishing in both the boat and from the bank, and now I take the grandkids. They are very much like me, a slow methodical fisherman. I learned early the trips have to be short while their young, forget about fishing yourself, and bring lots of snacks!

In our Everglades massive flats, I took a Rapala Broken Back floater and removed the front treble, and removed the back end. Replaced the back end with a #4 WGH and put a grub Texas Rigged on the back. Went through the 3 feet of water and thick weeds with ease. Still had the wiggle of the broken back and would float in holes in the thick cover. A fun catching machine!

Very different from a black bass bite. The strike is very violent, with them taking a long run immediately, and then going airborne several times and flipping in mid air. They are just so much fun to catch. On a quiet lake you will all of sudden see an explosion of water from a wolf pack of Peas attacking baitfish. These are the Pitbulls of the freshwater world. Unlike largemouth, they love hot water, something we have plenty of right now. Love Florida Fish and Game for introducing these to help control the Oscars and Mayans that were breeding like crazy!

Regardless of how much water there is in the glades right now, the black bass bite has been nonexistent: fortunately the Peacck bite has been crazy. A local guide has caught over 100 peas in 4 hrs and not one single black bass. They seem to focus on small hard stickbaits like Rapala # 9 or torpedo type baits. As bad as the bass fishing is right now in south Florida, the Peacock are on fire! Fish close to the weed edges and look for big rocks along the edges. Strikes have been violent! They are not everywhere, but moving in packs, so don’t focus in one area too long. When you find one, you may get multiple fish in quick succession. We are so lucky to have these fish in our waters.

I get it, it doesn't get any easier. At 76 and its close to 100* almost everyday. Water temps are 90* since July.. It just makes me want to keep the boat in the garage. I do fish the banks for an hour in the afternoon, the best I can do!

Wow you do a great job with your vids. I wish the weather conditions were what you showed in your vid. It's close to fall, and our water temps are still 90*, and temps close to 95* everyday here. Here in south Florida there is nothing out chasing baits in these temps, except maybe at night if you could stand the onslaught of bugs. We will get an occasional Peacock still out chasing. I can't wait for this ridiculous weather to change! Thanks for the vid, I will try the swim jigs soon. You are the best my friend!

Under fishing pressure, I will go into stealth mode. I will immediately check the wind direction, and drift silently through what I think is a previous decent fishing area. I will put out a drift bag that slows the drift even in heavy winds. I stay off the trolling motor as much as possible, and slow down presenting a down size bait. I will slowly drag the bait, sometimes letting out extra line periodically, so it stays in place longer. Many bites occur during these long pauses. Completing a pass I may power up and drift through the same area again, depending on the faith I have in this area. Slow, silent, and patience are the key. Sometimes the bass's curiosity will overcome it's weariness!

God Bless you and your family through this difficult time. I would do whatever the doctors say, to the tie! Trust the professionals, and don't go with info from the self taught! It's a touchy situation, you deserve the very best possible result. Good luck my friend, many have made it! There will be plenty of time to fish later!

In south Florida you can almost always catch bass, and peacock. But the seasons don’t matter as much as the water levels. When the water is high the bass are scattered everywhere, and many places are beyond approach in a boat with hundreds of thousands of shallow acres chock full of weeds and sawgrass. Nothing can get in there without an airboat. Bass boats can not go.. the bass navigate the stems with ease during this time. During low water conditions the fish are forced into deeper waters and out of the grass and weeds, and into the canal systems that are dredged 10 to 30 feet deep. This s when a 200 catch day is a real possibility every trip. The thick flats can go dry, or just have inches of water on them. The fish either get to deep water or become bird food for the millions of waiting birds. Low water season depends on the weather and is usually between December thru May. Fishing can become absolutely ridicules! This past winter was an unusually wet winter and spring so we never got into the low water situation, so the fishing frenzy never happened. A usual trip was 20 to 30 bass and a mix of Peacock . Oh how I look forward to those every cast days of a few years ago!

In south Florida we have many canals that dissect the Everglades and surrounding areas. These canals all have ledges on both sides that drop straight down 10 to 20 feet deep, with shallow flats at the top of the ledge. I love a wacky bait hugging the ledge, and letting it free fall straight down and then snapping it off the bottom with long pauses between snaps. This can be magical at certain times of the year. I use a zoom trick worm because it gives more action with the long thin bait, and the ends float up and wiggle while sitting still during the long pauses. Good for you figuring out a pattern that works. Listening to what they want that day, that hour! They will tell you, if you take the time to listen. When things get tough slow down, and then slow down some more.

Not a fan of FFS, but you can't stop progress and new technology. You may be able to slow it down, but once out of the bag the young bucks will use it and they are the future of the sport, whether you like it or not. I remember when my parents wouldn't get power brakes on their new car because they were just too sensitive! That ship sailed, big time!

In South Florida we are the heart of summer. Water levels are high, water temps are 90+, and mid day a heat index of 107 up, is like standing in front of a blow torch. Florida largemouth are in a funky mood and not out chasing baits, except at night. If you can stand the mosquitos it could be your best bet for a big momma. Thank God for the peacock bite because they like it super hot, and like bright sunny days. You can sometimes see the wolf pack out chasing baits, and not a Black Bass in the pack. Without the Peas, there would be little to no bite during daylight hours. Peacock were a blessing, given to us by the Florida biologists, and Fish and Game. Much research went in before their release into the environment 30 years ago. It has been special!

That is about as tough and thick an area as it gets. I don't like massive loads of pads like that. I look for isolated patches of pads because they draw fish from the open areas. There is no way of telling if any are in there. It would depend on how much water is below and the water quality. Remember large amounts of decaying veggies deplete O2 levels. That area might be void of bass numbers!