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Never pass up happy water. Usually baitfish driven to the surface by bass under. Throw past the surface disturbance and work your bait under it. I have caught nice bass on jerkbaits, a bunch of plastics, and crankbaits. Birds will sometimes be a dead give away for Happy Water Spots. You catch one and often the bass will all be the same size as the first one you catch. Smaller bass don’t hang out with bigger ones crashing baitfish.

Haven't seen it yet, but can't wait! The twins are so cute and almost exactly alike! Lol, I have only seen season 1. They were looking for identical twin boys, of a certain age, and notified through birth records in the area. There was a casting and our boys won. Amazing!

Funny you mentioned that!!!!! My twin grandkids that live in Atlanta, are the baby in the Ozark series. They had to have twins so they could get double filming time on the set, and anytime there is loud noise, or violence, they use a doll for that segment. Very strict on set for baby safety. My DIL loved the experience, and met all the cast! We don't have Stars so we haven't watched yet! It's killing me! Lol

I know some that have fished it recently and said it was unbearably tough. It seems like it is either feast or famine!

Almost every one of our ramps have been closed in south Florida during this shutdown. I have been bank fishing in some isolated spots that I have not fished in twenty years. Have caught some nice bass and peas from the banks and have not seen another fisherman. Just pick a different spot each evening. No shortage of bass so far.

Not smart, part of brain responsible for learning is on the tiny side. Do have significant sense of smell, lateral line sensors are very sensitive. Programed through thousands of years to react to certain environmental changes and stimuli. Smart is not the adjective to define bass behavior.

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I fish at least 6 days a week, some from the bank and some days in my boat. The numbers would be too high for people outside south Florida to grasp. Right now I am averaging 30 bass a trip from a four hour boat trip, and 15 from the bank in an hour in the afternoon. Over the last 40 years the numbers would be too much to think about. I will leave it at that!

I fish Alligator Alley at least 30 times a year. There are ramps all along the alley and if you go to Mile Marker 35 you can also fish the Miami River which goes North to south. Also north up the river I have heard a panther calling and a bobcat another time on the islands that boarder the canal. Two weeks ago they killed a python right at the MM 35 parking area. You can stay in your RV at MM35 they have good bathrooms available 24/7, vending machines, security 24/7 and its free. Last week I caught 30 bass on the river, and was done by noon. I have an 18 foot bass boat and over a 40 year period have had a few gators make aggressive runs at the boat during breeding season. I say this because out there we have 12 to 14 footers and your going to be in a little inflatable. Better you than me. Big males will get territorial, and females will guard their nests. So if you have some form of protection I would bring it, just in case. Remember if you go during low water you will see at least 50 gators, and some will be within close proximity to your boat. Good luck my friend, this is not Kansas! LOL

I wish I could, but you can get them cheap from Walmart for about 8 dollars they hold plenty and when bank fishing your 100% hands free. They are as good as expensive ones I have seen from fly shops. I put weights in a small medicine bottle, 4 or 5 packs of different baits, scissors, plyers, hooks and that's about all I need. I keep moving around the lake and never have to carry anything in hand except one rod. I fish 5 days a week from the bank and weekends from the boat, this is by far the best setup for catching. If you want pics PM me a number and I'll send you pics.

Glad to see so many are concerned about the life of a bass. It does say a lot about the future of our sport! Congrats guys!

Just a personal gripe. I seldom fish alone and always invite different people to come. I hate it when I see someone come to the boat with 6 to 10 rods and 50 pounds of gear. Throughout the day these people will usually primarily use one or two rods and seldom go into the 50 pound bag of gear for anything more then another plastic bait. The few times I fish from someones boat I take no more than three rods and a fanny pack with hooks, a couple bags of plastics, plyers, scissors, and some weights. As a back seater less is better!

I have hooked fish with trebles and had them break off . Seconds later you will see them go airborne shaking their head violently trying to shake the hooks . Sometimes it works sometimes not. I have caught bass with a rattletrap hooked outside the jaw. I landed it and got a nice rattletrap in the mix. One time a broke off a bass with a deep diving crankbait with loud rattles. An hour later and 100 yards down the canal found my Bill Dance crank floating along a pad field in the same canal. Sometimes your just lucky. Another time I broke off a bass with a Fluke and #4 Gama hook. An hour later I doubled back and to my amazement caught the same bass with my old fluke and Gama #4 hook in the side of the mouth. This bass was still willing to eat with the hook lodged solidly in the mouth. Another luck day. If you fish long enough strange things will happen.

Down size and slow way down, a 4" senko will get bites when nothing else will.

World classic do nothing bait was pitched hard by Roland Martin during his championship days. He pitched it at Okeechobee, lakes in Mexico, and on the Amazon River. It sold a million dollars in about a year. Drum roll, (THE HELICOPTER LURE). I was blessed to get a complete set unexpectedly for Christmas. I have that complete set, in pristine condition, for sale to the highest bidder. Bids start at a nickol! Some baits don't catch fish, they catch fishermen! Try fishing them like a T-Rig. Throw out, go all the way to the bottom, then very slow walk it along the bottom, with long pauses. If that doesn't work just cut the line and forget it!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Very sad, I'm sure at this point they all will not be found. The closer to the coast bull sharks may become a factor.

I would love to have it all the time, but it makes no sense if one state does it alone. It would be a nightmare to have to adjust constantly to time change, adjusting watches, and interstate business would have some real problems both vertically and horizontally! Lol

I don't criticize anyone that wants to fish alone, but over the years I have had a bunch of long term friendships with good buddies that I fish with. I have a group of friends that I go out with on a weekly basis, for trips all around South Florida. I cherish the conversations we have about fishing, and life in general. Some of these guys I have fished with for over 40 years. I have one RULE on the boat, that they keep the politics, and religion, out of the boat. All other topics are fair game. I seldom fish alone and would not have it any other way. I have learned a lot of things from them, and I hope they have learned a little from me. I have never charge anyone, anything, for these trips, other than their company. I would not have it any other way. They are a group of great guys, and make the experience far more enjoyable. When I do fish alone it is never as good as having someone to share the trip. So if you enjoy solo trips, knock yourself out, but it's definitely not for me!

You don't have to go far. 80%of it can't be fished at all because of all the sawgrass and thick weeds. There are tons of bass that have never seen a boat or a fisherman. They move in and out of the flats all of the time. Not an easy place to fish but some big old girls found in there all the time. It is much like fishing Okeechobee with a lot more grass.

Don’t get too excited, the number of people taking fish for skins is very small. First you have to catch it, then you have to take care of it, then you need a quality tax, then big fish don’t taste good compared to a nice 2 pounder, then most are already sold on catch and release of big fish. The quality of artificial trophies are very good these days. The numbers effected are very small.

If I had to pick one thing it would be fish with as many different guys you can with different skills from what you do. You will learn what to do and not do from just watching your Co-anglers. You do your thing and just watch what their doing and how they do it. I still learn something almost every trip after 50 years of fishing South Florida. You never stop learning. Also fish as many different bodies of water as you can. Different locations will teach you many things that you will have to adjust too to be successful.

It is on the west side of the lake above Moore Haven and below Buckhead Ridge, it's actually in Lakeport. Great ramps, bathrooms, and picnic areas.

Lots of good advice, and warnings about the dangers of the lake. The lake changes so much within a short period of time. If you have been there before it will probably look totally different this time. The south end of the lake has been sprayed to death recently. Screwed up fishing big time. It's a wonderful place, but very frustrating for the occasional fisherman. Remember a good hard wind will change lake depth on both sides of the blow. Places with enough water yesterday can be too low today. Mother nature can do some strange things. My fav part of the lake is the Harney Pond Canal area. Lots of sandy bottom for breeding. From there across to the Monkey Box and Moon Shine Bay. Many TX won at these spots. Good luck!

It's not just wind speed but the direction of the wind in the areas you want to fish. I have a few ways to slow a boat down if the wind is blowing me down a bank, open water, or a canal. But throw in a cross wind, constantly driving me into a bank, or away from a productive area, and I may pack up and go home. If it's not fun, it's over!