geo g

I use stick-o's all the time and have for about 15 years. They are cheaper and work just as good as senkos. I use the 4" more than any other size, but have caught good numbers on all the sizes. I use as light a bullet weight as I can, depending on the depth of the water, and wind. 1/32 is my fav weight because it gives the slow fall and the most action on a slight jerk. I have caught large and small mouth from Ohio to Florida where I live. Watermelon red is my fav color, 4", with a 1/32 weight. Throw in the heavy cover and let it settle. Jerk it out with pauses between jerks. It has caught fish of all sizes including Peacocks, and LM up to 9 lbs. I use 15 pound floro because of clear water, the line sinks, is very sensitive, and not visible in clear water. The line is very strong, and abrasive resistant so I can get big fish out of the thick Florida cover. It is a very versatile bait and great for a variety of fish. Never leave home without them. Throw where the bass live and if you hit a drop-off let it settle to the bottom. Most bite occur when the bait first settles to the bottom. I have caught all kinds of exotics like Mayans, Oscars, Snakeheads, Peas, and Jaguars. Peas, and snakeheads require a fast jerking retrieve. Good luck, your catch rate should go way up.

They go to anywhere there is current from the rain. In ambush mode they will take advantage of easy targets.

Maybe 4 lbs.

New meds that make you pee like a race horse. I take a mason jar rather then stand on the edge of the boat like 40 years ago. Clean it out and put it back in the dry storage. I also take several big trash bags and a roll of toilet paper. I empty the big live well, put the bag in and sit and have a comfy poop. I haven't needed it yet, but several back seaters have used the poop bag. Just remember to restock after a use. Never leave home unprepared!

That was a wonderful story. Your act of kindness was obviously appreciated by the old timer. We have been enlightened, and reminded to look out for our older ones. They do have many special needs when they hit the golden years that the younger ones just take for granted.

I hope they burn their ass!

If you don't like that their something wrong with you!???

In Florida the water are loaded with gators of all size. I often see 10 footers in the everglades. We had a women walking her dog close to the bank taken by a 10 footer. In the boat I have had them nose my my Trolling Motor, slap a tail long the side of the boat. I have had them follow the boat for a half mile making false runs and vibrating their backs in a show of force. In some areas they are as numerous as cockroaches! On a normal day in the glades in the boat I'll see 20 to 25 gators. If the water is low easily see 100 gators in the course of the day. These aren't small gators. The small ones would become food fast for the bigger ones. Then the glades also have a good population of Burmese pythons and African rock pythons caught up to 17 feet long and over 300 lbs. These are escapees form numerous hurricanes, and stupid people where they just get too big to keep. These big ones are top of the food chain with no predators except humans. Plus of course, we have a healthy population of poisonous snakes. You ask if I wade while fishing. The answer is no way in hell for freshwater fish. I have waded at the beach for salt water, surf fishing. It's a different world this far south. But always exciting!

Alley Saturday 4/20/19 8:00 - Noon Partly Cloudy Wind W5 until 10:00, then ridiculous Clairity Slight stain W/T 76* Went out with Steve Johnson this morning. Ran to the buoys on the north side. The bite was almost immediate. Steve threw a H/B Frog with two stinger hooks on the back. The first cast he brings in a fatty on the stinger hook. I started with Texas rigged plastics and was catching about every third casts. Changed to a zoom fluke and it was almost every cast. We fished the west side of the weir for about 1.5 miles. It was a crazy bite with none stop action. Then we drifted to the east side of the weir and the bite almost completely turned off. We finished at noon with 45 boated, 4 big mudfish, and several exotics. The later wind made detecting bites much more difficult since the boat was drifting into the bait position. We had several big gators make a run at the boat, and hump their back out of the water. We are getting closer to love making season and they are territorial. Hawks were out in full force along the canal and actual saw one munching on an Asian Catfish. Great day had by all, loved it out there.

I disagree, I have used floro for at least 20 years and it has little stretch, and very sensitive. Use it for all plastics unless flipping heavy cover where I use 60 pound braid. But everyone is entitled to their opinion!

It does happen from time to time, especially if your throwing back in the pad fields. It has happened to me a few times, never intentional.

I use floro for all my plastics, except when flipping heavy cover. Floro is clear in clean water, super sensitive, abrasive resistant, with very little stretch for rock hard hook sets. I don't like tying leaders. I am a devote line watch and often dead stick with slack for a natural fall, so being a line watcher is very important. You will see the line jump or move way before feeling it through the rod. It has worked for me for decades.

I always share info with other fisherman on spots and techniques. Over the years I have learned a bunch from both stranger and friends willing to share. I fish with a number of other guys that don't have boats, and have never asked for anything in return, I would be going anyway if alone. I have learned as much from them, as I have ever returned. Last, I have towed boats that broke down miles back to the ramps. Never ever leave someone out on the water in distress. I enjoy talking fishing with friends, and others on this site or a few others. I have met a bunch of good friends from 50 years of this fishing experience.

#1 if Jerkbait works, use a Jerkbait. #2 if the lake is full of slimy crap, find another lake.

I fish whenever I can regardless of weather conditions. I will pick a location considering the weather predicted. The two things that will keep me at home are predicted thunderstorms, and winds above 15 MPH with gusts above that. I personally hate battling strong winds constantly on the T/M. I fish for fun, and wind will keep me at the house. With thunderstorms I do have a spot with bridges every mile that I can duck under and tie up if lightning is apparent. I have done that many times.

Everyone tells me dangerous running in some areas.

I fish 5 days a week from the bank, and then from the boat on weekends. I have confidence baits I will stick too because I know if there in the mood they will bite it regardless of conditions. I will change techniques, like dead sticking, fishing weightless fast, hopping along the bottom, just a slow drag. They will tell you what they want that day, that hour. It always changes depending on time of day, weather conditions, and water conditions.

Read up on it!

Possums they will clear an area of tick faster then spraying will do. Possums eat ticks, love ticks, and hunt ticks. They will also take care of mice and snakes. Possums are your friend, and seldom carry rabies because of slow metabolism. Don’t harm or chase away these guys.

Saturday 3/20/19 First Light-11:00 Mostly cloudy Light wind 85* W/T 74* Went out solo and ran to the weir on the north side. Threw a skip shad into the pads and there was a huge explosion. I set the hook, and it started swimming out into deeper water. I then realized it wasn't a bass but an 8 foot gator. He let me pull him around a little and then realized he was hooked and took off like a bat out of hell. He pulled the boat about 20 feet and the line broke, thank God. I would have cut it anyway. He is now wearing a skip shad like a nose ring. Started throwing a fluke and caught a few small ones. Electronics said there were fish deep holding around scattered weed clumps. I fished slow along the bottom and picked up some bigger fish. Lots of boat action out there. I think some of the Okeechobee guys are staying closer to home. I finished with 20 bass, biggest 18" and 17.5", a bunch of dinks, a bunch of Oscars, and a huge mudfish. Fun morning with lots of action for such a short trip.

9.1

Much has already been said, but the system I use on new bodies of water. 1). While at home study old reports on the lake. 2). Look for maps of the lake, there is a lot of stuff on the internet. In Florida the U of Florida has topo maps of all the lakes. 3). Prepare the boat and tackle for what you think would be good. While at the lake. 4). Ride around slow looking for structure, depth changes, boulders, flats, points, in the area. 5). Look at the bank, you can tell a lot about whats below by looking at what is above. Look for blow downs, steep slopes, cliffs, rock slides. 6). looks for bird activity, happy water (shimmering water on the surface), fish chasing bait. Now time to fish. 7). Remember you not only have surface area to fish but explore the whole water column all the way to the bottom. I will begin by fishing a bait like a fluke or senko fast at the top of the column, and then slow up and let it slowly fall to different levels and then fish it back. Sometimes they will be mid levels suspended or even at the bottom. 8). Once you find them then go to baits targeting that depth. Being in Florida deep water for us is usually around 20 feet deep, I would never fish deeper the 30 feet here because of reduced O2 levels from all the decaying vegetation that ends up deep.

Most definitely size up so you can get the stuff on quickly and easily. Because of the heat in Florida I use Frogg Toggs and up size so I can put layers under in case it gets cool. Has worked great for me for years.

I moved to South Florida from Ohio in 1973 because of the ability to fish and do outdoor activities all year long. I fish between 275 and 300 days a year from both the boat and the bank. It is the ultimate relaxation from what ever happened the rest of the day. No ice out, slush, or bone chilling weather for me ever again. I love where I live.

For me it’s flipping and pitching. So many casts in such a short area. Unless I get some action quick, I move on to something else.