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Being from Florida the last 50 years I like Central Florida because of all the bodies of water within a 30 mile radius. I get tired fishing the same waters all the time, so with all the possibilities you'll never get bored. Winters are heaven except for all the snow birds crowding all the ramps. Summers are clear sailing as long as you can stand the humidity, and an occasional hurricane. Since retiring I fish 6 days a week and seldom the same place twice in a row.

Yes I have caught several types of turtles over the years. Always while fishing slow on the bottom. The last one was a 15 pounder on a senko just soaking at the bottom of a ledge. All the others have been with Texas rigged plastics. Before trying to get the hook out I flip them over and then use long plyers to snap the hook out. Pain in the A**!!!!!!!!

Thanks for the suggestions Glen, another great vid! These four I have used all over the east coast from Florida to Maine. All have caught Florida Strain Bass. Northern largemouth Bass, smallmouth, even Peacocks in Florida. Favorite plastics 1). Senko types baits, Senkos, and Stick-os Both the 4", and 6", favorite color is Watermelon Red. 2. Zoom Super Flukes, watermelon red especially in Florida. 3). Zoom Trick Worms, watermelon red, black, and purple blue. Fish these texas rigged and wacky depending on their aggression that day. 4). Zoom U-vibes same colors as above. I have caught thousands of fish over the years on these four baits.

No fan casting!

Yes, I will start shallow at 12:00 and then 1:00, then 2:00 work water at different depths, or I might start deep and parallel to the sloop. A depth change close to cover is very important. I try to work past the cover at different depths. Sometimes staging deep before moving up to shallow water.

We all go through some tuff times now and then. When this happens I try to find some areas with depth changes. I down size my baits and drastically slow down. I will fish the depth changes parallel and try to find if they staging at different levels. I use tested plastics that I have confidence in, and fish them slowly changing depth as I work up to shallower levels. If that doesn't work I look for areas with current flowing and fish the slack areas close to the current. These can be small creek flowing in, bridge pilings with water flowing through, or humps in the current waters. Again I slow my offering with pauses along the way. Bites often happen while sitting still. Good luck and let us know how it turns out.

In the Everglades which has a lot of shallow waters we will see V’s alot. Because water may only be 2 to 3 feet deep, anything moving around with cause water movement. This can be Peacock attacking at speed, bass just moving around, big bowfin, snakeheads, or even gators. If there is a lot of V’s it probably big gar which will come up to gulp air. A sign of poor quality water and they are there to eat baitfish effect by the crappy water. I see them I usually motor off to somewhere else with better water quality.

I have used yellow 65 lb braid for flipping thick cover where the line will not affect bass so much in the heavy shade. I also use the same line when frogging thick cover and mats for the same reason. I really like it for frogging and have had great results with hook sets and pulling them out of heavy weeds. On sunny days I can easily see that line jump in the thick jungle.

Fill is money to these guys, the quicker the hole is deep the more they make. The slope is supposed to be a 4 to 1 slope but they don’t follow it. Lots of bass sit at the bottom of the hole next to the wall. It took me a long time to figure out that my weight was getting snagged on the jagged limestone rock wall. Light weight snags less!

I have fished all over south Florida for over 50 years from the boat and from the banks. Almost every water body you see have bass, and many have good peacock numbers. Catching them often require different techniques. From the bank I wear good boots because of snakes, and watch where you step. I have walked up of snakes many times over the years. A small number of poisonous ones, but a big water snake will get your heart pumping. Gators are not a big problem if you just use common sense. I would stay away from residential properties, and seedy neighborhoods. People everywhere are very protective of their property. 90% of the time I fish commercial, and industrial properties with good size lakes. There are many around. Parks with lakes are also a good place and very safe. There are loads of them around South Florida. For bass I will use watermelon plastics, cotton candy, and any other natural color. 4" Senkos, zoom super flukes, trick worms, zoom centipedes, and creature baits. All Texas rigged with 1/32 bullet weights and fished slow. Many bass are along the bottom of ledges in these man made lakes. Ledges can be 20 feet deep and straight down. A heavier weight will get you snagged on the limestone jagged walls. Fish slow, many bites happen while sitting still. Peacocks are a different technique. From the bank fish parallel to the outside weed line and keep the bait moving. Treble hooks will often get you hung up on the weed lines, so I will bite off the head end of a zoom U-Tail to about 4 " and Texas rig it so Im not effected by the weeds. Keep it moving and sporadic. I will do this weightless so its making a commotion. Some of the best areas have thick weed lines. I focus on the outside edge when fishing from the bank. The strike will be quick and violent, and be ready for a long run. When fishing from the boat I always use rapala #11 and #9 Stickbaits, torpedos, and zara spooks worked quickly, for Peas! Look for a sudden wolf pack of peas suddenly attacking baitfish. Throw into the frenzy. Go on google earth to find water bodies that meet your needs, close to where your staying. Good luck and let us know how you do.

Glen you are what separates this site from all the others! Thank you💗

In south Florida with all our heavy cover I am using a MH 7’ bait caster rod with 15 pound floro or a similar bait caster with 50 pound braid for heavy cover pitching, 90% of the time. The day I caught my PB we struggled all morning to just catch a few small bass. Around noon on a Cristal clear day, I decided to change tactics and go with my only spinning combo. A 6’7 spinning Rod with a Shimano Sahara reel with 8 pound mono, and fish the outside weed edges. I suddenly saw a commotion next to a steep bank in two feet of water, and immediately threw my weightless zoom fluke into the swell. The bite happened quick, and lucky for me the fish decided to run out into deep water instead of into the weed fields. I got her to the side of the boat and was amazed at her mouth. She was 27.5 inches long, and 11.5 pounds. 40 years of fishing all over south Florida, and to this day is my personal best, taken on a very difficult day of fishing, on my lightest rod and reel, using the lightest line I use. How Sweet It Was!

I don’t use rediculasly priced electronics so in the beginning of a trip I’m.looking for structure or cover to begin the Dailey journey. I will zero in on isolated cover with several types of weeds, close to depth changes. This is a favorite starting point for me. The cover since isolated will draw bass from the surrounding area. Close to a ledge it will allow me the opportunity to test different depths around the cover. Then with structure I will look for structure changes especially those effected by current. These could be humps, docks, or ledges. Close to creeks intersecting main lakes, bridges with piling, or even funnel points between grass islands with wind driven current. These have been especially good over the years. if these don’t work out, then I go to the shore line and look for lay downs, weed lines, and unusual edges. This is my normal progression throughout a day of fishing, especially when on new waters. Observation is key before ever casting the first lure.

I went to college and played football with the great All Pro Pittsburgh Steelers LB Jack Lambert. He always wanted to be a Wildlife Officer and after playing in the NFL, went through the academy and became a PA wildlife officer. Besides having a big farm in PA, he spent years protecting the PA Wildlife.

I could tell several stories involving Everglade Gators, but this one had me and my partner fooled for sure. I had been flipping the bank of the glade's canals with 65 lb braid and catching nothing. I suddenly saw a big swirl off in the distance and decided to make a long cast with the flipping rod. I cast the bait toward the swirl and let it settle on the bottom. I felt a nibble on the bait, took up line on the minnie telephone pole, and set the hook hard. It was out at least 40 yards from the boat but the weight was extraordinary. I reeled up hard and I could see the line moving off to the side. Everytime I took up line it would move in another direction. My partner was as excited as I was at the bend in the heavy flipping pole. With 65 pound new braid I knew the fish would not break the line, and this had to be a personal best. While coming in it had moved off to the right, and then off to the left, and I could feel it coming up, and then settling back to the bottom while taking a little drag. I was confident I had the right equipment to get the job done. When it got close to the boat it actually dived again and swam under the boat. I leaned back and put everything to the max and reeled as hard as possible. My partner fell to the deck laughing as a large saucer shaped bolder broke the surface. It had move immediately upon hook set, it had run right and we watched the line run, then run left, I had worked it up in 20 feet of water and it ran toward me back to the bottom. It felt more like a fish then many of the fish I have caught in 50 year period. My partner and I laughed for ten minutes after unhooking this new Florida State Record ROCK. It was a double digit special, but the shape made it do some strange things with long sideway runs. Somewhere I have an old school picture of the monster, it was a beauty and gave us lots of laughs!

Like the time after a long vacation I loaded everything in the boat and was headed 50 miles to Lake Okeechobee with a friend. When I got there and went to start the motor I figured out that I forgot to put the kill switch back in the boat, and was stuck trolling around the marina for 6 hours.

Dwight I remember the pic of that Stick Marsh fish you caught.

In Florida, our bass are very effected by fronts. Florida strain are not like smallmouth and northern strain. Over the last 50 years I have noticed that hours before a substantial front the feed bag is usually on. Whether it’s a cold front or a rain producer like a summer storm. It will take several days after the front for the fishing to return to a normal level. The exception to this will be wind driven current points like funnel points between grass islands, culvert pipes with strong current from the rains, and creek channels with current. Then I look for slack areas close to the current. Bass position in the slack water looking for baitfish to wash bye. This has saved many a slow day after a front. Florida strain are effected more than their northern cousins!

You know pretty quick that it's not a normal largemouth bass. They hit with vengeance, take long runs after the hook set, and repeated airbourne flips. They are truly something special! They will not sit still after being lipped, they love to tear up a thumb! Lots of them in South Florida.

It poured rain all mornings most of the day. Around 4:00 pm it finally stopped and the weather cleared. I decided to go out for a few hours and fish the current spots after any heavy rain. The Peacocks and large mouth were pounding it. In less than an hour I had 6 peacock one female over 5 pounds. A male almost as big. A fun time all around funnel points with strong current. Hopefully pics will follow.

So very true, do what makes you happy and forget the rest. Unless your trying to hit the circuit, just have fun!

My green glass, Costa Permits, I wear everyday, in the boat, and around the home, for the last 12 years. I lay them down anywhere, wear them on top of my head all day, and not a scratch anywhere on the lenses. They don't scratch and the frames are as strong as the day I bought them. They have fallen off my head several times over the years but the frames protect the shatter proof lenses. Yes you pay more, but they are a wonderful product! I have a pair of Maui Jim's yellow glass lenses that I need to send back for a lense replacement. No comparison between the two in quality.

Green mirrored Costas with glass lenses, the very best!

If you want to get good at something new, go out with nothing but the set you want to improve. When things get tough we all want to go with our confidence baits and techniques. With only the bait your hoping to improve, you will be forced to experiment with changing speed, dragging, hopping, swimming, and dead sticking this new technique. There is nothing to fall back on to give you comfort. Just work that new technique until you master it.

Whatever you become accustomed too, time on the water makes everything smooth and automatic whether you switch or not. It all becomes natural, and without thought! Just spend the time, and get good at whatever!