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Thank God its back up, I was having withdrawals!!!!!

Real challenge in south Florida is lipping a decent size peacock. Unlike a black bass that calms down once you have a death grip on the lip, the peacock goes nuts even after securely in your grip. A decent size one will tear up you thumb with their rough mouth, and will continue with sudden explosions until returned to the water. They are like bass on an overdose of steroids. I love these fish.

No size is too big to lip. You just have to know what your doing and support with the other hand as you take it out of the water. Removing the hook on a real big fish, I place the tail on the ground or on the deck of the boat while removing the hook. So not all the weight is on the jaw. These fish grew up living in a violent world chasing bait fish through the weeds under wood and dodging big gar, snapping turtles, Ospreys , eagles, and gators. They are more durable then you think!!!!

Went out last night for just one hour from 5:00 and dark. Caught 11 with 2 two pounders and a 7.5 lb big fish. It was pre-cold front conditions and the bite was on. I will try to post a pic with my original post.

Went to Weston to one of my favorite bank fishing lakes, to do an hour of fishing before the cold front moves through. Caught 11 bass and one monster 7.5lb. Most were deep and not at the bank edge with all the vegetation. The first real cold front is scheduled to pass through tomorrow. Had to walk the stick-o along the bottom in twenty feet of water to be on the bite. Fun hour of fishing!

Very sad, two guys just trying to enjoy the sport they love. Not worth the risk, hard to return fire from a boat even if your loaded.

Good point topwater, I once got into Moonshine bay on lake Okeechobee and could not find our way out. Everything looked the same, and we got turned around catching fish. Luckily someone came along and pointed out the small opening where we came in. It could have been a long night out there!

Its pretty simple, take the southern most canal all the way out out past the weir to the cuts on the right side as you power south west. That's the three pines area, there are seven cuts on the right and these often hold bigger bass. There are also springs in the area that keep the water temps up when winter temps drop. You can also get to this area from SR41. There are several ramps just past the 20 mile bend on your right side.

I have caught bass in every canal. For bigger fish, I would run the south west canal all the way out to the three pines area, past the weir in the canal, out to the cuts with the signs posted. Fish the cut openings and the drop offs from the flats to the canal depths. Big bass often hang right at the drop-offs . There are about eight large cuts on the north side as you go west all the way to the big bend in the canal. It is a 20 mile run all the way out there. I have caught my biggest everglades bass at these cuts. I have also heard a panther calling out to a mate on the islands on the north side, in the early morning. If water is flowing out of the flats it can be great fishing.

I'm a plastics fisherman 90% of the time. When my senkos, trick worms, Zoom centipedes, speed worms, u-tails, Beavers, creature baits ect., Get torn up at the nose I will turn them around and rig them the opposite way. Sometimes just bite off a half inch where they are torn up, works perfect! Fishing 300 days a year this really saves a bunch of money. When their really torn up on both ends, you can wacky rig in the middle. The more torn up the better the action, as they fall through the water column. I love when their torn-up in the middle, because now the action really increases as you jerk and slack the bait. Get the max out of your baits and at least a 50% discount at the same time. I guarantee the bass don't care!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

In Florida the 4" watermelon / red senko, or stick-o Texas Rigged, will catch fish anywhere, anytime, and any size. Use a light weight, or no weoght, so it slowly sinks through the entire water column. Then jerk and slack and it will walk along the bottom. This can be deadly! In Cold water (below 60*) our Florida bass will get sluggish, so let it sit after a four or five jerks and pause. Unlike northern largemouths our true Florida strain will be effected by northern cold fronts. You can still catch them, just slow way down. I would not leave home without this bait!

Since BPS opened in South Florida I have been satisfied with all customer service experiences I have had there. I have returned at least 5 rods that have broken, or guide problems, some my fault. some equipment failure. They have always replaces the idiom with few questions asked. Years ago they replaced rods that were as much as 5 years old. Now they date the rod so the clock is now running. Great customer service!!!

Thanks again Rick for posting those pics.

On a typical fishing day I don;t run around looking for fish. The waters I fish I know well, and have areas I know normally hold fish. Another thing I know is that no one can catch fish unless their line is in the water. You cant run all over the place and keep your line wet. The exception to this is a place like Okeechobee. Water can change from clear to chocolate with one good weather front. The key here is finding clean water, so I may run around looking for clear water. My purpose and goal fishing is to have fun. I'm not in it to compete with anyone other then myself. I often take people out in my boat and enjoy watching them catch fish. I will often give them clues and point out spots to hit if they want my advice. I most often find a good spot and work it trying to figure out how to develop a pattern. I am definitely not a run and gun guy. If I'm catching fish, I'm a happy camper regardless of other factors, and I definitely don't run the boat to just get a thrill.

Loxahatchee Preserve, Saturday 12/3/16, 6:00-noon, Temp 70's, Mostly cloudy, wind N/E 10-20, no current, water stained, water temp 74*, levels seasonal high, weeds thick on the flat, you can still power through the thick stuff. Went to Lox with fellow coach Steve Johnson. We were met at the ramps with a mass of about 100 vultures that just arrived from up north on the Snow Bird Express. These birds will destroy all the rubber around you doors and windows, along with your wiper blades, and ruin a paint job. I experienced this last year. This is the biggest class I've ever seen at Lox. To save the vehicle, I tied plastic bags to the antenna, so they move in the wind. I put reflective sun visor across the window, so they see their reflection, and don't park near any trees. Trucks near the trees get hit hard. It worked this time, no damage. Steve and I noticed the water levels are still up so you can power through the weeds on the flats. I filed my T/M blades to a sharp edge to help get through it. I began fishing a swim bait and Steve a frog. We got bites almost immediately. With the thick grass if you didn't get the head up quick, things got tough in the grass. After running out of swim baits I went to a Gambler cane toad. It drew attention right away, but one big fish came unbuttoned in the grass. About 10:00 things slowed and we switch to senko type baits, with light weight and slowed way down. We caught another 6 or 7 bass using this technique. Most bass were tight to heavy cover edges, and around pad fields. If you could find calm water on the flat, bass were in the area. We finished the day with 25 bass caught, the biggest was about 2 lbs. I lost a heavy fish in thick cover on the Gambler cane toad. Could have been a Bowfin, but a friend always says, its a bass if you can't see it. Lol It got buried in the thick stuff quickly. It was a great morning on the water catching some fish, and catching up on old times with a friend. No bird damage!

No need to get to the lake too soon. You should do better as the sun beats down and it warms a little. Afternoon may be better then morning. Next thing is slow way down, and use a light weight so they see it slow fall through the water column. A subspended bass may hit it on the fall. Note how deep the bait was on the hit. Give them time to swim over and study the bait. Settle small movement may draw a bite. Take your time and enjoy nature!

That is what most people do. Great looking place to bass fish as long as they are not buried in the thick stuff.

I use line for the situation. 1}. For plastics I use Floro all the time. I sinks, super sensitive, and tough. Not all Floro's are the same. Trielene Professional grade is my choice. I have no problems with it. 2}. Top water I use Mono, Big Game. It floats and has some give with the treble hooks. 3}. Real thick weeds, pads, and flipping, I use 65 pound braid. The heavier braid has less problem digging into itself.

I also file my T/M blades to a sharp edge. It does not weaken the blades and always helps in thick grass. It really eats its way through the thick stuff, and easy to do. I also fish Lox often.

I have been fishing since I was a teen, I'm now 67. The last 35 years from both the boat and the bank. I still fish at least 5 days a week.

Whatever bait you are going to use, fan cast the area starting shallow and working out to deeper depths until you find out where the bass are hanging out. Change from a search bait to a slower presentation like a fluke, senko, or worm. If that doesn't work have a beer!

In general, I would fish shallow. There is so much food exposed to the newly flooded area. Worms will float up, Bugs under ground will try to escape. Flooded brush will be full of life trying to escape the rising waters. This is a feast for bass and all other bait fish in the shallows. Bass will also follow the bait fish into the shallows. Bass will often be in very shallow water newly flooded spots. Try to find cleaner areas.

I few good bank fishing spots in the heart of Miami. Tropical Park, bass and peacock. Tropical fruit park in Homestead. Every canal or man made lake. Look for ones in business areas. Behind the Falls shopping center. Good big peacock area. Canal along the Turnpike. Find a spot along the residential area between Miller road and Taminani Trail. There is access to the canal all along this stetch of the residential road. Don't park on the turnpike, police will stop. Go out 41 to the Casino. After the casino go over the bridge to the dirt road along the canal. Miles of fishing spots there. Just a few spots, there are many more!

I target bass 100% of the time, but in our Florida waters I will often catch many other native and exotic fish beside bass. I often catch Peacock, gar, mudfish, oscars, pickeral, chicalids, catfish, snakeheads, and the occasional gator. Anything is possible in south Florida waters.

Jerk and slack, slack has to be immediate after the jerk. Keep the rod tip down.