soflabasser

I am not buying the excuse that these guides are ''giving away'' golden shiners to their clients, they are including the golden shiners as part of the guided fishing trip which means they are indeed selling golden shiners to paying customers. To give away something means you give something and not expect anything in return, clearly these guides are making money off these golden shiners. Maybe it would be best to make this lake a lure fishing only, catch and release fishing lake. That way people won't be tempted to take so many golden shiners like they seem to be doing.

Welcome to the forum

There is no such thing as a ''secret fishing spot'', especially in today's age with Google Earth making it easy to find a new fishing spot. Just because someone knows where you fish does not mean they will have the same level success you have. For example, there is a lake I caught a double digit bass that thousands of people visit every year, most of those people think that lake has bad fishing since it is so highly pressured. Those people are wrong, that lake has great fishing, you just have to be patient and know what lure to use, when to use it, and what time to use it. That is one of the things I like about fishing, the more hard work you put in the more you are rewarded.

Sounds like they are catching bait like commercial fishermen and not like recreational fishermen. Reminds me of people that use electric reels in the ocean that brag about catching fish this way when in reality this type of fishing is more commercial fishing than sportfishing. I understand using cast nets in the ocean for mullet but I do not like the practice of using cast nets in freshwater. Too much bycatch caught in nets which includes bass. It would be nice if they passed a law that you can only catch shiners and other legal baitfish on hook and line and not with nets. I much rather catch a big bass on a lure than on live bait but I understand there are times live bait works best just like there are times a lure will be the best choice. As long as the fisherman catches his own bait on hook and line I see no problem, its when people get greedy with cast nets that a problem can arise. Cast nets are known for catching lots of bycatch which includes bass, not the best thing you would want in a lake that is being managed as a trophy bass fishing lake.

I have noticed that bowfin are eager biters throughout the year in Florida. From what I researched bowfin are eager biters wherever they are found. Many members here gave excellent suggestions on how to catch bowfin, soft plastics and spinnerbaits are good lure choices for them. Bowfin are able to live in more places than just calm muddy back waters. I have caught bowfin near spillways with strong currents and I have caught bowfin in water with +10 feet visibility which most would consider clear water for freshwater.

Bowfin spawning season is different depending on where you are fishing for bowfin. I have noticed that bowfin I caught with spawning colors were between December-April in the Everglades. In Northern States bowfin often spawn in the Spring or early Summer.

Portion control is very important, especially for those that gain weight easily. I mentioned earlier that some people can eat all the junk food they want and not gain weight, these people will never understand the sacrifice one has to make to eat a healthy diet and keep the junk food to a minimum. You cannot compare a naturally thin person to a person that gains weight easily just like you cannot compare a person that gains muscle easily to someone that has a hard time gaining muscle. One has to do the best they can with what they have. It is much easier to stay lean than to gain weight and then lose it again, that is for sure. There is something that feels much better than being fit and lean, that is never taking a performance enhancing drug and achieving a body and fitness level most cannot obtain without cheating. With that said performance enhancing drugs do more harm than good in the long run so it is best to stay natural. It is not easy eating a healthy diet but it is worth the effort. It is ok to have 1-2 cheat meals a week. Moderation is very important when it comes to nutrition.

Good subject! Bowfin are by far one of the most underrated gamefish in the country. Pound for pound they fight harder than a black bass, are eager biters, hit the same lures a bass hits, and can grow to over 10 pounds in weight. Bowfin have powerful jaws so I am not surprised the bowfin your father caught closed the jaw spreader I have caught bowfin with spawning colors, the green color you mentioned is more beautiful in person that what you see in a photo or video. I have caught many gamefish in my life and I consider bowfin a gamefish. That is why I am grateful for every bowfin I catch, they are an awesome fish.

Excellent advice @A-Jay. The hardest part of a healthy lifestyle is the diet, working out is the easiest part. This I know from experience. It is best to eat for good health and limit junk food to 1-2 meals a week. This might sound too hard for most but it is what it takes for most people to achieve their goal. Some people can eat junk food all day and they don't gain a pound of fat, I am not one of those people. I am not as lean as you but my abs are clearly visible and I have a muscular, well balanced physique at this moment in time. I have been overweight in the past, I did not like it so I changed my eating habits. I do the best with what I got, I workout when I can, and I eat as healthy as possible. I have not drank soda or eaten fast food in over 2 years. I eat mostly whole foods that my Wife and I cook. We prepare our meals in advance and have these meals in a freezer for our prepared meals. I stay away from processed foods as much as possible. Every once in a while I have some cookies or ice cream to reward myself since I earned it. Anything that is worth having in life is worth working hard to achieve.

Another good piece of advice is bring the appropriate leaders for the fish you plan on fishing for. For example you might need at least 30-60 pound monofilament leader if your goal is to catch a snook over 40 inches. Yes you can catch plenty of small snook on lighter leaders but you might not land a big snook since snook have a sharp gill plate that easily cuts through thin lines. There are times snook fishermen use 80-100 pound test mono leaders when fishing for +40 inch snook, these fishermen are expert snook fishermen so they know what is best. You will need even thicker leader for tarpon, especially if you want to catch a big tarpon. You will most likely need a wire leader for sharks, barracudas, mackerel, and other fish with sharp teeth.

Congratulations on losing the weight, it is not easy. Getting in shape can be done by anyone that is determined and follows a healthy diet. Keeping in shape for several years is the hard part. You have to have a strong will power and work ethic to stay in shape, especially if you are natural and do not take anabolic steroids and other cheating drugs that is so common these days. Cutting out refined sugar and white flour is one of the best things anyone can do for one's health.

It is nice to see other members here enjoy gardening. I also enjoy gardening and grow many varieties of plants.

LOL, it is easy when you live in ''The Fishing Capital of the World''. Like I said earlier the occasional cold weather, hurricanes, hot Summers, and increasing population is the price we pay to live in our state. It is nice to be able to fish for huge variety of fish in beautiful weather.

The USA beat China in the Summer Olympics and the USA has more gold medals than China. Even if China gets a medal or 2 it will always be behind the USA.

I understand why your father's cousin is upset about the colder than normal weather, especially since he moved down here for the warm weather we have most of the year. South Florida's climate is not 100% tropical, it is sub tropical so we do have a couple days in the year the temperature drops below 60 degrees and rarely does it drop in the low 40's or below. Today the daytime temperatures was in the 80's so it is getting warmer and warmer as our Winter is ending. The occasional cold weather, hurricanes, hot Summers, and increasing population is the price we pay to live in a state that is known as the ''Fishing Capital of the World''.

Make sure to bring a couple saltwater topwaters and jigs.

Yes tarpon are pound for pound one of the strongest fish and they are known as the best leaping fish in the World. You don't land most tarpon that bite since they are masters at shaking the hook but every single tarpon you catch is worth the effort to catch them.

Good selection of lures you bought.

Most Northerners visit South Florida during the Winter so they get to experience our cold fronts which are nothing compared to the cold temperatures most Northern states get. I would also visit South Florida if I lived up North, the fishing here is the best in the country and the weather is mostly warm throughout the year. I fished once while it was snowing while on vacation in a Northern state, it was a nice experience but not something I would like to do more than a couple times. If you get a chance I recommend you try wade fishing for inshore species such as tarpon, snook, etc the next time you come to South Florida.

Berkley Big Game Mono is a good line for fishing for blue catfish.

This Winter has been the coldest Winter in South Florida in over 5 years. We had a day that the temperature dropped to 40 degrees which is very rare where I live. Right now the daytime weather is very nice and we will continue to get warmer temperatures. With that said I much rather be living where I am since we barely get any cold weather and it is mostly tropical weather for most of the year.

I have learned that there are places that rising water levels improves the fishing and other places lowering water levels improves the fishing. I learned this by putting time on the water which is the best way to learn how to fish.

Not going to watch this years Winter Olympics and will wait for it to be hosted in a better place. With that said I want our US Olympic Athletes to win as many medals as possible. I remember the USA won the most Gold Medals in the last Summer Olympics.

Yes bass are always biting somewhere and there will always be people that catch bass in conditions that most do not like to fish in. For example lots of people complain about bass fishing in the Summer in South Florida yet I do well in the Summer. People need to go fishing when they are able to and do their best to figure out what the bass what on that particular day.

FWC should be able to offer you good advice where you can fish legally. Right now is a good time to fish the inlets. Make sure to bring lots of saltwater topwaters, spoons, jigs, along with the appropriate tackle and you should do well.