soflabasser

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I live in Florida but have caught bass in several states and have caught most of the black bass species that have been identified as of this moment. What helps me the most is to research the type of fish I want to catch, learn what techniques are best for the place I plan on fishing in, and put in the time needed. I usually catch the fish I am after in my fishing vacations and it is because I do lots of research before going fishing. Another thing you can do is find someone in your area who is good at catching big bass and you fish with them.

You are welcome. Do research and find where people have caught 8 pound or bigger largemouth bass in Ohio and write these places down in a notebook. Research what lures they use to catch these fish, when they caught these big bass, and other important information. Fishing for big bass is like hunting where you have to put in more work compared to catching small-regular sized bass which are much easier to catch. For example I usually have to fish for several days to just to catch 1 bass over 8 pounds and usually only 1 day to catch a bunch of small-medium sized bass.

The Ohio state record largemouth bass is 13.13 pounds and was caught in the year 1976. This means there have been documented catches of bass 10 pounds or bigger in Ohio. Very few people are going to tell you where they catch big bass so the best thing you can do is put your time on the water and use techniques known for catching big bass if your goal is to catch more big bass.

Welcome to the forum

Welcome to the forum

I caught a +10 foot Burmese python a couple years ago near one of the places I fish. It was the only Burmese python I have seen so far but I am sure there are more of them in the area. Have caught other species of snakes in Florida and they where native species unlike the Burmese python.

Here are a couple bass fishing myths I have heard from other bass fishermen; 1. Myth = Peacock bass do not bite at night. Truth = I have caught peacock bass at night with topwaters. 2. Myth = Peacock bass do not spawn in February. Truth = I have seen lots of peacock bass on nest in February (including this year) if the weather is warm enough for them to be bedding. 3. Myth = You need a baitcaster reel if your goal is to catch big bass. Truth = I catch almost all my big bass on spinning reels and use the same reels for inshore fishing for snook, tarpon, redfish, and other inshore species. 4. Myth = Bass do not bite during strong cold fronts in South Florida. Truth = I have caught bass during strong cold fronts in South Florida. There are other bass fishing myths that I have heard but I will just mention these for now.

Thank you for posting this picture of the 11 1/4 foot long eastern diamondback rattlesnake. It is amazing how far South in Florida it was caught.

Berkley big game mono is a good line for a leader. It has very good abrasion resistance and is cheap so you can replace it often.

A decent 10-12 foot surf rod will help you cast further to where the fish can be in the beach. Sometimes the fish are less than 100 feet from the shore and you can catch them close. Pay attention to where the sand bars are since you can catch some nice fish between sand bars.

The colors are a bit bright but if it is built well then that is what truly matters.

I live in South Florida where there are several species of snakes. I mostly see water snakes when fishing but occasionally see cottonmouths. I always make sure to watch where I step and constantly look at the ground since snakes can crawl close to you, especially after a heavy rain. Most snakes will leave you alone if you leave them alone.

That sounds like an awesome place to fish.

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I agree with you. We have similar issues in Florida where the state is making saltwater regulations more strict as the years pass. For example the snook population is extremely healthy in South Florida but you can only keep 1 snook between 28-32'' long (on the east coast), during short seasons, and on top of that you need a special snook stamp to harvest one of these fish. There are other saltwater regulations that are more strict than the snook regulations. Fortunately I know how to catch snook and know good places to fish so I tend to catch slot snook but it is much harder to catch a slot snook in season than to catch a snook 33'' or bigger. The West coast of Florida had a ban on keeping snook for a while, so that means people that usually fish for snook on the West coast of Florida had to drive to the East coast if they wanted to keep a snook. Lol

I am amazed this subject went for 7 pages now. Like I said earlier I rather make enlarged photos of the trophy bass I have caught along with photo albums but everyone is free to decide if they want a skin mount, replica, photos, whatever makes them happy as long as it is legal.

Do some research of the area you plan to fish before you go. Look at maps of the place you plan on fishing in, read fishing reports of that area, and bring the appropriate tackle.

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Awesome catches @A-Jay. What is the length and girth of that smallmouth bass? At this moment in time I have most my favorite catches in photo albums. The rest of the photos are saved in memory chips. Having enlarged photos like you have is a great idea and you save lots of money. That saved money can be used for fishing vacations which to me is more valuable than having a skin mount or replica bass on the wall.

I rather print enlarged pictures of my catches and put them on the wall than kill a bass for a skin mount. Will only consider getting a replica made from someone who is known for very good replicas.

I have caught bass near the Great Lakes to all the way down to some freshwater/brackish water canals near the Florida keys. From this experience I have noticed that on average Florida largemouth bass are much bigger than northern strain largemouth bass or any other black bass species. It is common to catch 4-7 pound bass in Florida and a bass that size is considered a big bass near the Great Lakes, New York, or another area in the north. I have also noticed that Florida largemouth bass are pound for pound better fighters and harder to catch than Northern largemouth bass. Pound for pound the Suwannee bass I caught in Northern Florida where the best fighters and the trophy Florida largemouth bass I caught in South Florida where the strongest overall in terms of absolute strength for the black bass species I have caught. With that said none of the black bass species compare to peacock bass, they are much stronger, faster, and more beautiful than any black bass. As for fishing gear I use heavier tackle when fishing in Florida and lighter tackle when fishing up north for bass.

Yes bass bite at night. They will hit the same lures that you use during the day but I prefer using topwaters at nighttime since topwater hits often catch you by surprise.

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