soflabasser

I am going to do some research and find out what type of apple I ate that I mentioned earlier. It does not look like any of the apples mentioned in this thread and would like to know what type of apple it is so I can buy some.

Welcome to the forum

The current world record crappie was caught from the shore. I am sure they are some boaters that would love to break that record but it will be a hard record to break. Catching 13 inch crappie or better is a common catch for me and others in South Florida. It takes a 15 inch or better crappie to impress the shore fishermen down here. Anyone can catch a bunch of sub 12 inch crappie just like anyone can catch a bunch of sub 20 inch bass.

I would not like living in a place that limits how many months of the year you can bass fish. This subject makes me appreciate South Florida more since I can bass fish whenever I want to.

Green Pumpkin and watermelon are popular choices for senkos.

I use a size 4000 Shimano spinning reel for smallmouth bass and I prefer having a reel of this over a size 2000-3000 since I also target muskie and other fish with these reels. For the rod I use a 6 foot or 7 foot rod.

LOL!

Earlier this month I went up north and ate the best tasting apples I have eaten so far. These apples came from wild apple trees by a river I was fishing.These apples where a different variety than what I see in supermarkets. Wont mind going back there next fall or find somewhere else to get these types of apples.

I was fishing in a flooded river where the water visibility was less than 3 feet, maybe its different somewhere else but the straight braid works well in clear lakes in South Florida as well.

I often catch big bass in clear waters with strait braid so yes it is possible to catch bass with straight braid in clear water. Earlier this month I went up north and caught a bunch of smallmouth bass on a ned rig with straight braid. I use 30 pound test braid often and it does well for me. I sometimes go up to 50 pound test braid if I am fishing a area with extremely heavy aquatic vegetation but not much more for bass.

Central Florida has even bigger bass on average than South Florida so you where very fortunate to have been able to fish there. I agree bass fishing can get boring if it is the only thing you that is why I spend most of my time targeting several species of fish. You have the most species of black bass in Georgia than any other state and I plan on fishing in Georgia in the future. The bass that @th365thli caught is a beauty that any bass fisherman would enjoy catching that is for sure.

It is impossible to get rid of bullseye snakehead from South Florida at this moment in time. The state could use some chemicals in the waterways that might kill some bullseye snakeheads (not all of them) but that will also kill the native fish which I am sure the state does not want. These little snakehead tournaments do nothing to the overall population to bullseye snakeheads in South Florida and the bullseye snakehead population is extremely healthy. In fact the bullseye snakehead population is thriving and lots of people are fishing for them since they are a very unique species of fish that fights hard and hits a wide variety of lures. Florida strain largemouth bass are only native to Florida and have been introduced to California,Texas,Mexico,Cuba,Japan,South Africa, and other locations. These non native Florida largemouth bass bring millions of dollars to the areas they have been introduced since people love to fish for them.

Thank you @NittyGrittyBoy it is what I do myself to improve my own bass fishing game. I have had a lot of talented bass fishermen teach me techniques I did not know well for which I am very grateful for. It makes no sense for me to fish with someone who thinks they know it all yet their results say otherwise. The exception is fishing with my better half, family, and close friends which I just want their company when fishing.

Sounds like a lot of fun and I would like to try that on one of my fishing vacations up north. You can put me in that same group of ''ice fishing swimbait fisherman'' since I would also use big live bait for a big muskie,northern pike,lake trout,or northern strain largemouth bass.

I have not ice fished yet but it seems like a lot of fun from the YouTube videos I have seen. I will gladly use live bait as well for ice fishing, especially if it means catching a nice muskie, pike, or lake trout. What do you usually fish for when you ice fish? Be careful in key west, there are some shady people there especially at night.The fishing part of the seven mile bridge is good for snapper, jacks, barracuda, sharks, and other species of fish.

Is he a close friend of yours or just some random guy you fish with once in a while? He sounds like he is a very competitive bass fisherman that does not do very well, which reminds me of some highly competitive fishermen I know down here that also talk a lot but do not do very well. My suggestion is tell him to change his ways and start stepping his bass fishing game up or stop fishing with him and focus on improving your own bass fishing game. Like the saying goes you can't fly like a eagle if you hang out with turkeys so fish with those that help you grow or fish by yourself until you find someone that motivates you or keep fishing with him if you enjoy his company that much.

There is very good fishing in the keys and the best part is you can catch very nice fish from the shore.

I agree and more importantly be consistent at catching big bass not just small/medium bass.

Sounds like it is time to call FWC to see if they can do a professional assessment of the channel catfish and yellow bullhead in that lake.

Senkos are not my favorite lure but I do feel they have their place and time. Senkos are a great beginner lure and a good lure for those who get fatigued easily by throwing other lures. I will fish them if I have to but most of the time I can find a better lure to use.

There are many talented bass fishermen that do not care much for tournament bass fishing since it is not a true measure of how good someone is in bass fishing. A better measure is someone who is consistently catching big bass (in the past and present, not just in the past) and tends to catch more bass than the average bass fisherman in his area. Also 1 big bass caught is not enough to be considered a good bass fisherman since anyone can get lucky but catching lots of big bass on a consistent basis is definitely a sign that the bass fisherman knows what he is doing.

I know a couple guys down here that swear senkos are the best bass lure ever made. I do not like fishing with senkos but they do have their place and time they work best. I prefer catching bass on other lures such as topwaters,swimbaits, and other lures.

I thought I was going to read about fishing for blue catfish in the winter and instead it is about the northern winter. Ice fishing sounds fun and it is on my bucketlist of things to try.

The aquatic plant in your hand looks like milfoil but it would be best to show it to your states fisheries biologist since they should know.

Congratulations on a nice bass. Did you get a length and girth measurement?