N Florida Mike

No, but I caught a 4 pounder once on a doughball !

My wife hasn't been with me much since she lost what I call " The bass of the lake", meaning a huge fish. It was actually towing the boat out into the lake but eventually just came off. The last time she went it was one of the hottest summer days last year, and was the worst evening last year I had fishing. I caught 1 bass and finally gave up and went bream fishing and caught only 5. She does put up with my trips without complaint, as long as the chores are caught up anyway. ?

I fish moderately clear water for the most part. A little closer to clear than murky waters. My best colors are: • Watermelon with some kind of red in it. • Other watermelon colors. • Grape shad • Tequila sunrise • June bug • Black grape • Red shad There are numerous color combos I don't use much, but occasionally catch a few on. I rarely, if ever , catch anything on blue, black, yellow , or white.

Went out for a couple hours this evening. Very windy. The fish have been as active as can be all month. Today I lost a 4 pounder by the 4th cast or so to a jump.Caught a dink and 2 pound size fish. One on a fluke, one on a senko , and one on a pit boss. Just not biting good. So with a little daylight left, I put on a black grape 10 inch Mr Twister worm, threw it up against a pontoon boat, and the pictured fish nailed it when it hit the water. Another 5 pound 11 oz. Fish. Pic. Turned out grainy for some reason.

Not this time. We released him into the creek that is the outflow for the lake.

Got this big Softshell this evening on a live bream. Thought it was a big catfish at first. My G. Daughter finally netted it after a hard fight of 7-10 minutes. It was app.25 inch long and completely filled up my cooler.

I use 3-4 inch ' gills. I have tried a lot of different hooks. Lately, I've been using # 2 circle hooks in bronze. It will seem small, but that size won't hinder the bream. He will swim more naturally with a smaller , lighter hook.Hook the 'gill through both lips going in at the bottom and coming out at the top. You won't hook the bass if you set the hook hard though. When the bass eats the bream, I count to 10, then slowly tighten up. Right before it gets all the way tight, start reeling as you moderately ease back on the rod.The fish will generally be hooked in the corner of the mouth.Sometimes it takes time to get used to not setting the hook too hard with a circle hook. If you're used to setting the hook hard you can try a #2 khale hook. If the pond is clear or fairly clear of bottom structure, I recommend not even using a cork. Just cast the bream out and let it free spool until a bass eats it. You'll know because a bass will eat the bream and will always swim steadily away, usually away from the bank.The action of the bream is stop and go, stop and go. A bass will peel the line off faster and steadier than a bream will. If you do have a lot of structure, you can use a 3-4 inch Styrofoam tube shaped cork, although I often use the round red and white ones and they work fine. Another tip is keeping the line tight when fighting the fish, and lowering the rod when fighting the fish so it cant jump. Be ready, because they will nearly always jump right after they are hooked! I expect to see some good pictures soon ! Mike

Try wade fishing in the river with them! Did it for years. Many , many more people are killed by lightning than gators. I'd just about as soon deal with a gator than a cottonmouth personally.

I need to order some. Dicks used to carry them. Black grape and black are the 2 colors I use the most. They work great in the St Johns river system. They have a great action.

I'd be mad if it was my pond ! Esp. If I told him not to keep any . The experience I've had with Inexperienced fishermen is that they always want to keep the big ones to show off. The REALLY inexperienced anglers keep the big ones because they are big, and let all the little ones go , because they are " too small ". I manage my small lake exactly the opposite of that. I can't control everyone on my lake but I try to get the word out to the few that fish it. Anything over 16 inch goes back. Keep some of the little ones to avoid dink city!!

I do a mix of both. I enjoy it either way. I catch more usually when alone.

I never use swivels. There is no need. I tie directly to the hook. I think a swivel might reduce line twist though, but I feel like it would mess up the natural action . You will get an occasional loop in the line that can turn ugly, but I self engage the bail, which helps, and I'm constantly checking the spool for loops. I use an improved clinch knot for mono. Easy to tie and strong.

Dang. That thing is a beast.

Been there, done that.

Without a doubt, I've caught more fish with zoom super flukes than any other bait in the last 15 years. Great choice for a bait to learn. Good choice on the colors. I use watermelon red or watermelon seed or other specific watermelon choices. Also have red shad that I use for dusk fishing. Got several others that I don't use near as much. Once caught an 8 pounder on a murky golf course pond using a bubble gum fluke ! I don't fish murky water much either, but root beer ( and bubble gum ) was the best colors I used in the one murky lake I fish. I use a 3/0 Gamakatsu wide gap hook for them. I fish them weightless. Most of the places I fish are shallow, and it works better. If I fished more consistently with water over 10 ft I would use a little weight. I catch 80 % or more of the fish I catch on them just deadsticking. I throw it out and let it sit for 15 seconds on average. Pick up and check if you don't see the line twitch first. They will often be swimming off with it. I also like to throw it up on a bank and gently pull it off into the water. This induces a lot of hits. I also twitch it twice after deadsticking it, let it sink, wait a few seconds and repeat. They will also nail it pulling it over and through grass.Sometimes they will follow and blow up on it just reeling it in. When you get bit, esp. with deadsticking, reel up and set the hook asap, because if you dont you will often gut hook the fish with flukes.To me, It's one of the most versatile baits there is. As for bullet weights I don't use them much , and when I do it's only when using ribbon tailed worms .

What is a glide bait ??

We had a length only tourney once. Just total measurement for every fish ( dinks included )?. You could throw in a smallest and biggest fish prize. I mean, how many do you really expect to catch anyway for one morning ?Should be easy.

So glad everyone's on the mend.

I second the motion with trick worms and speed worms. I usually fish the speed worms like a spinnerbait around weed edges. Another one I like are the 4 inch lucky strike worms in tequila sunrise. These are very light so I fish them with a light rig and bb shot at the hook.They are super cheap at wal mart. The other is 7 .5 inch culprit worms. Start with red or grape shad. I Texas rig worms with as little weight as I can get away with. They often see and/ or take it on the fall, and the more weight there is, it sinks too fast imo. I use 2 or 3/0 wide gap hooks. There is another less known worm called Producto. I think they are made in Sanford, Florida. Their tournament worms are EXCELLENT. But you rarely see them in stores anymore.

Jigs. I have not caught 1 fish on them.I try again occasionally with the same results. The other is big swimbaits. A friend had one of those rat things and after several trips with no bites I decided that it probably isn't for me. I haven't caught many with Cranks but enough to know they work., same with jerkbaits. Getting better with Frogs and spinnerbaits, which I have now added to my " Circle of trust " baits. No need to discuss my beloved soft plastics. This time.?

I actually would choose a good day at work over a " bad " day fishing. Otherwise, there's less money for the wife , family , and bait monkey. And "bad" is all about perspective. People starving somewhere is bad. When I fish and don't catch much it's just less good.

T rigged soft plastics. • Zoom super fluke • 4 inch Senko • Small ribbon tailed worms. These are my numbers baits, that are about equal. Of the 3, I catch more quality fish on the fluke, so it has an edge . Primary colors are watermelon shades.