N Florida Mike

I fished nearly all the well known lakes/rivers etc in much of N. Florida,and a lot of places that arent well known, and many with no name. Its hard for me to pick one or two but I'll try.Every one of them has special memories with some of the best friends Ive ever had.I wont count the lake I live on,but it has the most memories.T hese aren't necessarily where we caught the most fish ,but where the EXPERIENCE was outstanding. • The St Johns river at Lake George,and Crescent lake.Picture Cypress trees and spanish moss.They are different water bodies,but they are very similar to me.We would have our churches mens retreats at one or the other of these 2 spots each year.Everyone (40 + )men,would fish all day, then we would clean them all and have a fish fry and fellowship ( and a lot of practical jokes as I recall ) I was in my 20s then,and learned a lot about life being around all the wisdom from the older men. Once, one of my best friends found a little hole near an Island in Crescent lake.It was only 4×4 or so.We caught easily over 100 bream of all varieties out of that one little spot.We used all the live worms we had,and they even bit DEAD worms.It pretty much supplied the whole fish fry that time.We believed the MASTER fisherman had supplied for us. One of the special memories at one of those was when I had a special needs young man with me.We were fishing behind drayton Island near lake George.I was running the boat fixing to stop and fish.I saw a bass hit,killed the motor and cast to the fish,and handed him the rod.The bass took the worm and even though he didnt fight the fish well it was eventually landed.3 pounds.It was the biggest fish caught that trip.He was so proud and excited from all the attention. Sorry for the long post but I could go on and on.

If you could go back to an old fishing hole from your past ,where would it be and why, and what you caught them on there. Its ok to pick a couple. I'll wait to hear some responses and post mine later. Mike

• Id use a 5 foot net to start with,if u havent thrown one much. •Get one with heavier weights. • Ponds are easier because the fish are more concentrated and easier to find. • Chum the area with old bread until you get a concentration of fish.It may take a few hours to a few days . • Check the laws for cast netting in your state. I was cast netting some shiners in a pond down the road and caught a 5 pound bass.W onder what he was doing with all those shiners??

• I would fish the deepest hole in the hottest part of the day for starters . • Fish Anything that amounts to structure • Fish all drain outlets thoroughly. • I dont have a problem using live bait.It works!!

My senko of choice is watermelon slice,which Are basically watermelon red with more red in it.Also has a black top to it,so its similar to red shad.Its my number one producer .I have red shad flukes which I occasionally catch a fish on,and still have my red shad culprits which I have caught hundreds of fish on.

Nice football er, uh ,fish.

Nah not me.All it takes is a hook in the finger or worse and theyd be a lawsuit or settlement without insurance.

I love skipping. Its enjoyable to me making a good skip and then often having a fish pick up.Its truly priductive as bass so often hold under docks.The lake Im on has docks and a couple pontoons.One of them always has fish under it.Now the owner has pulled the boat straight in to the dock so the only way to skip it is at the motor end.To make it even harder,the angle is such that I have to back hand the cast. I also have an Island to fish around.I can go backhand or forehand .Ive gotten really good at the angle either way.I do better in my jon boat than the bass hunter because it sits lower in the water.It is just like skipping rocks to me. Lest you think Im bragging,I have not yet learned flipping.I have tried and just cant seem to get it. To me ,skipping is easy. ( only with spinning though)?

If you put weight towards the back it helps. I dont use a rudder due to all the weeds I have to get through.I put a heavy concete chunk I have in back if no one's fishing with me, and I put myself and the battery as far back as I can and still reach the Tm comfortabley.It cuts down the problem a lot .

Nice! I love quilts ( not quilting ) I still have a couple old patchwork quilts my great Aunt made back in the mountains. Great that you can do something like that to be a blessing to your wife.

My wife used to complain about my fishing and other activities. It used to drive me crazy.More than once I said in anger ( to myself of course ) " I'll never fish again " That lasted maybe 2 days and I would get the itch. The issue wasnt what I was doing,it was what I wasnt doing ( for her). After a lot of soul searching and prayer,I realized I needed to change from just telling her I love her to SHOWING it. I try to put her ahead of myself, and now I fish twice as much and she rarely complains.But it has to be genuine,not just so you can get your way. Best years of our marriage since I finally realized this.

Had a late evening supper with the famly so I missed my fishing window .Almost . Heard the frogs croakin in numbers for the first time this year. So I only took one frog outfit and one small booyah pc. Got 2 blow ups and 1 fish. The fish that missed was the better of the two.

I like the bass part anyway. Hope those 'shrooms werent the psycho kind!

Started out on a farm for 7 years.Did a few other outdoor jobs before getting into lawn care,which Ive done in various ways since 1987. I now do sales for that and all the other pest control services our company provides.This allows me to have a flexible schedule which I love.Love the people I sell to but not so much the fall out from micro management. Got a ministerial degree but havent done it full time.So Ive done volunteer ministry since the mid- eighties. Children's ministry, teens,adults.old folks. Right now raising a 15 year old grandson and 11 year old granddaughter. And doing mentoring for recovering addicts. And love teaching people about God and fishing.

I know theyre down south but Ive never heard of anyone catching one in my area, which I consider to be from the Georgia line to ocala fl.

Thanks.They havent made it to my part of the country yet.

what in the world is that?

Away from home Id love to catch some smallmouth ( for the first time ) Dale hollow probably or wherever one of you smallmouth guys would recommend. Toledo bend also. Would also like to fish on Smith mountain lake ( my uncle has a place there.) Closer to home Id go fishing/ camping on the Suwanee river, and Id go Pond jumping / camping in the Ocala nat. forest,although Ive done that. If any time left Id go to some of the local lakes,like Sante fe .

Thanks for the reply. I was thinking about teaching kids how to fish in ponds, and guiding adults occasionally. I probably won't ever do it full time though. Taught my kids and grandkids to fish and guided a few friends. But I can be tearing em up the day before by myself and the next day or so when I take a friend they dont bite. I suspect guiding is often that way.

Just saw a 3 inch bass swimming by the dock !. Bass have been bedding for MONTHS here in Fl.

I also live on a lake with a dock.I have a couple boats down there and chairs etc.If I was out there fishing or otherwise I would expect them not to get too close.But people rarely come down to my end of the lake unless its canoes or kayaks.They have to get through a big eel grass bed so most people turn around.If someone does get down where I am, I try to be friendly.Because of this ,I have met the one canoist/ fisherman that comes down to my place the most.I couldn't imagine being mean to someone in the water that was fishing or paddling around. When the canoeist came last time,I was doing a little casting , he apologized for getting too close . But he wanted to tell me about the bed he saw down by his house.I told him basically,No worries mate . The only things I can think of that would get me riled up would be if they were tresspassing or casting too close if I was out there.It wouldnt even bother me if they bonked lures off my boats. ( It'd be hard to hurt a bass hunter or jb ! )

Exactly my approach.Except I let THEM call the law if they want to.Ive never done it. I dont fish docks with people on them and I might even leave if you're rude,esp. if I have a kid with me.

Hey anyone fishing jax area? Tried a couple ponds yesterday with Trophybasshunter. We fished the big pond behind southside community church with no success.Also fished a small interchange pond at butler/ southside .He caught one dink. Always searching for new ponds. There were a few fish on beds at both spots but they werent interested.Nothing huge though. Also caught 5 the other night at the home lake.Biggest was 2 pounds caught on 5 inch Yamamoto senko- red slice.

Sounds cool A local tackle shop used to do a month long tournament . You had to physically bring the fish there to weigh.There were almost no other rules. It was the top 10 biggest fish of the month and each place had a prize.I placed a couple times and won a nice combo with one of them. It wasnt a high pay- out but was really fun for those of us who fished anyway . You could fish anywhere. It was also great for the tackle store because it produced more business.But sadly,that store went out of business eventually.

Hmmm- great idea. Id love to do that here in jax.