N Florida Mike

Yeah I've considered this too.I do rotate baits a lot.Im always looking for something they haven't seen.I went through my worm box full of old style worms from the 80s.Back then,these were what the bass loved in my lake.I tried them out for a couple hours with no success,but I'm going to try them again soon. Truthfully though,I have probably lost a few that were over 4 in the 9 months since I've caught one.I dont believe in luck,but I have had some strange things happen this year with several nice fish being lost one way or another.

I couldn't buy an expensive pair to start with,and if I did, they'd soon be broken.But I am in the market for a decent cheap pair.

Spider, That was a great article,thanks.

Dwight,thanks for your response.Thats exactly the conclusion I've come to.But finding the existence big fish and catching them is what's strange to me.

The lake is basically a dammed up Creek that went into a cypress pond.Been that way since the mid fifties. Bream fishing is fair at best,way down from what it once was.Catfishing is better than it was 10 years ago. I know the lake so well,since I have wade fished every foot of it( except swimming over the deeper areas )That's why it's so strange.Lake record is 13 1/2 pounds.

As some of you know,I live on a small lake in the Jax. Area,which I have fished for 0ver 40 years now.I have kept records of all the fish over 4 pounds I've caught in the last 10 years.The total over 4 is 49. I've consistently caught these larger fish until this year.I haven't caught any over 4 since April last year.I have actually fished more this year than any year of the 10,with less results.My overall strategy has been to fish numbers because out of 25 fish or so,there will always be a good fish or two mixed in.But not lately.I have gone occasionally to bigger baits,with no result.I have even fished live bait ( which I am very experienced with here.)Nothing over 3 1/2. Other than me,there is almost no fishing pressure.I have been having dink fests more and more,so be IM trying to weed them out,to get a larger size.Im working on that,because I know the population is too high and bait fish are low. But I have released every one of these bigger fish so they are still there...any thoughts ?

Senkos.( Usually ) To me, plastic flukes are a very close 2nd,if not dead equal. A friend came over and fished his senko wacky,and I fished zoom super flukes.I caught 10.He caught 9. Needless to say,I went out and got me some senkos,but I don't ever catch them with wacky.But T-rigged I catch a lot.

Here it is

Yeah the swim bait but It floats on its side.I tried it out last night .Didn't catch any,but had a small fish blow up on it. First time bait for me.Didnt know it was topwater til I fished it

The rod would be my 6.5 ugly stick medium heavy with my Shimano stradic. The baits would be zoom salty super fluke ,GY 4 inch senko, both in watermelon seed,or watermelon red,but I'm really torn on the 3rd one.The traditional choice would be red shad 7.5 inch culprit worm.The more current choice would be zoom trick worms in watermelon red. All t- rigged with a 3/0 wide gap hook,except the senko with a 1/0.

The 3.5 inch copper nose bluegill.

Just picked one up at Academy sports.I got the 3.5 inch coppernose bluegill. Has anyone done any good with them? It casts good at least .

I'd call the manufacturer.

I generally fish the same lakes and therefore know where fish usually bed.I'll start seeing aggressive little males in the shallows, and about the same time beds will start being scooped out.The male will be on them more than the female.I have a bed this year right off my property that is in the same spot as one last year where I caught the 6.3 pound female.I looked for her nearly every day once the nest went in and never saw her until I caught her.Im starting to think that the the females have become nocturnal in my home lake because I can't tell you the last time I saw one during the day.A nother thing many people don't realize is that very small females can spawn.I caught 2 small females ,both were no bigger than 1.5 pounds.Both were full of eggs.( kept them not believing they were egg laden, trying to cull some of the small fish out )So there are many,many more fish that people never see that are reproducing. I respect bedding fish and don't keep them BUT I don't have a problem if someone keeps them in a live well or whatever for awhile. I used to KEEP bedding fish in the 70s and 80s like most others then and we always had plenty.Ive changed since then and don't advocate keeping them now but as long as you're obeying the laws in your area it is ultimately your decision what you do with the fish.

Got that pole in the work truck every day if it gets slow.Had about 25 min. today between stops.Caught 1 at one of my old ponds out on the way. Tomorrow is looking too busy but there's always Saturday?......

Man,how awesome is that!

Sickness/ death of a loved one is hard to go through. My mom and dad both are gone now.The only thing harder than losing my dad was losing mom. I never knew my grand dad's.Both of them died fairly young just working themselves T o death.So take advantage of every minute so you won't have regrets.I pray for peace and comfort for you both.

I looked into getting a rudder for mine but haven't yet. I put a heavy piece of concrete in the back to weigh it down ,and moved the battery back to about halfway.I sit in the front and have the trolling motor up front.If someone goes with me it also weighs down the back and there is no problem steering . It will steer fine as long as the back is weighed down some.

Sorry to be negative about it.Not like I don't believe all the stories.My impression is that it isn't as practical for shallow weedy lakes that I usually fish.It gets weeds on it nearly every cast and sinks faster than they tend to like it here.

Maybe I did something wrong.I tried it and caught 2 fish in about 2 hours .Went back to fishing a t- rigged weightless senko and started catching fish again.

Plastic worms .Specifically,Creme, Manns,Culprits,and GY senkos.Oh yeah,and zoom trick worms.

Healthy fish!

I'd like to meet him, Shaw Grigsby,and a couple others.Sometimes in the past he had a drawing for a fishing trip you could win with him.Have enjoyed his shows.Dont know if they're still on.

Man,Id love that.How did it happen?

Well,I finally got back out in the lake for a couple hours yesterday.Decided to start a short distance down from my property and fish the whole west shoreline,not just the hot spots.I had a nice fish pick up my watermelon red fluke but he came off at the hook set,which rarely happens to me.Next fish I had seen a good sized swirl and through into the area and felt the tap.The line broke when I set it!? Which almost never happens to me anymore.It was then I noticed my (Shimano stradic) was reeling kind of rough.Needing oil. So not wanting to ruin the gears,I retired it for the day. So I pick up my spare plastics rod, which has a reel with a slower gear speed. Next fish, another good one,he runs straight at me into some eel grass.Im reeling frantically to keep up and HE comes off.Now I'm getting frustrated.Miss another fish. T hen I stick a 2 pounder,and as I pull him out of the water,the line breaks! I nearly went home at that point. But I kept on and caught 3 before dark.One of them, a 2 pounder, was caught where I caught my PB many years ago.And the other 2 were caught with baby brush Hogs in Ruby red by the Island out of wood.Even with the setbacks,it was a beautiful evening on the water.Owls hooting,geese calling,dogs baying way off. Lessons learned: Time to change line. Time to oil reels.( Should have done these sooner) and time to sharpen hooks!Things I know,but I have a lazy streak I guess. And not to get frustrated when things don't go my way.I could be in a 3rd world country just fishing and whatever else to just have something to eat! Very thankful! Mike