N Florida Mike

They hadn’t been there lately but today they are. Just think it’s not a coincidence that I just put the bass in this morning.

I was out there just now and there’s a big congregation of tadpoles clustered on the top step, where the water is only a few inches deep. I wonder why ??

Thinking I might call him “ Billy” because I had a good friend named Billy that threw fish into his “cement pond”, and he would go out and recatch them for supper whenever he wanted. He had Bass , bream and catfish in there!! Another reason is it’s a common name for a goat that are big eaters of whatever’s there, like this fish will do. And, of course, there’s the famous “ Billy bass “ mounts ?

I’ll have to admit it crossed my mind…

So I have an old “cement pond” in back. Nothing works anymore. Quotes range from 1500-2000.00 to fix. So… It looks like the black lagoon. Being that we live on a lake , the frogs have found it and reproduced. The ones I’ve seen are too small to gig and eat . The pool is right behind my bedroom and office, so they are very loud( sounds like they are in the house sometimes.) Soooo I had an idea . I would catch a bass and throw him in. Which I did this morning. He’s a 12 incher, and will have all he can eat…. I’m expecting him to get big fast because of the abundant food and no competition! What will I name him??

Right. I’m also dreading that. The going through the checkpoint thing is especially unpleasant. Since I rarely fly , I’m not sure of what all’s changed in the way they do it since last time. I am not a fast thinker either, which doesn’t help… I’m way out of my element at an airport. Always nervous that I forgot that I had one of my pocketknives on me or something. Im better off on the water or in the woods for sure…

I don’t like flying. I’m not deathly afraid of it but have been able to avoid it for nearly 10 years now. Then my son in Michigan booked us a flight to go there for thanksgiving. I’m already dreading it.?

Possum on the half shell!?

I wait longer than most of y’all. I miss more fish by quickly setting the hook. I feel the tap, or see the line moving. Then, I reel up to just barely make contact, then drop the rod and set. Maybe it’s not 5 seconds but it’s close. I rarely have a fish drop it once they pick it up( unless it’s on a bed ). I had a friend who was a very experienced bass fisherman, and he took a lot longer than me!!

Zoom UV speed worm Zoom UV speed craw yum dingers ( believe it ! ) Big bite craws Zoom horny toads( hook up rate sucks) culprit and mr twister worms. Rage tail cut-rs. All T-rigged , some with no weight, some with a little…

Go weightless, or as light as possible. Less for the weeds to get hung on. Also, try different baits that may come through the weeds better…

Not hardly. In that nieghborhood, I would still be in the COOLER for that come the holidays!

I’m sorry to hear this. Will be praying for both of you.

The next day can be good. I personally have never done very well the same day after a heavy rain.

I’ll be 62 in september if I live that long. I have no plans to ever retire.( Until there’s no other option). I Love my job and financially won’t be able to retire anyway. S. Security bothers me because I have paid into it all my working life and feel like I deserve it but can’t use it I reckon because it just isn’t enough to live on. I have a little stock and 401k at least . I have a very flexible schedule in sales. Some days I’m home early anyway with several hours before dark. I can fish work route ponds since Im never “ on the clock”. My wife said that I “retired to sales”. It really is a great job for me at this stage in life.

Welcome to the forums!

I use super flukes a lot, and bass always seem to swallow them quicker and deeper than other baits. I am also a little slower to set the hook than many fishermen. For these reasons, I tend to gut hook fish regularly. If I can safely get the hook out, I do. If I can’t, I cut the line. And I keep fish I’m not sure will live for awhile to see if they make it. If not, then there’s always the next fish fry to contribute to…

Most of the grass/weeds in there are gone. Same for the river. That makes fish hard to pattern… I won a tournament in Dr’s lake once. Caught almost all my fish in and around eel grass. They used to have thursday night tournaments at Whitey’s. Not sure they still do. If they do That would be a chance for you to meet some locals that fish it regularly…

Welcome to the forums!

Beautiful sunrise today…

Speed worms are great. I use them a lot too. You might try live shiners a time or two just to see whats there. Fish them right on the edge of the pads. Drs lake is connected to the st Johns too, it’s just much wider than black creek. Are you military or ex- military? If you are, you can get into Kingsley lake, which isn’t far south of Middleburg. If you are, take me ? !!! It has the second most entries in the state for FWC’s big bass program.

I was fishing on my dock for small bream or shiners to use for live bass bait. I was using a tiny hook. I don’t remember the number , but it is probably close if not the smallest hook made. I hooked a little bream , and as I was about to pull it out of the water, A 4 pound bass clobbered it. It was a great fight on an ultra light combo,6 pound test, and tiny hook. The fish was hooked right in the corner of its mouth. I decided just to stay and fish on the dock! This isnt the craziest story. Just the first one that came to mind!

I use them for numbers. If I want to get some smaller fish for a fish fry. If I’m taking a beginner or kids. Sometimes I just like catching fish, no matter what the size. But occasionally, there will be a big fish . I caught a 8.6 with one once. I T-rig mine, with a 2/0 wide gap gammy hook. I don’t do well with wacky rigs. I normally fish them weightless in the shallow, weedy ponds / lakes I usually fish… They cast great, and skip great too! I esp. love them around brush piles or under docks.

I helped save a young ladies Christmas one time by finding a big ol dead possum under her house. She had company coming in a few days. After I found it , I asked her if she wanted to see it. Her answer was “ That’s ok “ ! ?