Onvacation

I currently use a 6'9" MHXF and always consider getting something longer. Every time I do though, I think back on days like today where I am ducking tree branches to get to the spot I want to fish and a longer rod just wouldn't work. If the water you fish is more open, add some length. If you like getting into tight spots, I would (and do) go short out of necessity. I am normally working a jig in heavy vegetation areas, so I use braid. I just like the way it slices the vegetation. I use a BB1 pro reel ,7.1:1 I think, which seems like overkill considering the short distance I am pitching. Still, it is a nice reel and I am comfortable with it, so I see no reason to change other than freeing up the BB1 pro for other uses.

http://t.basspro.com/Bass-Pro-Shops-Extreme-Qualifier-360-Backpack-or-System/product/10204414/ I carry one of these bank fishing. You could easily hold fifty bags in the top compartment and still have the front pocket and the zipper pocket below it for more. You can also fit four 3600 size boxes in it and you would still have another half dozen storage areas that I haven't touched on.

Remember, not a lot of videos show people losing fish because we can all do that.

Remember I said I had sausage fingers? This causes me to have to use a bit more line to tie knots, so every couple of weeks, I am running out of leader anyway and have to retie. I'd say I get thirty to fifty fish or so before I tie on a new leader. I use an Alberto knot because it works, and my annoying brother in laws name is Alberto. Something soothing about knowing I'm dunking Alberto under the water all day.

Tie a weight with no hook on your line and cast it out and retrieve it slowly 20-30 times. It will help you recognize how to feel different bottom characteristics and you since you know you aren't getting bit, it will help your brain learn that it's OK not to set the hook on every slight change in feel.

Like everyone said, you have to become a line watcher, or you are probably missing 50% of the strikes. As for line, I don't like straight braid simply because with Ned rigs or other light baits, it takes six and a half years to sink. My normal Ned rig size is 1/20th of an ounce and I prefer the sink rate with flouro so I run a fairly long leader. Pain in the rear to tie with light line and bratwurst sized fingers, but worth the effort to me. I don't go straight flouro because I think that flouro memory and Senkos being useless after two fish are all part of a government conspiracy.

Crypt, will do. We will be flying this time so I will be light on the gear so I may hit you up as it gets closer to make sure I have the must have items with me.

I would wait until BPS has their fishing classic or whatever it's called and get a Pro Qualifier and pair it up with whatever rod you can find. Although over your budget, if they have a Pro Quailifer/Carbonlite combo, it would be worth looking at as many of the Carbonlite rods are available two piece. Probably get you in the $150 range though. Medium fast would be my choice as an all around. I just think the Pro Qualifier when it is on sale is tough to beat.

7:1 here most of the time, but on occasion I will put a chatter bait on my crank bait rod which has a 5:1

I just came back from Orlando. If you are willing to travel up to a half hour, you will never run out of places to fish for bass. Toho is awesome as well and worth the money for a guide. We are going to Melbourne in October and I am spending all of my time trying to figure out the logistics to make sure I get back to Orlando for a day or two.

With the exception of two rods, all of my rods are by the same manufacturer you are looking at. I still stick by the Mojo Bass though as an awesome option though.

My favorite rod is my wife's 6'10" MLXF St. Croix Mojo Bass. I have two MF and I'm giving serious thought to just buying another one of her rods to use as my main spinning rod.

Looking at the map, there is a point near the cricket grounds. That was our starting spot and we caught three of the four there. We made our way around to the turnpike but picked up number four near the docks on the way there. Geo g, I cannot locate this topo map. Can you help out with where I can find it? My wife told me today that we may be going to Melbourne instead of Orlando in early October. She said she Googled fishing and I might want to try a place called Stick Marsh. She has great ideas. Lol.

It's all part of learning how to catch a predator that doesn't really want to be pulled out of the water by a hook in her mouth. Fishing is really all about learning behavior and what neighborhoods the big bass prefer. To paraphrase a quote I recently read, people don't catch 10 pounders on accident

Team9nine and WRB, it has been years since I dove here, but if I remember correctly, there was a very distinct line normally right around 40 to 45 feet. They have the plane from the movie US Marshalls sunk in the quarry and the cockpit is below fifty feet if I remember. The change in water temp is so distinct that if you suspended yourself vertically at the line, the upper portion of your body would bo OK and your legs would feel as if they were dipped in ice water. That is only this particular body of water though. I cannot recall diving anywhere else that it was so distinct. Then again, once I discovered Aruba, Cozumel and Barbados, quarry diving became about as appealing as bobbers for little bluegills.

Check this out http://www.bassresource.com/fishing/thermocline.html One other cool thing to mention is that while you are diving, the thermocline can be so distinct that you can see a disruption in the water maybe a couple of inches thick. Hard to explain what it looks like, but it always reminded me of the movies where a guy is looking out at the horizon in the desert and the heat can be seen moving on the sand.

One of the biggest reasons is that the temperature and light penetration do not support the growth of some of the plants and algae found in more shallow water. Also, at least in this case, as you stated, there are fewer divers at 85 to 120 feet than there are at 25 feet. There are some exceptionally large catfish and paddlefish in this quarry.

Being from the Midwest, I've done a lot of quarry diving. It is where I was first introduced to the extreme difference above and below the thermocline. Every quarry I have been in has been in the forties or fifties below the thermocline. Without a neoprene hoodie or a dry suit, a nice ice cream headache is inevitable. If the bass are there, they will be wearing parkas when you catch them. To give you an idea, here are the July 15 numbers from Mermet Springs. Water Conditions Surface: 86°F | 10'-12' Visibility 15 Foot: 85°F | 10'- 12' Visibility 20 Foot: 73°F |10' - 12' Visibility 45 Foot: 51°F | 25'- 30' Visibility 85 Foot Platform: 44°F | 30'+ Visibility Bottom: 42°F | 30'+ Visibility July 15, 2016

My first Orlando adventure is over. Man was it hot. Water temps in the high 80's and typical Florida heat and humidity. Thanks to everyone who made suggestions. They worked out well. Orlando area is loaded with places to fish. It is overwhelming in a great way. Day one of fishing was at Turkey Lake. What a cool place. I have no pics....sorry. $30 boat rental for a sixteen foot Jon boat with trolling motor, live well and fish finder. We found out about the live well when it accidentally started filling. All I heard was rushing water and when I asked my wife to help find the source, she just said she was afraid to look. Lol We fished from about 7:30 to a little before 11 and caught four bass all just over a pound. Two other boats were skunked so I felt pretty good. They were small but had some Florida fight in them. An added benefit is my wife caught her first chatter bait bass. She really enjoyed feeling the hit since her normal fishing is all finesse. Pic below. The next evening I went to Underhill for a half hour before dark and threw a frog. I was the only one bank fishing and it was all clogged up near the bank. I caught a two and a half pounder and reeled in about ten pounds of muck with him. My 16 year old nephew was with me and got to see the fish nail the frog. Needless to say, that moment piqued his interest in fishing. Once it got dark, we left so it was a quick day of fishing. Spent five hours over two days at Ivanhoe. It had "successful day of fishing" written all over it. Beautiful lake, great bank to fish from, awesome cover, no one else fishing. I caught nothing. Went on Toho with Steve Boyd of Florida Bass Adventures. He spent a lot of time teaching me techniques and working with me on casting light baits with a baitcaster. He really helped open my eyes to my casting technique and was a very good teacher. We hit it off pretty well and I caught a half dozen bass in the one to three pound range during the four hour trip. One pic is below. Toho is an awesome piece of water and I was shocked that we were one of only a handful of boats out. So what's next? It's back to Orlando the last week of September for a few days. I WILL catch some fish at Ivanhoe and the wife wants to hit Turkey Lake again. Maybe even two days. Of course I've already talked to Steve about a day on Toho as well.

Absolutely. If the moon phases is "wrong", I know exactly why I didn't catch any fish. Wasn't my fault. I'd write more, but I Gotta run and see if this woman floats or sinks to determine if she's a witch or not.

My wife has a Supreme XT and loves it. We have 10 pound braid on it and I have to admit that fairly often, when the bit gets tough, I reach for hers which almost also has a Ned rig or wacky rigged worm, over my Stradic Ci4. Not that I don't love the Stradic but the Pflueger is on a nicer rod and does a great job off pulling in any bass we've run into so far. For the OP, ours is also a 30 size.

Carp behavior. You haven't caught a bass there in a year. People say there are no bass in the lake. Sorry, but I'm going to have to agree with the folks saying that you might be mistaking carp for bass. I fish a lake that has both and when the carp are swimming in the shallows, it is sometimes tough to tell them apart from what would be an awesome bass.

I'll add another Mojo Bass. I use my wife's spinning rod more often than I use my own because I like her Mojo Bass so much. I am looking to replace my rod soon and was going to go something high end to match my Stradic Ci4 but I really am having a tough time justifying the extra dollars when I know her rod is so nice.

fishnkamp, what are you seeing in your opinion as the main reason for picking a R model over a regular Tatula?

The 130 gives my MH bait casting rod a workout so I wouldn't even think of throwing it on a M. Just drop down to the 90 if she wants to throw it on a M. As for line, I have no problem with straight braid. If it fouls, unfoul it and throw it again. I have more issues if I get too close to a lily pad because if the lure catches it, the hooks will rip the leaves and that will definitely throw off the action of the lure.