Alex from GA

I can't see a fish unless it's within 10' and moving. I do have a buddy, that I fish with, that sees everything and tells me where to cast.

Haven't caught anything in the pond since coming to Florida. It just got through raining heavily and was sprinkling when I caught these 3 bass. I missed one picture.

Recon I'm truly free, I own a tractor.

How big water are you planning to fish and where do you live? Wind and big water means a bigger boat.

Got out today for the 2nd time this year. Got to FL last week and went to the Withlacoochee River today and went upstream a few miles. Threw a worm in 5' and I got bit. Several small fish later I caught a 15" fish. Caught a couple more 15-16" fish along with some smaller ones. Saw a tree full of Ibis and many different birds and one big gator.

There's lots of fishing around there. Lake Hartwell to the east and several smaller lakes to the west and lots of river fishing. Russell, Burton are a couple of good bass lakes.

I have a 12' jon boat in our pond that the neighbors use to pull water lilies and spatterdock. The neighbor and his son probably weigh well over 550 lbs and it holds them up with a load of lillies. That's what I'd use if I was able. At 70 it was no problem with me to handle.

Unless your lakes/ponds have 9.9 hp limit get at least a 15 hp engine to be able to plane.

Finally made it to FL after several false starts. Called a buddy and he wanted to go fishing today, Monday, at the Rainbow River. We got there about 11 and headed upstream. Started fishing floating down river and caught a few small bass, my first bass of 2025. Using T/R worms we worked our way downstream and had a steady catch. I caught about 10 and my buddy caught some with a 4.32 kicker. Feels good to be on the water again.

I fished in the salt and the only conventional reels were right hand. I hold my rods usually with my right hand but can set a hook just as well with my left.

All you need is a heavier Rapala.

Last January I got sick and was in the hospital a couple times for almost 2 weeks and had to start over with being mobile. Ever since my balance hasn't been worth a darn. No more kayak fishing and have to sit in the boat all the time. My fake shoulder failed and it hurts to cast for a long time also. 84.

Zoom green pumpkin finesse worm, 1/0 worm hook, 1/8oz bullet weight, 6 lb mono.

Last year I gave a friend a '50s how to catch fish book that had some interesting information. This was before spinning and baitcasting and fly fishing were the methods used. All my Herters catalogs are long gone but I still have a rod I built and some lures from their catalog.

I'm a glasses wearer and used to wear the flip down clipons. My buddy had a pair of Cocoons that he had me try and they were far superior to the clipons. I look like a dork but can see pretty good with the Cocoons. They have a 2 for the price of one sale that I take advantage of.

I also tried Vanish when it first came out and discarded it the first time I used it. I've been using Vicious FC for at least 10 years on a baitcaster and even if it gets a bit shredded it works.

Up until a couple of years ago I used a Shimano Bantam 100 4.7 reel for worm fishing and even caught a fish. Then, when I used my last one because pinion gears were unobtainable, I bought some 7 and 8:1 reels. Can't say I'm catching more fish or casting further but they're lighter and wind the worm in faster past the strike zone.

South to FL every winter for the past 10 years.

I went from an electric steer to a cable controlled trolling motor and wouldn't have anything else. Instantaneous response compared to having to anticipate ahead.

Back in the '80s I worked part time in a tackle shop that a friend opened. I only fished in the ocean but and was taught how to bass fish by some of the customers.

Smithwick Rattlin Rogue works for me.

More than a few of us have been through cancer and are wishing you the best. I'll contribute with pleasure.

I helped on a Shoal Bass tagging project a few years ago, with kayaks on rivers a shock boat couldn't get on. The tags that were used were plastic and inserted along side the hard dorsal fin. What we were using works as there have been lots of tagged fish caught. We photographed, weighed, measured and fin clipped every fish for DNA analysis.

15'11" $35 for 3 years in GA

IMO the Sammy is the easiest walking bait to walk. I found one in a tree and used it for 3 years with much success. Mine was Blue and chrome.