What's up? I'm from Miami, FL. Been fishing since I was... four or five. Can't remember, but I've been hooked since.
I do freshwater fishing. The Mile 35 Rest Area in the Everglades has been my all-time favorite place to fish since the very beginning. Bluegill, Bowfin (Mudifsh), Largemouth Bass, Peacock Bass, Tilapia, Mayan Cichlid, Brown Bullhead Catfish, Chain Pickerel -- I love to catch every species. If it's carnivorous, I want to hook and land it. And the harder the fight, the more enjoyable. And speaking of, why isn't the Peacock Bass available to choose as a favorite bass...?
I'm simple with my gear. Always have been. My father used to buy all manner of lures, lines, and what-not, but we eventually settled on what we had the best results with, which are as follows: One inch jigs for panfish, a 4-inch Zoom Double Ringer in watermelon candy color for just about everything else, chicken liver for Catfish and Bowfin, and that Bass Pro Shops Tail Spin lure every now and then (mostly just for a change of pace).
However, whilst I have such a long history of fishing, I've recently had a gap of 2 or 3 years, and I've never been privy to any of the technicalities of fishing gear or how anything really works. Everything's been trial and error. And if I shared the (mono) lines and size reels I used to use with one another, I'm sure many of you would cringe (lol). In fact, I've never once used the drag system of a reel. Takes too long to go through all that, in my opinion. Flipping the bail and letting line pull out from under my thumb has always been the quicker option for when a hooked fish (or what-have-you) has been too strong for my line.
Which is why I'm here. I have specific questions that I haven't been able to find answers to. Perhaps I just haven't been looking hard enough, but I figure it's easier to ask on here, where there's people with a lot more knowledge than myself.
Thank you, and have a great day (fishing).
