Zcoker

Yep, I've always preached barbless for the bigger predators like sharks. In and out, works wonders, even for people.

I think it would be nice to have a pro around. I watched a video by Roland Martin the other night, him just idling around and showing how to find a school of fish in current. He was basically worm fishing on the edge of vegetation while talking about the location, technique, the current, and so forth. Next thing, he changes up to a chatterbait, still talking and bam! A fish just shy of 10lbs slams his lure. Don't see that everyday! He positioned himself correctly to be in the money. He "knew" just what to do. That kind of knowledge is golden, in my opinion, no matter what anyone says. I'm sure there's plenty of folks on this site who know a few things but these pros know a heck of a lot and can share much wealth to all. I'd say go for it!

Might also check out Kenansville. That lake is very secluded and does not have much fishing pressure and is still in the general area. It's not fished very much for a very good reason. The 12 mile dirt road getting to the lake can be a pure nightmare. Nothing like the Headwater's or Stick road. If not recently raked it can be very bumpy and very dusty, not to mention washed out. So the fishing pressure is, well, none existent. Yet the lake harbors some of the biggest trophy catches in the area. You can confirm this on the FWC Kenansville site. It's small lake, too, about 2500 acres, which gives one the ability to zero in on the fishing. With any lake, gotta work it to know it in order to fish it. I've yaked it many times and have caught monsters. I've even solo yaked it all night long! Talk about being out in the wild lol The boat ramp is very steep yet doable. It's the very definition of "being out in the middle of nowhere!" So bring plentiful supplies!

It was late one night on the Florida east coast beaches, maybe midnight. I was kayaking a bait out for land based shark fishing, solo. I was out about 250 yards near the second bar when suddenly a rogue wave came out of nowhere and slammed my yak up and over. Nothing I could do about it. Gone! I was underwater in mere seconds and when I tried to swim up, something had hold my right foot, yanking me hard! I finally managed to surface only to see my kayak being swept away by the waves, and every time it got swept away, I was again yanked hard underwater. Mind you, all of this was happening in pitch black darkness! Fear kept the pain away. Adrenalin kept me focused. I finally managed to get to shore and lay on the beach. And when I looked down at my bloody right foot, I was like what the #@!%&@. The 24/0 giant circle hook was stuck clean through my foot! Somehow it managed to free itself from a large chunk of stingray bait and then planted itself clean through my right foot near the ankle area. All of this happened in short seconds while being flipped over. Just wow. Thank goodness I debarb all my hooks! Easy out. The rest of the line was a tangled mess with the kayak, a big mess which had been swept in by the waves, pulling me with it. Very dangerous situation, to say the least!

A big plug for south Florida fishing. I can be deep into the everglades catching monster bass or walking the beach catching world class tarpon, giant Florida GT's, big sharks on poppers... almost anything one can think of, really. It's truly a mecca for fishing year round. Only thing is the destructive hurricanes and the cost of living, which is doomed. They calling us the "plywood state" lol. If one can swing it and live under those conditions, it's very nice place to live for a person who enjoys fishing. I've done it my whole life and have fared well....so far, so good, knock on wood!

Out in the Everglades one cannot fool around or go limp on the hookset. I've broken a few good rods on the hookset. Although I don't go bat-crazy, I tend to snap the rod good and hard to get them pinned. To keep them pinned is another story lol

Aww Holiday Park, I remember it back in the day, same with Sawgrass park. Never heard much about snook or poons being caught at either places but I sure do know how they can get up into those waterways. Sneaky suckers lol Years ago they had a neat jon boat rental setup at the Loxahatchee refuge. Could rent a motor boat for a full day fishing for cheap. They also had a bait shop on the site. That's the place where my story got started. All gone now.

Coffee and technology does if for me. I can spend all night and then almost half the next day out in the everglades and then, while driving home, come into those swervey curvey kinda feelings. I've hit a few of those orange cones before. I have lane keeping assist in my truck as well as adaptive cruise control, both of which have saved me a few times. Even still, no excuse for a few hours shuteye!

Competitive bass fishing can add a lot of spice to the sport yet it can also take away a lot of flavor from the sport. I won my first bass tournament just playing around, hardly a thought about it, never really checked the leaderboard until the final hour. And out of over a hundred anglers I was quite surprised to find myself in the number one slot. From then on I became hooked, chasing fish into the top three. Things became more serious and I sooner realized that just going out to fish was a thing of the past. I really couldn’t fathom going bass fishing without spending a ton of money, a ton of time, and a ton of work, all to be in some sort of tournament. I had no interest in doing it "for nothing” or for fun. Seemed to me the so called flavor was lost for good! So I stepped aside to let things cool down a bit. My wallet certainty feels a lot better lol

Wow, that's some scary stuff right there. I'm glad it all worked out for you. Just never know how certain things can turn out. Sometimes things can appear simple to solve yet turn into a complete disaster. Good that your brought up those points about water temp, about the surface being a lot warmer, good thing you quit debating it and brought up the whole story! Saving yourself is one thing, saving others by sharing info is another. All we can do is share the info and hope for the very best for everyone!

The only thing useful for me out in the Everglades is water temperature, GPS, and instinct. Livescope and the likes wouldn't have a chance. That's because it's mere inches shallow and loaded with vegetation the likes of which livescope has never seen lol. I wouldn't rule out records from there, either. I've caught them up to 11 pounds off the bank! Just playing around. Yep. There's more wide open space out in the Everglades that has never seen a rod and reel, let alone a fisherman. Practically every nook and cranny is unexplored and unfished yet full of abundant life. Full of bait. Full of food. Just loaded! Big bass may have the greatest chance in environments like that. Maybe so. Maybe a big, fat record fish lurking, just waiting to be caught!

I moved to the Tampa area in 1966 and that area hasn't seen a major hurricane in over 100 years. That's pretty good odds, if you ask me. I still have a house near the water on the Clearwater side. Over here on the southeast coast where I live now, we get them, been through a number of them, some back to back in the same month! Just part of the life down here. Everywhere in Florida has it's chances. Not a matter of if, but a matter of when. Keeping that possibility in the back of the mind and preparing the best way possible is about all one can do. In the meantime, just live in paradise and enjoy life to its fullest!

All good here in southeast Florida. I also have a home over on west coast near Clearwater, all well over there. The Fort Myers area was trashed.

Most often when the bite does occur in the first place, it's usually widespread with every fish activated. So there must be some sort of "communion" taking place, at least relative to that. Can't say for sure about the "off" nature or what may un-activate it. Fish do seem unified in behaviors, whether on or off or with other things. I do know with certain fish like Tarpon, for instance, other fish swim along with the captured fish. I've had other Tarpon trail my captured Tarpon almost the entire fight time.

Here ya go

I hear ya. I've gotten some incredible fish from the bank. Just park and fish. Luv it, the simplicity and ease. If you think about it, most on the water cast at the bank anyway lol

Just two feet and a fishing rod says a lot for bank fishing. Gonna be doing more of it this year!

Good point. Knowing how to do it is the first step. There's three access points to remove a hook from a fish's mount: the mouth, the left gill, and the right gill. Most see the hook through the mouth and if too deep, call it and cut it. The gill access points always seem to be overlooked, for whatever reason.

It happens. It's usually caused by allowing the bait to be swallowed or by using offset hooks. The circle hook is very effective but not perfectly effective.

Yes, I tag all my sharks for NOAA.

Mullet run keeping me busy!

Yes they are, very powerful fish. Glad you got to experience it. We get tarpon in droves during our annual mullet run. Not uncommon to see 100 pounders few yards from the shore break. And hooking one that close is beyond description…all I can say is HOLD ON!

Yep, I am the nighttime Everglades guy lol But my quest for big Tarpon from the surf is ongoing. They can get near 200lbs from the surf. These big fish come in practically at your feet to feed off the glass minnows. The initial hookup and run is, what can I say, totally mind bending! Next is our annual mullet run, which should start this month. Talk about fishing insanity. Fun times ahead! Come on down!

Only one fish sticks out with bass. And it was many, many years ago. I was out in the Everglades with a girlfriend. We had rented a small Jon boat. It was about time to go home and we were next to a bank, arguing over something, arguing and arguing while I was reeling and reeling, reeling in a Snagless Sally spinnerbait. The water was very clear. Next thing I know, I look down and see this giant white platter-size mouth come up from behind the spinnerbait and inhaul it. The thump was so pronounced that I can still feel it to this day! I can even see that gigantic wide open white mouth! It all played out in slow motion. I reacted more out of shock than anything else. I tried my best to get this fish under control. I had 30lb Ande mono on the reel and thought that I had the upper hand...yeah, right lol. That fish made short work out of everything. I had no chance. That was over 30 years ago and it is a scene that has never left me. The only thing that I learned from it, if anything, is to leave the ticked off GF's at home! lol

Maybe it does have something to do with the fight time. I've lost tarpon near 200lbs off local beaches here in south Florida during our annual minnow runs and I cannot begin to describe the fight time, the sheer will power to keep a large fish like that under control, absolutely insanely brutal on foot! And when she breaks off right near shore from a frayed 150lb leader after tons of jumps and runs, it does have a haunting effect that sticks around for a very long time! Yet I've also landed giants from the surf, so it does balance things out, I think.