Big "O" Trip

[South FLA]

Went scouting for teal and did a little bass fishing with my duck hunting buddy after.  We ended up catching about 10 bass in about 1 hour of fishing.  The biggest went about 2lb, but my buddy had a monster on.  Most fish came South of the Indian Prairie canal  towards the inside not the outside reed/grass edge.  I fished a t-rig worm, but quickly switched to a 1/2 rattle trap after my partner was catching them steering the trap through the grass. Ohh, I almost forgot on his second cast he jumped a juvenile tarpon  ;D. I can't wait until the spawn is on, the lake is looking great!

Any S. Florida duck hunter here?  We say plenty of teal/mottled ducks just S. of the Indian Prairie canal dike and they seemed like the were flying towards Buckhead Ridge area, but could not spook any up as  we rode around scouting.  Send me a PM if you are a fisherman or a hunter that has seen ducks on the Big O.  Thanks!

[gar-tracker]

I was just up there by Indian Prairy  last week but didn't spend much time there, it did look great and theres giant bream everywhere, in fact it was on my list for some checking next weekend.

[South FLA]

giant bream everywhere, in fact it was on my list for some checking next weekend.

Spot on!  We had them hitting freaking Rattle Traps, ended up catching 4-6 bluegill the size of dinner plates.  Next time I head out I am taking my beetle spin outfit to try to catch some for my pond!

[NewAngler]

giant bream everywhere, in fact it was on my list for some checking next weekend.

Spot on! We had them hitting freaking Rattle Traps, ended up catching 4-6 bluegill the size of dinner plates. Next time I head out I am taking my beetle spin outfit to try to catch some for my pond!

check the laws, bro.

[gar-tracker]

"check the laws, bro. "

In reference to what?

[J Francho]

"check the laws, bro. "

In reference to what?

Moving fish from body of water to body of water is not legal in many states.

[SoFl-native]

Yeah blue gill smuggling is serious.  :

[NewAngler]

thanks for the clarification, J.

i know in VA it is illegal to transport fish from one body of water to another without a special permit. sure, its easy to avoid, and probably really easy to get away with but why risk it? Check your DNR site.

[South FLA]

Hmmm, interesting point!  From what I gathered from the Florida Administrative Code:

Regulations about transporting fish are found in

68A-4.005, 68A-23.008 and 68A-23.009.

(a) Holders of valid fishing licenses or persons exempt from such licenses may transport their legal possession limit.

So as long as my fish are legal in size and quantity I can transport them.

It is illegal though to transport non-native species and release them into state waters.  

68A-4.005

(1) No person shall release or introduce in the state any wildlife, freshwater fish or any other organism that might reasonably be expected to transmit any disease to wildlife or freshwater fish

I called my regional office for Florida Fish and Wildlife and asked if transporting legally caught fish of legal size for stocking into private waters is legal.  She stated that I could release legally caught fish from state waters into "private waters," but not fish from "private waters" to public waters without permission from the commission or a valid aquaculture license.