Bassin_Fin@tic

Florida had a real bad drought this past summer.Some parts may have gotten about the usuall quota of rain, but western central was real bad.Our lakes were about 2 feet below normal and small ponds/lakes like the ones I fish were around 3 to 3.5 feet below level with water temps surging to 94 in some spots.A lot of these place experienced extreme weed growth with vegitation completely taken over and growing in areas where it never did before.Other places got these algae blooms.5 out of 7 of the small lakes or ponds that I frequently fish are completely trashed now.The fish simply will not bite.When I do catch some they are skinny with bulging eyes.This is in places where I was in fact impressed with how fat the bass were.Now I have to drive further and further to find new places to fish beacause all my local ones are done,at least until it clears up. I do not know how to fight it or still catch fish undere these conditions.The oxygen levels seem to be real low and I wonder If this is killing any of the baitfish also.

Ya, way to go man.thanks for showing us that fish.The coolest koi I have caught are some bright pink ones that frequent the Ohio Canal and were usually only about 3 lbs each.

But to quote my previous post:Is there no way to change baits on these without retying the hook again? Did the answer just fly over my head,or anybody know a different way? or is it just the downside to using these kind of hooks.They work great though.

These do work great.I understand how to thread the hook eye through first since obviously you cant force it through a senko or other bait.What I dont like Is that in order to do this you must cut off and retie your line evertime you need a new bait.Am I missing something? This is kind of a pain in the behind. I did buy these though and they serve the same function but need to find a style that is as low 1/32 oz. these ar 1/16. http://www.basspro.com/webapp/wcs/stores/servlet/Product_10151_-1_10001_52845_100010002_100000000_100010000_100-10-2

I havent fished for carp in probably 10 or so odd years since I lived in Ohio,never really made it a point to have them weighed.I do remember catching a 58 pound white carp(white amur) these are strictly veggie eaters and are a nuisance in a lot of waters up there.They stock them to control weeds.Seems bad for bassin to me.Guess they do it so all the folks lined up on the bank with their bobbers and worms will have a spot to cast.Dont know. Still wish I had an old picture of that ugly thing.I got it put on a small local baitstore wall that has long since closed.

The way I used to do it was kinda cheap and unsporting maybe>Used to dump corn,potato skins,stale french fries bread,you name it,on one spot for days at a time.The carp would never leave and was easy pickins any time I went. Also would fill a couple large coffe cans with cream corn especially, then poke holes in it and tie rope to them and chuck them out there.Come back in a few hours and carp heaven! Not much science to it,just a little cheap shot dealt to the fish.

Mudfish:nasty little suckers Catfish:when you think you got a big ol bass on a crank or a worm (unless I am targeting cats) Tilapia: Junk! People say they are good table fare.My opinion they taste like mud,smell bad,regurgitate all over when you catch one,take over small lakes or ponds with quickness,and are second next to carp and cat food.Nothing like having a few hundred of these spook and boil the water when you cast a bait in their area.Time to move! Eels:when I am trying to catch cats these slimy snakes can be impossible to unhook and are slimier than anything in this world. Turtles:had them bit worms,cranks,spinners. sometimes snag them on trebles.If it is a florida softshell or alligator snapper you can kiss your bait goodbye unless you choose to end his lure eating career altogether. Gar:enough said! thats a bad enough word as it is. Dont mind bowfin though somehow

SHOW OFF!! :

Great fish! Thanks for sharing. BTW How big is that toad in your avatar? It looks more like a stuffed toy,or an add for Storm Country.LOL

U could look here. http://stores.ebay.com/D-M-Custom-Baits_Shakey-Head-Jigs_W0QQcolZ4QQdirZ1QQfsubZ7QQftidZ2QQtZkm This guy is one of the fastest and friendlyest sellers I have delt with.Usually adds a free gift or two upon purchase.

Now the fronts have settled in here in Florida, Id have to say a trick worm junebug or black deadsticked.Its also kind of a toss up though as the dt flat 3-7 in chart purple back has been killer banging off of any rocks I can find. I cant catch a cold with a swimsenko,but may not be the magic wand on the waters that I frequent.Im sure they work at some places so I have plenty of them just in case.

Now that is truly amazing.I dont think anyone could have even thought of it unless it really happened.Great stuff man. I think Ill try this trick sometime

The problem I have is my 2 PB 12-7 and 10-2 I dont have any pictures of them of :'( :'(.I was all alone and didnt have a camera.I then opted to just let the fish go and not harm them. My biggest was on a Rapala fat rap and it was a fluke,sort of. It was about 60 degrees out and windy(bad in florida!) and I was getting frustrated from all the wind and cleaning weeds off my crank.I then hurled a super long cast out to the middle of the lake behind me and cranked as fast as I could out of frustration.I nevr knew what hit me when I thought I snagged a log somehow 6 feet down over top of 15 feet of open water. No its moving! ITS A GIANT CATFISH! OH GREAT! Sooo I started to horse it,then it jumped. I almost passed out and my heart stopped when it jumped. 12-7 and 27.5 inches,21 girth.I am from Ohio originally and my pb there 5-8 HAHA One lesson is: These lunkers tend to strike at the most in-opportune times or when you very least expect it.

First time I had this happen.Thing was I got the first one halfway to the boat and the second one smacked it and tried to steal it Any one else had it happen? Share your story.

HeHeHE meee too.Always get the lunkers when no one is around.But on the other hand its a great mind settling experience to catch them anyways.

If you ignore it you can get them to come back about 90% of the time if you slow down and make the spook look injured.Bass feed this way a lot.If you ever watched them slam some bream or a school of shad,they smack them 1 sometimes twice then swoop back around and eat em.This always entertained the heck out of me.Especially if it is my bait! Good fish man. To tell ya I really HATE having to try to take the cell phone pics like that one all the time.I got A little chuckle out of it as I have TONS of pictures exactly like that. Have even gones as far to try to set my phone to 10 second delay and then pose,but its tough LOL,can never get it right.

Yep,way to go buddy! I too did well on those days.Had the worse in mind,but turned out great.

Right.Google Earthed it,a little far for me.The monkey is always trying to lead me to new places.Man they have a lot of colors!

Crappie killers! Have weighted them with a small split shot to get deeper.Effective on bream and very small juvenille bass too.

topwater!!! At least if is early morn or cloudy. Otherwise,senkos,flukes,trick worms.Of course it is known that trick worms work all year in FLA.

Where is longwood? Im in bradenton.

LOL. Love to play with my toys before I can even get them home.

But did you get to take advantage of the low pressure and overcast that was blowing in from the NE the last week and a half before Noel or this cold front George? Awesome I tell you! I just couldn't resist calling off work a few days! At least in my part of western central florida it was. Still did great today 11-4 even under blue bird sky as the water temps here are around 75 still.

Daiwa Peanuts? JUNK > Bought 2 of them and they were un-tunable.flip flip flop all over the place.Then stowed them in my box and all the finish just semed to peel off for no reason and looks more like a half scaled shiner now.Thought about just heaving them as far overboard as I could, but would not want another fisherman to stumble upon such an atrocity. This is......just my opinion though.

Or try the olive flash.My personal fav in all the dt varieties.Works in stained to clear water.