central_fl_fishin

St. Croix Avid ML/F.

I have used the Zoom pumpkin seed lizards in the summer with good results. I fish them weightless and drag them over the pads.

I like the Stradic 2500 fi. Super smooth and solid spinning reel.

I have used my Diawa Tierra on a St. Croix medium fast 6'6" triumph for reds over here in Florida. Works great for lighter tackle. I also use a Shimano Calcutta 200b with 7' Teramar MH/EF rod for swim baits and larger tackle. Both seem to be great inshore setups. I will say for the money the Tierra is awesome.

Tierra.

That used to happen to me a lot when i stored my plastics in the garage. I keep them inside in the closet in a separate plastic container now. As for getting the melted plastic off, try using a hair blower on it for a few seconds then peel it off. The melting point for soft plastic baits is pretty low and shouldn't hurt your tackle box.

Since we are talkin about Southern Boys..... Some southern boys have dip can wear marks in their back pocket. I got 7.5" grape culprit ribbon tail bag marks.

I tried replacing some old trebles on a rapala 4" minnow. I used one size larger and it threw the action way off. I would recommend sticking to the same size.

I've always had good luck with rapala minnows from the bank in shallow water near grass or hydrilla. I work it fast till it hits the bottom, stop and let it float back up a bit, repeat. Also caught lots of speck on the small suspending husky jerk.

X2 on the calcutta. I recently got the 200b for something i could use for both bass fishing and redfish when I go over to the coast. It doesn't have the nice contour that my low profiles but still easily palmable.

Fish Chris, Hey, braid is great, I use it. But.. Spool drag dictates how much force can be applied before it let's go. You can have 100lb braid, but if the fish can produce more than your drag rating for an extended time all you do is lose line until your gone. 100lb braid does not mean you land the big catch, only that the line can withstand that much pressure. It's like putting Off Road tires on a minivan. Looks cool but torque is what it's all about. :)

I believe the debate on this thread boils down to this; 1) What setup catches more "fish". The answer is not the necessarily the equipment for this general question, rather the skill/knowledge of the fisherman. The time/location/pattern/bait/knowledge of the area is what is most important for the catch. Otherwise there would be no need for fishing guides. 2) The technical merits of spinning gear versus baitcasting gear. Once again the more experienced you are with your preferred gear the chances are you will catch more with your rig. What retiredbosn and I pointed out is that baitcasting gear by nature has a superior drag system, which translates into (in the hands of someone that knows what they are doing) a better chance of landing bigger fish. It is not meant as a slight against spinning gear. That is all. This is evident is large game fishing. Just enjoy the sport and use what you want. We are only here to give advise.

Thx, I am going to try some of the pink single tail grubs my wife made me get. I figured it was more action than color at night. Hopefully I get something because of "the bet" hehe.

I really enjoy after-dark fishing. I think dark baits work better, but that's because I am informed to use them. Any night fishers out there care to elaborate why this seems to work or does it matter? One would think flashier baits would be more productive?

I got a bag of the sweet beaver (or as my local worm-maker calls 'em Muskrats) today because I have heard so much about them for flippin in cover. WOW, caught 3 2-4 lb's right away, in the spot I fish every week. Coincidence? maybe? but darn...... they really seem to work. Tied them T-Rigged 1/8 wieght, bead+stopper. Aww ya!

By the way, I got a diawa tierra BC reel as my first. Fairly cheap but has held up well and still my favorite after 2 years. Even casts weightless plastic worms pretty far on 12lb mono. Star drags are so much easier to set during the fight than spinning drags IMHO.

You should use what you are most confident with. But give a baitcaster a try sometime and practice with it for a bit. You might find the controls are better for lure placement while casting and the increased drag capability superior to spinning gear. I use both, but prefer baitcaters for most fishing. I will say that casting ultra-light tackle is easier on a spinning reel, but for everthing else a baitcaster just feels better. FYI: I just started baitcasting 2 years ago after 30 years of spinning gear.

I would like to hear others opinions on when to "Match the hatch" and when "Show them something new" is working good. I have always tried to use tackle that best imitates the bait in the area I am fishing. Now I wonder if I branch out?

Calcutta 200b. 11lb max drag.

I am looking for a reel that will work flipping for bass and reds over at the river (Canaveral area). I was thinking about a 7' MF st.croix rod.

I am considering a Calcutta 200b. Has anyone here used one and if so did you like it?

Fastened the lip, painted and dipped. Put on eagle claw red #4 trebles.

I like a local baits shops plastics. It's longer than a typical top-water floating frog but has the same effect. http://www.bittersbaitandtackle.com/items.php?Cat_ID=24 Disclaimer: I am not promoting the above link. They have no idea who I am.

May, in Florida, fishing the grass banks finesse style with ultra-light gear. Just when the sun goes down. BAM! fish on!

Sweet. Top water toad baits are awesome. Better than metal buzzers in veggie. Let us know how it goes. Stocked ponds are the testing grounds for many great baits.