SirSnookalot

Allow me to give you a tip, not saying it works every time. In saltwater beach fishing with some fish we can't pull them out of the water, the technique is to walk backwards and let your legs pull the fish in. I have done this numerous times bass fishing pulling a fish up a high banked canal.

I don't target those, have caught them 1/2 the size and that's more than enough work for me. Snook, redfish and stripers are great fun but ***** cats compared to jacks, permit and tarpon. I'd bet against most landing the larger end of these fish without previous experience. I catch too many of the medium sized ones to even want to attempt a larger one. I do very little fly fishing, spinning is tough enough.

That's a good program. I have either loaned or given money to people start up or save a business. I was befriended when I first went into business, needed 5k or I was out. A local scrap dealer who I sold my material to gave me the money to keep going, I never forgot that.

I'm a saltwater fisherman, doing it 7 days a week I'm very familiar with the species in South Florida. What one sees an angler doing on a TV program can easily distort the reality. Do people catch 150# tarpon on fly rods, sure they do but highly skilled anglers using the right size equipment, not too mention it's a team event as important as the angler is the helmsman. It's one thing to catch a 10# snook off the beach on a 9wt, a tarpon is a horse of a completely different color, there is no comparing of the 2 fish. I highly doubt a novice fly fisherman would land a 50# tarpon let alone a 100#+, even using spinning or conventional gear for that matter. You have a fish that can be lost from the very first jump and they don't stop jumping, one that can easily spool out 200 yds of line in a split second, one that will take an hour or more to land. Please post the pictures, along with the 15# LMB.

Mexican bass?

I mostly use Power Pro, I can buy it any where any time or the day, the price isn't bad either. I've used other brands and have never seen a reason to swear off PP. I use 10-15 and 20#, I whack out larger saltwater fish all the time. PP casts just fine, strength is of no concern (should't be for any braided line), knots are good, what's the problem?

Well said.

As with all fish it's spinning for me. Living on lake St Clair I caught my share of muskie. Fast forwarding to present day I would fish heavier for them now, I would want those fish to be landed as quick as possible. Muskie do not have the stamina to withstand very long battles, I would not want to risk them going belly up.

I disagree, a 10 wt is a good all around size in saltwater and probably too light for a 150# tarpon unless you are running the fish down in a boat, or skilled on the level of Flip Pallot.

I went hunting peacocks yesterday PM, in an hours time I threw maybe only 10 or 12 casts. I made a few casts when I liked the water activity or when I spotted something worthwhile. I saw bass swimming and didn't cast at them, not my objective, had they been bigger of course I would have tried to catch them. I saw a few peas and didn't even cast at them, too small so no point to it. Some days you score and some days you don't, I love hunting fish and picking my opportunity. Not the one I was looking for, but it did make for a nice outing.

Catt is right, there may be some fishing spots better than others but it's a pretty safe bet you didn't discover them. I can't possible be at the same fishing location 7 days a week, 24 hours a day, nor do I even want to, I see no harm in being helpful. I read these statements about honey holes on all kinds of fishing forums, if you have honey hole then you don't mine. I do have to draw the line at places that give me permission, I don't want to compromise my welcome. Not singling anyone out as I mentioned these honey hole statements are on every forum, the peeps with secret spots usually are not the senior citizens.

I wonder how much lighter a split grip rod is. As Capt Bob did by adding cork and altering the balance IMO is a total win, especially if one uses a variety of lure weights. Not only is his rod less prone to be tip heavy but I feel 2 handed casting is easier with a full grip.

I 100% agree. When I hear bass/trout I'd want to fish light. When that bigger fish does comes along, that's game on and exactly what I'm to hoping to happen. I've been doing nothing but peacock fishing (as far as my freshwater angling), they can get feisty. I've been using a ml 6'6 rod with a size 30 reel and it's been working very well. I really have been fishing heavier than I want, just haven't taken the rod out of the car in a week.

I do a lot of barracuda fishing, not only myself but my other good buddies will give our home made tubes away to those that want to try it. Quite often I'll hook one and just hand the rod to a stranger, let him have a thrill, or a young kid on his first snook. I give lures away, show people how to fish and always give up good fishing spots expect private ones where I have permission. I made this post early this morning, a very normal thing for me to do, without being smug I've already caught many super fish, I get just as much a charge watching some else land a great fish. http://www.bassresource.com/bass-fishing-forums/topic/133005-florida-guys-check-in-here/page-26#entry1533601

If moving to another state you should get a new will made up, plus a durable power of attorney for health care or similar document. In Florida ours $350.

No superstitions. I either catch fish or I don't, that gives me a 50/50 chance on any cast.

The spinning signature series are getting popular here, same with their fly rods. The criteria down here is a bit different, rods need to cast well with good backbone. I have witnessed a med 6/12 7' spinning rod cast a ton and land a 20 lb snook, then the rod went bass fishing and performed well, I like the rod.

Just a matter of preference, mine is not a split grip. I have 1 split grip rod being an 8 foot medium the butt and foregrip are ample, a big asset in fighting some of my inshore species. Regardless of species size I would not own a rod without a foregrip, an absolute must for me, I can get away with a little shorter butt.

Just purchased some components, free shipping with no minimum.

The time to change lures is when you are not catching fish. Your catching them, stick with what you already have.

I caught a few of these Thursday, I then saw some monsters. There was a fellow fishing for them so I just watched, I then re rigged his set up and gave him one of my home tied jigs. Sorry to say they didn't cooperate, I was hoping to see this person catch a real nice fish.

Even in the south a 10+ bass isn't so common, if it were I would have seen a lot more pictures posted. In this technological age just about every one has a camera or smart phone. A picture is worth a 1000 words, I apologize if I missed someone but in memory only Big O, 00mod and FishCris have backed up their claims. I have no pictures of DD bass, so for the record I didn't do it.

What matters to me is what's on the end of the line, the objective is the fish. I have $100 reels used in freshwater that have yet to be serviced going on a good 5 years. The reels are smooth, worry free and easily handle anything I encounter in freshwater. This is my comfort level for this brand of fishing and I'm getting a good bang for my buck, I highly doubt my opinion will change. However freshwater fishing makes up the least amount of my time spent on catching fish. For the most part I up my game for saltwater fishing, IMO I see much more demand being put on a SW reel than on my freshwater counterparts. Been my experience no reel withstands the rigors of saltwater use on a daily basis, eventually all will need a repair regardless on what's spent. My comfort level is about $200 for that brand of fishing. I don't feel the need to spend a $1000 bucks on a reel, if I thought the need was there I'd have them. I found this interesting, for the Australia & N.Z.market Shimano warranties even a low end reel like a sedona for 10 years, I'm not sure what American warranties are. http://www.shimanofish.com.au/products/fishing-reels/spinning.html

For most homes and cars are necessities, fishing gear is a luxury. I agree with RW that in the long run a stella or equivalent may not really be a bad value, based on longevity. If an $800 reel lasts 10 years that's only $80 per year plus maintenance, both cars and homes need maintenance too. On the flip side buying lesser priced reels more often we get new technology as opposed to owning one for 10 years.

This is true but I've never considered heavy line. Growing up in Michigan I was weened on all freshwater species using spinning, long before I was a braid user. Line strength hasn't been much of an issue for me as I do understand how to use the drag, learning be a saltwater fisherman taught me to trust my reels. The salt has improved my freshwater fishing 10 fold. At least from the standpoint of landing fish, I never get intimidated by the size of a fish. Panic or over excitement is what loses fish, not the equipment.