SirSnookalot

If I could have only one lure it would be a bucktail jig. I can and have caught predatory species in every body of water with them.

I use nothing but braid, I'm constantly respooling something. In freshwater I get a lot of wind knots, I've tried everything. In saltwater I don't get the windknots but cement pylons, coral, rocks and the fish themselves bang up the line pretty good.

I'd always pick spinning, I'd spend tops $100 on a freshwater reel to catch sub 10# fish. Pick a brand and model you like, they all perform well.

I'm out in the ocean all the time. My suggestion is to use the boat's equipment, they will be using exactly what's needed, that's what they do for a living. If you do choose to take your own gear don't use braid, many party boats frown on it because it will get tangled with other lines, they will just cut it anyway. I'd be using 30 or 40# inexpensive mono, one may not realize this but drifting puts a lot of line twist even with a conventional reel. Usually these boats supply the terminal tackle, lead, hooks, leaders, etc. Wear a back brace, pulling up any fish out there is going to put a lot of pressure on your back. Out there you are fishing vertical, I find a 50# tarpon is a lot less pressure on my back when I'm fishing off a beach.

If there are 2 places I dislike more than lake Ida or Lake Osborne, I can't think of them. I've fished those places dozens and dozens of times, and I've caught plenty of fish there don't like the slimy vegetation in those lakes. At Lake Osborne I know 2 pretty decent spots from shore. East side just north of Lantana rd there is a little bridge, fish it both underneath as well as in the canal towards the homes. The bridge over Lantana rd, walk down and fish that area. Around here we catch as many peacocks at 8:00 am as we do at noon, that can be an excellent time to target them. Fly rod rules but no problem if you don't have one. What many do with spinning gear is to use 1/8 oz jig, I make my own streamers but a crappie jig is just as effective, when they are aggressive they will jump all over them. You don't have to do anything fancy, reel it in as if it were a fly. What I like about using them is I can fish them slow or dart them, jig them, swim them or even drag them on the bottom, with their small profile they cut thru vegetation nicely. I no longer use lures to target them. I've caught a lot of bass on them too.

This past week or so has been frustrating for peacocks in the Delray-Boynton area. Just haven't been seeing too many and the ones I've seen have been lethargic. That changed just a bit yesterday, saw a little bit of aggression and I caught 2, but quite small. Peacocks do not school up according to size like many other species, I have caught and seen others with very decent peacocks in this area. It's a matter of being in the right place at the right time. A good bet if it's public water from shore in Delray or Boynton, I've fished it.

Now that I think about it, when I was about 12 years I fished with Bobbie Layne the Detroit Lions QB. He owned a business down the street from my dad's, they were friendly. The only thing I remember was a case of beer on the front seat of his Cadillac and another case of beer in his boat, don't recall ever seeing him without a bottle in one hand.

I guess you haven't fished in Florida, we have plenty of slop here and it's year round. No I don't lock drag or use 65 braided line and don't own a b/c. Pulling 5 or 7# bass out of cover really isn't too big a deal. The OP made no point of saying the tv host was fishing heavy cover, he merely was asking if a locked down drag "is ruining the purpose of the drag", I agree it does. I would have a difficult time calling fishing using 65# braided line, with a locked down drag, winching a 6# fish in at warp speed a sport. Personally I have give all fish a sporting chance, you won't even break a sweat pulling a bass.

Assuming the tv host was using a bass reel and catching 6# bass, nothing wrong with a locked down drag to horse fish in fast. When I say nothing wrong with that technique if applied to a tournament fisherman who is trying to make a buck, imo that ain't fishing. As a recreational fisherman I would never do that. I agree with setting the drag about a 1/3 especially for bass fishing, a bass isn't going to take out much line anyway, many times they swim right back at you. I'm a braid user 10-15 in freshwater and 15 and 20# in salt, nothing heavier. The line strength isn't really crucial, as long a fish is pulling out line it should not break. The drag is there to tire the fish out, with some I just have to tighten it down and put more pressure on or I might not land them.

I mainly fish saltwater and I do nothing, except carry a diamond file for a touch up and replace a hook if needed. I don't worry about the longevity of lures, get cut off a lot or a fish has to be broken off, they don't last long enough to worry about. Pretty much the only hard lure I'm using now are spoons, just about everything is a jig or jerk shad on a jig head. My freshwater lures are just fine, don't seem to have a rust problem.

My rods are 1 piece, but not my fly rods and have no problem with them. I don't care if a rod is made in Katmandu, if it does what I want and the company stands behind it, that works for me.

I've owned 1 st croix, it was ok, to it's merit it was light compared to some other rods. This rod was an 8' mh Tidemaster 1/2-2 oz lure weight which was pretty much what I was looking for. I used the rod 3 days before returning it, didn't catch anything too big 10# snook may have been the top fish. Something about the rod just didn't feel right in my hands, it casted fine and landing fish wasn't a problem either, just something about the feel I didn't like, the 5 year warranty wasn't really a deterrent. During this same period of time I purchased an 8' mh Terramer, this rod lasted about 20 minutes before I returned it, nothing wrong with the rod but a f/taper didn't meet my needs. I go back to my stand by Chinese made rods, some of them are close to 10 years without a problem, lifetime warranty if needed but have never needed to use it. My criteria may be a little different, I'm looking for rod that casts well and does a great job handling fish. I have caught quite a few 20-30# so far and one tarpon about 70# on my new stick, that gets a passing grade from me. I do use smaller versions of these rods for freshwater, I'm not the only down here using them in fresh, they excel in that area as well. A few years ago I'm fishing next to a buddy on the beach, he had a st croix. Tried my rod and reel for a while, the next day he is sporting my identical rod and reel, haven't seen him using that croix in a long time.

Bear with this as I'll be getting to bass at the end. Over the last 10 years I have fished just about 7 days a week year round, most people know it's saltwater for me. The moon phase affects the tide, the tide affects the bait and that affects the game fish. Each day later in the tide cycle the bite drops off until there is literally no bite. The days when I'm catching inshore fish I'm catching bass in the afternoon, the days I don't catch inshore fish bass are much tougher to come by. Whether my bass fishing is done at peak or non peak times I can't say. Based on my 10 years of experience today should be pretty good, with the tide change just after sunrise, later today I expect to do quite well bass fishing. Sounds simple but it isn't, what can't be factored in based on past experience is what the weather will be like today. Wind direction and strength affect water clarity and current speed, that might put a damper on my hopes for the day. Bottom line, just go fishing.

If the main line is cut instead of the tag line after the knot is completed the lure isn't attached, how can it be casted? I can't remember all the stupid things I've done.

George H.W. Bush has 38' Fountain with 3 300hp mercs, loves to striper fish, health has not been to good as of late. Jack Nicklaus is an avid saltwater fly fisheman in Florida.

I'm in Delray and catching peacocks from shore. Boca you want some spots in the Boca Raton area yet you post a picture with the back ground washed out as not give up your secret spot. To get a little ya gotta give a little.

Thunnus is a Shimano spinning reel starting with a T. It's a baitrunner style reel similar to the Baitrunner. The Tiagra, Talica, Torsa, Tyrnos, TLD, Torium, Trinidad and Tekota are all conventional reels, probably the T stands for trolling, but the Tranx is not a trolling reel, I do believe it's a casting reel and the Thunnus is not a trolling reel either.

There is a story going around, the validity of it I don't know. A few years back a young man posted a picture of a snook he had caught on Facebook. The picture was taken at his home, the fish was not legal slot size, out of season, and he caught it spear fishing, which isn't legal. He was reported to the FWC, and I heard the fines were like $2500.

As some of the other posts mentioned I'd be using a leader and would be breaking off my lure. I do agree about not spending 10 minutes, especially if it's a jig or single hook. The OP did mention he thought about cutting the line, in that case it's more than a few feet and what if happen a second time. I want as much line on my reel as I can have, it casts better and I may just get that fish where I need 50-75 yds.

2" of rain is a drizzle in Florida. I fish everyday unless the weather makes it totally prohibitive. Some of my greatest catches have come when every bit of conventional wisdom was negative. I have caught species that don't inhabit the area, a quirk of fate made it possible.

I don't watch line, can't see it in the dark and when it's light out my eyes are always panning the water for my next cast. I find it beneficial not to watch my lure too much, keeps me from setting the hook too early. I do my best not to be in a crosswind, I keep my rod low to the water and out of the wind as much as possible. I may add some weight or a heavier jig to help keep the line straighter.

Line.

Bloomberg.com followed by marine weather forecast.

The best line is the one that you like the best. I'm a braid user and leader user 100% of the time, I'm not a line watcher so color isn't important to me. If you are having trouble tying your leader it's a good idea to do it a home where it isn't windy. I use a swivel most of the time, except when I'm targeting certain species, bass isn't one of them. I tie on about 20" leader with an ordinary clinch knot for every single species I fish for. Even with poor eyesight this is an easy knot to tie while fishing, it can be replaced as often as you wish. Strength, I've caught bonefish on light leaders with this knot.

I do prefer cork grips, the cork on both my newer and older rods seems just fine, an occasional cleaning. On the days when it's wet and windy they can be a bit slippery, I think there is a better grip with foam. You would be hard pressed to find many offshore rods that are not foam, the grip is excellent when fighting larger fish.