SirSnookalot

How much drag you need? Setting your drag to the mono equivlent, even if you used 40# braid the drag is not set more than 3 or 4#. Have I ever cranked my drag full throttle and still had line pulled out, sure, but not bass fishing.

I don't fish behind peoples homes, it may be on community HOA property but I do feel it's somewhat of invasion of privacy. At least in South Florida people don't want outsiders in their communities, I don't much care for it when they come into mine.

I fish for snook everyday year round, just about my favorite fish to catch.

When it comes to knowing about equipment and techniques, Francho knows his stuff pretty darn good. I read this post yesterday, then went out bass fished and thought about it, needed it fresh in my mind. I caught a few bass over average size, not only was back reeling not needed (which I did), but even a 4lb bass doesn't pull enough for me even to be concerned about drag. I don't know a lot about technical aspects but I do know how to land bigger fish on lighter tackle that can run 20-50 or 100 yds, I value my knuckles I use the drag.

I'm no Shimano fan, not because it's a bad reel out of the box, I think they are quite good brand new. Something always seems to need attention with my 2 spheros and 2 stradics, especially the line roller bearing which they never seem to have in stock. For $130 it's a nice buy, personally I use reels that are a bit less and perform as well or better with no problems. My stradics seem to spool heavy on the top, always adding a shim, my Daiwa does that too, none of my other spinning reels have encountered that problem. To both the merit of Shimano and Daiwa wind knots don't happen. For a freshwater reel, that's what most here are interested in the stradic is ok, for saltwater I'd have to get a super deal to buy one, Lexa may be my next.

My buddy Ray just had a rod made up by Conely, 8' mh spinning with micro guides. I'd like to get rid of my 8' Okuma for one, it's really nice. He has the same Cabo 40 reel with 20# braid I'm using on my 8 footer, excellent casting distance but he still gets wind knots. I'd look into K guides for a rod like that.

I'm old school, don't think it makes a difference, setting the hook isn't too difficult with any rod. The only technique rod I would have is one specifically designed for butterfly jigging, your back will thank you.

Absolutely true. To be perfectly honest I never knew there was difference in finesse or power fishing until I become a member of bass sites, although I've been fishing for bass 60 years. IMO people equate finesse to spinning as that's the programming they've been led to believe, I don't think it's true at all. There are a number of people on this site alone that use nothing but spinning in all types of water conditions, wind, species and lure types, seen some pretty nice fish displayed here too. There is a spinning rod made for just about every thing, many have a wide range of lure weights too, standard size 2000 or 2500 reel has more than enough line capacity and drag. It's a personal choice, mine is always spinning and never b/c.

A label of some sort is fine on the rod butt or reel, I don't care for a label on the reel foot, I'd have to remove the reel to look at it. I'm pretty wired in on what I use, so memory works real good for me.

If this is a joke I missed it. I like my crocs but not for wading or walking the beach, they fill up with sand and pebbles, same goes for aqua shoes. I prefer a traditional open toe sandal, for me they are a must, between debris washed ashore, broken bottles, sea shells and man of wars, you can't be too careful.

About any stand up guy is going to tell you where to catch fish, there are no secrets here. Beach snook are hard to come by this time of year, as good a place as any is Hobe Sound or near the pier at Juno, free parking. Snook for the most part are caught in the first or second trough (space in between the waves), they hit about any kind of lure or jig. depending wind strength and ground swell washing up on the beach you may need a little casting distance. We have been catching some nice spanish makerel off the beach, needing a bit distance I've been using a hopkins spoon. Another place to try is the intracoastal in Palm Beach just north of Flagler bridge, 20-30 lb jacks are not uncommon there around daybreak, try a top water.

Yes and no. The disease is called ciguatera but the fish does not produce it. The toxin is formed on coral and seaweed, small fish eat and it works it's way up the chain of predatory fish, can get sick just as easy from grouper or snapper. People do prefer the smaller cuda but they eat the big ones all the time too. Don't know anyone who has ever been sick from it.

I learned a valuable lesson my first trip into the Algoma region of Canada, pack your extra clothing in plastic. Capsized our canoe early on and I had damp clothes for a week. Temps in the 30's at night and 60's daytime even over a fire they didn't completely dry.

I use a lure exactly how it comes out of the package, I don't add or subtract anything. Snap/swivels are something I don't ever use, I do see the cheap ones used quite a bit. In fairness to the product I have seen the cheap ones fail only a few times. I do use a duolock in freshwater without any problems that I can recall. I seldom use them in saltwater unless I'm targeting toothy fish, that 1 inch may curtail a cut off but I really don't know for sure. I don't like wire, I know I get less strikes, never saw this product so I just order some, being "clear" surflon instead of the black or silver.

I've used both the 12 and 20# supercast lines both on spinning, at first I liked it. The 12# was used mostly fishing weedless flukes with leader and BB swivel, I had the same line twist and windknots as any other braid. Similar scenario with the 20#, used with my barracuda tubes that constantly rotate 360 degrees. Not saying any strength was lost but I did have an uneasy feeling with the coating always breaking off.

I live about 10 minutes from Lake Ida, don't fish it too often, you really need a boat there.

I don't know the exact value but top prices only go to cars that are restored to exact factory and the original paint needs to be matched too. I've got a neighbor with a 69 mach 1, added non stock wheels, side exhausts, lowered the car, non stock paint job, car looks great. He took a potential 100k car and made it worth about 30,000.

I don't much about bass up there either, but it's not that much further up to Ft Pierce or Sebastion, now that's a real fishery.

Doesn't sound like the fish has much of chance, now I'm feeling sorry for it..........lol.

Chrystal clear water produced this 41" cuda this morning, feed a family a nice dinner tonight.

For my daily fishing no change of clothes. I do keep rain jacket, pants, windbreaker and beenie in my trunk.

I'm a braid user. I'm not a line watcher, my eyes are always roving around looking for signs on the water. I don't feel too handicapped with a slack line, I do my best to keep my tip low and out of the wind as much a possible. There are drawbacks to braid, mainly for me it's windknots and I get a lot of them in freshwater, not so much in salt. For me any way, I'd rather deal with a knot then having to troll my line twist out.

I have 2 wide spool spinning reels, both used inshore saltwater and from a performance and line management standpoint they are excellent, both name brands. I did have another wide spool spinning reel of another brand used for the same kind of fishing that was terrible, I returned a week later, it was a store brand.

^^ Right on the money ^^ If you compare apples to apples, the longer rod should cast further. The apples are the brand, model, line and lure weight ratings and the lure that's being casted being the same. I have 8' rods than do not cast as far as some of my 7 and 7'6 rods, the specs are identical but different brands.

I use nothing but spinning gear, I can use the same rod for bass as well as snook, quite often I do. To me it doesn't make any difference if I'm throwing a weightless fluke, senko, spoon, jerkbait, crankbait or whatever. These terms finesse and power are not in my fishing vocabulary, I fish my lure the way I think it should worked and I don't pay too much attention from one rod to another. That said, my rod selection is dependent on the water I'm fishing, if it's open with minimal vegetation, it's a lighter rod, thick slop and I fish a rod with more backbone. My lures are pretty much the same with whatever rod I'm using.