SirSnookalot

If it wasn't for Gr children I may not be in Florida. I used to love it down here, been coming since the 60's and became a snowbird in 1982, full time resident last 10 years. In my area the population has exploded, especially in the winter and building is going crazy now, so it's worse. Day by day there seems to be less available places to fish both fresh and salt. Inshore fishing in this area is not very good until about April and I've been doing a lot of bass fishing since November. Every year about this time I limit my bass fishing, I force myself to go, the stimulation is over until next November, then I get excited again. I'm not crazy for the weather here in winter, sure it beats snow and cold, but I like it hot. Next year my wife and I are considering renting our home out for the winter and heading south for 3 months, her idea too.

In this area we use surgical tubes for barracuda, myself and a few other of my friends are total fanatics about catching them. Always buying components to make our own lures for them.

Couldn't agree more.

Ask me anytime.

When I moved to Florida I revamped my entire fishing philosophy. I do have have quite a few rods and reels, I fish freshwater and saltwater from boats offshore, beaches and jetties, I could easily get away with half of what I have. When I first got here my mentality was that I needed huge arsenal of lures and baits. I spent a lot of money only to discover that I could catch as many fish with 3 or 4 items like everyone else here was doing, probably 75% of my fish are caught on a bucktail jig. I took this mindset to bass fishing, with the exception of a few bags of plastics I don't have more than about 10 or 15 lures for bass fishing, many I seldom use.

I agree. It's up to each individual how they want their fish to appear, personally a little enhancement is fine. I've had pics taken in the dark or have been backlit from the sunrise and I've lightened them a bit. When I see fish displayed that I know aren't more than 10# and they appear to be 20+, I think that's pushing it. Gotta say some of the those photos are spectacular looking, but sure isn't reality.

Only my opinion and not having a number of differerent combos. I think a reel that has 30" or more IPT is more conducive casting for inshore species. I prefer a reel with a single crank arm, I think the longer handle cranks with more leverage. I prefer a single larger knob over 2 small knobs, to me it's beneficial with a good fish on. I'm a braid user, if I do get wind knot it's generally closer to my leader, if I have to cut I think I may lose less line than from a backlash from a b/c. It's one thing to catch flounder and trout, another to catch an overslot redfish, even a 20 pound one is a brute and they can go much bigger. Then there is always the unexpected species. For me the choice for having but one outfit with me would be a 4000 spinner, again only my opinion, but use what you are comfortable with, there is no right or wrong just personal choices.

You get my vote as Man of the Year. That child is precious, my kids have 3 2 girls and boy.

As a saltwater fisherman my advice is leave it at home, but I'm on record as being a 100% spinning user. With all due respect to the question, not enough information is given. What is your target species, fishing from boat or shore, and if it's shore is it a beach, a jettie or a sea wall. I personally have a different set up for each one of those scenarios (more than 1, lol). From my own experience for general usage, I want at least 30" ipt on a reel and mh rod, for a general set up you have to be prepared for the unexpected.

Shouldn't have any issues, that knot is designed for use with uneven diameters. I might try using less wraps, the knot still will be plenty strong and you will never get down to it anyway.

And sometime they do, just the way fishing is. November thru mid January I did pretty well, last couple of weeks not so so good. I normally don't use a senkos, I did use them a few times in the past couple of weeks. Catching a few on them but if a senko doesn't produce, heaven help ya............lol I'm just starting to see some beds now, I think in years past I noticed them earlier in the season.

This is the right advice. You can't be evicted without a court order, you better have a pretty strong case to have someone evicted, and it doesn't happen overnight. However a lease not being renewed is commonplace and legal, totally 2 different issues. Not to split hairs, but the property can be sold for cash or to a private equity investor, better know as a land contract holder, as there are no inspections required. Inspections not only for mold but structural, plumbing and electrical are up to current codes, are by required by lending institutions. My son inlaw was renting a home in Florida, water leakage was detected, the landlord didn't address the problem in a professional manner, as a result mold in the home. Just because your blood work is negative today doesn't mean it will be negative tomorrow, get an attorney and get it on record. In the case of my kids, my daughter's blood work came up positive for mold disease (she is sick), blood work is being done not only for my SIL and gr daughter but their 3 dogs as well, I don't know the results. Yes they have an attorney specializing in mold and related problems. The only reason I mentioned private equity investing is because I just became aware recently. My former business partner is doing this, not to get into specific details but this practice pushes the limit of usury laws, and takes advantage of unworthy credit borrowers with excessive interest rates and closing costs. Legal yes, but I'm pretty pisssed off at my partner, I don't like it.

Hootie, this is the full photo as far as I know, it lives on photobucket. I'm sure your wife has better things to do, but I do appreciate it, thanks.

Any lure with an exposed hook is prone to get snagged, IMO a fluke on a jig head may get snagged less but it still happens. There is always the option of fishing a fluke weedless. I think 10# leader is a little light but for the gear you planning on using it will work. You will get skunked plenty in saltwater now, it's not that time of the year yet, when the baitfish start running is the time.

I might be able to shed some light, knowing the waters and the fish quite well. I do not recommend the rod, but if that is what you have you can use it. You really don't need much in the way of lures. A silver spoon is essential, bucktail jigs catch everything, 1/4 oz painted or unpainted jig heads for use with plastic fluke type baits, I like to use them with curly tail grubs too. Don't need anything else, especially for use with a light outfit as you will be using. For a little extra fun toss in a mirror lure twitch bait, I personally use the Catch 2000. Wire leaders are a good idea for cuda and bluefish, 20 or 30# should be fine, use a mono leader for all other fish.

HAHA, not quite what I had in mind.

10 ??? Give me 4 lures and I'll catch any predatory fish. Bucktail jig, spoon, fluke (weedless or on a jig head), mirrorlure twitchbait. Anything else I use is just for my own amusement.

Pretty hard to disagree with this. Whatever feels right in your hand is going to work just fine, I try not to over complicate things. I use different combos dependent on water conditions, not the fish.

I read an article similar on Yahoo a few days ago, apparent the survey was not conducted in Boca Raton, lol.

I won't debate who makes the better trucks, but owning many trucks over a 35 year span, problems arise when trucks are abused. An owner operator of a truck for commercial purposes usually will have less problems because they take care of them, an employed driver doesn't always put the needed care into. I know a bunch of drivers are going jump up and say they take care of them like they own them. I've had dozens of drivers over the years, anyone care to see the repair bills.......lol. All trucks are going to run into the nickle and dime stuff, but if they are making a buck for ya it's just part of the overhead. I like pickups and they are nice for what they are designed for but never owned one, too small a payload for me. I had both med duty gas trucks with a GVW about 30,000# and heavy duty diesel tractors with 6 axle dump trailers. There is no best truck, it's the right truck for the job. I wouldn't use a Kenworth or Peterbuilt to haul scrap and I wouldn't use one of my Macks for long haul.

Don't under estimate a King, a four footer is pushing 40#, they'll wrap ya around the boat a few times. A kingfish that size is an awesome fish, pound for pound maybe tougher than a cuda with a bit more stamina. When it comes to the strike itself, a cuda is pretty high on my list, but it's all subjective. Saltwater fishing is no different than freshwater in regards to understanding the fish that you are targeting, the more you do it the more knowledge you get.

I don't agree or disagree. My findings are this, if the bite is on line color or even using F/C doesn't make a difference. When the bite is off everyone seems to struggle pretty much the same, some always catches the odd fish, but have no idea of what lines are being used. I have never used red. I use PP green for both salt and fresh, daytime and night time, I don't specifically line watch.

Hootie, think your wife can photoshop this fish, I want it turned over so the fish is right side up.

You know you are a fisherman when you take a pen knife to a gunfight. 2 days I see a school of tarpon swimming thru the inlet as I'm on the jettie, must have been a dozen and nothing smaller than a 100 lb. Having a med spinning rod and knowing that if I did hook one I'd either be spooled or ruin my fishing gear. 200 yds of 15# braid is like using sewing thread, don't think for second I was deterred. My plan was simple, hook it and maybe turn it around the jettie to the beach side, then jump over the railing and wade to shore ( I've done it before), once on the beach my odds would have increased to maybe a 1000-1, in favor of the fish of course. Equipment can be replaced, but a thrill...............never.