SirSnookalot

They had plenty of 5000 fjs on Congress, reel isn't worth $209. to me, especially if I don't really need one. I'd buy one at a good discount and just put it away. We are seeing that green algae on the outgoing tide, fishing is no where like it should be this time of year. With mostly a s/e wind and s/e surf, which normally is n/e surf more seaweed is coming in makes fishing a bit tougher. A tip for anyone fishing the surf, be acutely aware of seaweed, every time you clean it off your lure grit and sand is left on your hand, be careful not to get it on your reel.

Biggest mayan I have caught probably was about 1#, real terrors. Many people hooking them for the first time think what they caught was a peacock, I do hate busting their bubble.

appreciate the info, no academy around here. I've got a spheros I'm not using, I'll use that until I get the urge to buy something. It's probably an easy fix, I may take it in someplace, isn't worth the cost of shipping it back and forth.

It would be ok for using bait, casting and retrieving the hooks might get tangled in the braid, that's not much fun.

Freshies I take it, caught a nice tarpon this morning at the inlet. BTW, I broke my arbor reel. I was doing a total strip down, had it for about 18 months never been cleaned and screwed up the anti reverse. If ain't broke don't fix it, the reel was working perfect, lol. Went DSG to buy a ci4, in hind site I was glad they were out, I didn't really want it, told the guy give me a 5000fj for $79, he didn't bite, lol.

I'm originally from Michigan, no muskie or pike here in Florida.

Until a person has caught a number of fish of every species, it's conjecture on what fights harder pound for pound. I've caught pike, muskie, salmon, smallmouth and peacocks, not to mention the saltwater species. I've answered that question for myself, and I'm not going to tell ya, to know the answer you have to catch them all yourself and form your own opinion and everyone still won't agree.

You may good point, as a rule bank likes to make loans on based on collateral, past record and potential, in an attempt to limit their risk. A doctor for instance isn't a bad risk for them, a starting out professional fisherman probably isn't as good a risk, either would be a business person with little money or collateral and experience, both may need private backing. Spending 80-100k a year to tour may sound like a lot of money and true if they don't produce they don't make. The upside potential is huge, with success comes endorsements, commercials, maybe even a tv show. IMO the love of the game supercedes monetary rewards. The small business man (woman) is no more assured of success, competition is every bit as fierce, they have the same at home expenses away from business, employees that rely on them to produce income so they can be paid, just a few salaries add up to a lot of money. A business person may not be doing what they love, but doing it out of necessity maybe with less upside earning power, being a businessman myself I can attest to that. Student loans need to be repaid like any other loan, the assurance of a job isn't a guarantee. Making a living doing something one loves to do sounds pretty appealing, the 100k a year now seems like a small price to pay on a gamble that could turn out big.

Being a professional fisherman or golfer isn't much different than being a businessman or professional, a capital expense is needed to get started plus the ongoing expenses. A doctor for example has large expense just to get thru school, then setting up a practice with the cost of hi tech equipment. Many businesses require land, buildings, machinery like cranes, large trucks and material handlers plus a payroll that's expects to be paid whether the business is profitable or not. Luckily the fisherman can get sponsorship, endorsements and may get a big score in the winners circle. It's a great way to make a buck, but as in most endeavors 90% of the money is made by 10% of the people. I would think one tournament fishes or plays golf for the love of the sport, there are easier ways to make money.

It's nice to see Catt posting. I've caught all kinds of bigger bass on small baits all kinds of smaller bass on bigger baits. IMO a fish goes after the easiest target, but there are times when fish are feeding on certain sized baits, too big or too small and you might be out of luck. I fish a lot of bucktail jigs, simply put a bucktail is nothing but a fly with weight, can't tell ya how many 30 -40# fish are caught on 1/4 oz ones, when I see the fly fishermen catching fish I'm putting on a bucktail.

$1.40 wow, do they have a $2.00 rod to go with it? As far as I'm concerned, if it works I don't care where it's made. Saw an expose on CNBC last week about the fish industry for consumption and what China is exporting to the U.S. I don't recall how many species something like over a 100 and how many more American jobs have been created in the fish distribution industry. Many people seem to only focus on the manufacturing sector, but there is more to a global economy.

I wouldn't have believed it either, never thought sailfish were that far north. The article does say they questioned whether it was marlin or sail, that dorsal fin looks to be a sailfish. At least on the video that sail didn't jump, they normally do. I've never caught a sail in less than 80' in open water, but life is full of exceptions. That catch is one of my dreams, a sail off the beach, not likely but if they are chasing bait in, ya just never know and this proves it.

I own this rod, mine is a 8' spinning mh 10/20 rod, on it is a Quantum Cabo 40. I am a bit disappointed with the casting distance, I did expect it to be better and my 7' and 7'6 Redbones mh 10/20 easily cast right by it. To get the most out of the rod I'm using 1.5-2 oz lures, I'm big into feathers. The backbone is excellent, although it's not a rod that you can spring fish up with, a net or gaff is necessary for shore use. I do really like the aluminum reel seat and aluminum rings, very solid fit. What makes this combo good is the reel, not quite as smooth as a stradic but more cranking power and better drag IMO, this reel is very well built. The stradic fj 5000 at 10.8 oz was not a good fit and the 6000 fj at 20 oz was too heavy, the cabo at 14 oz was the perfect match for this rod, that said this is not a light outfit but fairly well balanced. This is a pure saltwater combination, I wouldn't consider it for any other use.

Better known as S.O.S.

I never thought about this. Coming from a lobster fisherman that dealt with bait smell everyday, I gotta think this may be an excellent solution, and it's free.

Don't worry they do, but I can spit that hook like a bass spits a jig. Why would you spit it?

Wagyu filet marinated in zip sauce, Pacific spiny back lobster and lyonnaise potatoes, to-die-for-chocolate cake for desert.

Most likely. Nothing in freshwater Florida I'd rather catch than a peacock.

Feel exactly the same way, I totally understand.

I had the 20# on my barracuda spinning outfit, the lures I use spin 360 degrees constantly, the coating breaks off with all the line twist. Much prefer a traditional braid, that gets a lot of line twist too. I have the 12# on my bass outfit, I'll say it's ok but again it's not my preference. It is very smooth and quiet. PowerPro is thinner per pound test and stronger.

I don't think fishing with lead posses a problem for adults, handling and even biting split shots. Washing your hands may not be a bad idea but I'm not so sure it's necessary unless you are sticking your fingers in your mouth. Ingesting lead is a different story, especially where children and paint are concerned, I believe most paints today are lead free. I've been in a number of lead smelting operations, those people are prone for problems from the fumes, they all wear respirators.

No doubt in my mind nothing beats a jig. Learning how to fish them in the surf greatly improved my bass jigging, there really isn't much difference. Whether I use a traditional bass style jig, flats jig, bucktail or flairhawk, trailer or no trailer, I can work them off the bottom or swim them with an erratic motion, they catch fish.

I haven't seen any alternatives for replacing handles or grips on those reels. I do not like them the way they come from the factory, not that I have done extensive research. I do own an Abu soron 20, the 40 handle is a perfect fit which I've had on for years, what a difference when I have a nice 10# + fish on the line.

Might be tip toeing in my neck of the woods. Most of my inshore set ups I use a 4000 reel , setting the drag pretty much where I would set a 2000 or 3000 reel the main difference is just line capacity and I use 15 and 20# braid on inshore rods. My heavy bass set up is a 7' med inshore rod with a 35 supreme (used for snook for 18 months before switching it to freshwater) with 12# supercast, looking forward back to 15# power pro on it. This combo is used for high banked canals and areas with a lot vegetation, weedless flukes are my main bait with it, but 3/4 to 1 oz lures are no problem.

Saltwater fishing has been been sub standard since January in our part of Florida. From recreational fishermen to charter captains and guides to commercial fishermen all have one comment........too much freshwater coming out of the inlets from the spillways. The wind has been funny and the water has had an unusual color to it. We get a decent day every now and then, but this time of the year it should be good everyday and it isn't. On the piers and jetties a lot of blue runners are being caught, up to about 2 lbs and being in the jack family they offer a nice fight on light tackle, live bait is the key, I'm strictly an arti user. The kayakers are getting some decent bonita and amberjacks jigging butterflys off wrecks, the drift boats mainly are catching yellowtail snapper, not to be confused with Pacific yellowtail which are related to greater and lesser amberjack, crevalles, trevally, banded rudderfish, etc.