SirSnookalot

I still like your dolphin better............... I read this off another forum and was really impressed, catching one with conventional gear is one thing, but with this reel, as I say I was impressed and that takes a lot.

i did catch it on that spinning rod behind, me.............we missed the rain.

You can use that same bass fluke for snook or jacks, I'd put it on a 1/4 oz jig head. If it's weedy out there try the fluke t-rigged with or without a keelhook, it's a killer bait for them. Cast it out about 30 degrees to the shore and let the waves move it in, don't over reel it.

Little Tunney, False Albacore or Bonita, whatever you call it, they are one heck of a fight.

Just hang with it, bass sometimes have the tendency to swim at you and not away, taking the tension out of the line. In my experience the bigger the fish, the harder the strike with a better hookset, especially using braid.

Fish don't have eyelids, I fish the shade when it's sunny. When it's cool I fish near rocks, fish like to absorb the warmth. That said, once you figure out the questions in life, they change the answers. In other words try everything and don't be a robot. I have caught countless numbers of fish on the brightest of days with a top lure, fishing both shore and out into some depth, my favorite way of bass fishing.

Between the 2, it's a spinnerbait for me. Not because it produces better, but for me it's a lot more fun. I like a hard strike and certain baits and techniques just don't excite me. I use a lot of bucktails, I swim them and they are used for other species.

I'm a swivel man, always use them with a leader as I fish braid exclusively. I haven't encountered any problems with the action of any kind of lure. The size of my swivel is predicated on the top guide, I don't want to reel the swivel thru it. For me barrel swivels are out, very reduced rotation, cranes are better and I use nothing but ball bearings. Whether you use them or not is up to you, I see no advantage one way or the other as far as catching fish. I use duolocks for freshwater, only modification is the addition of a small split ring as many top lures have a concave face and the duolock is pain to use.

This weekend at sunup the tide will be coming in. Tide is most important about 9 months of the year, the other 3 months the abundance of bait over rides the tide issue. It's just not tide, wind, weather, surf conditions are just as important and it varies for different species. Usually outgoing is best for snook, but not this time of the year, bait and weather are far more important. This week on the incoming tide at the inlets the weather was real rough and the snook were on fire, 20-30# were common, I got 6 myself, mine were dinks 10-15# both from beach and inlet. Yesterday the weather calmed down and I had but 1 small snook. Barracuda are the exact opposite calm clean water is the ticket for them, very few are being caught now. As similar as inshore fishing is to bass fishing, that's how different it can be too. Snook ambush much like a LMB and love structure, that said no bait around and the snook are no where to be found. I would put very little time in the ICW now, a lot of mullet are coming in but the fish don't seem to be feeding, many think it's due to the rain, too much fresh water in the ICW.

i agree with you K_Mac

You didn't have too............lol. One thing that has always made me curious is why certain species are put on a pedestal while others are not, who deemed this fish or that fish a gamefish. There are fish that are better tasting, more difficult to catch on artificial lures, fight better, yet they are not considered gamefish. I've encountered elitists that regard bass to be something holy, some anglers feel the same way about trout, and anything else to be junk. I enjoy bass fishing and it's a lot fun, get out for few hours, catch a few, get some exersize, but for me it's far from the ultimate fishing experience, it's just another fish no more no less than any other.

About any subject there is both sides of the debate make valid points, I just stick with my own personal preference. I grew up in the retail fish business and was an avid angler too, we threw everything back except carp, my grandmother loved them. I cleaned so many fish that I'm not that keen on doing it anymore. They do in saltwater too, most keep their catch. If some think that guys out there fishing for wahoo, tuna, cobia, dolphin, grouper and many other species aren't sportsman, you ought to re think think that one.

When you are dealing with an aggressive species like peacocks technique and location far outweigh the lure choice. I've pretty much cut xraps from my arsenal, @ $9 a pop I can catch as many on a 4 dollar lure. I was out the other day using an xrap, reel it in and the lip was broken off, it was old lure. I just used the xrap as a twitchbait and I still caught fish. IMO many newbies to fishing rely too much on that perfect lure, rod, reel, line, etc, than just knowing how to fish.

Probably more of a saltwater technique (that's where I learned it), but I do use it frequently in freshwater. When I get a fish buried in some heavy vegetation, grabbing the spool with my hand really helps me in pulling them out. Needless to say, your knot is the most important component. I've been fishing saltwater for 30 years. the last 10 almost everyday, my techniques, location of fish and landing ability have vastly improved because of it for freshwater.

Bit on the expensive side for me catching Florida peas. If you want to use Live Target lures I'm assuming you are fishing open water, any hard jerkbait, spoon, top water lure, crappie jigs (they love them) will work just fine for Florida peacocks, your technique may be more important than the actual lure. If I were fishing for them in the Amazon, yes I would use a better quality lure, the difference is night and day between Florida and South American peacocks. They put up a nice fight for their size, but on average don't run too big down here, my best is somewhere around 6#, nice fight but certainly not a world beater.

Most likely the average fish you catch you shouldn't have to worry about the drag, set it and let the fish run, they will tire pretty quick. With the way modern spinning reels are made my preference over back reeling is to palm the spool to increase drag without the need for a manual adjustment when I have a fish on that makes those long runs.

Spinnerbaits work just fine using a swivel between line and leader. 2 main factors cause line twist, a bait my turn over or spin like an inline spinner and some spoons. Also the way line is wrapped around a spinning reel spool puts twist on the line, as oppose to a b/c that has the spool at a 90 degree angle "winching' the line in. Closing the bail by hand IMO is more convenient, less wear and tear, and reduces loops but does not eliminate line twist.

I'll sit back in the " clubhouse" with my pina colada watchin ya............I'm too old., lol

None of this was mentioned in your initial post, still doesn't give you the right to do what you did. Wondering, do fish caught on private property need to conform to state size regulations. Where I live no state regulations that I'm aware of apply to private property or a body of water under 20 acres.

You can use swivels with any lure or bait, I do.

I don't understand it, my hooks never bend and my leaders don't fail on hooksets with a similar set up. As far as I'm concerned these really hard hooksets are for the TV cameras, I barely set the hook and have no problem. For my bass fishing I use nothing but Eagle Claws, inexpensive and does the job. I wouldn't be looking for a magic bullet in lines and hooks, I'd be looking at the technique.

How much of a secret is it if others are fishing there? If the water is public anyone can fish it and take whatever they please with in the limits of the State's regulations, providing they have a license. It's admirable to improve a public area in hopes of enhancing your own fishing pleasure, but that does not mean other citizens are banned. Since I've read no mention of this being private property and by your own admission "Like I said I have no problemn if youre obeying the law, it appears that this fisherman was lawful and you were not by kicking over his catch and threatening him. If by accident you omitted a pertinent fact showing this fisherman was in violation, IMO does not give you the right to take the law into your hands.

One fish not mentioned is barracuda........one of the better tasting fish. Ones under 30" are best but I've never seen a 45" one go to waste, everyone wants them here.

I did forget to mention you'll need a rod that can handle your sinker plus the weight of the baits itself.

All my bass fishing is done from shore, most of my SW fishing too. I take 1 rod and 2 or 3 lures, my choices are based on the kind of water I'm fishing. I'm always walking but work an area pretty thorough fan casting, but the emphasis is right off the shore line near the drop off. If I have open water it's common for me to use nothing but a top water lure, I find that to be the most fun for me, not always the best producer. I'm there strictly for the enjoyment.