SirSnookalot

I agree with Capt Bob, I always use a leader too. My braid seldom breaks, usually the leader or the knot at my lure or swivel gives out before the braid, with minimal loss. I do go thru a lot of braid because of what I catch and where I'm doing it, it's unfortunate, but uncontrollable. Not unusual to have my line get wrapped around the engine prop or trim tab, or get scrapped along side a pylon with a hefty fish, braid or mono, it's going to get severed.

Not only in my area but reports I'm getting tell me you have to head way north or way south to get a good bite now, it's has been very slow. Can't speak of Haulover (except the nude beach, lol) but Pt Everglades is too restricted now, years ago access was easier. I haven't fished Hillsboro so I'm not sure about parking, but I am sure about Boca inlet and Boynton inlet. Boca has a a limited number of spaces open 24 hours for parking across A1A and just north of the bridge, it's a few blocks to get to the jettie. https://maps.google.com/maps/ms?msid=205722576351840746262.0004c6f6f4b62c4bad0d3&msa=0&ll=26.341374,-80.07211&spn=0.000623,0.001254. Boynton, where I do most of my fishing, has 2 jetties, beach access and ICW access too. There is free parking and it's open 24 hours, extremely safe with a police presence coming in to patrol. Here is some beach info that may be useful. http://www.inshore.c...abeach.htm#PALM

I used to take mine off to play golf, one day I didn't put it back on, that was 20 years ago.

My mid priced stradics do the job and catch me no more fish than a stella would. By the same token my mid priced Genesis sedan gives me the same pleasure and gets me there exactly like my 750 BMW did, don't feel I've lost anything, except gained a few bucks. But you may be right about some that are collectors, I consider myself a user, I just use a lot of combos. I'm sure you have seen some of the fish I've caught on those mid level reels and rods of mine, do you think it would have been easier or more fun with pricier gear............I don't think so. I spend what I think is practical for what I catch, I don't catch big fish.

If for no other reason I use a leader so if by chance my line or leader gets tangled in the trebles, it's much easier to unravel. I use 15# braid on my spinning gear even for slop, I have 20# braid on my snakehead combo only because I'm using a saltwater spinning reel that was not being used and saw no reason to change the line.

Addressing only the sahara, in it's price range it stacks up well to the competition. I especially like the lip design, I've never had a wind knot using braid on a Shimano with that lip, cannot make that claim for other reels. Personally for freshwater I'd be opting for the 2500 rather than a 3000, I don't really think the extra line capacity or stronger drag is needed and it is a few ounces lighter too. For a reel that size my choice is 7'.

Call me crazy but I can't see spending hundreds of dollars to catch fish that barely average a couple of pounds and don't fight that hard anyway. I'm not going to promote or degrade any product, only to say in a moderate price range that are some solid choices out there. Since I don't use b/c gear I'm not forced to spend more than I need to catch my average fish, the bigger ones seem to get landed just fine too.

I have a few methods, but for the most part I don't use hooks, only artificial lures. I use a fanny pack, in one of the small zipper compartments I keep hooks in the flat package the came in, I put other sizes in the same package, takes up next to no room. For use offshore with a tacklebag I cut off a piece of a round sterafoam floating thing that kds use in a pool and just stick my hooks in it, I use 2 of them. I make up king rigs using 2 and 3 hooks, stinger rigs, storing them in a ziplock bag so they don't catch in my bag. Single hooks are just kept in a plano.

I've read quite a few articles as well as viewer comments complaining about the NBC coverage, in which I'm in agreement. Day by day my interest is waning watching the events. I like to see my country do well, but to be honest the sense of pride and patriotism isn't what it once was for me. The deck is stacked in the favor of countries with a larger population pool, more private and public funding, better coaches and training facilities. The countries that fall into that bracket are expected to win medals, it's a let down if they don't. On the other hand, there are athletes from countries that can barely afford to send them to the games, Ethiopia and Kenya come to mind. In all fairness many of the low profile sports that do not enjoy the advantages of the higher profile ones, I'm pulling for the USA all the way. How excited can I get about an American Olympic basketball team, they shouldn't lose to anyone, like a Gold Medal in basketball is going to give me more pride in my country...........

If this is directed at me, I appreciate your kind words. That is the Boynton inlet and it's not a summertime time photo, the inlet is no where as rough as it is in the winter, but it's no cupcake now. Bassn is right about the insurance.

Never seen it done any other way.

Quite true Jeff. Even inlets that appear calm with no waves have a rough undertow that's going to push you around like a toothpick. The flow of the tide is where it's rough, on the side it's not bad and also smoothes out a bit about a mile into the ocean.

It's true we have no idea how many fish may be spooked by an unnatural color, but we don't know if more fish are caught because one is stealth. I say use what you are comfortable with. I only wear pants and long sleeves for insect protection from no seeums, fishing shirts made of synthetic materials get too hot for me, I prefer long sleeve cotton t-shirts, my head buff is like being in a sauna, it's a last resort measure. No bugs around and it's shorts and a t shirt, one size too big for more air ventilation. I think a lure plopping heavy into the water may do more spooking than anything, good reason fly fisherman are very successful.

I don't ever sharpen a hook, I replace them. As far as a roostertail goes, dull hooks are not a problem, the problem is they get bent out of shape. For that reason alone I don't buy them any more, I buy a mepps or panther, they last much longer, for me cheaper in the long run. If possible I opt for a single hook rather than a treble.

IMO this is the right advice. When in doubt I would always suggest the shorter, it will be easier to handle, but 3" isn't much. As far as size goes my first thought would not be the species but the cover that you usually fish, thick go with the heavier of the 2, lighter for less. I use inshore rods even for my freshwater fishing, for me a 8/17 is a med rod, works out very well even in heavy cover.

I have saved line before and it worked out ok, but for me wasn't worth the time and effort. I prefer to put on brand new line.

I don't go out in that kind of weather either, 5 footers is rough enough, but I see boats going out of the inlet all the time in that weather. As I said seeing a PFD is a rare sight.

Bluefish are awesome, one of the harder fighting fish I have encountered, I've had them bite a lure in half. As I understand it there are 3 strains of blues, our Florida species are under 10#, mid Atlantic run a bit bigger and off NJ or Long Island 20# is not uncommon. They can be caught offshore, inshore and right up to the beach.......good luck, you're gonna have fun.

I don't know if I'm jinxed or what, been offshore 3 times in the last 10 days, can't catch anything bigger than a blue runner, can't catch a bass, can't get a snook, can't get a bite on the beach, all I can catch are tarpon, lol. Probably been getting one every other day over the last week or so, to big to lift, been trying to get one for my avatar. Not complaining, I know I could catch some nice inshore fish on bait, I just don't enjoy it as much.

10# in freshwater, 15# in slop for spinning. 15 # or 20# for saltwater, also spinning. We have a 12 month season here, freshwater braid lasts me a bout a year or 2, saltwater inshore reels get a complete respool about every 3 months, I never use backing. I just respooled my offshore spinning reel this morning, old line was fine but was down to about 150 yds, spool holds 325 yd of 30#, no backing or adding line there either, I want straight braid all the way.

This chart isn't new but will give an idea of line strengths for different monos and braids.

This is rainy season in South Florida and we have had a lot of it. My places have too much water and the bite isn't as good as when I have lower water. The spillways have been open non stop, pushing a lot of freshwater into saltwater areas, this has been a very sub par year for me as far as snook goes.

I don't know what kind of surf is in that area, by that I mean is it necessary to cast past the breakers, in South Florida it is not. I fish in the surf nearly every day, all that is really needed would be a spoon, bucktail jig, soft jerkbaits on a jig head work well too, anything else I may use is strictly to give me some variety, a blow up with a top lure can be awesome. I can't speak to your equipment, but when you do rinse it down make sure the water does not push any sand into the reel, gentle spray and don't forget the rod guides. Sand is worst enemy, a good idea is to have a towel with you to lay your reel on. Personally and what I see others using in the surf down here is spinning gear with 15-30# braided line. A couple of weeks a go one of my buddies caught 42# redfish in the surf with a mh spin and a 4000 reel, really all you need, if you are going to use bait, I'd go a bit heavier.

My wife and I both use Facebook, neither one of us is the least bit bothered to whom we converse with or whose on our friends list.

I have many of the aches, pains and maladies of a 67 year, I go fishing everyday anyway, some days I feel good other days I don't. I'm not about to miss anything, don't know how much longer I'm going to be around, if I don't do something, it's only due to a lack of interest.