SirSnookalot

I don't think there is bad place in Florida for fishing, some may be better than others. In Palm Beach County you can fish any canal from shore as long as there is public access, no LEO will bother you. In my community PBC has an easement between subdivisions, it is legal to walk to the canal (parking a car may be a problem), the shoreline above the canal is maintained by the LWDD, perfectly legal for anyone to fish it, as there is public access to it. Homeowners sometimes complain, as they think their property line ends at the canal it doesn't. Any ocean beach is legal to fish as long as there is public access, property owner's lots ends at the high water mark. The exceptions are guarded areas where life guards are present, and federal property is off limits, like Cape Canaveral. If you are being run off it's only because you're on private property, I have never been asked to leave, many of the LEOs are fishermen themselves, not only are they sympathetic, but have whole lot more to do than chasing people off for fishing. Sometimes bait fishermen sitting on a milk crate for hours are asked to leave, it has nothing to do with them being in the wrong.

I use PP, Fins and Stealth braid, 10-15-20# on spinning gear. I don't notice a bit of difference in any of them, all cast just fine and the strength is there to handle very hefty fish.

Rapala knot is used for lures, it's a variation of a loop knot. All I use is a rapala knot minus a step or 2, holds excellent for both fresh and saltwater species. I never tie straight braid so I don't how it would hold without a leader. If I were to rename it I'd call it an improved loopknot.

I never use them anyway. I had one that gave me fits too, broke it off flush and wrapped over it with tape, a perfect rod now.

For bass I don't use ul gear, most of my bass fishing is on foot from high banked canals, just not enough line strength or rod backbone to lift them out. My saltwater fishing is always done with the lightest tackle possible, especially from boat and beach. Sea walls and jetties require more backbone to keep the fish out of the pylons, instant cutoff.

Penn's are good reels and very popular, if you are fishing saltwater, the fierce is moderately priced around $60 and imo it's just ok. I don't suggest specific brands, but for under a $100 I think there are many better choices than that Penn for bass fishing, I personally don't care for it even for saltwater. Buy within your budget, most bass specific reels should work out well.

I just want to catch one to see what's all about, so far haven't seen one in my area.

As much of a problem as excess weight is where the fat is loacated on your body. People that put too much fat on around their heart, increase their risk. Fat deposits from the waist down are less of a problem.

Long before the age of computers typeset was used in printing presses, linotype, tin, antimony and other lead alloys were used. Workers handled the typeset constantly all day long. I personally have been in many lead smelting operations, those workers are dealing with fumes as well as handling the material. Of the people I have encountered, quite a few have had very long lives, didn't seem none the worse for wear. Xray techs constantly handle lead, many radioactve medicines are packaged in lead. I wonder if there is any data linking life expectency and sickness of those that handled lead and it's alloys to back up this scare.

A reasonable assumption high end spinning reels warrant a high price tag is that people are willing to spend more money in hopes of having the best, name recognition plays a major role in the price as well. Question is, is it worth it ? Does a stella cost twice as much to manufacture than a sustain and is twice the reel? Considering what the parts cost in volume and cheaper than wholesale, probably not real major money. Assembly, R &D, advertising, shipping, pretty close. No question the stella is the better reel, maybe the best freshwater reel of all. The stella sw series has no rival, not to say high ends reels like Penn torque are garbage, they're darn good too, but stella sw is the class of the field.

Every car I've owned over the last 10 years or so recommends 5000-7500 miles, I go about every 5000. With normal wear and tear you should not have any problems. When cars have problems it's usually for 2 basic reasons, not properly maintained or they are abused. Cars are better today than ever before, stronger, safer, and with better mileage. Years ago the norm was a tuneup every 10k or so, I haven't tuned up a car in 20 years or more, no need. In 1970 8-10 mpg was common, inflation adjusted it costs less to drive a mile today than it did 40 years ago.

I don't think it's a stretch at all, I think it's real doable. Haven't the faintest idea of the expense, the raw product is dirt cheap, labor about the same, but equipment is expensive. I knew a guy about 30 years ago, created a process to shred and pelletize used beverage bottles, he then sold the pellets back to the beverage companies for the production of new bottles. Anything can be done, if the desire is there. I'd rather see things stand pat.

I have no idea of how a scrap tire could be molded into form, but if there is a will there may be a way. Let me give you an example of how another item is made. In most cars, gears that are made for transmissions, rear ends and clutch plates are not made of steel but made of powdered iron with a few trace elements like ni, and cu., this powder has the consistency of granular sugar. The powder is placed in a mold of the part, then put into presses 200 tons to 1000 tons, pressed and now you have a part, But it's not the finished product as it's soft and crumbles. The part is then placed in oven and heat treated, a process called sintering, now you have a part that can be used trucks, autos, tractors, etc. The company I serviced was Borg Warner Automotive, parts were made for GM, Chrysler, Yamaha, Toyota, Nissan and others. The new powder was supplied a company called Hoeganes. Sorry for the long winded explanation, but my point is, that if people see a need to do something, they can generally do it. After all we put a man on the moon. Wouldn't surprise me at all if someone figured a way to turn scrap tires or some other waste product into a usable item for weights and jig heads. Maybe this way, shred the tire, soften it with heat, add some type of resin for weight, mold it press it under several hundred tons of pressure, sounds doable, kinda reminds me of plastic inject molding. I'm all for keeping things the way they are. BTW lead is cheap, about .92 lb on the kitco, tungsten is over 20.00 a pound. http://www.877ironmike.com/metal-prices

There may be alternatives that may be as cost effective as lead. Scrap tires come to mind, many are use as landfill and artificial reefs, sounds like they may be environmentally friendly. Many are steel belted so there is sinkabilty, additives would help as well. There is a never ending supply. Just a thought, I'm sure it's been thought of already.

Wife, kids, gr. children Their health My health My career (retirement beats it out) Special Olympics, J.A.R.C.,

@0119, my area is exactly the same with developments and snowbirds, but fishing at an inlet really helps a lot.

I've thought about this and I've tempered my position a bit. Would I fish heavier tackle for fish of that comparable size, no, I stand firm on that. My initial comments reflect only what equipment I would use for fish of that size, some but not all disagree with me. This may be a case in point. I will concede to the argument that muskie may be a bit fragile, may not weather the storm of a longer fight and other points mentioned may be valid. If I were that concerned and passionate muskie would a species I wouldn't target at all. Not being a muskie fisherman I don't contribute to any of the problems that have been mentioned. Excluding muskie, targeting fish up to about 40# that will see the same kind of equipment I've been using all along.

I see no negative in using a leader, I always do. My set up is not as popular, but I encounter zero problems. I'm a spinning man with braid, and I use a leader less than 20" attached with a swivel ( swivel just big enough as not to get hung up in the tip eye), I use a duolock for easy lure change. I do not tie leader to line except for certain species, I don't catch those fish in freshwater.

Kayak, they check all the sites. A tip for the future. We have a Southwest Visa credit card, we have received 4 free tickets for using their card over the last couple of years.

I've been looking looking to replace a couple of rods, always a hard decision. One day I want rod A, next day I don't, then I do....bottom line just have to pull the trigger and buy it. One rod I'm interested in I'd like to purchase at BPS during their trade in program, call first to see if they have in stock what I want. Taking my reel is a must.

I started working from childhood, my dad's market, paper routes, drug store clerking, stocking shelves at the A&P midnights when I was in college. Once I entered adulthood there was never a day of unemployment, 40 years of it being s/e. Plenty of days that weren't fun, things to do that I was not looking forward to, but you do what you gotta do. If you truly love what you do, you don't mind putting the time and energy into it. Monday is just another day, no better or worse than the other 6.

I'm sure many anglers would disagree the fish we catch are "junk", tarpon, marlin, sailfish, whaoo, and others are some of the worlds most sought after game fish, and you bet it's fun. If it weren't fun why would we do it? Inshore fish like snook, redfish and striped bass must be junk too then, yet anglers come from all over to catch and eat them. People on here were in awe when Fish Chris lands a 100# sturgeon on ultra lite gear, that is not a quick catch, I heard no screaming about the health of the fish then, he was applauded, a feat few could do. I will agree muskies are a bit more delicate and fragile, if the concern is that great maybe people shouldn't fish for them at all. Wouldn't surprise me if the written critique doesn't live up to the reality of what's happening on the lakes. People are always looking for the biggest of any species and muskies get big, any big fish is going to give a good account of itself and that's what the angler wants.

At least in saltwater getting eaten by a bull shark, is over too quick too worry about....lol

If this is a bass only forum then no mention of muskie, pike, trout, walleye, carp, catfish, and salt water species should be allowed, that is not the case. Threads and pictures focusing on other species are often in the "Other Fish Species" section as well as the "Fishing Reports" section. Many people fish multiple species and have a keen interest in what the world of fishing has to offer, I get private messages of inquiry from people traveling here of how, wear and what type of equipment is needed to target ones I'm familiar with. Some of the local Florida guys that primarily target bass have messaged me as well. Kinda tells me that some do have an interest. Fish are fish and fishing is fishing, doesn't make all that much difference where you catch them, a good portion of them react the same and are caught on identical baits. If one can catch a fish in freshwater, they can certainly do it in saltwater and vice versa. My point in the first place being, if one can catch a fish of similar size or larger with set up A, there is no reason that set up A can't be used elsewhere. I enjoy catching all types of fish and without a doubt get a thrill from the big ones, not to say I don't bass, that's an endeavor that I partake in daily as well and I do enjoy it, but still for me it's light tackle only for them. If I'm going to yank a fish in 1-2-3, I'll then start looking for a different activity, the fight is what gives me the pleasure.

Yesterday afternoon I walked a canal ( Bob West ) on 441 a few miles south of the Lox ramp in Boynton. I fished in about 1.5 miles, I was then on the boundary of the Lox preserve. I'm hearing all kinds strange noises, was a little spooky, not to mention if I had a medical problem or attacked by a gator I wouldn't be discovered too quick. Not going to that again. But I did catch fish .