SirSnookalot

The answer is yes but I don't recommend fishing for peacocks from shore in Palm Beach County, in Dade county it's an entirely different ball game. We do not have Amazon black bar peacocks, ours our butterfly peacocks, much smaller. It's hit and miss around here, in Dade it's almost a sure thing and they go bigger and more aggressive.

No smallies here I'm using 6'6 light for peacocks. For me there is not definitive rod size, factors I look at are the water conditions such as current and vegetation, target species too.

Most species will hit any kind of a lure, fish are fish. If afraid to lose lures then use wire. It isn't unusually to see panic and intimidation set in when a larger fish is on the line, too often I've seen people tighten that drag down too much, worst thing to do. I try and use the same landing philosophy whether I have 1# or 100# fish on the line, stay calm and don't try and horse it in. I'm there for the battle, I say enjoy it.

Whether it's a democracy as we have or a parliamentary cabinet system. Deaths per 100k in parenthesis. Japan (.06), UK(.25), Germany(1.1), France(3.0) Canada (2.4) naming but a few, all have considerable less deaths due to gun violence. None of which are 3 rd world countries, have all the same tech and video games we do, and I'm sure they have mental illness as well. The US is #1 at 10.2 per 100k. Everyone is entitled to their own opinion, and I'm sticking to mine. Less guns less deaths.

Right, guns are not the problem, it's the people that own them. Place the blame where want, the fact is undeniable, lots of guns and lots of deaths. Other countries don't have this problem on the same magnitude as we do, are they better parents or is better gun control?

Best way to do it. Takes a minute or two and it's done, no waiting for the mailman and no rod downtime. Another matter if there is no local tackle shop, then I would do it myself.

I can only address my ponds, when I want a bigger fish it's a top water lure like a chug a bug. I fish strictly mid day, I may start off with a jerkbait and catch a few dinks. I always go to the top water, catching most of the fish 10-15 yds away from the bank, they do get spooked when they are closer in. I don't catch too many on top water under 18", I may catch less but I'm catching bigger.

You are right, but numbers don't lie about guns and deaths on our home soil. True people are behind these acts, which doesn't bode well for the psychological make up of some that possess these weapons. No question in my mind better control is needed, what the exact answer is I don't know. For time being it is what is, in time the pendulum will swing in the other direction, I may not be alive to see it but it will happen.

Don't care for hook keepers. I've grabbed that hook too many times when it's by the handle. I hook my lures on the guide foot, works better for me.

When I fish jerk baits, top water lures, swim jigs I'm twitching and pausing or moving the lure a few feet at a time. Moving the lures mostly with an arm or wrist movement there isn't that much slack, IPT are not real important to me, I probably fish this way more than anything else. The heaviest I fish for bass is 7' med spinning 15# braid, most of the time it's ml and light with a 6'6 rod. I lose fish all the time, simply because I let them jump, you just won't land them all. I'm there for the fun, catching a 20-24" bass on top water with a light rod and having it jump a few times makes my day, bass swims off healthier and I've enjoyed myself, win win ! Yesterday I did it with a ul, even better.

One of the hardest times to catch a snook is during the mullet run, they are very occupied gorging on live bait to hit artificial. IMO the best month to catch snook is August before the season opens. In 10 years of snook fishing nearly 7 days a week year round I've used live bait maybe no more than about 10-12 times. I like catching snook in the surf with spinning or fly rod.

What other country has had 87 school shootings just since Sandy Hook? Only the school shootings, other mass shootings and acts of terrorism get our attention, but with about 30,000 total gun related deaths per year no country comes close to that. If this study is accurate the US has 88 guns per 100 people, with 10 gun related deaths per 100,000 people. Only South Africa comes near that 9 deaths per 100,000 all other civilized countries are well below 3 deaths per 100k. These other countries have everything we have, 24 hour news, video games, higher education, but they have less guns and less deaths due to firearms. Lots of guns and lots deaths seem to have something in common.

After reading this thread I used this outfit yesterday PM for the first time in about 5 years, had a ball catching bass and mayan cichlids on a crappie jig. I'm keeping it, lol.

I could be comfortable with this answer, never really bought into the finesse and power explanation. I can and do use a MH spinning rod, 20# braid with lures 2 oz and more, change up and put a 1/2 oz bucktail on, or lighter than that with a 1/4 oz jig head and a jerk shad. Fishing different techniques for the same species with the same rod, using a variety of lures. I don't finesse or power, I fish.

I have acquaintances that are not interested in fishing with a more sophisticating set up, they use Walmart snap/swivels or Walmart barrel swivels, could be as cheap as it gets. I have not seen any fail due to stress or saltwater corrosion. In the past I've used duolock style snaps, and I would again without reservation, can't remember any of them failing. At present I'm content tying everything.

Living right near the Great Lakes most of my life and now by the ocean for the last 10 years, there is a difference in the waves. The ocean has rolling wider apart waves, the Great lakes are closer together and choppier and just as treacherous. It's the rocking backing forth that gets people seasick, not under power, my wife gets sick while the boat is still tied up at the dock or while drift fishing. There are medications, wrist bands and other remedies, don't know if they work or not.

I grew up fishing Lake St. Clair, as a kid we rented a rowboat and used our 7 hp Elgin. A lot of time and boats since then but now I fish in Florida, I do prefer ponds and I fish from shore. Just can't compare a larger body of water to a community pond, this kind of fishing isn't difficult. The fish are here it's just a matter of whether they are turned on or not.

In my neck of the woods the fishing never stops. I take care of my gear as needed.

Easy choice for me as I don't own a b/c, so it's spinning. My fishing preference is open water using the lightest tackle I can get away with, use any kind of lure I choose. I opt not to fish for bass in slop with a b/c and heavy braid, I'd rather catch 20- 24" bass or peacocks on top water with a light or ml set up, I love doing that.

Really nice snook. Next year the slot goes up 28-34".

In a previous post I stated I had been hooked 2 times in the legs, they were bluefish off the beach. In both cases the fish were caught on a Poppa Dog top water lure, I get nervous every time I put that lure on, lol. Those blues can really jump around a lot, just have to be real careful. Fishing alone I release those fish, not too good table fair IMO, so a gaff is out of the question. Many down here do eat them, they can have all I catch, limit is 10.

Most SW bucktails I've seen are white. Plain white or with red, chartruese trim. And yes, they catch about everything.

If I'm using swivels it's a shorter leader and don't want a swivel going thru the guides. Take the rod apart and use a velcro wrap, should not be a problem.

You can use bass lures and they work just fine. I don't use many freshwater lures, it doesn't take long for the salt to corrode the hooks. SW lures IMO are more durable and use different hooks. Jigs heads are not as critical, I like Strike King redfish jig heads, DOA"s and Mirror lure, in a pinch a plain Walmart ball head work just well, nothing wrong with those hooks. Lure wise I use x-raps (#10 and #12), Bombers A long and windcheaters, any jerkbait works good. I never use crankbaits or spinnerbaits in SW. My most used lures are jerk shad on a jig head, bucktail jigs and spoons, lately I'm into Kastmaster.

I was handcuffed exactly the same way as the op from a small bass, had to go to the er. Couple of times had a 1/0 4x hooked in my legs, got help from some beach goers and kept on fishing.