SirSnookalot

Not likely to happen.

I agree about pulling wind knots thru, other than that it really doesn't make any difference to me. I use a knot that works well with braid so pull thru isn't a concern, putting a bead on the tag end is a good idea.

This is my time of the year. From now till about the end of Dec. I do a lot of fishing. We start having the bait runs and the fishing can get real hot. When the temps start moderating a bit the bass will turn on as well, at that point it's the ocean every morning, bass in the PM and again before sunset. Been advised I may need surgery or some kind of therapy on both shoulders, no way in the world would I do this until January, I won't miss the fall action.

In South Florida the new home building is going pretty strong, a new community comes in and I may lose access to canal that I once fished. Even in places where there are no homes going in fences have been put up to limit the area that can be fished. In some of the saltwater areas parking meters have been installed. We can fish any beach as long as there is public access, those public access places are dwindling or charging a lot of $$ for parking. The restriction would be a government installation like Cape Canaveral.

I like to have a variety of lure or bait types but don't feel having 3 or 4 different brands of the same type catches me any more fish. If I like a certain lure it isn't important to me to use 2 different manufactures of the same lure type, if they are hitting flukes a Zoom is going to work the same as a DOA.

This is true. I get items delivered by EMS 2-3 times a month from Indonesia and the Philippines. The EMS tracking websites are not very consistent, not unusual for those sites to show no record of the shipment. The USPS tracking site is a bit better but far from perfect. When entering the tracking number "not found" means it's not in the system yet, you will see words saying in "sorting facility", both in country of origin as well this country. Sometimes the site will say in customs, sometimes not but it always does go thru customs, the site doesn't update too well. I have never paid a customs tax or fee, I've been this for about 5 years. A bank transaction fee has been charged when using a credit card, this has nothing to do with the shipping. When I use PayPal I don't get charged a transaction fee, but I will if using Western Union.

I thought Joan Rivers was great. 81 years old with a successful career, if she had happiness as well I'm not sad, but I will miss her.

Line twist is going to happen whether or not a swivel is used on spinning gear. As line is being reeled in the "wrapping" around the spool is what causes twist. That said certain lure types that can turn over will amplify the twist, most noticeable with mono and copoly lines. When I do use those line types I make a point trolling my line out before my outing, if possible.

This is absolutely the case, many freshwater fishermen have little or no experience with Penn. Not advocating any brand IMO if a reel stands up to saltwater use it's going to be fine for freshwater. I'd like to say that's how I choose my reels, but it isn't. I'm not worried about performance or durability, my focus is on the comfort of rod and reel as a unit. In saltwater we are using our rods and reels a bit differently, super light is not an overly important issue like it is in freshwater. We make long flowing casts with reels anywhere from 10-20 oz. with no difficulty, freshwater casting does not lend itself to heavier reels, the emphasis more on balance.

If I were a mono user I'd pick the reel with the bigger spool for better line management, as far as performance.........toss a coin.

I use a 4/0 worm hook, with or without the swivel the speed is what is going to cause the fluke to roll over, I prefer a moderate to slower presentation. I am not working the bait with the reel it merely takes up the slack, the movement to the bait is done with my arm and wrist. The key I believe is getting my cadence or rhythm down, I see no variance in tension on my spinning reels.

Small scrap shops and yards, bigger operations may not want to bother with it, they always have lead around. Spot lead is $1.00, shouldn't pay much more than that. There is always tackle making sites that sell 1 lb ingots for about 3 bucks.

No need to over complicate pond fishing.

I don't have a TV camera on me so I don't see the point.

Despite the fact that I mostly fish saltwater and most saltwater fisherman I know keep their catch, I'm a die hard artificial user and release the majority of my fish. Using bait to catch fish isn't real sporting to me, I can't say how often I'm offshore and my partner is using cut bait for kings and I'm casting or hard metal jigging. "It ain't the kill, it's the thrill".

If you feel certain hooks aren't strong enough try using 3x & 4x, which is what I use even in fresh water.

Does braid dig in on spinning gear, yes it can but it happens so infrequently it isn't worth a thought for me. Pond fishing in Florida isn't like having to locate fish on a larger body of water. In my part of Florida these ponds are usually about 12' and less, if community or golf course ponds they are easily walked. I do not over complicate what it takes to catch pond fish. My lures will vary based on what the water allows me to use, at times there is algae or heavy weeds, other times it's pretty open. Coming from natural lakes both inland and the great lakes where fish have to be located, I can tell ya in a 5-10 acre pond or less these fish don't have a whole of places to go, finding them isn't tough. These are man made holes in the ground, little if any structure. I hit one of my ponds almost everyday, in all honesty Florida pond fishing is the easiest and most relaxing kind of fishing I have done in my life. I wouldn't begin to compare my 5 pounder from one of these ponds to what it takes to do the same thing on big natural body of water. Put some time in and more often than not you will catch fish. Pond fishing is very enjoyable for me.

As with any lure there are a variety of ways to work them, none of them exclusively right or exclusively wrong. I can't say how I work any lure, it just happens on my own instinct at that particular time. I'm always working a lure and it varies, sometimes within the same cast. I would say don't be mechanical and do what comes natural.

As of late all my bass fishing has been done in my community ponds where I live in South Florida. First off, I have never used a lure or bait that hasn't caught bass, or any other fish for that matter, but nothing works 100% of the time and everything works some of the time. For a while fish were busting like mad here, top water lure ruled but that bite has ended. Used a senko twice caught fish but bored to death in the process. Going thru some plastics that hadn't been used in a while I came across Gambler flip n shad, all I can say was wow. I've used other paddle tails just preferred the way the Gambler worked. I've used them in canals along with the larger version, where as I caught fish just didn't like them for that venue, think the fluke works better for me.

I see C & R as much as a blood sport as keeping them for the table, the potential is there at any time for that fish to die. What about gut hooking a bass when out of season or not a slot size, can't eat that, same goes for a snook. Can't keep a tarpon here in Florida gut hooked or not. 30 minute plus fights tire them out, they don't swim off at warp speed, just like in freshwater they are subject to be attacked by a larger predator when weakened. I personally don't sugar coat the fact that by saying I respect them when I may be putting one in peril at any time. I may take care in handling them after I've already beat the crap out them, I don't call that respecting the fish. As I say I'm not about to give it up any time soon.

Not recommending just saying, Nissan cube starts about 15k and Kia soul about 14k

If one showed fish the respect they deserved they would be allowed to live their natural life without human interference. A life without being gouged with sharp objects, ripping it's lips, jerking their heads, dragging thru the water, gut hooking and stressing it. A fish derives no benefits from these acts, best case scenario is the fish swims away unharmed, which can't always be proved. If I were to show fish real respect I'd quit fishing, join PETA and become a vegan, I don't see any of that happening. This is a bloodsport, flipping a fish may not be good for it but maybe no worse than what was done before trying to land it.

You could but it would be more difficult than finding a good one. I don't recommend specific brands, as far as I'm concerned anything over a $100 is over kill for a freshwater reel. Just about every reel I've handled from 50-$100 has been quite smooth, more than adequate drag performance to handle fish up 10#. My freshwater reels have lasted 5 years or more, I fish everyday too.

As I said lightening seldom strikes 2 days in a row. The very next day bait was busting a 1/4 mile in each direction, fish up to and over 50# just pounding them, it was Xmas, July 4 and New Years eve rolled into one. 45 minutes of casting didn't produce a strike, when fish are gorging on bait your piece of plastic has little chance. If I haven't seen this at least 100 times it hasn't been once, as common as brushing my teeth every morning. Next couple of days no bait showed up which means no fish, I haven't had a strike since my original post. Could have I caught fish, absolutely. Catch a mullet, clip a fin and wait about 60 seconds, but that ain't what I call fishing,