SirSnookalot

With the exception of replacement lures, terminal tackle and an experiment with a new lure I quit buying when I realized I could catch anything that swims on maybe 6 lures or less, that was 10 years ago. I have enough back up to fish maybe 5 years without buying anything but flukes, which I use in both fresh and saltwater.

Many survival kits come with a jig, my pick would be an 1/4 oz saltwater bucktail jig because of the stronger hook.

Not entirely true that the only place to catch them is offshore over reefs. Small ones are caught in mangroves in shallow water, we seem them on occasion in the ICW around bridges and in the pylons of piers. To me the video does seem to be shot offshore, that's what struck me unusual.

I fish freshwater and saltwater 7 days a week 12 months of the year, that's a lot of fishing and a lot of fish caught. Maybe not an enthusiast but pretty darn enthused about catching fish. I don't do much bottom fishing, I like getting a good thump so super sensitivity isn't my main criteria. I do want a rod that is comfortable with foregrip and a slightly longer butt that casts well has the backbone I need to land fish, being durable is a bonus. I have found my niche in the 90-125 range that have met what I want a rod to do. I have gone the custom route as well more expensive rods, the performance difference to me was small if any.

The interesting thing about the video is that groupers by nature don't feed near the surface offshore, mostly bottom feeders off reefs and wrecks. I have seen a cuda nail a bonita, within seconds the cuda became a meal for a bull shark, landed it was estimated to be 200#. One of the most shocking stories I heard was about a fellow I worked with. He had a very pronounced limp, I asked him about. While water skiing on Lake St Clair he was, attacked presumably by a muskie, took his foot nearly off. After surgery and rehab he opted to have his good leg surgically shortened to match the length of the injured leg.

I'm in Florida which has no season, something can be caught year round. Fishing strictly for recreation and fun I have no reason to compare 1 year to another or even day to day. I don't make a point of counting or weighing and I never put pressure on myself to produce, just take it as it comes.

I've caught plenty of fish with no jig at all, just a hook and the trailer.

Quantum cabo 40

It's one thing to initially set the drag, depending on what is on the end of the line I do believe adjustments need to be made. I run into fish all the time I could never slow down with 3# of drag, especially in current. There are times when I just have to put pressure using my drag in order to land them. I don't have a set script to follow, each fish can be a different size, fight differently, be a different species, my adjustments are made to fit the moment.

Robots have come along way from the days of the early 60's, now with touch sensors and "sight". Watched Modern Marvels yesterday and 1 segment focused on the use of robots in the Kia plant in Georgia. In the welding section there are but 60 employees with 2500 robots. These robots do such a great job they almost put me out of business as they make much fewer mistakes than humans, year by year there was less scrap around around, lol.

You beat me and 10,000 other people. Some days they are on and others days they're off, especially from shore where you can't cover as much water. Even on a good fishery like Lake St Clair, gonna be days when you'll get shutdown.

I caught my first pike on a flatfish when I was about 6 or 7. My most under used bait is a senko, great fish catchers but I don't enjoy using them. As of late my most used lures are jigs that I make myself, not only do they catch fish but the personal reward level is high.

Not even a close second, it's jig. Jigs come in a wide variety of styles, materials and sizes, they catch just about thing that has fins. A year round lure that can be used on any body of water, day or night.

We have saltwater crocs right here in Delray Beach, not a lot but they are here.

I do fish with a fellow who in my opinion is the best fisherman I ever met. By trade he is a commercial fisherman, does this for fun as he doesn't need to earn a living. He lives on a fresh water canal, I've bass fished with him many times, he's great. Depending on what's running he will take out one of his 3 or 4 boats, unlike many commercial fisherman that hand jig and use winch to pull them in, he uses rod and reel. I've gone with him quite a few times, he has taught me a lot about fishing.

Conventional wisdom says to set the drag 1/4-1/3 mono diameter equivalent. First off I want my drag tight enough so I get no slippage while casting. I use 3 sizes 10-15 and 20# braid whether I'm fishing open water or a weedy environment, fish size can go 1-50#. My drag my be a click or 2 the tight side (not even close to be locked down) so I can set the hook better. With species that hit a moving lure if the drag is too light they just carry the lure without good penetration, a little tighter is better IMO. Once the fish is on the line most of the time I make an up or down drag adjustment, size and species come into play as different fish fight differently and pound for pound may pull out more drag. I do it all by feel of the moment.

Don't favor any brand. I've done just fine with every major company's line, sale price gets my attention which seems to be PP most of the time.

Malkovich

We don't have flats in Boynton but the water for the most part is less than 10'. Most of the ones I catch are inside the inlet off a sea wall or at the end of the jettie.

One of my favorites is a Mirrolure catch 2000, no lip subsurface lure. Hook into a 20# jack and you'll forget about a snook, lol.

I think Raul is right on the money. On days when the conventional wisdom says I'm supposed to kill them, sometimes the fish haven't read the script. The opposite can be true as well, yesterday with bluebird skies and using nothing but a top water popper I destroyed them, both shallow and deeper water. I have but one rule, that's just to go fishing.

Lure wise you don't need much. Bucktail jigs, spoons and fluke style plastic on a jig head, which has pretty much replaced hard jerkbaits for me. Top waters are a lot of fun too. Hard to say what fish will be showing up that time of year, always a good chance for jacks, bonefish, tarpon and permit, they like live crabs and shrimp. I'm not sure about about snook, little early in the year but ya never know.

Probably very little difference. The difference in a upgrade is weight, balance and aesthetics, which does not equate to more and better fish, only more comfort which can be less tiring.

Yes you need a license except if fishing with a guide, his license should cover you, but ask. Rod and reel depends on target, I'd opt for a 3000 over a 2500 for line capacity, but use what you have. Med spinning is fine for most beach fish, I use only 15 and 20# braid. From a bridge or any elevated area mh is the lightest I would go, I'd prefer the extra horsepower of a 4000 reel too, if I took only 1 rod it would be a mh. Catching fish from these elevated areas they quite often make a run into the pylons, backbone really helps to pull them out. If I may a little tip, move your hand above the foregrip onto the shaft a little bit, you will have much more leverage to pull them out.

Some of the farthest casting (spinning) rods I can think of are fast taper rods, designed to cast light weights. Sizes from 6'6 to 8', and ul to heavy both full and split grip. If interested I'll send the link, you may not be familiar with this brand, but many people use them down here for bass and peacock as well as inshore species. I have 3 myself.