George Welcome

Thanks for the responses: it lets me know that I am not just spinning my wheels writing reports.

Thanks for the responses: it lets me know that I am not just spinning my wheels writing reports.

Growth rate will vary greatly from one body to the next, and one area to the next. Two ponds that are side by side can be totally different. However, one-year old bass average about seven inches in length and grow to an adult size of 10 inches in about 1-1/2 to 2-1/2 years. It is after this age that growth varies drastically between north and south. Simply put the feeding and growing period per year is longer in the south.

Summertime in Florida arrived a bit early this year, and is usual for May and June the fishing has been from good to outstanding. There has to bit of a change-up in your approach to the Stick Marsh/Farm 13 from now through Sept./Oct., however if you put things together correctly you can anticipate some pretty good action and the strong possibility of something big. May was a short month for me as I took a couple of weeks off, spending some of that in South Carolina. No fishing on that trip, as I was attending a RC aircraft fly-in in Woodruff. However, the two weeks I did spend on the lake proved again why Stick Marsh/Farm 13 is considered some of the finest bass producing waters in the world. Marcelo Manastarla, Mauricio Brignolli, and Rogerio Batagliesi from Sao Paulo, Brazil and Miami came out and what a blast we had. Steady catching was the order of the day with the incredible Gary Yamamoto SwimSenko doing the trick. Nothing much happened on the top although we did give it a try. Although May was a good month, as we rolled into June the catching picked up drastically. Dave Adams and Dave Williams came out for a day and a half. Over 130 bass were hauled in and released. Rattle traps and Yamamoto SwimSenkos were the ticket with the edge falling to the tried and proven Bill Lewis 1/2 ounce trap. Chrome/blue with orange belly definitely produced better than any other selection. As a matter of fact, last week was an absolute banner week: Monday on Stick Marsh: 1/2 day 41 bass. Tuesday on Godwin: 1/2 day 31 bass. Thursday on Stick Marsh 76 bass. Friday on Stick Marsh: 92 bass. Saturday on Stick marsh: 1/2 day 40 bass. Sunday on Stick Marsh: 21 bass in 2:45 mins. This Monday Mike Rogge and his son Nick who are here visiting from Wisconsin went out for a 1/2 day trip in the morning. Three things made for a fantastic morning on the water with one minor catastrophe occurring. We started at daylight with rattle traps but switched to Yamamoto SwimSenkos as the sun rose. A search of the area where the bass were last found yielded only one fish, but as we worked our way eastward from there we found the masses. For the rest of the morning the catching was steady with some really nice bass coming over the rail. Eight year old Nick holding one of the many that our baits produced for the morning. This guy was a trooper throughout the entire a trip. Another SwimSenko bass. As the morning wound to an end Mike made a cast and had his bait stopped the moment it hit the water. At first it seemed Mike had found one of the many stumps in this area, and then the stump began to move. Mike had on his second trip with me, finally found the big one and the fight was on. This gallant lady made one partial leap right after the initial hook-up and then headed for the wood. The leap was obscured by splashing water so although Mike knew he had a big fish on, he didn't truly realize her size. As the fight went on and this fish led Mike around the boat it became obvious that Mike just might have that fish that peaked the magical over-ten weight and the adrenaline kicked in full force. As she approached the side of the boat Mike lifted, she leapt, and off she went. As she broke free, Mike stood there in utter amazement, watching his much sought after lady disappear back to the murky depths. I have seen a weighed a lot of fish, and although I didn't get the Boga Grip on her, I can tell you with complete confidence that this gal was 10.5 pounds or better. What happened to Mike is typical rather than atypical of first encounters with bigger bass. Handling them in the heavy wood takes an extreme balance of controlling the fish without overpowering it. As the fish neared the boat she was still very much green and made a power surge under the boat. With almost all his line reeled in this put tremendous pressure on the location of the hook making the hole much larger. As Mike attempted to lift her, her leap allowed the hook to simple fall out of the enlarged hole, and off she went. To counter this pressured run I always am ready to release the spool and let her run, using my thumb to maintain a non-severe drag until I get control of the fish again. This prevents that hole enlargement and increases the odds of bringing the fish to camera and scale. We are entering our rainy season, and with some luck this year bringing us more water than the last couple of years, we should see moving water conditions. Anyone that has fished this lake under those conditions knows just how phenomenal the catching can be. However, even if we don't get the usual heavy rains, fishing should remain very good as the bass move into their summer areas. Look for structure that forms a deeper water situation next to shallow and you should find the fish. With three major N/S ditches on the Farm and one major E/W ditch this can be a daunting task. Good bow electronics are needed and some patient exploring, but the benefits of finding one of our schools of bass make the task well worth while. See you out there.

Summertime in Florida arrived a bit early this year, and is usual for May and June the fishing has been from good to outstanding. There has to bit of a change-up in your approach to the Stick Marsh/Farm 13 from now through Sept./Oct., however if you put things together correctly you can anticipate some pretty good action and the strong possibility of something big. May was a short month for me as I took a couple of weeks off, spending some of that in South Carolina. No fishing on that trip, as I was attending a RC aircraft fly-in in Woodruff. However, the two weeks I did spend on the lake proved again why Stick Marsh/Farm 13 is considered some of the finest bass producing waters in the world. Marcelo Manastarla, Mauricio Brignolli, and Rogerio Batagliesi from Sao Paulo, Brazil and Miami came out and what a blast we had. Steady catching was the order of the day with the incredible Gary Yamamoto SwimSenko doing the trick. Nothing much happened on the top although we did give it a try. Although May was a good month, as we rolled into June the catching picked up drastically. Dave Adams and Dave Williams came out for a day and a half. Over 130 bass were hauled in and released. Rattle traps and Yamamoto SwimSenkos were the ticket with the edge falling to the tried and proven Bill Lewis 1/2 ounce trap. Chrome/blue with orange belly definitely produced better than any other selection. As a matter of fact, last week was an absolute banner week: Monday on Stick Marsh: 1/2 day 41 bass. Tuesday on Godwin: 1/2 day 31 bass. Thursday on Stick Marsh 76 bass. Friday on Stick Marsh: 92 bass. Saturday on Stick marsh: 1/2 day 40 bass. Sunday on Stick Marsh: 21 bass in 2:45 mins. This Monday Mike Rogge and his son Nick who are here visiting from Wisconsin went out for a 1/2 day trip in the morning. Three things made for a fantastic morning on the water with one minor catastrophe occurring. We started at daylight with rattle traps but switched to Yamamoto SwimSenkos as the sun rose. A search of the area where the bass were last found yielded only one fish, but as we worked our way eastward from there we found the masses. For the rest of the morning the catching was steady with some really nice bass coming over the rail. Eight year old Nick holding one of the many that our baits produced for the morning. This guy was a trooper throughout the entire a trip. Another SwimSenko bass. As the morning wound to an end Mike made a cast and had his bait stopped the moment it hit the water. At first it seemed Mike had found one of the many stumps in this area, and then the stump began to move. Mike had on his second trip with me, finally found the big one and the fight was on. This gallant lady made one partial leap right after the initial hook-up and then headed for the wood. The leap was obscured by splashing water so although Mike knew he had a big fish on, he didn't truly realize her size. As the fight went on and this fish led Mike around the boat it became obvious that Mike just might have that fish that peaked the magical over-ten weight and the adrenaline kicked in full force. As she approached the side of the boat Mike lifted, she leapt, and off she went. As she broke free, Mike stood there in utter amazement, watching his much sought after lady disappear back to the murky depths. I have seen a weighed a lot of fish, and although I didn't get the Boga Grip on her, I can tell you with complete confidence that this gal was 10.5 pounds or better. What happened to Mike is typical rather than atypical of first encounters with bigger bass. Handling them in the heavy wood takes an extreme balance of controlling the fish without overpowering it. As the fish neared the boat she was still very much green and made a power surge under the boat. With almost all his line reeled in this put tremendous pressure on the location of the hook making the hole much larger. As Mike attempted to lift her, her leap allowed the hook to simple fall out of the enlarged hole, and off she went. To counter this pressured run I always am ready to release the spool and let her run, using my thumb to maintain a non-severe drag until I get control of the fish again. This prevents that hole enlargement and increases the odds of bringing the fish to camera and scale. We are entering our rainy season, and with some luck this year bringing us more water than the last couple of years, we should see moving water conditions. Anyone that has fished this lake under those conditions knows just how phenomenal the catching can be. However, even if we don't get the usual heavy rains, fishing should remain very good as the bass move into their summer areas. Look for structure that forms a deeper water situation next to shallow and you should find the fish. With three major N/S ditches on the Farm and one major E/W ditch this can be a daunting task. Good bow electronics are needed and some patient exploring, but the benefits of finding one of our schools of bass make the task well worth while. See you out there.

In response to a mandate from Congress contained in the Federal Boating Safety Act of 1971 (FBSA), the United States Coast Guard issued regulations covering small outboard boats and the maximum rated horsepower for them. The regulations bind the manufacturer to provide a capacity plate that shows the maximum rated horsepower for each hull. The applicable regulations can be found in 33CFR183.53 My interpretation of those regulations is that the manufacturer must state the horsepower as no more than that computed under the formula, except, if the manufacturer conducts the performance testing procedure, the results of that testing can be used (with some qualifiers). However, the manufacturer is apparently free to state a lower rating if desired, and sometimes does. Note that the regulations only require ratings for monohull boats under 20-feet in length, but Boston Whaler has historically provided a rating plate for its boats longer than 20-feet as well. The formula provided in the regulations reduces to: (2 X L X W) -90 = rated horsepower Where: L=boat length W=transom width; if the boat does not have a full transom, the transom width is the broadest beam in the aftermost quarter length of the boat. The rated horsepower may be rounded up to the nearest "5". Here is an example of how the rating formula works in practice, applied to an older Boston Whaler boat, the V-20 model: Boston Whaler V-20 Length = 19' 10" Width = 7' 5" Thus: (19.83 x 7.42 x 2) - 90 = 204.15 Rounding up = 205 maximum rated horsepower In the case of the V-20/Outrage 20, from 1978 through 1985 Whaler chose to give it a maximum rating of 180-HP instead of 205-HP. Affixing rating labels which are lower than the rating permitted under the formula is common. Is powering above the rated maximum legal? The United States Coast Guard has an opinion on this frequently asked question, and their answer from their website is reproduced below: Can I use a bigger motor on my boat than what it's rated for? It is not a violation of Coast Guard regulations to install or use an engine larger than specified on the capacity label, but there may be state regulations prohibiting it, and restrictions from your own insurance company regarding this. There are no Coast Guard regulations against exceeding the safe loading capacity, however, there may be State regulations or restrictions from your insurance company which prohibit this. There is a Coast Guard regulation that gives Coast Guard Boarding Officers the power to terminate the use of a boat (send it back to shore) if, in the judgment of the Boarding Officer, the boat is overloaded. There is no fine for this, unless the operator refuses the Boarding Officer's order. We certainly hope that you will abide by the rating, as overloading may lead to capsizing or swamping of the boat. NOTE: The Coast Guard Capacity Information label is required only on monohull boats less than 20' in length. The label is not required on multi-hull boats, pontoon boats (catamarans), or on any sailboats, canoes, kayaks, or inflatable boats, regardless of length. As the Coast Guard mentions, local regulations may apply. For example, in the state of Ohio one should be guided by this regulation: Capacity Plates (ORC 1547.39 & ORC 1547-40) No person shall operate or permit operation of a watercraft in excess of any of the stated limits on the capacity plate. When no capacity plate exists, no person shall operate or permit operation of a watercraft if a reasonably prudent person would believe the total load aboard or the total horsepower of any motor or engine presents a risk of physical harm to persons or property. To help locate applicable law in your jurisdiction, you may find the website of the National Association of State Boating Law Agencies to be helpful. They provide a free guide to state boating regulations. It should be noted that in some cases there are pamphlets or guidelines issued by state regulatory agencies that contain recommended practices which may propose higher standards than those actually contained in the state law.

A six-pak, (OUPV) license is needed to guide on any federal navigable water. To define federal navigable: any waters that are interstate; any waters used for commerce; any waters that comprise a transportation route; any waters with inland access from salt water (salt to brackish); all salt water and its access. Any inland lakes with no access to federal navigable waters do not require a six-pak, (OUPV)

Weight gain due to eggs is approximately 10% of the body weight of a female largemouth bass. Based on your weight given, that fish would have increased in weight 10 3/4 ounces +/-.

Thank you!

Lee, consider this. The bass have no choice but to spawn. They will find a location and adquate water. The question is: was the location adequately protected from excessive predation? If not then obviously the recruitment will be greatly decreased which will effectively decrease populations in the future. The flip side to that lies in the spawn of their forage. Unlike Bass, Threadfins can abort a spawn, if they don't like the conditions, and resorb their eggs. If there is inadquate cover due to water levels then the forage availability decreases, which in turn reduces the viability of the recruitment. At this time a complete relocation of the bass is being experienced creating a need for searching new possiblities. This is time consuming and difficult on large bodies of water. Only time will give us a definitive answer however. We are experiencing the same things on the Marsh with one added factor. Complete loss of vegetation during the hurricanes and no replacement since. Basically this has caused for finding new locations and some different techniques of fishing.

Wasn't me - I was too busy with clients. I've done several shows out here, but as you can see, the advertising value is from slim to none. When approached, whoever is looking to do a show, is looking to do it for as little as possible, which means getting the boat ride and guide for free. A blurb at the end of the show is considered adequate for the time, fuel, and expertise, so I tend to stay away unless there is something special about the show. That particular show, was a combo show about bass, crappie, and gills. Only one of those critters is my bag. As an example, I spent five days, and two boats, as an investment doing a show with the then Outdoor Life Network, only to ultimately have the show not air. No pay, no show, just cost. Perhaps it will air somewhere down the road, but I may be fishing under totally different circumstances by the time that happens.

Tip: Good hookset is a function of speed, not power.

No, it's not an ad. An ad would have said something along the lines of come fish with me. Sorry that the only thing you gleaned from what I said was your mis-impression of my information.

"Yeah, those scientists really are fools, just playing their silly games. It's actually all a conspiracy to make nature seem more complicated then it really is." No Paul, all scientists are not fools, however, much that is written does not stand up to scrutiny. It takes little knowledge of scientific data to be a real good fisherman. It is not necessary to read Odum to know enough to have a good time fishing, nor is the Kreb's Cycle a necessary part of a fisherman's knowledge. This sport for the most part breaks down to two applications: Location and presentation. Expertise in both areas comes with experience. The more time you spend on the water, the better you get. If you look for a short cut in this program you usually get cut short.

Summer pattern in S. Florida: Fish will move to the deepest water they can - not very deep here. For a good deal of the day they will suspend - not very active. Look for structure adjacent to a sharply contrasting depth - contrasting is not neccesarily a major change. Sonar equipment becomes very important during this period. Once fish are found, don't leave them. Watch the suspension depth. As the fish move up in the column expect feeding activity and make the most of it. When fishing something as big as Kissimmee nothing beats good local information. Talk with the people at Camp Mack. Weeds are cover, however remember that weed lines can form a type of structure. A few inches of depth change can be enough to hold bass that are waiting to move into shallower depths for feeding. If you see bait and suspect bass but are getting no bites than slow down. It's not the easiest thing to do but at times it will make all the difference. Of course the inverse can also be true. We are presently catching with a fast retrieve of a 1/2 ounce rattle trap. It's fun to jump from lake to lake but also keep in mind when do so that every lake down here is substantially different. During the summer months you are far better working those lakes that you know best. Last but not least, and I know it is the dreaded thing, a day spent with a qualified guide using artificial baits can be a very good investment.

And that my friends is what makes a good fisherman. Remember what these critters are. Remember where they live. Remember what and how they eat. Learn the mechanical skills. Catch fish.

Muddied waters - it's not that difficult. There is an adage in the scientific community: publish or perish. Their is an adage in the magazine industry: Meet the deadline or you are dead. What this produces is mounds of gobbly-**** that must be sifted, strained, and discarded. It's just not that complicated and the sooner you learn to simplify rather than look to complicate it further, the better fisherman you will be.

Stick Marsh/Farm 13: Location - Fellsmere, Florida http://www.mapquest.com/maps/fellsmere+fl/ It's the big rectangle just west of the town.

I have not experienced what you have. The Kissimmee chain, the Stick Marsh, Blue Cypress, and south have all done well for me. For example: Monday on Stick Marsh: 1/2 day 41 bass. Tuesday on Godwin: 1/2 day 31 bass. Thursday on Stick Marsh 76 bass. Friday on Stick Marsh: 92 bass. Saturday on Stick marsh: 1/2 day 40 bass. Sunday on Stick Marsh: 21 bass in 2:45 mins. Low water has limited areas of fishability, but the people that I know fishing Okeechobee are still doing well. Jim Passamore's report on Toho: The bass have moved to slightly deeper water, but they are easier to locate than in the grass and tend to hang in the same area longer. We have seen morning as well as afternoons clients catching 20 to 25 bass. Fla. Fed. 4th qual on Istokpoga: Top 4 anglers: 1 A. J. Willequer 5868 Harris Chain Bassmasters 6/6 26.25 7.99 10.66 15.59 26.25 75 2 Leon J. Roy 4718 Big Bend Bass Club 6/6 21.89 7.37 14.52 21.89 74 3 David Glenn 97 Winter Haven Lunker Lovers 6/6 20.70 10.82 9.88 20.70 75 4 Jacob Whitman 5188 LK Worth-Boynton BCH B/M 6/6 16.31 7.99 8.32 16.31 73 The reports on the Harris and Butler chains by Tim Fey have all indicated likewise. They have moved to summer patterns which means look more to structure than cover.

Lake Okeechobee water level as of Jun 09, 2008 9.44 ft. About 3 ft. below its historical average for this time of year.

The ecosystem that is a bass's habitat has prescious little known about it. This is known: it takes a intricate balance of forage, predation, enviornmentally sound water conditions, and correct fisheries management to produce the possibility of a bass getting large. What isn't known: What is in reality the correct balance of forage, predation, correct fisheries management, and enviornmentally sound water conditions to produce the possibility of a bass getting large. If and when these factors are learned there will be lakes and ponds in abundance across this great land of ours that not only will be producing the numbers, but also the size of bass that is desired. No single factor, from forage, to genetics, to adequate predation is understood to date. However, the fisheries science community is most certainly in an ongoing study of the matter. Prognosis: The subject is complex to a level of extreme. When faced with a direct question such as the one that started this thread the fisheries scientist can but shrug his/her shoulders and say, "we are working on it." Simply put, it's not likely, until one of these creatures talk to us, that we will get a handle on it. The answer to the initial question: Fish with a dedication for the bass that you seek, have a bit of good luck, and keep your enviornment clean.

The most obvious way to remove foreign material from your hull would be to use any of the commercial hull cleaners available out there. This product is available in Wal-Mart and works quite well: There are even stronger hull cleaner materials out there and they can be gotten at any Boat US, West Marine, Bass Pro's, or Cabelas. Sno-bowl is very inexpensive and is available at any super market. It is what I use and operate in a tough enviornment for tea staining and scum line. Give it a try. Just put some on a soft bristle brush, apply to the hull: let sit for a couple of minutes and hose off. It's that easy. Both cleaners us an oxacylic acid to do the job. It is a mild acid with simple protective warnings in its use.

If you are going to attempt to advise people on how to do something, then it would be best for you to insure that those things you are telling people are needed to succeed in an endeavor, you yourself are doing.

Some years back I had a total loss: New boat stolen. Allstate covered the contents and were fantastic. However, for my new boat they wouldn't cover me because of the total loss. Both Boat US and Progressive would

42 yesterday on a Bill Lewis 1/2 oz. Big fish was a measly 7 pounds. Paint loss was a reality with the older Bill Lewis traps. Look at the new ones: new hooks and much better paint.