George Welcome

I've fished in just about every state on the eastern seaboard to include inland to the big Miss. However there is trememdous variety down here in the sunny south. What are the biggest lakes in Florida?--Answer: Florida has 3 million acres of lakes and 12,000 miles of rivers and streams. There are 7,710 named lakes over 10 acres in size. The biggest are: Lake Okeechobee is the biggest at 448,000 acres, followed by Lake George (46,000), Jim Woodruff Reservoir (37,500), Lake Kissimmee (34,948) and Lake Apopka (30,671). For a complete list of lakes over 1,000 acres, click here.

Good stretch on the Delaware river at the Water Gap. Below Worthington State Park south for 3-4 miles.

"Most fisheries management agencies don't recommend deflating the air bladder. "Fizzing or releasing the pressure from the gas bladder is sometimes used to facilitate release of undersized fish. "Fizzing," when done correctly, is a process where gas is released from the gas bladder of a fish by inserting a needle in the side of the fish and puncturing the gas bladder. Many anglers who practice fizzing are actually puncturing the stomach. In actuality, it is the pressure in the gas bladder that must be released. A fish that is unable to remain upright in the water because it is severely stressed and/or has an over-inflated gas bladder, stands a poor chance of surviving, if released. While helping a fish regain its ability to return to the bottom of the lake, many fish that are "fizzed" end up dying within a few days of release, from the stress of being caught and handled. There is also the likelihood that when you insert the needle into the side of a fish you will damage internal organs such as the kidney or intestines. When a perch is quickly brought up from depth, the stomach is forced out through the mouth as the gas bladder expands from a decrease in pressure as the fish is brought to the surface. There are two major different types of gas bladders in fishes: physostomous, in "primitive" fishes and physoclistous, in "derived" fishes. Your understanding of lake trout physiology as related to the air bladder is correct. Lake trout are among the generalized fishes known as Physostomi, which have a direct connection (pneumatic duct) between the air bladder and digestive tract. This duct facilitates the direct passage of air in either direction. Typically, this group of fishes fill the air bladder by gulping air form the surface and release air from the bladder by burping. Physoclistous gas bladders, however, do not open to the mouth, so the fish has to let gas in and out of the bladder using a very complex little patch of blood vessels that absorb or let go of gases from the blood. Fishes with these bladders include bass, perch, and sunfish." Chuck Murray, Fisheries Biologist Pennsylvania Fish and Boat Commission Lake Erie Research Unit PO Box 531 Fairview, PA 16415 Note the difference in the location of the bladder between the two. http://64.233.187.104/search?q=cache:gRU3smsq2dcJ:www.mnr.gov.on.ca/MNR/pubs/Fizzing.pdf+fizzing+largemouth+bass&hl=en&gl=us&ct=clnk&cd=1 A good read - almost all DNR's are against "fizzing" as there are very few fishermen out there with the knowledge of the fish's anatomy that is good enough to perform this procedure. With bass it is required to relieve pressure in the bladder, not the stomach, as the two are not connected. If you bring a largemouth from depth quickly, it is the stomach that you are seeing that is being pushed out, not the bladder.

http://www.insideline.net/1999/sak-0102-99.html I don't recommend fizzing, but if it is absolutely needed you need to pay attention to detail.

"Researchers call this becoming "bait-shy," and it's the reason most Florida guides use live shiner minnows when they take their clients fishing for trophy largemouths. "We knew that after age 3 Florida bass became increasingly difficult to catch with artificial baits. But we didn't realize it would be such a serious problem in private ponds," says Smith." Most Florida guides that recommend only shiners as a way to catch Florida trophy bass do so for several reasons, which in most cases has nothing to do with catching trophy largemouths. To start you down the right road to discovery, they also recommend shiners, (and in most cases only take clients using shiners) if you want to catch fish. Shiners have their place, but you need to look at my pages if you thing that it takes them to catch trophy bass. I love excerpting to make a point: Smith goes on to talk about his developement of "tiger bass". There are two strains of Largemouth Bass, and Mr. Smith's tiger bass isn't one of them. If you wish to believe that he has developed a new strain, that's your perogative. If you wish to think his quoted statements have nothing to do with a sales pitch, again that's your perogative. "my own experience which I suppose I trust more then anything else." If you wish to believe that your experiences are the end all to bass fishing that is also your perogative. I make it a point to try to learn something from every client that I take out, and most often I am successful. Having fished for these critters I have found there are no hard and fast rules to catching, but I have found that most rules for not catching, are in most cases, nothing more than excuses for not being on fish. Very few biologists, (not counting this one), are fishermen, so they really don't have the vaguest idea what fish bite like after a frontal passage. Those that are fishermen most often are busy doing other things when most cold fronts pass this way. Their job is fishery managment and fishery research so the information they give out is second hand and received by fishermen. A hard cold frontal passage in Florida causes most fishermen to stay home. Not because the fish aren't biting, but because it is downright uncomfortable out there. Winds, cold air, and rain associated with these frontal passages just aren't pleasant fishing conditions. However, for those that venture forth and find the fish, the rewards are there. I could bore you silly with photos of cold frontal and post frontal bass. The key is to find the fish. If you do that you will catch, if you don't you can always blame the frontal passage. I am not saying that weather cannot affect the fishing because it can. It makes finding the fish more difficult. Being on a lake in excess of 320 days a year gives me a distinct advantage on that score, but even I will say on some days: darn it was that stupid cold front. Whether it be short or long, as long as the life span is long enough to create another record for any state, then they have lived long enough. Be that as it may, Florida GFC calls the southern span as 13+-, and Wisconsin calls the northern span 13+-. Sounds good enough for my book.

Craigs statement, "I think that putting a bait where they live is the key. Not ao much the size of the bait as most would claim." You can argue it, you can discuss it, but the above statement is the one that you can take to the bank.

Hook to use - small shiner: 3/0 Kahle hook - medium shiner: 4/0 Kahle hook - large shiner: 5/0 Kahle hook. Kahle hooks are shiner hooks. Rod: MH - H, 7.0 - Line: anticipating possible fish over 5 pounds: 14-20# Back hooked in front of dorsal fin: (don't go too deep) shiner will swim forward and up working the surface - behind the dorsal fin: the shiner will rise quicker. In front of the anal fin: the shiner will swim forward and down. Through the lower lip and out one of the nostril places the hook where the fish will take the shiner: (head first) Lip/nostril is the most damaging to the shiner, but puts the hook in the right place for quick hits. Also lip/nostril is used if trolling the shiner. With or without a float: With if you have a lot of cover that the shiner could get caught up in - without, (free lined) if you have open water. If you have deep water try C-rigging the shiner. Experimentation pays off in this area. Setting the hook: This is a timing issue that takes some experience to get right: you must have an absolute straight line to the shiner/bass. If not you will hit air as the bass will drop the shiner in a heartbeat. If float fishing let the bass take the float down and be swimming off before setting hook. If free lining let the bass get going with the shiner and when you sense straight line to the bass, hammer it. Good luck!

You simply cannot accurately tell the weight of a fish based on measurement. Two fish measuring 25" can have a major weight difference not only based on what's in their stomach at the moment but also based on mass composition.

Roger, Life span is not something that is George's opinion, but rather published information from various DNR's and fish and game departments. The popular age may be 12, but Florida's fish and game put it at 13+-. The oldest bass from Florida whose age has been determined by fisheries biologists was 16 year of age. A typical 10 pound Florida strain is 10 years old. Unless they make a major weight gain immediately how do you account for the large numbers of bass caught that weigh considerably more? Minnesota DNR directly addresses life span of northern strain: Lifespan to 13 years. The reality is, as long as the fish got big, it really doesn't matter its age.

There are pure Florida strain bass in many locations of this country. However, given time and recruitment, in not a lot of time the intergrade, (F1) will outnumber the pure Florida strain. In Florida the delineation is relatively clear and follows what is know as the weather line. This line runs just south of Melbourne, Florida west to Tampa. Stick Marsh/Farm 13 sits just south of that line. Jan. 2000- Shaw Grigsby wins Toho with 53-11. This was on a hard cold front with winds in the 40's. Fronts affect us far more than they do the fish - weather in general affects us more than the fish. If you think that weather has adverse affects of Florida strain bass than you already have two strikes against you and are quickly headed for the third strike and out.

Roger, I meant that the FL. strain is expected to live 13+- years, and the Northern strain is expected to live 13+- years, so what is the significant difference in longevity?

Roger, What's the significant difference? Florida strain: 13+-/Northern strain: 13+- The Georgia bass had to be an intergrade or transplanted.

Try putting some shiners out there and see what happens. There are no facts when it comes to bass. As quickly as you state one, someone will come along and show you how wrong you are. Bass don't live by rules other than the ever changing ones that they make up. Fishermen live by facts and rules, whether they be made up by someone else or by themselves. I so disagree with the tougher to catch theory. I do agree that they are more difficult to hook until you get it through your head that you need to set the hook on anything that feels different. There is no waiting or counting with Florida strain bass. Weather affects both strains of bass and it is real handy to be able to blame it when we aren't catching. The moon was too full, the sun too high, the barometer too low, the barometer too high. Most often however, the fish weren't there, or the bait chosen was wrong. Your choice: the fish aren't there, or the bait you are using was wrong for the moment. Use some wild shiners and you will find out if the fish are there.

I have it on reliable source the bass don't wear genes.

The first question to be answered is: what do you mean by tournaments? The second question to be answered is: how old are you? The third question to be answered is: what is your educational background? The fourth question to be answered is: what kind of fishing experience do you have? The fifth question to be answered is: what have you written that has been published? The sixth question to be answered is: who of note in the fishing world do you personally know? The seventh question to be answered is: how many speaking engagements have you been involved with? The eighth question to be answered is: what kind of financial backing do you have to engage in a level of fishing that will benefit a company? The ninth question to be answered is: what can you do that would be of benefit to a company? The tenth question to be answered is: what kind of trade show experience do you have? There's more, but that will give you a starter..

Hey, We also quit down here if the lakes freeze over.

It simply says that not all bass are eating or even thinking of eating at the same time.

Russ, I already have that shirt: One of my key answers - Fishing for bass is simple; Keep it that way and you will catch more bass. Go look in any good thesaurus: synonym for fishing - fun!

Raul, I will have to see if I can dig out my pictures from Huites - all of our big fish came on chug bugs and soft jerk baits out of the brush and tree tops. On a three day trip we managed to catch 9 between 9.5 and 12.5. Don't let me forget to mention that our slowest day was over 100 bass with the majority coming on top water. No luck in it: quite intentional as a matter of fact.

I instantly heard a little tune in the back of my head when you described the area. My thoughts as are RW's: move on down the road. However, if you have found fish in it than the other suggestions of top water would seem to be the answer for the most part.

Zoom white split tail shad jerked across a hole in hydrilla caught this puppy.

Think big and think topwater: Chug Bug - May 2006 - Frank Fasano Gotta love topwater when it comes to big fish: Chug Bug - May 2006 - Jim Tso And again Jim did it. Always have a topwater available: Chug Bug - Don Willis - May 2006 Mike Moore is a believer: Chug Bug - May 2006 Russ Comeau, from Yamamoto baits came with Senkos but quickly became a Chug Bug officianado. There is an excellent read on my site about topwater, lots of bass, and big bass. http://www.imaginationbassin.com/Articles.htm Click on "Florida Sticks, Stumps, Marshes, Chugs, Bugs & Senkos" Yep, big bass love topwater!

http://myfwc.com/boating/access/ramps/

Closest registered Fed. club: http://www.geocities.com/irbassanglers/

The only difference I have noticed is the female holds her fork with the right fin, and the male holds his with his left fin. 8-)