SoFlaBassAddict

Gotta love those smaller Tarpon on light tackle. They are such awesome fish. Those little ponds and canals off of the Turnpike are like gold mines. I think I found a spot that I can launch my boat into one of the western canals that run along the length of the Turnpike up here in Broward. Going to have to cruise down in the area one day to see how feasible it is.

Unless I'm playing search and destroy, I usually do something like predator, harrier, emergency airdrop. I really have no need to go chasing after a nuke.

Gotta love that place. Even better that it's so close to home. I'm itching to get back out there to hook into that big fish I lost last week. It's just like Piscicidal told me, a mini Okeechobee.

Florida Sportsman

The problem is that some of the frogs take on so much water after a few twitches, they become pointless as a topwater. I've got one that will almost completely fill up and sink like a rock. Kind of defeats the purpose of a topwater lure. I've never thought about c-rigging one, thats an interesting thought.

Fantastic fish! Way to go!

The way the economy is right now, finding a used boat like Catt said is probably the smartest choice. You can find some very well maintained notable branded boats for very few bucks right now. Craigslist, etc etc. I know people who have picked up some good used boats from iBoats as well. Just search around for a while. When you find something you like, try to get all of the associated paperwork for the boat (maintenance records). Try to get it out on the water for a test drive if at all possible. Make sure you have it checked out by a qualified marine mechanic as well. You don't want to drop a few grand on a boat with a private seller to find out that you need to have a major engine overhaul done.

You can probably find a Stradic on ebay for around that price if you search enough. A Sahara 2500 is right in the 70-80 dollar price point brand new. Great little spinning reel. I've got one that I abuse a lot and it just keeps on working.

Now those I may want a few of....you jig tease...

A few Shimano's. Already have the ez-keeper on them

Wow, thats horrible for Martens. Probably felt like he got kicked in the wobbly bits. Heck, it probably still feels like that. What a bummer.

XPS 14 lb has been very good to me. Seaguar Abrazx in 12lb has also worked out nicely.

Sorry Bro I can not steal them from Shane since I am the guy giving them to him ;D Oh, well in that case....share the wealth! I've heard nothing but good things about those monsters.

You should be fine with a MH.

Man, those look fantastic. Posts like this really make me want to get my airbrush out and attempt to paint some cranks. Those really do look fantastic.

For 250 bucks you can pick up an Eagle FishMark 640c. Decent unit for the cash. Good resolution, etc etc. I've got one on my Jon and have no problems being able to read bottom type, grass, fish, etc etc...

I believe he said 499 in the video. The basic Elite 5x color model with no GPS is around 450.

Don't think I could have received a better answer than that. Think I need to pick up some cable and wire mine together. Hopefully I'll get to do some fishing in the morning. Already redid my TM mount, now I just want some more power....

PQ in 7.1

I use a 6.4:1 and a 7.1:1 for topwaters. Heres my general rule: 7.X's are for flipping and pitching 6.X's are your general purpose do everything gear ratio. 5.X's are for cranking Obviously other people will have different preferences.

Boy, I wish I had that kind of cover on my lake. Looks like there should be some prime fishing. You really need to invest in some kind of depth finder. Would help you be able to pinpoint bait and different types of structure to work over some of those areas.

Bass feed all day, regardless of the heat. The water temp in the shallows may be very warm, it can be significantly cooler just a few feet deeper. It's just a matter of finding what the fish are holding in or around and what they're eating. It becomes more of a matter of angler comfort. If you dress properly and keep the sun off of your skin you'll be fine. Down here in south Florida it gets downright hot during the day. Throw in the frequent 90% humidity and it can be miserable if you're not dressed properly. One of the best pieces of clothing I've bought in a long time was the Buff Headgear. Keeps you noticeably cooler by keeping the sun away from your face and head. Give me a long sleeved shirt and some decent shorts and I'm good to go. Just make sure you stay hydrated. Keep lots of water handy as well as some kind of sports drink.

You really don't need a special reel for cranking. Just something that casts well and has a somewhat lower gear ratio.

Natural colors for me. Greens, browns, darker reds, black. Black and blue is a solid color no matter what the water looks like.

I've been really thinking about getting an eye surgery done. There are times that I really hate wearing contacts. Can really be a PIA when you're moving quickly in a boat, they tend to dry out a bit.