piscicidal

topwater/jerkbaits: Yozuri US hybrid #15 cranks/traps: McCoy Mean Green #12 worm: Invisx #12 light jig: Invisx #20 frog/swimbait/heavy jig/flip setups: #50 power pro I recently converted my crank setups to Mean Green after trying it on my buddy Rob's crank setup. This is THE most manageable line I have ever used. It sets up so nice on the spool with almost no memory. I am very impressed with this line so far and would suggest anyone looking for a strong, easy casting, manageable line to give it a try.

Topwater frog fishing can be tough. I would think it would be hard to move enough line with a 6'6" rod from a seated position in a canoe to hook a decent percentage of those fish. I would consider a longer rod for your frog fishing. Otherwise, it seems like you need to work on the of the basics such as casting, line tying, etc. that stuff will come with time. Just keep fishing...no substitute for TOW (time on water).

When I'm fishing a tournament on Lake Okeechobee (400,000+ acres) me/my partner will typically be one of the slowest boats out there. We both have flats boats that max out about 42MPH. We can't run all over the lake...it would be an inefficient use of time. The key for us in fishing big water is to break it down into several smaller sections. We will pick a section we think we can be successful given recent weather patterns, water temp/clarity, seasonal patterns, fish reports, etc. We will focus on that one section and fish it like a smaller body of water. IMO, the way to learn big water is to do it section by section. It is too overwhelming to try and learn the whole thing at once. Take it section by section...learn each section really well and over time, you get closer to having the whole picture.

My most used plastics are (somewhat in order) RI Skinny Dipper Gambler Big Ez Gambler 13" worm Zoom Horny Toad Zoom Ol Monster Havoc Fatty Craw Rage Toad Yamamoto Senko RI Sweet Beaver Rage Chunk Zoom Magnum Speed Worm Rage Space Monkey

Awesome, bro. Soon he'll be a spro master like the ol man. Adam has now done something you and I will never do...catch a bass bigger than his age.

Depends on what your definition of "big fish" is. Like gar-tracker said....if your idea of a "big fish" is 5-8 lbs very few places can compete with Okeechobee. Okeechobee puts out a few 10s...but not many outside of the spawn (over now). Too shallow and too hot to pump out large numbers of DDs. As far as an overall bass experience, though...Okeechobee is just awesome. Yesterday I fished it with my buddy Robert (SouthFla). We caught 70-80 fish with piles of 3lbs and two that might have broken five. Afterwards, a cold one and an Okeeburger at Roland Martins Tiki Hut. Don't get much better than that. If your idea of "big" is 10+, then a place like Toho/Kissimmee is probably a better bet. Istokpoga is a really neat lake and it pumps out some DDs but summer is tough on that lake...it gets very hot. Last August I fished it and the water temp was 94. Istokpoga would be a good place to take a bass vacation, I would think though. A neat place that has an old Florida feel to it....old cypress trees with the moss hanging off, etc.

I usually bring 10 if by myself and 4 or 5 if fishing with someone else.

Eric (SoFlaBassAddict) is right...the 735C is a great rod....but it's not a flippin stick. I use the Dobyns 805C (flippin) and 766 (punching) and both are better suited to those individual tasks, IMO.

I didn't go to big O yesterday. Ended up fishing the glades instead. Talked to my buddy Mike (mikeyballz) last night. He fished bass busters yesterday and it sounded like a real hawg fest. Kicking myself right now.

My experience is the opposite. Of all the techniques out there, I think my catch rate is highest with the jig....I would guess somewhere around 80%. My last time out, I had six bites and caught five fish. It's one of the reasons I love jig fishing in tournaments...big fish and high catch rate. You hit that fish hard, and just wrench him out before he has a chance to do something that dislodges the hook. Even with the right equipment (parabolic rods, mono line) I lose many more fish with treble hook lures. Just the nature of that beast, especially fishing around cover. And I'm certain I don't approach a 80% catch rate with frogs, toads, worms, swimbaits, etc...

I am thinking of doing the bass busters (silver) there tomorrow. Two days of little wind and the water is rising ....the bite should be off the hook. I'll post a report if I go.

Snakehead going into a death roll.... They twist it up like a big paper clip if you aren't using titanium.

Vinny probably has it right...fish the lightest jig you can get away with. In some cases that might be a 1oz jig. Cover and depth both play a factor in that decision. Wind plays a partial factor also. It's hard to control a 3/8oz jig correctly with 20lb flouro and a 15-30 MPH wind. The elite series, FLW and Everstart tourneys on Okeechobee this year were all won pitching 1oz jigs in 2-4 feet of water. Obviously cover and wind (always windy in Florida in the spring) were the determining factors in jig size for those anglers, not water depth. My last trip to Okeechobee in my boat I caught a 26lb bag doing the exact same thing...1oz jigs pitched in 2-4 feet of water. I started fishing with 1/2oz and 3/4 and they just weren't getting to the fish. I had to go 1oz to adequately control my jig and get through the vegetation down to the fish.

I'm always tweaking stuff. Here's one of my Frankenstein creations...I cut the legs off a horny toad and welded them onto a Lake Fork Frog body with a soldering iron. I like the horny toad leg design as they don't flop around on the cast, creating wind drag. I find I can cast them longer and more accurately. I like the Lake Fork frog body as it is bigger/heavier. When I combine the two, the result is a top water toad very similar to a horny toad, but much bulkier. I can cast this thing a mile. I don't do this modification everytime, as it gets a bit expensive. I end up destroying two frogs to make one.

As the weeds get thicker you go lighter on jig weight? Why?

My jig fishing is a work in progress. Last year I fished 3/8oz about 75% of the time and 1/2oz about 25%. This year, I'm more like 3/8oz (10%), 1/2oz (20%), 3/4oz (40%), 1oz (30%). I've been using the 3/4 and 1oz jigs alot lately, pitching them into really thick stuff with my 805C. You really need the extra weight when fishing the slop. If I need to slow the fall rate on it, I'll put on a more lively trailer like a Havoc Craw Fatty.

FWIW, I think the Dobyns 735C is THE definitive bass fishing rod. I have a pile of baitcast setups, but truth be told I could do about 90% of my fishing with a 735C. It excels at toads and jigs, as it has a very strong backbone with relatively soft tip.

Yeah, Stark and son won with 20 lbs. They had two big ones. Only six teams broke 10lbs, though. Really, really tough out there Sunday. Congrats Bruce, looks like both our teams made the classic. I just hope they have it someplace that has fish!!

The FWC officer at a recent snakehead roundup said they shocked one up at Loxahatchee. So they are definately in the glades...

Bruce, good luck to you. I hope you make it. You/Austin are consistantly high finishers and will no doubt represent well. I feel like me and Jack earned it also. We've been in the top 25% in every qualifier except for round four (which we bombed). If we make the classic and if the classic is at 20mile bend or okeechobee, then its a whole new ball game. I like your chances and I like mine as well.

Local parks that I've had some luck at: Tradewinds Markham Twin Lakes Tree tops CB Smith Central Park (might be "no fishing" now)

Matt, It was a tough day today. They were moving a lot of water yesterday/this morning and the weather is all over the place. Some stability will help out there. I think the clear skies/"super moon" last night slowed em down also. No doubt they were feeding all night. And the water is high also, which doesn't help. Look on the bright side, at least you got to leave after four hours. :-) We had to stick it out. Me and Jack are one of the bubble teams for the KOTG classic. We finished 9th today, so it's gonna be close for us.

Fishingator, Don't be discouraged. Days like today can be tough for anybody. I fished the King of the Glades qualifier today at Holiday Park. Some of the best bass anglers in South Florida fish this series and only about half the field filled their five fish limit today. You've gotten some good advice. When the fish are not chasing, your choices get reduced. You can dead stick a senko type bait and just keep it in his face. Or you can flip, but that's going to be tough from a canoe. I would try pitching a jig. My suggestion the next time the fishing gets tough...try a senko or worm worked really slow or try pitching a jig.

Xcaliber XCS100

I use a Curado 50E on a 6'6" M/F Avid for jerkbaits and I feel that combo is pretty close to perfect for this fishing. That little 50E can sling a 78mm pointer a mile. I just love the setup and its a lot of fun to fish.