GRiver

i Central Florida Public MediaFlorida House approves bill to restore the Ocklawaha RiverThe northward-flowing Ocklawaha -- which intersects with the Silver River and the St. Johns -- has been blocked in Putnam County since 1968 by a dam that formed the Rodman Reservoir.

Wow… six months Good vibes for a fast recovery heading your way. Can fishing be part of your PT?

That rod is definitely unique…..it almost looks like it on backwards. If you mount a baitcaster on the other side, the cast button would be where your thumb could have easy acces.

Most of the time I bump the trolling motor along the shore, then pause, fish and area, then move on. I have two fiberglass tree stakes that are my shallow water anchors/ push poles. On occasion I’ll stick-pin myself at a spot, but mostly I’m slow moving.

I kinda like the down time….. In the evenings, I’m hanging out in the shop, listening to music, checking out all my gear. I picked up a Berkeley line spooler max, you can clamp the spinning reel spool in it and get the line in the right rotation to eliminate line twist. It will do bait casters too, has a reel seat you put it in. I haven’t used it much since I got it off eBay. So I’m ready to put it to the test. I’ve got stuff in my tackle bag that I have never used, and have tackle in my shop that I need in the boat. At this time next year, I will probably be taking out the stuff, that I put in this year, and replace it with new stuff I get… it’s a never ending cycle, but it is fun.

Congratulations

I went out with once , just once, with one rod and a couple Plano boxes of crank baits and jerk baits. After a few hrs I was already wanting to go back and get my t-rig gear. I saw a million situations where I would have laid down the crank bait and picked up the t-rig to make a few cast. Don’t think I’ll ever leave the dock again without a soft plastic set up.

Sorry for getting off the bead subject…. Are you just letting it soak or twitching it? Never hear of the mooch minnow had to look it up. I’ve put a senko style, worm wacky rigged on a bobber and just drag it behind the boat sometimes while I work the bank going slow.

We get shrimp running up the St John’s almost every year, when they do the largemouth bass bite can get tougher. I think they fill up on shrimp. The stripers follow up the shrimp and work them into a ball near the surface. The birds are the tell tale sign. When ya see the birds make long cast or work your trolling gear close without going through them with the boat. I’ve never caught anything with any size to them, but others here have caught 24” plus. Me …. Around 15” is the biggest, but most are smaller.

I get a lot of my lures from yards sales…. Seems everybody has had a Bill Lewis rattle trap. I once got a Plano 3700 full of rattle traps for $3.00. I had fished with a lot of different brands of lipless cranks, some generic no names, and they all seem to work. They one that stands out for me is what @Aaron_H said Booyah one knocker… seems that not so radical thump, works here on the St John’s. Blue shiner and ghost ( which is very similar to cooper shiner) works good here too. I use lipless for trolling too, I use mostly Bill Lewis or what ever for that, stripper don’t seem to finicky.

Some storage boxes have rust inhibitors dividers in them, I think it’s flambeau. I don’t know how well they work, maybe someone know about them here.

Hi from the Sunshine State of Florida

Hi from the Sunshine State of Florida

Haha too funny Do you or have you worked in politics….or running for office. Just kidding…. But seriously…..

I am an early morning person. I like to watch the world wake up and start their day. That moment when the sun begins to rise and you physically feel the day change. It gets a little cooler, feels a little damper too. Close your eyes and listen real hard, you can hear the day start. Even if you don’t catch fish, it worth it to me just to be out there.

I wish I knew….. I was using a 7-1/2 ribbon tailed in junebug, switch colors, same brand / size, everything. Switched to Okeechobee color …. They were waiting in line to get on my hook. Then I’ve changed from a ribbon tail to a creature bait, same color and started getting bites.

I just recently started really paying attention to the birds. I guess we are on the migration path of a lot of birds. You can kind tell the time of year by what birds are around. Got two feeders by the shop, I like thinking I’m giving them food for the journey, packing them a lunch so to speak.

Rip…. He was an actor for a long time…. Great movies

Each one, texture, flexibility, and fall rate. It really depends on the fish…. Which can be affected by weather or temperatures, and time of year. A lot of variables. I’ve come to a conclusion…. If nothing else to save my own sanity. It’s what the fish wants at that giving time and place, with the surrounding elements. I try be an analytical type person….. get a base line, measure and record, each cause & affect of all action and reactions. Just think …..100 fish in a pond- using a curly tailed worm ……..you catch 1 fish in 12 hr period= 1% of the fish in a 50% time period of a day. Factor in the percentage of the pond you actually fished. If you would have switched bait, would the other 99 fish have bitten? Or half the 99? When you throw in texture, flexibility, and fall rate, the numbers are crazy. Haven’t even discussed colors yet.

@bwillis sending you a boat load full good vibes and thoughts your way. Kept us updated during recovery, please

When I did have ice, the only thing that worked for me, was a green pumpkin jig sporting a watermelon or green pumpkin (net bait) paca craw… small or the medium one. I would grid out an area in my head and work a tight pattern sometimes doing it twice. I believe they are there, just lazy and half dormant.

I’m with @scaleface I reuse, recycle, or repurpose… then, I re-pour. Ive got a few molds, it is an absolutely hideous color, and no I’ve never caught anything with them….but its fun.

I’m with @Mike L Junebug worm, I prefer 7 1/2 ribbon tailed, Texas rigged 1/16-1/8 unpegged.

Thanks @Joedodge First post I read Great way to start the day Thank you

Hi @ChiTownBass I use Bass Pro’s am 33…I’ve never had it go off in a lite rain, but I have never wore it a heavy rain either. After I get home I open it all up and hang it in the house to let it all dry out. If the jacket is in a very humid place, over time the bobbin will breakdown and the jacket will go off. Without being in direct contact with water. Wise words…….