Mike L

The lakes I posted and others will have fish in all stages. With some variations North to South… There’ll be more pre spawn late January to late March More post spawn late February to late April timeframe. Mike

Okeechobee Early December to mid February Toho Late January to early April Either lake and a few others I wouldn’t hesitate to fish in the same time frame just tweaked a little…. Rodman, Stick Marsh, Headwaters, St John’s River etc Mike

Totally Agree Mike

Exactly Right! The phrase “junk fishing” has always had a stigma attached to it especially around here. To most it seems like it’s the worst thing you can do. It’s like those who do it consistently don’t have clue about what to do with a rod in their hands and should go and learn how to fish all over again. But when we get on any body of water what does the most educated and experienced anglers do? They look around for what they think is the most advantageous spot and start fan casting around. After a while they change baits, techniques, colors, weights, locations..everything to get a hit. That my friends is the very definition of “junk fishing” but we tell ourselves we’re just trying to find a pattern. Mike

To me it’s throwing everything you got without any thought about what and where with no rhyme or reason to get a hit. Mike

The “leaves” of Coontail looks more like the branches of a Scotch Pine Christmas tree, kinda fluffed. Milfoil more like a Frazier Fir. Thinner and more spread out. Mike

Your Lady is a perfect example of keeping it simple. She has her own set of criteria that makes sense to her and she’s good at it. Sometimes trying to over think our way through we lose focus of our true objective. We can all learn a lesson from her. Mike

I’m one who always believed and are convinced that bass down here will spawn more than once. I’ve been told by folks who’ve lived here all there lives and are some of the best anglers I’ve ever known, that bass will spawn every month of the year. In the 40+ years I’ve fished down here (admittedly more on Okeechobee than anywhere else) I’ve personally never caught or seen a bass with eggs caught from July to September but that doesn’t mean there aren’t any. Mostly from October through June. Mike

Worst thing to do is… “Slack line a hook set” ”When getting a bite, is drop the rod and pop that slack” ’Nuff Said Mike

I don’t fish in deep lakes and make 40 yd casts with mono using light line and light hooks. Hate that! Or, use a spinning rod with 6# line and a 3ft leader dropped over the side and wiggle!! Hate that even worse! 90% of the time I’m flipping 5 ft out or pitching 30 in moderate to heavy cover, either topped out or submerged. Most times Im using med/h or heavy everything because it’s needed. I’m there because that’s where they are. The only way to get that fish moving is to get a hook in and get its head in the direction I want it to go. I want it up and out. There is more than one indicator that a fish is on but none that will tell if she’s playing, moving or clamped down. Either way when I know she’s on I’m setting using whatever I got. It’s just not as much as it used to be. Mike

So sorry Pal May God Bless him Mike

Great Job!! Mike

Great Job!! Mike

Well Said! Mike

As I said earlier, mine is a 15yr old BPS Pro Qualifier. No mater how I treat it, that thing just won’t give up. 99% of my Arsenal are Curado’s or Chronarch’s with the “E”model Curado the best of them Mike

Original Pro Qualifier Mike

Mike

When using plastic to cover water, which is my main presentation, I use a Magnum UV Speed Worm. When I need to be more target specific but still moving, a creature or stick bait of some kind is all that’s needed. Mike

Flouro for everything except frogs and punching. Mike

Not much to add, Kinda covers it all! Mike

One of the most underrated rods ever made. Mike

I’ve said it before and will again, One of the best rods made by anyone past or present was their Techna AV. It was a sad day when they thought they could improve on it and stopped production, and couldn’t. They know it too Mike

That’s why I log on here more than any of the others. It can get a little chippy once in awhile but never out of hand. We just have a lot passion! ? Mike

May God Bless and keep him

This time of the year I’m there at least twice a month. If you decide to go, let me know a few days before and I’ll try to point you in the right direction. Mike