Mike L

Thanks Pal! Wow that's creepy! Just heard that it is expected to brush past Cape Canaveral which is 21 miles from my boys home. The local station is saying that we can expect sustained winds of 100+ mph starting tomorrow night. He lives about a mile from the ocean. We're gonna head for my house on the SW Fla coast which isn't expected to be impacted like they're expecting here on the east side. To All you folks in its path, get out!! Don't play with these things. I stayed home when Hurricane Charlie came up Charlotte Harbor in 2004 and swore then that I would never do it again! Gotta go. I'm grabbing the grandkids, pictures off the wall, his rods and heading west. Mike

Welcome to the area! I've lived here for 37 yrs and love it. It truly is paradise! A few months ago if I remember right, I and another poster gave you a few options when you were getting ready to leave Ohio, I believe. Check out the north end of the Peace River, Babcock Ranch area, any canal east of US 41 in Port Charlotte and North Port, (especially Coco Plub) Webb Lake, Lake Suzy, Lettuce Lake and my favorite Shell Creek. Let me know if you need directions. Mike

I'm sitting here taking a break from making sand bags to protect my sons home which is on a barrier island on Florida's east coast from an expected 5ft storm surge. My phone just went off with a hurricane warning alert, and we were just notified that a mandatory evacuation order has been issued for this area effective at 3:00 this afternoon! Things change quick Mike

The only difference between brands is price, action, fall rate and design. If you can find one that covers it all for your waters and style you're a lucky man! Differences are varied and wide. They all make a beaver style, a sick bait style, a creature style etc. To limit yourself to just one brand or even one design can imho, limit your success rate. Mike

Hello and Welcome! Mike

Hello and Welcome! Mike

Hello and Welcome! Mike

BANG!! Mike

Hey you cut me off!! Who tripped me?? OP, Sorry I couldn't resist..I have never heard of that, but I can see where it can become very popular on small waters. Mike

5 or 7 Card Stud and/or Draw. (I'm a purist) ? Mike

Hello and Welcome! Mike

Hello and Welcome! Mike

Yeah I know, those Meatballs of mine just haven't found their grove yet. And now with Newton in the protocol it doesn't look good. I flew in for the Bear Lions game and they had control throughout. They played really well with Hoyer in and their D just shut Stafford down all game. Mike

Hello and Welcome! Mike

Hello and welcome! Mike

I've never done that! Honestly I don't even think about nose hooking a swim bait. Not any more? Mike

So True!! Mike

Hello and Welcome! Mike

Just roll with it...You know as well as I do they'll turn on sooner or later. The challenge is be at that place at the right time when they do. And seems like you already got that figured out. Belive it or not, when fishing a tournament I'd rather have tough conditions. It makes me bear down and double think everything to get that one hit knowing that its tough all over. Mike

Hello and Welcome! Mike

Hello and Welcome! Mike

No Sir, I use that on my spinning setup for strictly finesse presentations...7' 2" MH/F Crucial with a Shimano 3000 FJ Symtere reel. I use a uni to uni knot with no more than a 4ft leader and really like it. I don't think it's too stout at all and can cast as far as I need to. Even tho my knot is bigger than most line to line ones I don't reel it past the top guide. However keep in mind I don't fish in a lot of deep, clear, uncluttered water..I really think if I go any lighter I wouldn't gain that much. 20# is really thin, and being braid I still have the strength to do pretty much everything I would need a spinning setup for. On one of my casting setups...(Loomis 843C), I use straight 20# Lb for basically the same baits also, but only if fishing heavier t rig's and go up from there. Mike

I've been useing PP for as long as I can remember. I really don't have a reason to change. Mike

Or when your boater stabs at a fish that has a mouth as big as a toilet bowl, hit's her in the head with the net and you have nothing!! Mike

Joe, Thats the 2nd time you beat me on the wire! Good pick up Mike