Mike L

Hello and Welcome Mike

Hello and Welcome!! Mike

I pre rig everything I bring doesn’t matter what it is and certainly not based on a particular bait. I have somewhat of an idea once I decide where I’m going at least to begin with and plan accordingly Mike

Great Job!! It’s the whole combination of things! Go get the rest of them! Mike

Green grass Brown Grass Submerged Grass Emergent Grass Scattered Grass Isolated Grass And the absolute best of all…Matted Grass! It’s what I look for first above all else You got great advise already about what to use. My first choice regardless of the type is a Magnum UV Speed Worm.. Always However, my advise is not to get too hung up on what to use. You’ll find out soon enough what’s best in your waters and where your confidence will lay. Concentrate on where and how at first (which is a whole different discussion) Mike

Same down here. I noticed the local canals, creeks and the 2 main rivers are showing bottom at some points and are worse the farther north and east you get. Okeechobee is 11.7 which is borderline this time of the year. Never fear, once the rain starts it won’t stop Mike

None The lowest I have is a 6.3 and only use it if the plan for the majority of the day is to slow roll a SB which I hardly ever plan to do. When I was entering tournaments farther north I’d only use it for cranks and never felt I needed anything else. Mike

Being someone who does not use leaders for any presentation and had no interest to do so, I tried 10# on 30# Smackdown on one setup and was impressed with it. I used a uni to uni and it held using a dowel after getting hung up on some rip rap. There were no fray’s or kinks which really surprised me. I’ll use it again in certain areas that I usually shy away from without concern. Mike

Congratulations!! I wish her all the best! You’re a lucky man as it doesn’t get any better than fishing with the kids, new or the older ones where it started. Mike

Catt taught us all about what structure really means and what it actually is. (I really miss that man) 😢 Mike

The question was asked without borders. I answered Mike

Beds on the Big O! White Rage Bug, Rage Craw, Brush Hog in that order. Mike

I use Palomar anyway and pull the main line to take up the slack. But if that’s not possible for whatever reason I’d tie a SDJ for all except bottom contact which is always a Snell anyway Mike

Excellent reply!! Mike

The “best” in my hand is gonna be different in yours and anyone else’s for that matter. Balance and sensitivity can’t be quantified. I’d put my 15yr old Fenwick Techna AV up against anything anyone else has regardless of what they paid. Mike

The only time I use a straight shank hook is when punching or in very heavy weeds. All other t rigs are offset. Depending what I throw where I’ll also use a EWG, or keel weighted with cps. Mike

TK 130 And I agree Mike

Atta Boy! Keep it up Have fun above all Mike

No not at all Tilapia in So Florida will spawn till early summer into early fall. Water temperature is more critical to thier timing than Bass down here. You came across the early ones. As I said Ma Bass could move into them at some point. Mike

You mean the… “Overhand Double Shindo Swindle Guaranteed Not to fail at all cost Knot” ?? Nope, not once Mike

The thing about sight fishing beds from shore is its more about you than them. If you can see them they can see you. In clear or stained water it’s imperative that you be selective in picking your spots. Tilapia beds are deeper and wider and more bunched together whereas a Bass bed is shallower and more isolated. Also, I’ve found that Tilapia will bed closer to shore. It’s easy to pick out a bass bed among the others if you have clear water and a sight line. When you approach the shore don’t stand at the edge and start right away, look around, eat a sandwich, sit down and watch what’s going on as a Bass will move into an abandoned Tilapia bed but not the other way around. I only use plastics for sight fishing but we all have our favorites and yes try different things if you have room to cast parallel to the bank. IF I was gonna do that I’d use a small white spinnerbait with a Colorado blade first then a white/blue jerk starting small twitch’s a foot or 2 before and after passing the bed. You can try hopping then dropping a noisy trap right in it. Watch the male as he’ll tell you how aggressive they are by circling or coming back quicker after being spooked which will tell you how and where to fish it which a whole different thing. Mike

Hello and Welcome Mike

No reason to go anywhere Mike

RI Skinny Dipper for wiggle or a Gambler Big EZ for when they want more thump, both on a keel weighted hook with cps. Never on a jig head Mike

Agree The shape and size of her mouth confirms it to me Mike