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That site is a excellent place to watch for clearances. Last year I got a box full of the photo finish ba-donk-a-donks for $2.49 each.

That's got to be the funniest and truest post ever typed on any bass fishing site!

Yeah they put so many in one spot I think it really puts the food chain out of wack. Lower Myakka Lake has so many that the kayak club counted something like 20 gators per 20 yards of shoreline! Makes me feel like I need a bigger boat! The pics on youtube look like the Nile River, they are literally laying on top of each other.

I fish lower in the river than there but there is a guy........His screen name is Pip. He's the moderator on the florida river fishing forum. He's posted reports and pics. You might research there. I think he's also on basser drews forum.

Walking baits in calm water, poppers when there's ripple, props when its rougher than a ripple. Down here its year long and all day even high noon, especially in less than 6ft of water.

Too bad about the devil's horse. They are getting harder to find around here, not popular with 'new age' angler's.

The bass were on the feedbag today apparently recovered from the spawn. They were bigger than usual and all skinny. 3 were around 5lbs. and between the 2 of us we boated 36 in 4 hours. I also hooked a huge snook that had to hit over 20lbs., she jumped twice before wrapping me around bridge pilings and popping the 25# leader. The closer the front approached the quicker the bite was. A good day for a man made canal system.

Yeah I got that FWC email about that. No mention if they had done some gator eradication though. The contract trappers had really dumped a ton of them there much like they did to Myakka Lake.

The Guido Hibdon of the 80's, beating most pro's with a spinning reel and 6lb. mono.

William Joseph's Mag series is great. No zippers quick in and out, one handed. Cheaper than many elitist fly manufacturers and you can buy direct from their web site. Fly fishing bags are excellent for shore based fishing, thats what they're designed for.

Thoughts and prayers to a great angler and his family.

I prefer their Ace and Fat Ace to the senko. Ive been killing inshore saltwater species with their EZ Swimmer for the last 6 months and they slay'ed it during the bass spawn this year. I really like the ugly otter but havent gotten much on them, crwdads are rare around here.

Gambler and Producto are two companies I swear by. Producto is more a regional thing. They are cheaper than most national brands but not as much variety. I prefer to buy from a smaller company. Charlie's worms too. Charlie Brewers Original Slider brand also.

No way just ask the republican governor's, they've single handedly saved the U.S. economy. They'll probably bring Ardent back to the states!!!!

Lake Betty Park off Conway Blvd. 9 mile canal a.k.a. Cocoplum Waterway, its on the county line between Charlotte and Sarasota counties. Webb Lake in Cecil Webb WMA just south of Punta Gorda at I75 and Tuckers Grade. Look at google earth and you will see a series of canals north of US 41. They are fresh on the north side but can be very hard to find a shore accessible spot.

First fish of 2014, geez that was a while ago, like Jan. 3rd. Caught on a Nautilus FW7 on a Redington Predator throwing a EP Bluegill on a Wulf 7TT line.

Not lucky, just smart. All stuper lines have ziltch abrasion resistance and should always be used with a leader.

Less than an ounce difference sitting on my postal scale.

The best built saltwater reels are really too heavy for inshore work except maybe to those stripper guys who throw 8 and bait. Really the best saltwater reels are the ones that the operator can tear down to the nith degree,grease up and slap back together themselves. Old Penn's, Mitchell 300's, Daiwa Black and Golds, Daiwa SS. Newer, more technologically advanced reels are nice but will never last like they did. But will you be happy with their performance!

All those negatives are the pluses to me. Too many rods are 7ft., all in the grip! Great for Johnny Baspro at the bow of his glittery boat but not anyone else. TFO is not a new company either and has a return replacement warranty that rivals and exceeds most bass rod manufacturers.

I love the original series. Decent Fuji seats and bigger than usual guide eyes which were a plus for inshore fishing. The rear grips weren't ridiculously long either. The newer models have a proprietary reel seat and a K series clone guide system. Not terribly stiff either.

The spinners are popular with inshore kayakers here but are notorious for losing their finish quicker than a Quantum, and that s pretty fast.

You guys are very lucky and to those of you who have lost your best fishin' buddy I'm sorry.....

I prefer my Lexa 3000 to the Stradic FJ. Smoother, better line management and more durable finish. To me a more rugged rotor especially since shimano warns you not to oil the neoprene o-ring, something dunking and yak splash might require you do. My Lexa has handled snook to 45" and tarpon to around 36" without a glitch, more than I can say for the Stradic CI4 which is supposedly better than the FJ. Local tackle shop has had 2 Symetre's returned with complaints and when he opened them the gear compartment was devoid of grease.

I use reel covers religiously. Both casting and spinning. The neoprene shimano's offer the most cushion/protection but your line will cut them easily if you dont put some slack between the reel and first guide. Shimano's spinning reel covers have velcro closures that are only glued on and come off after only a few weeks. Daiwa used to offer one that had a window to avoid this but like they do, they never offer something for more than a season or two. The older BPS ones are more like a ballistic nylon and much more rugged but tight line will still cut them. They are worth using and have kept my reels in like new condition and allowed me to sell them for more $ when the time comes.