BassinLou

Congrats on your purchase. The champion line is a great line of rods from Dobyns. I don't have the 735, but I have its younger and older brother. lol 734 and 736. Both are great rods when used for their respective applications.

I just saw this on the SE threads. I am so saddened by this news. I never got the chance to meet him, although we chatted a couple of times on here. Very active in the SE forums. May he rest in peace. My deepest condolences to his young daughters, family, and his friends. He will be missed.

This is horrible..horrible news. He was active on this site. I remember his avatar with the giant peacock bass. I enjoyed his Everglades reports. My condolences to his friends and family. So sad...

Nice catch... Interestingly enough, I ordered 2 reaction strike blue gill baits from a tackle site today. I am excited to see how they fish. These are the first hard body swimbaits I have ever fished. BassObsessed any pointers?

You are correct, I am mistaken, they closely resemble each other but are different species. That being said. They both fight similar with there tell tale death rolls.

I have only caught 3 snakeheads in my life. They are unique that's for sure. I found that although they put up a good fight, I don't see the allure, they fight like their cousins the bowfin and I have caught plenty of those in the Glades.

Yeah, I have seen that before. Cause? I have no idea. But like you said, birthmark maybe.

Good luck!!

Is this issue specific to the DC Calais reels or Shimano's DC systems in general? Should I be expecting the same issue on my Scorpion DC down the road at some point?

I bank fish a lot, and I carry everything I need to document a fish. First and foremost for me are 2 things. Minimize the time the fish is out of the water, and prevent as best I can that the fish is not exposed to ground contact. I carry a fish grip, scale, and ruler and smart phone. I pretty much have it down to about a minute, where a nice fish is measured, weighed if there 6lb plus, and pic taken. Return the fish to the water, pick up my stuff and continue fishing. Here's an example. Note: The fish does not touch the ground when its placed on a bps ruler. Lastly... lol that's not a 6lb fish.

Champion 734. Fits that bill for me.

Right now the water levels are high, which is very common this time of year. Fish can still be caught, probably not the same volume of fish, like during the spring when the water levels recede a bit. A whole variety of techniques can be used out there. I would focus around cover, for example if you find hyacinth. Punching, or flipping into it can yield a fish. Another technique that works for me pretty good, is frogging in the pads. But, like I said,there are several techniques you can apply out there. Best of luck to you.

Since you have so many pics. Go to your profile, and go to the gallery and make a photo album. That way whenever you need to bring up a pic of a fresh or saltwater catch they will all be in your album for very easy retrieval. That's what I do at least.

I recently picked up buffs from a company called 12WT. The buff is comprised of 2 materials. The material that covers the face and nose region is made of mesh. Allowing air to flow more freely, reducing fogging of Sunglasses and it allows you to speak easier as well.

Both species stalk. I have seen and heard gators attacking the bank after prey while fishing in the glades. However when it comes to man, on boats or the bank they don't approach often. However, all bets are off when people's unattended pets or little children approach the bank.

Thank you for the info. I have never heard of these particular booyah's.

Exactly!!

Yes very possible. Gami's are great hooks, but like hooks, if they are corroded or have been bent back into place a couple of times, the metal is compromised.

^^^ This ^^^ The gator attacks that I have heard about, happened to people who actually swimming in the water. I have never heard of someone being attacked from shore. I have fished in South FL all my life and fortunately I have had 0 serious incidents with Gators. I respect their space and they tell me when to move on.... Lol!!

I have a love hate relationship with Booyah SB's. I will agree that the thin wire puts out serious vibration compared to thicker gauge SB's. However, there is a give and take with this scenario. I have had more booyah's snap on me more than I care to count.

There are parts of FL that have tons of places to fish. Throw a boat in the mix and seems like its exponential. Lol.. As far as snakes and gators go, keep your head on a swivel and watch where you step and you will be good. If you happen to see one of these species, just make sure you respect their space. If a gator happens to be following you in the water, then its probably been fed by humans. Leave the area and move on to the next spot.

I would look at Seibert's Spinnerbaits. Site sponsor, and also his SB's can be custom designed and they are built tough with an attractive price point, and multiple color variations. I just received mine yesterday and I can't wait to get them on the water. I also have some T-1's that are there way.

CH50 will pair up nicely.

Gambler EZ swimmers, Big Ez's and burner worms caught me a lot bass on Lake Okeechobee yesterday.

I have said this several times already. Yes, several individuals have found this small detail to bash Shimano further, but hey... to each their own. But... if you follow the directions that's contained in the reels manual and simply oil the drum every few trips, your new reel will treat you well for a very long time.