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Keep enjoying the experience, having fun, doing it more often, doing it at more locations, and sharing it all with some friends.

If I were fishing competitively I would retie more often and check the line after every fish caught. Fishing recreationally I don't check it often enough. I seldom have a problem, but it did happen once during this last trip, Sunday.

Wow, I can see a trip to Lox in my future! Congrats again!!!!!

Little L is 67C, if your going to hit the HL do it soon, that place can change in a heart beat!

Thanks for another great report, You certainly have Loxahatcheee dialed in to the Max! Great job!!!!

The wife requires a body sanitizing before touching her!!!!!!

The retrievers work great from the boat, not so good from the bank. If the bank has thick weeds just stay with plastics.

If fishing from the bank I only throw plastics, we have so many weeds and pads down here. In the boat I can go in and get it out.

Holey Lands, Sunday 10/26/14, Sunny, wind 15 north, water temp 80*, water levels up from last week, water light stain, pump stations closed, some current west. Went out this morning with Steve Johnson. We got a late start, on the water at 8:00. Like last week Steve got a fast start and had a fish on the first cast. Soon we were both catching fish every few minutes. Lots of small bucks but lots of action. At a pump station I caught the big fish of the day, a 3.5 on a stick-o. After a few hours of action, we ran around trying to get into some bigger fish. We ran through the big lakes, and to the north canal. We went around the bend and out west past the pump stations. This was a bad move. It was like cherynobol ! The east canal was constant action, this canal was dead still. We called IT QUITS AT 2:00. We finished the day with a good 80 bass between the two of us. There were several chunks with the big fish 3.5 lbs. Weather was perfect, very few other boaters, and good company, and lots of action. It doesn't get any better then that!

Depth has nothing to do with it. Lake Okeechobee is one of the largest lakes in the country and natural max depth is 18 feet. I fish lakes and ponds all the time, the only important thing is they are all bodies of water with their own characteristics.

I know your pain! Same thing happened to me.

Usually no problem with turtles, just don't go skinny dipping in that pond!!!

My partner of thirty years died suddenly some time ago. Since then I fish with a group of nice guys.

You got some good advice but it is difficult if we don't know where what part of the country you are residing. Fill out the profile it helps other respond to your questions.

Look for the closest break, drop-off, or ledge to that grass line. I never pass up a depth change close to a flat. Its always worth a try.

There is no substitute for time on the water. I also agree practicing skills in the yard will help especially flipping and pitching. For the young guys under 50 that's probably all it takes. But for us over 60 doing squats, bike riding and walking or jogging will certainly make it easier to stand all day on the front of the boat. For the young guys this may seem ridicules, but for the senior citizens like me it makes a world of difference. especially on your back and legs. Take a little time and work those muscles. Things seem to change fast as the years go bye. Don't worry, you will know what I'm talking about if you make it this far. Its all part of the game!

Down in South Florida, a real danger time is trying to get treble hooks out of a good size peacock's mouth. Unlike black bass, a Peacock will go nuts while you have them lipped, even if you using your best death grip.. You have a greater chance at getting hooked while holding a peacock, if you don't use a bollo grip. I'm always extra careful when handling a Peacocks.

I have hundreds of baits at home, some I use occasionally and some I never use. I do have several confidence baits I will always throw on ever trip regardless. 1). a 4" senko type bait. 2). a zoom watermelon red fluke. 3). watermelon red trick worm. These baits I know can catch bass under all types of conditions, and locations anywhere in the country. These confidence baits have changed over the years but this is my latest. One tier below are the frogs, black/blue jigs, chatterbaits, and in-line spinners. I'm sure several years from now, there will be changes to the list.

It is hard to say Fall is like Spring, because we have so many variables beside water temps. There is water levels that fluctuate greatly, the amount and type of vegetation in the water being fished, the amount of current in the water that day, the intensity of the sun when fishing, just to name a few. I agree there are a few similarities, but each day on the water, presents its own peculiarities and variables. No two days are the same!

Sorry for laughing, but just visualizing both hands hooked and the fish still hanging there was definitely picture worthy. I have been to the ER twice with big trebles buried to the top of the bend from shear stupidity. I got snagged and tried to rip it out with shear power. The big Bill Dance Deep Diving Crankbait flew back at me like it was shot out of a cannon, and hit me square in the belly. I cut it off, continued to fish for three hours, and then hit the hospital with the big lure hanging. There were lots of laughs in the ER. The stupidest thing was, I did it again a month later, and went to the same ER and doctor. His advice was to switch baits. It could of been worse. A foot lower would have been a game changer. LOL

I loved the outdoors hunting and fishing. I fished whenever I could and I watched a lot of others. You can learn a lot if you keep your mouth shut, and just watch. I have learned a bunch of techniques to use and a lot of things to just forget. Even after 40+ years I still watch what others are doing, and I'm still learning.

I often get strikes on the initial drop with a senko or fluke, especially when throwing into the pads. Sometimes as soon as it hits the water there will be an explosion and then a hook set.

For shear numbers its hard to beat the Everglades in late winter when the water levels drop and the fish are concentrated in the deep canals. A 200 fish morning is a real possibility day after day. For size and numbers I will never forget a trip to the Stick Marsh in Felemere, Fla. with a good friend Bruce Campbell who lives close to the Marsh. Bruce had 37 lbs. for his top 5, the largest was 9.7 lbs. I had about 28 for my best 5, with my largest 7.3. We caught 37 bass with 17 over 5 lbs. It was an epic away trip, I will never forget it.

Thank you so much, Dwight probably thought I was nuts. I knew there was a problem.

Sorry to hear that. I always try to clean up others mess to prevent that from happening. It only takes one jerk to spoil it for everyone.