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When I'm fishing real thick gnarly stuff, I will fish the regulars big worms, Beavers, creature baits with big weights. A weightless senko Texas Rigged with the tapered end hooked comes through stuff amazingly without catching all the garbage. You can fish it slow and when it hits a little hole just shake it without moving. The key is to Texas Rig the tapered end.

Wow a lot of thought went into all the answers. I don't think its so much of a bird of pray thing but simply a sunglass effect. With bright skies, we put on a hat and sunglasses seeking shade and eye relief. Fish seek shade in thick cover, and structure like docks. In early morning the fish are often scattered and away from the tight cover. As the sun gets high in the sky, bass will often seek out shade and relief from the intense sun. In Florida we have many birds of pray that seek out fish. To me I don't see that as a big factor. Just like us, bass seek eye relief from the intense rays of the tropical sun, and sunglasses are just too dam expensive!

I agree with Mike L, if it bothers you that much, try a wrist brace, at least for a while. It is a half glove with a good wide Velcro strap around the wrist. Go to a good medical supply store and ask them to suggest a product. I once had a elbow problem on my casting arm. The Velcro forearm band worked miracles for me and I only needed it for a couple of weeks. I always keep it in the truck in case it starts hurting again. Good luck!

Nice set up on the truck. I can see you take your fishing seriously. I have heard its not good to leave rods in a hot vehicle day after day. Do you just transport them to the lake and back home?

During a tournament a few years ago. One of the big timers went out in a 17 foot aluminum bass boat because he wanted to fish Oxbows in one of the river systems. I forget who or where but it did happen in a big tournament.

I have never had a big carp bite a lure, but I have snagged them twice with a wacky rigged trick worm, and once with a zara spook. One had to be over 20 pounds.

We all catch other species when we go out fishing. Sometimes conditions will make it make for increased junk fishing. In South Florida there is a wide variety of other fish on the menu. Caught regularly, snakeheads, peacocks, bowfin, chain pickerel, gar, alligator gar, huge grass carp, pacu, myian cichlids, freshwater snook, freshwater tarpon, Oscars, rock bass, occasional gator, just to name a few. You never know what will tug on your line.

I have several and I'm very satisfied with there durability, and casting abilities.

It has happened many times for me, not because other baits would not catch fish, but because I was satisfied with the results from the bait I was throwing. Why change if something is working, your having fun, and the results are good. If I'm happy, and my partner is happy, then my main goal has been met!

Cant wait for winter and spring, the fishing gets crazy in South Florida. While the guys up north are ice fishing, and your boats are in storage, we will be catching up to 200 fish a day. Sometimes more!!!!!!!!

I do both every week. I fish weekends from the boat, and weekday evenings from the bank. Saturday I went out in the boat in the morning and caught 9 fish. Then Sunday morning I went to the bank and caught 20 bass. The amount of time was the same both days, but the waters are quite different. From the bank you can fish a lot slower, because you don't have the constant motion of the boat. I enjoy both styles of fishing just as much.

First cast should always be easy!

Well over 50 and still have a passion for fishing.

My #1 goal in this sport, is to relax, and have fun. I have been fishing long enough to have several patterns that I have total faith in, on even the most difficult days. Sometimes I feel like experimenting with an new technique or new lure. I will usually give it 30 minutes to produce, or its back to one of the old faithful's. Fishing is not difficult, it is just challenging. There are loads of variables, you just have to figure it out.

Great lesson for all of us. I wear mine when I fish alone in the boat. Glad you are OK.

Those focusing on a professional fishing career are just not giving you sound financial guidance. At this time, you need to concentrate on your education and building a future that will allow you to support yourself and provide the experience to move forward in an ever increasing competitive work place. You sound like you have performed quite well in high school. Take advantage of your base education and move forward expanding your knowledge and expertise. You will not regret the efforts put forth now, in the future. Focusing on fishing at this time will be nothing but a distraction, and probably a hindrance to developing success career. There will be plenty of time for the sport you love, and plenty of future earnings to support that sport in a first class manner. You want the boats, the equipment, the money to travel, and the money to support a family. A good job will provide that. Thinking your going to get all that through fishing is just not practical. A crap shoot at best!

I agree with many of the things that have been said. I do think you can gain information from reading, TV and videos, but you have to spend time on the water to master the knowledge you have gained. I fish 5 days week for a few hours a day. I have learned a lot from fishing with others, over the last 40 years. I have learned things and techniques to use, and many things not to do, all from observing. I will try a new technique, and experiment with the new one, until I find what works for me. It takes time, but just being out there makes it all worth while. You can learn something every trip if you keep your mind and eyes open, and keep your all world ego in check. Spend time on the water, and you will become a better catcher.

If you or your family have the means for you to play, go for it! If not, concentrate on your education and building a career for you and your future. If you do it now, it will provide assets that will allow you to chase your dreams. College is expensive enough, without additional expenditures on a boat, and everything that is required to maintain it. If you go into debt over your education, you will regret it for years to come. Add a family down the road and debt occurred now, could provide years of struggle and stress. Be smart and build a future. Don't get caught up in living in the now generation. This is why so many struggle financially all through life.

I always wear a horse shoe ring the wife gave me for luck, 45 years ago. I feel naked without it.

In South Florida with our shallow lakes and heavy, thick cover you need a tight drag to get there head up and out of harms way. If you don't get there head up quickly,they will bury and tangle you in the gnarly mess. Tight drag and beefy line is the way to go down here.

I fish 5 or 6 days a week for the last 40 years, so a confidence bait has been tested over time, not just one or two trips. I will stay with those baits way too long sometimes, but they are tested producers over time.

If it is a new bait I don't have a lot of experience throwing I will change in about ten minutes. If its something I have had lot of experience with and trust as a proven winner, I may work it for hours before changing. I may change colors and still work that same trusted bait. I have a bad habit of staying with a proven bait way to long, on none productive days. I always think the next cast is the one!

I have always heard you should keep your tank topped off if it is going to sit for any length of time. The gas will break down and water form if there is air in the tank. I would top it off.

Does your boat chime walk from side to side while running wide open. How can you reduce this, without losing top end speed. It only happens to me while riding solo in the boat.

There are problably more fish caught all over the country on a Texas Rigged plastic then any other method. Texas rigged plastics can be fished deep, shallow, mid range, in wood, thick weeds, pad fields, under docks, open water, along ledges, fished fast, fished slow, the opportunities are endless. If things are tough I would slow down, use a dark color, and jerk and long pause. Senkos are just one type of bait, but in my opinion one of the best. Go with the 4 inch size, watermelon red, junebug, black, or Okeechobee color. Use the least amount of weight possible for the conditions. I go weightless often, you can get a walk the dog action with a jerk and slack action, slowly. Sometimes a 1/32 bullet weight. Rod a 7 foot MH to get them out of the junk and there head up. A fast baitcaster reel for power. 15 pound Floro line for sensitivity and no stretch. Our lakes in south Florida are shallow and full of vegetation. Its important to have stout equipment.