geo g

Good move by you. I catch Peas every week. I have caught hundreds over the years, and they are getting more common to catch. I would never thumb a pea with a treble hook in it's mouth. I don't use a net and have no problem thumbing a large black bass, or even a small mouth bass. Peas are just all muscle, with an attitude, and never quit even when on your thumb. I do thumb them with single hooks like a fluke or swimbait. I place the thumb deep in the mouth and squeeze hard. It's amazing how much force they can put together when on your thumb. You can feel their body tense right before the explosion. They are like holding a pitbull vrs a poodle.

You should try a big Peacock, there is no quit! They will tear a thumb up quickly!

I had a best friend I fished with for almost 30 years. He suddenly moved away to New Hampshire from Florida. Now who does that? It was like losing a brother, devastating!

No two days are ever the same. Weather changes, wind direction, cloud cover, current, and water temps. Although I might catch them on the same bait, in the same location, some times they want it dead sticked, sometime just dragged along the bottom, sometimes jerked and moving. It takes a little while and some exploratory changes to find out the pattern for that moment in time. It will often change as the day goes bye. It is always a game of Hide and Go Seek. Use baits you have trust in and change up the approach to what they want.

No, a big black water snake!

We have coyotes galore, Florida Panthers, Florida Black Bears, and of course a healthy population of big pythons! Never leave home without defenses!!!!!!!!

God went crazy when he designed the peacock. Just look into those eyes, they have eyes like a Tiger. He held back nothing when he painted this color scheme. The best part is they hit at full speed with violent hook sets, long runs like a snook, and a series of aerobatic jumps. They never quit fighting even when thumbed and brought in the boat. They are truly the Pit Bulls of the freshwater fishing world. We are so lucky to have them down here in our backyards! Believe me when I say I would rather catch one decent size Peacock than 20 black bass of similar size. They are just that remarkable a fish to catch!

I used to fish 41 a lot. The big 67, little 67, and L28 interceptor. That was 20 years ago. But since I live in Davie, I fish the Alley a lot more now. All those waters now have a healthy Pea population.

Very nice, I fish the Ally a lot, many Peas there!

The first fish slashed at it and missed, a sharp hook probably exposed managed to hit the side of the fish and hooked some meat. I have had this happen many times. Sharp hooks catch fish. the second time a fish tore the bait in half and your hook set caught a second fish competing for the bait. Possibly even without the bait still there. Just a flash in the water now. Aggressive bass. I have caught several fish on plastics with the bait in its mouth without the hook in its mouth. I flipped it in the boat and it dropped on the deck. The bass just would not let go of the plastic.

Very simple, summer heat!

I have one, but a different design. I stopped balancing on the side of the boat when I hit 65, especially with all those gators in our waters. Never leave home without it! Thanks Captain, it was so much easier when we were in our 30's, 40's, and 50's! Lol

You must first have a healthy population of bait fish or they will starve once the bigger ones deplete the bass population.

Once saw a big gator take a Heron along the edge of the canal along alligator alley. The big bird was wading along the sawgrass edge and the gator must have been sitting on the bottom in three feet of water. The explosion was amazing, and the bird sounded like a woman screaming. The end was quick, and both disappeared under the water. The circle of life!

A long time ago an old timer once told me if you see a tree with an Osprey nest fish that tree hard. The birds are sloppy eaters and scraps will drop in the water and attract bait fish. The bass will follow! That was one of those nuggets of info that stuck in my mind!

At 70 I need a plan too!

Was that his boat, or a boat he would have won? Now losing a 100,000 boat hurts for sure. There should be a list of these cheaters, circulated throughout the country, and if your on the list you should be exempt from competing, or more important collecting any tournament money for the rest of your life. You must produce ID before collecting even a dollar of winnings. These low lifes will always be cheaters and never rehabilitated.

Nothing beats time on the water under a variety of conditions. Wind from your back, wind into your face, and both side winds. When out on the water and the fishing is real tough, I will stop thinking about catching, and concentrate on hitting the most difficult targets I can find within casting distance. If I'm ON that day, I am HAPPY. But the truth is it has produced some quality fish along the way. I go from fishing, to a game of darts, in my mind. To me it's just fun placing a bait in a difficult strike zone, whether you're catching or not! Fun is the goal!

I’ve been fishing south florida for over 45 years. When we were both young newly weds, I took her salt water fishing for mangrove snappers in a secret hot spot. I look over and she has hooked a big snapper using a bobber and live scrimp. She brings it in and it is bleeding from the gills. She starts crying about hurting the fish. That was the last time we went fishing together. It worked out great for both of us!!!!!! She is happy I’m going, and she is happy to stay home.

Some our waters in south Florida become gin clear because of the heavy vegetation that filters it. It is sometimes easy to see 10 or 12 feet below the surface. Being in stealth mode is extremely important during these times. Once the sun is up, I start with long casts with smaller baits, with little 1/32 to no weight, letting the bait fall in a natural manner. The small weight help protect the plastic from pulling down the hook while going threw weeds. I will use pads and weeds to lessen the initial drop of the lure on the surface. If it is an open bank I will throw up on the bank edge and slowly pull it off into the water. If the sun is high I will throw back in the thickest stuff and slowly work it out stopping at any openings between the plants. Stealth is so important, I try to keep any wind blowing from behind me which allows me to stay off the trolling motor as much as possible. At ledges and drop offs I will let the bait fall deep to the bottom and then work it back to the boat with pauses along the way. Over the years these techniques have help during tough fishing conditions.

About 20 years ago when I caught a decent fish in my local neighborhood lakes, I would cut a small V about a 1/4 inch, between the spikes in the dorsal fin. Always between the first and second spike with my scissors. It was a small V that you could only see if you pulled the dorsal fins up. Every once in a while I would catch one of these fish again. Although I only did this for a few months because it was a pain to do, I still check when catching a decent fish. A true way of detecting a catch repeat, without tagging it.

Same as every year at least one DD. I have not had one for the last twenty years now, but that is the goal every year. Been close a bunch of times but no cigar!

They are over on the other side too. I see them everyday, but within a yard away it gets creepy!

When I was a backseater I watched the area the front guy targeted and then I pick areas that are yards from his targets. I never threw where he has already hit. I never threw the same baits the front guy used unless he started picking up quality fish, then I made a change. There is lots of water, and no one can hit it all on one pass. That leaves a backseater fresh water to hit, if you pay attention to what's going on around you.

We could send you some big pythons to cull the Nutria population. They even kill gators!