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I too always pic up discarded fishing line because I have seen wading birds in a tangle of line and had to cut them out. You could just wad it up and stick it in your pocket, but some people are just so lazy and stupid!

Out of control spraying by an endless group of spray companies are effecting our sport on many classic bodies of water. Florida is being heavily effected, I have heard that other states are having similar problems! There must be a better way then nuking everything!

Trolling would be like watching paint dry to me. When I go out in the boat, part of the fun is being able to pin point casts to difficult high target spots. Fishing to me is like a game of darts. Can I hit that small hole in the mat behind all those pads. Can I throw that frog up on the bank and slowly pull it off. Can I adjust for a cross wind and hit that rock next to the bank. All day long I’m looking for difficult targets and trying to adjust. If all is going well, I’m happy regardless of how many I catch. It’s a game!❤️

For about a year I cut a very small V between the #2 & #3 dorsal spines so I would know it was a bass I caught before. It was a very small V cut and would have to separate the spines to even see it. I did catch 5 or 6 I had marked, but the vast majority were not fish I had caught before. This was a 40 acre lake close to my house, and I did it just to answer the question you asked. It was clear after several months that this did not happen often. For everyone caught, there are far more in any body of water you have not caught.

I thought for sure I did something wrong, never expected it was the site!

I have fished deep mountains lakes in north Georgia and North Carolina. Being a Florida Swamp Fisherman where deep water is 15 feet deep with constant pads and grasses, fishing mountain lakes has been like fishing on the moon. Some of these bodies have had depths of 50 feet to over 100 just 20 feet from the shore. I tip my hat to these pros that go from shallow to deep lakes week after week.

That’s a monster bass. If that Jersey then that’s truly an amazing bass!

I have many times. Have caught some big bass around those flood gates with some current. You got the big lake and the three branches: I have caught two peas, one the west side of the big lake on the flat!.

If you fish the Tamiani trail you’re also going to catch of other exotics, like Oscars, Myians, and a possible snakehead. From the banks always watch for snakes down there. You are in the heart of the Everglades. I always wear leather boots if not in the boat.

I have caught many on watermelon red centipedes. It’s a small size baits fish fast and jerk hard while cranking. The rapala #9 stickbait in gold or silver is the best if the weeds will allow it. Most of the time upgrade the hooks on it. A 4 or 5 pounder will destroy the stock hooks. Have caught them up to 7.5 pound, that you will never forget. They will destroy your thumb.

Almost all the freshwater canals from West Palm south to Homestead have peacock. They love small spinnerbaits, small swim jigs, rapala #9 stickbaits are a favorite. In places with lots of weeds a zoom centipede Texas rigged work good in grasses. Fish fast, they love to chase baits. Hope you do well and send pics. Look for culvert pipes, or small bridges where current is running. They love ambush points.

Zona will be missed. He brought wisdom, but tasteful humor to everything he did!❤️

What I like about the zoom trick worm Texas rigged with a 1/32 weight, and a #3 thin wire EWG hook, is it vibrates on the fall, and the tail stands high when sitting in the bottom. The slightest rod twitch causes the tail to dance in place. Florida black bass just can’t stand the shuttle movement of the tail. Especially when the bite is tough and there not out chasing baits. It’s the closest thing to a live worm on the bottom.

Congrats my friend, frame it up. Very nice award!

I agree frog is a great choice if I had a kayak or small boat to target the weed bank. But those days are past be now, too much work for these small lakes. I would be throwing to the open water and pulling into the weed field. Most bigger bass are at the deep drop off at the end of the weed field. I do fish a HB frog in the Everglades when I take out the big boat. Frog is excellent out there.

Can’t fish these waters with treble hooks. The banks are surrounded by 20 yards of pads, eal grass, and hydrilla. Fish with Texas rigged flukes, zoom trick worms, senkos, and centipedes. Peacocks love the centipedes fished fast. All other are fished deep right up to drop offs, then slow pulls through the weed banks from the shore. Lose anything with treble hooks, save those for fishing from the boat.

I do a lot of small ponds in South Florida when not taking the boat out to the bigger bodies of water. They are all connected to the Everglades system by culvert pipes. All are full of black bass, peacock, and a mess of exotics. They all have loads of grasses, structure with large rocks, drop offs, and current when water management turns on the big pumps. These all fish like bigger natural lakes, even though they were dug to supply fill for development in what was once a big swamp. They are everywhere and wonderful fishing resources! I have caught many 8 pound bass, 7 pound peacock, 30” snakeheads, even a freshwater snook, thousands of Oscars, and Myians. We are so lucky to have this resource available. I have at least 8 of these lakes 5 minutes from my house.

Every time I go out, I go with only the thought of finding fish regardless of size. I consider it a game of darts, can I hit that piece of choice cover, or can I hit the structure point, can I get under that dock, or place a bait right in the middle of that down timber. If I am on target I’m happy regardless of what I’m catching. I know if I’m on target a big fish will be somewhere in the vicinity. My personal best is 11.4 and was caught at noon after not catching a fish for 4 hours. With a weightless Fluke, on my lightest spinning rod, with 8 pound mono, in the back of a lily pad field. So you never know, and you sure as s*** have to be lucky regardless of how good you think you are. Time on the water always provides your best opportunity. Be observant, be often, be positive, and enjoy every moment.

So glad the surgery went well. You certainly have the right attitude for a strong recovery.

Thanks Glen, love your vids as always!

Lake watch maps were the very best for about ten years. There were maps of big popular lakes but also small lakes that you would not think anyone would bother mapping. I used these for years and they helped me finding structure to concentrate on before taking a trip. University of Florida was responsible for this. So sad when they disappeared.

Nicely done, you just never know when that big girl will show up! Congrats!!!!!!!

Can’t help you with the new fangled electronics, I only use my depth finders to find structure I wil dissect the old fashion way. I was never into video games!

Great stuff in this post, thanks!❤️

I’m like you I seem to fish faster as the day goes bye. I have to remind myself to slow down, unless the bite telling something different! Two days are seldom the same! That’s what makes fishing fun for me.