Felix77

In highly pressured situations I have experienced the difference between throwing braid and throwing braid with a fluoro leader. I caught fish using the latter. I usually start with my 10lb braid. If I don't get bit I will add the leader. IMHO It gives me the best of both worlds. The no stretch sensitivity of braid and the invisibility of fluorocarbon.

I have fished in a lot of different places and nothing beats those baits you have confidence in. My all purpose baits which have worked for me 1 - Senko 2 - Finesse Worm 3 - Drop Shot 4 - Fluke Stick with the same general principles in terms of color. Because the waters are generally warmer they can be more aggressive so you can also use faster baits. My favorite is still a spinnerbait. Lastly ... If your spots have monsters in them then be ready with at least 10lb test to fight them. Have fun from a fellow New Yorker very envious of you right now ... Attached ... pics of 2 lunkers I caught the last time I fished in Florida.

Big time snapping turtles may also deter you from getting into the water too much.

Where to begin ... I spent a ton of money on new stuff ... My key baits to try are 1) Drop Shot - Dream Shot, ZDrop 2) Pitching - Strike King Rodent, Shellcracker 3) TRig - Some custom made senkos 4) Power Shot - Rage Hawg

Trust me. I have had my fair share of skunked days at my lake. A lot depends on how you are fishing these pressured lakes. Keep this one things in mind and you shouldn't be disappointed. Learn something new every time you go out there. It could be a new spot which became accessible for some reason, a new method, a new retrieve, whatever ... If you get skunked then at least you are walking home a smarter fisherman.

I heard the discussion about this only being 3 penalties last season. If that's the case then show us those hits. Inform the public as to exactly what this rule will look like. I assume the Richardson run is one of them. Time will tell about this rule. It's not the analysis which led to the rule that matters. It's going to be the way it's officiated and called on the field. All it takes is one split second flag and a difficult review to cause another ruckus about this rule.

Now that's funny ... My buddy Frank is a diehard Bills fan. I torment him every football season.

Sorry buddy ... I am a Giants fan. I guess your pain is my gain. ;-)

Nice fish, nice story. I'm still dealing with ice up here. Bass-***.

There's a pond I fish regularly right after work. I generally go out for a few hours after work so that amounts to about 2-3 hours of fishing. I have gone from no catches to as much as 8 on that lake thus far. It's accessible from all around the lake so it get's pressured quite heavily. On one private lake I caught about 16 in a few hours. In other words it can really depend.

Congrats !!!

Another vote for the Shim-E-Sticks. I get them here at Wally World too. If you can get a hold of the BPS sticks they work well too. They sell a variety pack of 100 in a box for something like $18.

I saw the show this AM and Rojas came off like a crybaby. I also agree that the show came off more like a soap opera and not a bass tournament. BASS can do themselves a favor and watch the FLW tournaments and Major League fishing. A blend of those with a sprinkle of teaching here and there would be ideal TV for me.

Welcome. I fish a Radisson canoe when I am not a coangler in tournaments.

Do your homework and make sure they are reputable. I heard not all guides are created equal.

Agree about the Auburn BPS. It's tiny and limited compared to any other I have been to. I go to the Foxboro MA one if I am bored. Kills me because I am a Giants fan.

I use two methods 1) t-rig pegged curly tail worm or Senkos 2) split shot rig with a finesse worm

If you can afford it a guide should put you on fish. They can be expensive though. With that said my 1st experience with a guide transformed me into the obsessed fisherman that I am now. He taught me a ton!

You already know KVD stuff rocks! I used to use Reel Magic but this outdoes it long term. I treat new line as I spool it up and put a squirt or 2 the night before a tournament.

Looks like Dicks Sporting Goods is opening up a new line of stores similar to BassPro and Cabelas. It will be under the "Field and Stream" brand. The first is in PA and others are rumored to open up including one in my backyard.

I haven't used it on a fluke but a swimming super fluke or other swimbait yes. If you let it dangle it shouldn't affect the action too much I would guess. With the swimbaits I embed one of the trebles into the lure leaving the two others to barely peek out from it's side. That helps minimize snagging ... notice I said minimize.

Imagine if he had set the hook hard on that thing.

I had to look it up. Pretty crazy.

http://thegoat.backcountry.com/2012/08/06/nebraska-fishermen-catch-life-grenade/

I had lead poisoning as a child and this did cross my mind. As long as you wash/sanatize your hands regularly you will be OK. If you are exposed its in trace amounts. Just don't suck on them like candy and you are alright.