SFL BassHunter

Welcome to BR and congrats on the PB! I'm still looking for a bass that size lol.

I always keep a baseball bat in the car, a pocket knife in my pocket and since I bank fish in the glades I gather a few rocks in my pocket to make sure the gators don't get to close. Haven't had to use any of them yet. but its always nice to have just in case. I also take water and beef jerky with me on full day fishing events. But no superstitions. Skill and awareness trump luck in my opinion. A perfect example: I used to go saltwater fishing with my parents every weekend. Every weekend my dad would stand in the same spot and my mom would stand in the same spot. My Mom caught double the amount of fish and usually keepers, where as my dad would catch smaller fish. I tended to roam around, I wasn't as patient back then. When my mom would take a break I would go to her spot and would catch fish. For the longest time we thought my mom was just lucky. After further inspection I know realize that she was in a better spot. Where she cast held more fish and she always used lighter tackle than my dad. My dad would put the biggest sinker he could find and the thickest line to prevent the line from braking as often. So I find luck to have very little role in fishing.

I've been told mega strike is good. The reason I use fish sticks is I don't need to touch the stuff at all. But yeah when I have used the garlic stuff I have to toss that bait before I put my gear in the car otherwise it stinks it up. I don't have that problem with fishsticks. I can put it back in the bag with my other plastics and the stench doesn't come through.

I'm not to sure about the garlic deal. I have a bottle of Bang in Garlic, I also have the KVD Fishsticks tubes that apply like lip balm and I have had far more success with the Shad and Crawfish Fishsticks. More hits and I feel the fish hold on to it longer. Not saying the Garlic doesn't work, I just personally haven't had as much luck with it. The fishsticks is far more compact and easier to apply. Far less risk of getting wind to blow the garlic your way.

I've been using 50lb braid, and stick-os. Works well for me. It also depends on the pads. The pads at my local park are weak and if I get hung up usually I can rip free of them or rip them right out of the water so I don't mind putting a small sinker on a texas rig. The ones in the glades are extremely different breed of pads lol. Those are the ones I need the 50lb braid for.

I second Geo G on that. I have fished turkey lake has good bass fishing and like Geo G said, BIG fish, I've seen em. They also have some good size catfish up in there (Chicken Liver works, trust me). The lake is very clean the park is excellent and the BPS sponsored boats are in great condition. Though you only get a trolling motor it is enough to get you around. It is about 35 dollars for 4 hours if I am not mistaken. Well worth it, and reserve the boat with time, they tend to go fast. I caught several catfish off the main pier there and something else which I couldn't tell you what it was. All I know is that it ran hard, had my medium rod flexed up, drag screeching and it took my line under the pier and snapped it. Not a bass for sure, I am thinking bowfin maybe? Not sure if they have em in that lake. But it was an adrenaline rush. Doubt it was a catfish though I did catch it with chicken liver.

Hooked up with my second Butterfly Peacock ever, and so it is now my PB 3.08lbs . This is the most aggressive fish I have ever caught in freshwater. It put up more of a fight than my Largemouth PB of 4 lbs. It left some battle scars on my left thumb too lol. Also caught a nice 16 inch largemouth earlier in the day along with 5 other smaller bass (around 12 to 13 inches) The fish were extremely active today and for the first time in a while I caught fish with something other than a stick bait. They were hitting cranks, spinners, swim jigs and of course the stick baits. I had multiple fish dart towards my spinner and crank that turned away at the last minute as well.

Sicko, you should have turned away and given them their privacy! LOL jk

Great fish Lou!

I've been doing great this month at my local lake, late in the day and about an hour or two after sunset. PB on Sunday, and then beat that PB on Wednesday. Just keep at it, maybe if your regular routine doesn't work, switch it up. I switched my routine a bit. Started using new baits. BPS Stick-O's before sunset, black and blue swim jig after sunset, swimming pit boss around sunset, and junebug colored trick work after sunset. I also took note of where the fish are before and after sunset. Before sunset they were held up on a rock ledge just in casting distance. After sunset the bite stopped there and moved up closer to the bank in shallow water with some grass. Today though, nothing on the ledge, they were in the grass again before sunset this time. Then the dinks came to the shallow and the bigger fish were busting out in the center of the lake out of range. So it was time to call it quits for the night.

Most ponds and lakes down here in my area are private. I think some parks were mentioned a few posts up. Those parks are public parks that allow fishing as long as it is catch and release for the Bass. There are canals you can fish but usually there won't be anywhere to park, or there will be signs up that say no parking. You could park there and risk it or try and find parking nearby. Google Maps is going to be your best friend. I've spent hours and hours on Google Maps looking at every inch of my area to find fishing spots. I've never fished at a golf course, if I was going to I would probably ask for permission just because I don't like being threatened with "we will call the police if you don't leave". I fished a pond in Boca that I was kicked out of. There was a park across the street where I parked my car. I fished a little while before being threatened. The pond wasn't even inside of the community gates it was in front of it, but they do own the property so they have the right to kick you out. I'm sure some of the other guys on here can give better advice than me though.

Alright then your fishing partner is excused and is allowed to be cranky! LOL, thats funny. Wow that other one is pretty darn big. Well done on that UL rod. What kind of reel is that?

What? Your fishing partner gets cranky while catching fish? lol, that sucks. What if you hook up with a bigger one on that UL?

I add my pictures to my gallery then use the my media button otherwise there is a size limit for the pics as an attachment. I find it to be less work than cropping the pic.

Yeah there are times when I've seen a few people fishing but you're right its generally not a cause for concern. I like fishing the weeds and pads on the north lake. I haven't had any luck in the open water. I've talked to a few people there who have told me they have caught a 6 or 7 pounder but I haven't caught anything bigger than a 2, 2.5 at best. I have seen 2 biguns though. Both times just swimming casually patrolling the waters. Nothing I threw at them peaked their interest in the slightest. Parking isn't to far, depends on where you park. You don't have to fish in the "designated fishing area" . I'm always looking for new places to try. Unfortunately Tropical is the only place near me that I know of that isn't a residential area with no access. There are some canals but I've had minimal success in those. Nice pea! They are beautiful fish and fight like they are twice their size.

Thats a decent sized fish! At least looks like it.

Well it has been months since I painted these and forgot to take pics and post them. There are really hand painted, with a brush. Not an air brush. Also they have all proven themselves on the water, in fact some are scuffed up from bite marks.

Hey I.rar, I am in the westchester area, but grew up in the South Miami area, my parents are still in SM, so Tropical Park is my go to spot because of it's closeness. Nice fish btw! I am glad it warmed up a bit this weekend because its been brutal. Not for me, cause I don't mind the cold, but for the fish lol.

Thanks Lou! I am curious if Neast finally got out there, and how he did.

Today

Good to know CHugh, thanks for the fishing report! Hope they are still active tomorrow, it should be a little warmer.

Never seen a fishing pier in the keys. Some of the bridges can be used instead. Under the bridges, some on the bridges, just make sure there is no sign that states no fishing. I am sure the charters are over 200 in the keys. You can also go on the "group fishing charters" those are reasonably cheap but you have to share the boat with a bunch of people and the equipment they have is probably old and crappy but they do catch fish on some of those. Vermilion Snapper, Red, Grouper, and sometimes dolphin (mahi-mahi).

In the keys you'll only be able to fish saltwater. Get a few dozen live shrimp, find a big bridge and go under it. Mangrove Snapper is delicious and they love shrimp.

Hey Neast I wanted to welcome you to BR and add to what Lou said because I have fished the trail a couple of times, though not successfully until this past weekend. I would take a look at google maps to start. You'll notice a dirt road along the north side of the canal. 2 dirt roads to be exact. The first entrance is just past the casino (there is a boat ramp there.) That dirt road goes out quite a ways. You have a few options you can jump onto the dirt road at that entrance and fish along that canal, or if you take the high road to your right, you will see a few retention type ponds. Boats are not allowed in there. I started at that entrance and was so excited to fish I pulled over on the canal and started casting, I quickly found there was no cover (like lou said) and I moved on. The retention ponds have cover, rocks, and pads. Now the further west you go the more cover you will start to see like pads along the bank. My recommendation is to just take the high dirt road and fish the ponds, until you just pass that second pond, you'll start seeing pads on the main canal. Once you get to the end of the road you will have to hop back on to the trail. That is where my advice ends because I've never fished any further than that. Be very aware of the gators. They like those retention ponds. I will probably be out there Saturday if the weather permits. Hope this helps.

Well I am about a year late to this thread. But I figured I would chime in since I just started using these needle worms. Incase you haven't tried them yet or someone else has the same question. So far so good. They work very well on a shaky head jig. I have them in camo, june bug and grape, they all catch fish, and in my experience so far, they hit it pretty hard. They are long and have a nice thickness to them. I give them 2 thumbs up.