Djman72

While I have not done a charter in the Keys in 10+ years, I can say that you're on the right track. Going fishing in the Mangroves/Flats/Backwater is my favorite way to go. I feel it beats the heck out of deep sea fishing. I would call in advance to a bunch of charters you can find on google. This is important as some charters will close up shop during the fall/winter months. Let them know specifically what you want to do, and if they can accommodate. Tell them that if things work out, you'll be booking them for multiple trips. From there, it's just a little bit of work and a little but of luck finding the right guide. I've done this a few times when I was in various Florida vacations (Miami, Ft. Lauderdale, Tampa/St. Pete). I've been fortunate enough to find great, down to earth guides that put me on the fish. My personal favorite is Snook, they fight like crazy and taste great (as long as you take off the skin). Hopefully, you luck out and get a great guide and have one heck of a time!

Zoom Flukes or Sluggo on a Scrounger. Deadly

It's all relative. The less you spend on your rod/reel is more the bait monkey will have to play with.......

low light conditions - Pop-R Brighter conditions - Zoom Trickworm in bruised banana or green pumpkin w. red fleck If swampy - replace the Pop-R with a Hollowbody Frog

With all the rain we've had, the banks are flooded. I've been murdering on top water. Mainly Poppers for open water and frogs for the slop.... I've been using a brush hug to compliment this. When they blow up on the bait and miss, i'll immediately throw out the brush hog and i'll connect with the fish again about 50% of the time. Makes for a fun little combo.

Love em, great in rivers/creeks. Will still use them in open lakes when I think they'll react to a smaller profile spinner.

I'll echo the above sentiments. I'll tell one quick story on a bedding fish that I spent over an hour on to finally catch. She was a big one for my fishing spots, about 5 pounds. Close to shore and wouldn't hit anything. Tried jigs, lizards, spinnerbaits, cranks you name it. I got frustrated and tied on a beetle spin and reeled it right into her 2 times in a row. On the third she struck that thing so hard it almost jerked the pole out of my hands. Needless to say, I feel like each bedding fish is it's own separate situation. You just gotta throw spaghetti at the wall and see what sticks.

It's almost time, Mr. DyerBassMan.... I just spooled up my reels this weekend. Might wet a line on Saturday if it's not too windy. Have you been out yet? Oh... and Laydowns are my #1 followed by Pads/scum. I'm a sucker for the topwater bite.

Jealous, I'm out in your general direction, but haven't been able to wet a line. Nice Fish too!

Love the show. Jeremy seems to be an expert fisherman... I know he's caught more fish and much more species of fish that I ever will. The show needs to be dramatic for the average viewer who is channel surfing to gain interest. I could do without most of the theatrics, but at the end of the day. River Monster's is a prime time fishing show that introduces people, myself included, to new fish, fishing techniques, and culture around the world. We all know too well that these shows are few and far between. Besides, Mr. Wade is on the top of a short list of people i'd like to sit with at a bar and pick his brain. He's probably got some NSFW stories to tell. FISH ON

Same as above. I do one thing differently when the bite is tough. I'll rig it texas style and throw it out just like normal. I'll slowly reel the bait in at a slow steady pace. I'll occasionally give it a pop on its merry route. This will sometimes get the bite going, for whatever reason this really works when its warm & muggy. I'll vary my depth, too.

Keep that Skoal Baby....

The answer is yes. Buy it.

Northwest Indiana, I understand your frustrations. I spent Saturday afternoon spooling up my reels with fresh new line and was ready to fish this week. Wake up on Moday to 3 inches of snow, and we recieved another 1-2. No fishing for a little while.

I'm about as north as it gets.... Still hoping, waiting, and wishing. Starting to see some open water, but its not quite fish ready.

Love em.

I'm my neck of Indiana, we've still got ice on all of our lakes/ponds. It was 65 here today and i'm just now seeing some open water near shore. I've still got atleast a week of this weather to even consider it. More like 2.

This is a great idea. I'll be taking my nephew out as much as possible now that he's just about old enough to handle fishing safely. I don't have a boat, but he's fine with plucking 50 bluegill's out of the water. I'll be sure to think of other people I could take out fishing from my network. -Dan

Jerkbaits are great little things. The above answers already outline how I fish them. I feel like the clearer the water, the better with these guys. The erratic action (sometimes) is the ticket to get finicky bass to bite. Don't forget softplastic jerk baits (Flukes). They can be killer around any type of cover.

Drop shot and Scroungers. Two applications I think I will do well with in the waters I fish...

This week will be the great thaw..... Next week will be a little thaw and water levels regulating. Week or two after that i'll be out wetting a line. Good stuff!

Fenwick Fenwick Fenwick. I own a HMG and my buddy has an HMX. I also own a few silverhawks (which are great). Go to a retail store and check out the HMG/HMX and see which one you like.

Ice until April, here...... Have Fun!

Bass are opportunist feeders. They'll eat just about anything, and it doesn't matter if the bait is "natural" I've caught bass on corn, hot dogs, gum. Don't think they've ever seen that in the wild before.

I have the 6'9 ML Spinning HMG rod. Incredibly lightweight and sensitive. I throw weightless T rigged plastics on it. MY favorite way to use it is dropshotting. It seems like I feel every bite/bottom conture with this rod and some good FC line. These rods also have enough backbone to land a bigger fish when you hook into one. I don't really have a complaint yet. I also own a lot of Fenwick Silverhawks that I use for my other techniques and they rock as well. H