Hale

Just like the fish, it depends what mood Im in. There is times I will rip a worm across the surface out of sheer boredom and the need to break up the pace. Cool thing is I have often caught em just doing that.

definitely doesnt count. Hopefully he lived!!!

tennsopher: The gators are getting out of hand arent they? Im glad they just expanded the season and doubled the tag limit on them. There has been 3 fatalities in the last 6 months.

IF???????? I WILL be catching Florida's next state record. You guys will see me on the cover of the mag grinning ear to ear - selling out (or as I like to refer to it - BUYING IN). I figure this way I dont need to tell anyone about the record...they will already know!. And like I always tell my fishing partners, "Im just one cast away from setting the record"

I posted somehting on your thread about Polk County. I forgot: head north up 27. Up into Clermont and clewiston. Clermont holds a lot of ponds in the pastures ( you will see them right of 27). Clewiston has an abundance of lakes (there is a couple bait shops downtown off of 50). You also have Lake Haines off of 17/92 (south of Haines City) - I grew up on this lake. Keep heading south/west into Lake alfred and you have Lake Alfred (Follow signs in downtown to Lions Park-takes you right to lake). You need to pull up a map and you wont believe HOW MUCH you have right there in your backyard. And most all of it offers some sort of bank access. I miss living up there at times!

Come to Florida and buy mine!!!! You wont need to buy anything else to fix it up. http://www.haleavenue.net/Boat/boat.htm

Fishing may become tiring now cuz I will be setting the hook on any bump. Makes me want to switch to a 2# monofilament with a lighter rod too!!! Could you imagine coming home and watching video like that of yourself - seeing how many fish you missed and didnt even know were swimming with your bait!!! That would make me take up basket weaving as a sport.

Your idea of snakes not being on the mind would change real quick when you trample anywhere around the water down here in Florida. Cottnmouths (mocassins) are everywhere and they dont play; aggresive, and territorial! I was bit when I was 8 and it was not fun. I watched my friend (on the same lake) get bit six times from one of these. It tagged his calf a couple times in seconds and he fell down, it then took a couple bites into his hand and arm. My friend passed out from shock and the snake was going nowhere (coiled up poised by his head). All I could do was stand there and cry/shake uncontrollably (I was 12). He ended up loosing his leg from the whole thing. Ask any of the florida boys here what happens when a cottonmouth gets in or near the boat. You would get less of a reaction out of a fisherman if you threw a bucket of AIDS riddled blood on them.

I need to find the DVD of that movie. Its sick! How did we become better fiserhman ten years agon when there was no internet?

Being a Florida boy, cold weather can stand in the way of ANYTHING. I think the last time it was 40 out I called into work because I would freeze to death just walking to the car. ;D

FLORIDA - Central South East or West....you will catch more than you ever imagined you could!

Michigan? Doesnt it get cold up there???

Oh thats an easy fix, just catch a couple more and you;ll get your limit. LOL ;D

Kissimmee Toho Okeechobee Walk-in-Water Loxahatchee Hatchinhae Rosalie Pansy Rochele Haines Ned Crooked St Johns Im sure Im forgetting a few and not listing local canals. Im glad to be in Florida!!!!

If I were to pick them easy 6 numbers I would have my own stocked pond that would be WAY better than ole Bill's

Alright so we need a group tour....first stops the amazon and then el salto and then all the other good places mentioned here. Im sure we can find a sponsor to pay all of our ways on this tour. And with all of the different lifestyles on here linked by one common obsession to fishing we could make one helluva a video!!!

In todays world, looks go a long way and that directly relates being in shape. Someone in really good shape could apply for the same job as some fat dirty slob and we all know what the end result would be.

Where would it be? Me: On the amazon fly fishing for huge peacock bass.

Maybe this is some joke going over my head, but ask any man with a boat from the south and he will tell you a story about someone swimming after a cottonmouth found its way in the boat from a tree or other type of overhang.

Sal, you hits hte canals since we last went?

Thanks - Ill be researching the stratos' this week.

I decked my jon boat and wondered about the same thing you are. I went with wood, sealed and carpeted. It actually came out weighing a lot less than aluminum with steel frame, etc. and cheaper too. Plus with wood, should you decide to change it around later its a lot easier to remake it all. Here is a link to an ebook on customizing jon boats. Its a bit dated but will spark the creative juices and come up with something way better. www.myjonboat.com

Sweet lots of good info here. First Im really leaning towards the 482 with the 135 optimax. And of course money is the bottom line that I dont jump to a 150. I appreciate the reassurance on the optimax, becuase the dealer is pushing the 4 stroke hard. As far as the 9 series...with two new cars and a house (house closing is next week) in the past 12 months, I cant take on a 45k boat. I will continue to wish though. There is times I will be in big water, but not recreational waters. Places such as Okeechobee, kissimmee,etc that would allow me to tuck out of the elements if need be. But it will be mostly weekends, occasional tournys, etc. One of the only brands I havent looked into is the Stratos (I forgot about those actually). Ive already got the electronics (gps too). And yes life is much much better with the right ones. I appreciate the feedback and look forward to anymore.

Thanks They are brand new. And im definitely wanting to go with the Nitro over a Skeeter. I was just making sure no one was going to come back with a horror story about how their Nitro fell apart in two years yada yada yada.

Anyone on here own a Nitro 482 or NX 750? Im looking to buy one in the upcoming weeks and was hoping to get some real world feedback. The salesman assured me its the greatest thing ever built. But Im confused because the Skeeter salesman told me the same thing!?!? LOL Thanks