soflabasser

Yes ,but that's because I have been involved in various sports for most my life.Anyone can hike 4 miles or more if they wanted to and hiking/walking is excellent exercise, regardless how fit someone is.

Nice catch.Looks like you will be eating good for a while.

Today I went for a hiking/fishing trip.I only carried 1 Plano tackle box filed with lures,3 water bottles, and 2 meal replacement bars.I hiked for +4 miles and never got tired since I packed light.

Rodman Reservoir definitely has some huge bass in it. A man caught a +14 pounder out of there not too long ago and that bass is registered in the TrophyCatch Hall of Fame club . Lots of people have caught +10 pounders out of Rodman Reservoir and it's highly likely a state record fish is swimming there at this moment.

Have you tried night fishing during the summer?I have noticed that I do better night fishing during the summer,when the water is warmer than usual ,or in highly pressured bodies of water.You live somewhat close to Osceola national forest , I know people catch big bass often around that area,so I think its worth the drive to fish that area and surrounding areas.Stick marsh is another place filled with big bass.

That's true you can always order online. Definitely not making a long line to buy fishing gear when I can be fishing instead.

I rather go fishing than go shopping on black Friday.

A bass fisherman can never have too many lures, just like a woman can never have too many shoes.

I make my own swimbaits ,it's a fun hobby to have and even more fun to catch bass on your own homemade lures.I recommend you visit a lure building forum where people are more than willing to give you all the information you need to make good swimbaits. Happy Thanksgiving and hope you have fun making your first swimbait!

Lots of good advice given.I recommend you get yourself a couple swimbaits since there might be some big trout eating bass in that pond.

Might do some night fishing.

Bass fishing has been excellent for me this whole year,haven't noticed it slowing down at any point. I have done all my bass fishing from the bank this year, so you definitely don't need a boat to have a good time bass fishing in Florida. Try fishing slower than normal during/after cold fronts.

Well said.I have noticed that too many bass fishermen don't spend enough time learning the basics of bass fishing. Having all the fishing gear in the world means nothing if a bass fishermen does not know how to use his knowledge on the water when it matters the most.

Are you willing to leave the country for a fishing trip?South America has excellent freshwater fishing for speckled peacock bass and other species of hard fighting exotic fish.If South America is too far you can go to South Florida to fish for both freshwater and saltwater gamefish.

Football is a very fun sport to play ,but it is also very dangerous. The players these days are bigger,faster, and stronger on average compared to a couple decades ago.A player can easily get a concussion by getting hit too hard, and too many concussions may cause long term consequences to a players health(CTE).

Good subject. I have specific spots(some people call them "spots on top of a spot") where I can go and almost always catch a quick limit of bass in under a hour.I got other spots where I can catch a +5 pound or better bass on almost every trip I go. It took me years to find these places and figure out what the bass bite in these locations during different times of the year,weather conditions, etc.The patterns I learned in these bodies of waters has helped me in my bass fishing travels in Florida and other states that I have gone to for fishing trips. Knowledge gained through first hand experience is one the most valuable things to have in fishing. I don't blame those guides one bit for not taking customers to their favorite spots, it's not easy to find a true "honey hole" these days.I am sure they take family there or at least tell them where they are going to be safe.

Your going to get many different answers since there are many knots you can use for a Texas rig.I use the uni knot and I have never had the knot slip on any of the big bass I have caught. Also the uni to uni knot for braid to mono connections.

Have you been to West Palm Beach, Broward, and Miami-Dade Counties? Snook and bass can be found living together in the spillways,canals, and landlocked bodies of freshwater. I have caught snook as far inland as a canal that is extremely close to Lake Okeechobee.People catch snook in Lake Okeechobee every year,which must be quite the surprise to someone who is specifically targeting bass. We also got tarpon and other "saltwater" fish in canals that are 100% freshwater.There's a specific canal that I have caught snook,tarpon,largemouth bass, peacock bass,and various exotic fish all in the same day,so yes South Florida is a fishing paradise for anyone who enjoys multi species fishing.

Have caught several bass on 8-10" mullets while fishing for snook.Most of these bass where under 6 pounds ,so a bass doesn't have to be that big to eat a decent sized mullet(just like a sub 6 pound bass can eat a stocked trout in California waters).Sub 6 pound bass are common in Florida, at least in the places I fish. Snook and bass have very similar habits, a bass fisherman can use many types of bass lures to catch snook. Been using swimbaits for both snook and bass for many years,they work quite well down here.I agree with you that the mullet have a positive effect on bass fishing since bass will eat them if they are in the size range they can be eaten.

The belief that largemouth bass won't go after mullets over 6" is incorrect.Most Florida bass fisherman know this,its no secret. I have caught several bass on mullet much bigger than 6" while targeting brackish/freshwater snook.

It's a good reel for the money and it can be used for more than just bass fishing,which is a big plus if your into targeting other species of fish.I mostly use size 4000 spinning reels for bass fishing and use a wide variety of lures with no problems.

You can punch,flip,etc with spinning gear, contrary to what many believe.Its all personal preference in the end,both spinning and baitcaster setups get the job done well in bass fishing. I tend to favor spinning gear and I often cast in places most experienced bass fisherman are afraid to cast in and do it with spinning gear.Places most people get their lures stuck in (under trees,under docks, thick lily pads,various types of man made structure,etc)

Some bass fishermen think mullet "scare bass away" but that is incorrect. Mullet are not predatory fish that eat other fish like bass do and mullet tend to be peaceful fish, unlike bass.Bass eat mullet, so it would be a good idea to use finger mullet (or mullet imitating lures) in a area you know bass are eating mullet.

Correct. That's how I caught my biggest bass of 2016.These highly pressured bodies of high visibility waters can be difficult to fish,but they often have big bass in them.

Good advice, especially if someone is targeting big bass in a highly pressured body of water. I agree with you 100%.