soflabasser

The Saltwater crocodile gets much larger as well. It is rare to see a 12 foot American alligator or 15 foot American crocodile in the wild but it is common for saltwater crocodiles to grow +15 feet in Australia.

@Chris at Tech That is a saltwater crocodile from Australia and surrounding areas in the video you showed. They are far more aggressive than the American alligator or American crocodile.

I would fish with whatever lure I have the most confidence.

I would travel to Florida during the Winter as well if I lived up north. Yes there are many saltwater fish that taste much better than walleye such as snapper, mahi mahi, etc. The Summer heat is not as bad as some say it is you just have to know when to fish. Best time to fish during the Summer is during low light periods, stay hydrated, fish in the shade when possible, and keep the fishing trips short. It sure beats not fishing for several months because of hard water or some states that do not allow bass fishing in certain times of the year. With that said Florida has millions of people that fish very year with reasonable bass fishing laws and the fishing is still amazing. Maybe one day your home state will be more reasonsable when it comes to its bass fishing regulations and allow bass fishing any time of the year.

The fish you are holding in your hands is a golden shiner and the fish in the second picture is a koi. I have caught both species.

I understand, in your case it is best to stay in Minnesota since the weather is better for you. It does get hot where I live but so does the fishing which makes taking the heat much easier. Fishing during low light periods, being in the shade, staying hydrated, and keeping fishing trips short is best during the Summer.

I have been fishing around alligators for over 2 decades and only 1 alligator chased me when I was a kid. She was protecting her nest and even then she ran a short distance. Since then I always look around constantly when I am fishing in waters with alligators. Most alligators will leave you alone if you leave them alone.

I will keep living in the fishing tropical paradise that Florida is where I can fish for hundreds of species of fish whenever I want. You can keep your walleyes, I prefer eating saltwater fish. I can bass fish whenever I want in Florida since the bass fishing laws are reasonable here. 4-7 pound bass are a common catch with a good chance at a 8 pound or better bass.

Florida has much better fishing than Minnesota and Florida's fishing laws are much more reasonable.

Fly fishing is fun but I much rather fish with spinning gear.

I have researched how largemouth bass effect native fish in other countries and why some countries want to remove these fish. Those places will most likely not be able to get rid of largemouth bass since they reproduce faster than people can get rid of them. Might as well enjoy catching exotic species since they are unique and fun to catch.

I got fishing tackle that is older than myself in my collection.

Common carp are not native to the USA like many of the exotic fish we have. Largemouth bass are introduced throughout the world since they are sport fish millions of people enjoy catching and they are much more fun to catch than carp. With that said you will never get rid of carp and many other exotic species since they reproduce quickly and are thriving.

Nice rod you and your friend found. Throughout the years I have found many nice rods, reels, and other fishing equipment while diving and fishing.

Bass are like people. Some +250 pound men cannot even squat their bodyweight yet there are men that are under 200 pounds and have squatted more than twice their bodyweight. With that said I have noticed that most of the big bass I caught gave a decent fight for their size but nowhere as good as saltwater fish.

I rather live in a place with alligators, crocodiles, sharks, and hurricanes than live in an area that snows half the year with frozen water. All the snowbirds that flock every Winter here seem to agree as well.

Largemouth bass can also have a tooth patch so a bass with a tooth patch is not always a spotted bass. Best way to indentify a largemouth bass is to see if the jaw passes the eye. There are plenty of pictures online that show how to identify black bass species.

A truly talented bass fisherman is able to catch big bass with lures and live bait.

The fish you are holding in your hands is a Northern strain largemouth bass.

I have caught fish over 25 pounds on size 1000 spinning reels so these reels can land fish bigger than bass but I rather fish with a larger spinning reel for several reasons. It is easier to cast further with a larger spinning reel which makes it easier to cover water. A larger spinning reel has more line capacity which is something I need since I fish in waters that have tarpon, snook, and other powerful gamefish. Also I like to release big bass as quick as possible, larger spinning reels with stronger line helps accomplish this well. With that said fish whichever way is best for you and that makes you happy.

Berkley Big Game mono is very good line.

The size 3000 is a better choice for bass fishing.

The Vanford is a great reel but I prefer the Stradic FL.

Fortunately for me I tan well and rarely get sun burn. I still cover up as much as I can comfortably while limiting the time I spend fishing when it is very sunny.

Fish at night