soflabasser

I have noticed more people fishing in South Florida in the past 5 years than I have seen in the +20 years I have fished. Every year more and more people move to Florida. Right now it is Winter so the highways are packed with cars from people out of state. I don't blame them since Florida is the ''Fishing Capital of The World'' and has very nice weather but it would be nice if people learn some manners and respect others personal space while fishing. If a person introduces themselves respectfully I will give them advice while fishing. If they are a clown I do not even talk to them and just move to another location since I have many productive locations I fish in. For me fishing time is relaxing time and I have no time for clowns, creeps, and other unsavory characters.

Hair jigs are good lures for river smallmouth bass.

Ugly Stik makes several rods that are good for crankbait fishing.

Welcome to the forum

This fish has barbels under its chin which is an easy way to identify it as a koi. Goldfish do not have barbels like koi do. There has never been a 9 pound goldfish caught or raised as well. One must understand that koi where bred from Amur carp which is why they have barbels. Goldfish where bred from Prussian carp which do not have barbels.

I have size 4000 spinning reels that have helped me catch several +40'' snook and +24'' bass. These spinning reels are light enough for bass fishing but strong enough for fish that can test a reels drag system. My rods are of good quality but I learned long ago to invest more in a reel. Never saw the need for a custom rod but I do own one since it was given to me as a gift.

I have fished several places with that artificial blue coloration. The bass bite the same lures they do anywhere else.

Fishing in the Dark is one of my favorite country songs.

The Southern States are well known for having double digit bass. For some reason Louisiana, Mississippi and Alabama are not mentioned as much as the big 4 (Florida, Georgia, Texas, and California). Lake Chickamauga is loaded with 8 pound or better fish. Have fished in Tennessee it is nice but I prefer Florida, Georgia, and Alabama for bass fishing and for multi species fishing.

Lol! I have caught lots of big bass on inshore rods and spinning reels yet the bass don't seem to mind. That is one of the things I like most about fishing that you can fish your own way and still do well. For river smallmouth bass fishing I like to use a medium to medium heavy rod.

Congratulations she is a beauty! From what I researched Tennessee is one of the best places in the country to catch a double digit bass after California, Texas, Georgia, and Florida.

Welcome to the forum.

That ''9 pound goldfish'' is a koi and not a goldfish. They are commonly misidentified.

I read this story yesterday. The fish appears to be a koi. Have caught a couple of them in South Florida.

Reminds me of a guy that I went fishing with who acted like he knew how to fish inshore yet his PB redfish is less than 25 inches. He saw another fisherman catch a big one and he quickly drove his boat to fish where the other guy was fishing in. This guy didn't catch a single redfish that day. We where fishing in one of the best places in Florida for redfish. A couple months later I put my time on the water and caught a trophy redfish from land. This guy hasn't beat his PB since the last time we spoke. Also had some boaters get close to me when they saw me catch the trophy redfish but they left when they did not get a bite. Goes to show you the bent rod pattern does not always work and a land based fisherman can do quite well if they know what they are doing.

My experience has taught me that the reel is much more important than the rod, especially if you are fishing for powerful fish capable of truly testing the reels drag. For example let's say you want a reel that can handle both inshore gamefish and bass, in this situation you need a reel that can handle the strong runs from inshore gamefish that can be over 40'' but a small enough reel for bass fishing. Hard to do with some of the cheap reels. Quality is even more important if you want the reel to last you for many years.

Throughout the years I have had countless people observe me since they like to follow the bent rod pattern. It can be annoying at times (especially the ones that don't even introduce themselves and watch like creeps) but they can watch all they want since it will not guarantee them the same success I have. LOL!

Beautiful collection you have! The wood furniture is also very nice. Back then they made things to last. I got Penn reels older than myself that still work great and have helped me land lots of big fish. Today lots of manufactures have their products made overseas where they practice planned obsolescence. Would be awesome if more business sent their factories back to the USA and made products that will last for decades.

Nice collection of old reels and rods. Do you have any Penn Reels from the 1960's and before?

I mostly fish for bass in South Florida so that is why I named my username soflabasser. Have caught most species of black bass that have been identified and fished several states so I am very comfortable fishing different bodies of waters for bass.

Another proven saltwater lures are spoons. They come in all shapes, sizes, and colors so you should be able to find some that will work in the area your friend is fishing in.

Unfortunately those rotten apples ruin it for the honest ones promoting good products.

Worse guide fishing etiquette I see is when guides spend more time fishing than teaching the customer. There is a reason why someone hires a guide and it is to learn not to watch someone fish. Anybody can be a good bass fisherman but not everybody can be good at teaching someone how to bass fish well.

I was raised to be honest and that is how I am. If I recommend a lure it is because I have experience fishing it and have done well with it. How was your last fishing trip, any nice sized bass? From the recent YouTube videos I see lots of California fishermen are doing very well. The weather and the fishing has been good for me the past couple of months.

As long as you are being 100% honest that there are other lure options that can be better it is ok. One of the things that I find most disgusting is sponsored fishermen overhyping a product like it is the best lure for bass fishing. It is just plain wrong but some people lack morals and only care about making maximum profit. Anyone with enough experience knows you can do quite well with a handful of lures that have been proven for over a decade, those types of lures need no advertising since happy customers give all the advertising needed. Lots of talented bass fishermen have no interest in tournament fishing and many of these fishermen have caught double digit bass. Not all tournament fishermen have caught double digit bass or caught 30 pound or better 5 bass limits in 1 day.