soflabasser

A 20 inch or bigger smallmouth bass is big enough for a Ohio smallmouth bass master angler award.

Shimano makes very good baitcasters that can be used for muskie fishing.

A lot of Youtubers post fishing videos in your area. You can ask them where they are fishing and many of them will tell you where they are fishing or tell you where it is good to go.

Inline spinners are one of my favorite lures when fishing in rivers.

Have caught lots of big bass on spinnerbaits as well. It is a very versatile lure that can be fished throughout the water column.

Spinnerbaits are one of the best lures for bass fishing and it would be wise for all fishermen to learn how to fish them well.

I have fished flooded northern rivers and have done well with spinnerbaits.

The fish in the photo is a common carp. Owner makes very good hooks.

Still feels like Summer here in South Florida and the weather forecast seems to predict more warm weather. It rarely gets under 50 degrees where I live so it is nice weather to be outside. I look towards to seeing what fish I catch this Fall.

Central Florida has lots of public bodies of water you just have to look for them and put your time on the water to learn them. The Tampa Bypass canal is a good place to fish for bass on land.

A landing net is one of the most valuable things a bass fisherman can have.

A 2 piece rod will easily fit in the trunk of most cars.

Aquarium bass are pet bass. That is why it is best to study bass in the wild. Texas Sharelunker program is well known for its success, I would listen to what they have to say. I agree with Mr. Lembeck's findings.

Penn and Shimano both make good saltwater reels.

I agree. Studying bass in a aquarium teaches very little about how bass behave in the wild. All those fishermen you mentioned are highly talented bass fishermen and gained their knowledge by fishing. Reading a book does not compare to real life experience. Well said! The best teacher is real life experience. Reading a book about aquarium raised bass teaches very little about the behavior of bass in the wild. I rather listen to people who dive and study bass in the wild than people who study bass in aquariums.

Old school lures work as well today as they did many years ago. Jointed Rapalas and Rebel lures are very good fo river fishing.

I have caught both Kentucky spotted bass and Alabama spotted bass, they are fun but I rather catch 100% pure black bass than catch the hybrids. These hybrids are spreading all across the southern states and threatening the existence of many native black bass. They are especially harmful to the native redeye bass which I prefer to catch over a spotted bass. If my only goal is to catch big bass I will fish for the big largemouth bass where I live since they are very plentiful here.

I won't be surprised if a 12 pound Alabama spotted bass gets caught in Georgia but I rather catch the native black bass species. These Alabama spotted bass where brought into Georgia by fishermen and this has caused problems for the other bass species. Alabama bass hybridize with several black bass species and people are catching these hybrids in places where there used to be only pure strain varieties of black bass.

You can find plenty of free fishing advice online from experienced bass fishermen in this forum and YouTube which will help anyone from beginner to advanced bass fisherman. Most people are watching Youtube and other social medias to learn about fishing since it is easier and more entertaining to learn that way.

I have done well using a medium action spinning rod for inline spinners.

Make sure to buy a quality reel made for saltwater fishing. You might be able to use the cheap low quality stuff for freshwater but it is not the wisest decision for saltwater fishing. You need a reel that is corrosion resistant and has quality components so it can take the abuse from a strong fish like a shark or other powerful fish. Do not leave the reel on the sand and make sure to carefully clean the reel after you are done fishing.

Jigs are good lures to fish in rocky rivers and I have a bunch of them since they are very easy to find online.

This year has been the time where I have seen the most people fishing so it makes sense that it is hard to find fishing tackle in stores. Fortunately I have found everything I needed online.

Tarpon are known as one of the best gamefish in the world and they earned that title. Hook into a +20 pound tarpon on bass tackle in a freshwater canal and you will see why so many people like to fish for them. Smallmouth bass are fun to catch but I rather fish for muskies if lived in the MidWest. I have caught muskies, smallmouth bass, walleye, and other Northern fish in my travels. I did some research online and saw a video of Calico bass eating fish pellets like it was their favorite food. It is amazing what fish will eat when they are hungry!

Nice shoal bass they are fun to catch.