basslovr

Don't give up on Alligator Lake in Safety Harbor......there are some pigs in there....most of the bigger ones are caught flipping the reeds that line the shore....the stigma that fishermen are all liars will always put doubt in peoples minds, but I have heard of several fish in there that are well over 10 lbs....my pb there is 7.5 so I would not doubt that there are bigger ones in there. Walsingham also holds some large fish as that lake has some really deep holes in it....I have caught some decent fish in Taylor Reservoir but nothing over 3 lbs...although I have heard "stories".......you just never know.... Lake Chatauqua behind Dimmit Chevrolet is very fishy and I have spooked some really big fish there, but have never caught anything over 3 to 4 lbs there either......this last one is only accessible by canoe/kayak and only hand-launched...they do not allow trailers as there is very limited parking space.

Which one should you spend more money on...the rod or the reel? At what price point does spending more on one than the other really affect your decision? For example, I bought a spinning reel and paid 150 for it....how much should I or should I not spend on a rod to make it a good match? Thanks for your input.....

Oh, ok....I don't think I am going to be that far north on the river...my brother lives down around Old Town/Fanning Springs....I think we are gonna hit the Santa Fe River this time, but who knows...may make it up that way at some point....thanks for the info.

Thank you for the offer sir, but I am going to order some through a small local tackle shop here....he said they should be in next week....now those craw patterns come in four different colors....are any of them better than others?

Which state park are you referring to? Manatee Springs?....we will be fishing from kayaks, so dealing with rocks doesn't seem to be an issue unless you know something that I don't and should.

Thank you Tommy....is there a chart that shows average normal depth of water? (I know, define normal, right?...lol) the values on this chart show feet above mean sea level which means absolutely nothing to me since I basically live right at sea level anyway. Naturally, all you need up there is a few good days of rain and it will all change.....Thanks for the info...

I guess I am going to have to order some of those SR4's online.... I hit every major tackle outlet in Pinellas County and a couple in Hillsborough County and none of them carry the 4's....found some 5's, 6's and 7's, but the only craw colors were in the 7's....I did have one guy offer to order them for me, so maybe I will do that and at least give the business to a local guy....he is a little operation too...I think that is what I will do....I am starting to get antsy.....still 2 1/2 weeks away, but my wife says that I am like a little kid at Christmas time when it comes to fishing.....yeah a 55 year old kid.....lol. and gar-tracker, that guys was a cheepie....my wife would not have been a happy camper if I had done that.....did you ever offer to take him fishing again after that?

do the tides affect the river that far north?...just curious

ok thanks.....

Hey Jellyman, there's a good chance I'll be up on the Santa Fe in about three weeks or so.....what section of the river you fishing?

thank you for that information Gatrboy....I did some homework and found elli ray's and the county park at the 47 bridge....we may pull the fifth wheel and stay the night at elli ray's and get in two days of fishin...not going up for another 3 weeks so the water levels may change between now and then, but I am sure we will be able to make due as long as there are no hurricanes while I am up there...how long of a float would you say that is between the two points?....and does it matter what color the bitsy minnows are? and does it matter which craw pattern for the shad raps?...they come in 3 or 4 colors.

Thanks for the info gentlemen....I do like the idea of slower moving water....have not had a lot of experience fishing in that scenario...only a couple of times on the upper Hillsborough River...definitely would like to catch some of those Suwanee Bass....have heard they are pretty scrappy....May check out the Santa Fe....that looks real nice from what I have seen online....thanks again....

Gonna be spending a few days on the Suwanee River up around Old Town in a few weeks....anybody know any decent places to launch a kayak and possibly catch some fish? I would be most grateful

I have heard a lot of stories about Rodman Reservoir and how good the fishing is. So I decided that I am going to finally find out for myself...anybody have any information that would be willing to share to make a believer out of me. It's a bit of a drive for me from Clearwater, so I would like to make it worth my while....Thank you in advance for any tips on promising areas. I fish from a kayak and so my range of distance is rather limited once I get on the water. Thanks again.

thanks guys.....it has been a while since I got a quality fish....quite a while....hope it is not as long til the next one.

Yes Moretolife it is great to have folks like that....there are still some good people in this world, thank God!

Ok,....report time.....got to the lake about 4:00 and after a quick trip to Bridgemaster for some necessities, we were on the water about 6:30. Went to a spot that was relatively easy to find in the dark that was suggested by another member of this forum....Thank you again for the tip.....as previously mentioned it was just getting dark, so the time of day required a little improvisation from the suggested offering from said forum member....so wanted to attract some attention and started throwing a buzzbait to create some noise.....threw that for a while, but had no takers....the guy I was fishing with tied on a white chatterbait which seemed like a really good idea so I joined him except I tied on a black one.....he boats a small bass about 14"....then another one....we make our way from one end of the suggested area to the other end and we were just getting ready to make a pass on the "outside" when I make a cast in between two grass patches.....retrieve a couple of yards....and then the vibrations stop......now as any chatterbait user knows.....when the vibrations stop.....set the hook......so I set the hook......and she made a bee-line for the boat....underneath the boat....line stripping from my spinning reel.....I turn her around and she swims out and across the clearing.....in the meantime I am asking my buddy for the net cause this is a good fish.....she turns and makes a run along the edge of the grass and I see her side in the moon light......YES!!!!...quality fish.......my buddy nets her and hoists her over the side.....OMG....a new personal best for me....her mouth was so big I could stick my fist in her mouth with room to spare.....my buddy says 8 lbs....I said I don't know....my personal best is 8.5 and this one looks bigger......so I get out the scales....9.3....9.4...9.5...9.6...9.7...9.8.....rests at 9.8. one bluegill shy of double digits.....That would turn out to be the highlight of the weekend.....all other fish caught were all in the 12 - 14" range which is all that has been being caught there lately so we were told....so thanks again for my contributor of information and thanks to the creator and keeper of this site without whom, I wouldn't have been able to get some great information...... and yes......she went back in the water to make her babies....I practice CPR on anything over 4 lbs.

Heading out around noon tomorrow...thanks for the tips guys....hopefully I will have something to share come Monday .....and hey gar-tracker, just for the record, we are NOT going speck fishing ..... but thanks anyway sir! Between Friday evening, all day Saturday and Sunday morning, we should be able to come up with something.

I have to opportunity to fish this lake next weekend....have fished it before, but it has been several years.....anybody fish it lately and are willing to share any reports? Thank you in advance.....

thanks again...."Naked Swimmer".sounds like a knock-off of the "Skinny Dipper"...lol...and I just happen to have some of them Ugly Otters too....great bait!...thank you again for the information...you are most kind.

Thank you sir....much appreciated....Aruka shad...that is a spro product correct?...got a couple of those.....swim baits...soft or hard?....and what were you flippin?...worms or creature baits?..... Thanx again for the info...this should help out greatly....been a few years since I was out there.

Sorry, can't help ya, I live in the Tampa area....I could if you lived over here.

Anybody fish this lake lately? I got an opportunity to go here next Friday....any reports would be greatly appreciated...thank you in advance.

Anybody been to Walk in Water lately....I got an opportunity to fish there next Friday....any areas of the lake better than others?...any help would be greatly appreciated.

You would not be giving yourself a fair decision if you did not check out the Nucanoe Frontier.....it is hands down the most stable "kayak" hybrid on the market......I don't think anyone has been able to flip it yet....and there are folks that have tried to and couldn't.....I'm just sayin.....It may not have the "prestige" of some of those other names...but if you want a stable ride....you gotta at least give it a test.....you won't find anything more stable.