N Florida Mike

Hey Rick. Yeah I’m an ol Jax boy. Grew up way down on the south side near mandarin. Went to wolfson. Last name is Barnett. I don’t know much about my bass hunter. I bought it used from a close friend. The markings on it are very faint. It actually has a crack above the water line in the front where the trolling motor mount is. My 40 pound thrust TM put too much strain on it. I can’t come up with a good way to fix it, so I’ve just been using the Jboat lately. I fished the FJC pond too and we caught some in there nothing big though. That security guard there was a pain. He ran us out the second time we put a boat in there. No sign saying you couldn’t fish there. Also fished the unf pond with the island . Never did well for bass there, but we caught a lot of bream.

I’m not a jerkbait expert, but I often do better for big fish between 11-2 in the winter for some reason. In the summer I’m rarely still on the water after 11... I tend to think that if the bass are feeding they will generally bite whatever you are throwing that looks like a good Food source to them, no matter what time of day it is. I just say go whenever you can, if you don’t have a line in the water you definitely won’t catch any...

Sitting here at the tire store and I started thinking about a topic I’d like to start. Old memories of great fishing trips we’ve had. I have so many and I’m sure y’all do as well. It doesn’t necessarily mean the best day catching fish but it could be the memories created by the experience with nature, family, the Creator, or the fish.You can make multiple posts as you think of old experiences. I scarcely know where to start. So I’ll do an old one first, with my dad. I had caught fish before , but at 8 I had not caught a big fish yet.I was on vacation at my Grandma’s house in Shallote NC. My dad wanted to go surf fishing, so he took me and my cousin the 7 miles down to Ocean isle beach. White sand, very clean, sea oats blowing in the breeze. Can still remember the smell of the beach that day. We fished dead shrimp. I suddenly had a big bite , and there was nothing like I had experienced before pulling on the end of the line. Being so young, I could cast the bait caster far enough to where fish were, but I still wasn’t too good at telling the difference between a bite and a wave. When this fish hit, I knew it! There was no doubt. My dad and cousin called encouraging words and of course, coaching me on how to land the fish. I finally pulled it up into the surf, and the last few feet I was so afraid it would fall off... but it didn’t. It ended up being a 3-4 pound black drum. I was hooked for life! Wish I had a picture to share but at least it is forever stamped in my mind. I can see that day even though it was 50 years ago. My dad didn’t catch any , but My cousin caught a keeper flounder. We fried em up at grandma’s house. Have loved fishing ever since that day. It’s interesting how one experience can shape your life’s interests and pursuits.

Got a picture of a cousin taken right before he was killed in that war. It was right before he left his home in SW Virginia to go. Him and GGpa had a mess of squirrels they had shot up on their mountain that day in the picture.

I don’t listen to music much when I’m in the boat fishing. But when I do , I listen to bluegrass. On the dock it’s more bluegrass, and sometimes some traditional Cajun music or Traditional country.

Those are some nice fish dorado. We call em Specks in Florida. My PB was 1 3/4 pounds- caught it on a white roostertail. I haven’t fished for them in years. When I did, I primarily used live minnows. I used 6 pound test , which was perfect for the specks. The problem was that catfish like minnows too. I once had a huge catfish eat a minnow intended for specks on that rig. The catfish did whatever he wanted until he went around the anchor rope and broke off. I haven’t caught any in years in my home lake. I’ve only caught a few in there and they were around a pound each. Anyway, nice catch and you made me want to go catch some for myself!

I don’t have a whole lot to steal but if someone was outside stealing something I wouldn’t shoot them but I wouldn’t mind hurting them a little.? I have more trouble with relatives that steal though than random theifs off the street.

I got out for a few hours today. Windy !! Stuck with the jerkbait and got a few . I got the feeling today would have been tough even with plastics.

I’ve fished with them before but never have done well. Soft plastics are hard to compete with around here.

I’m on to something with this jerk bait. Every fish I catch gets bigger. I lost one that was 4 + a little while ago. Getting excited about putting a few hours into it tomorrow.

I grew up in N Florida all my life and have seen numerous moccasins, a few diamondbacks , and a copperhead. Many of the moccasins were in the st Johns river system and most of the rest in lakes. Seems like anywhere with cypress trees around. Diamondbacks relate the most to palmettos. You also have to watch for big hornet nests on trees along creeks and rivers.

I probably will in the afternoon.

Tying to do better with jerkbaits. Especially this time of year when my weedy home lake is clearer of weeds. This is the 2nd fish I’ve caught since a friend gave me the bait last week. The bait is the mystery minnow, by knockout bait company. I caught both fish on a slow, steady retrieve with breaks in between.

I have a 12 foot JB and a 8 foot 2 seater bass hunter. I have a 40 lb thrust minnkota tm. with a 12 volt battery . It powers both boats well enough. Both boats have their pros and cons. I tend to prefer the JB, especially if I’m fishing with someone. A 14 footer has plenty of room . A 12 is big enough. The bass hunter type boat is fine for 1 but small for 2 imo. It can be done though. The bass hunter type boat will spin around If you mount the TM in back . It does better if you mount it in front. It also handles weeds better if it’s in front. I can also load the JB in the bed of my truck a lot easier than trying to load the hunter. The JB is longer, but the hunter seems heavier- being shorter it seems that you have less leverage to pick it up and into the bed. The hunter is more open air and is cooler in summer. You also sit higher than the bench seats on a stock JB. To me, the JB is more versatile because you could always add a small outboard later .

Lots of bream and catfish too, besides largemouths. Be careful with mudfish( bowfin) or gars . Toothy critters! You might try the saltwater fishing too if you’re near the gulf.

If there was an animal hell otters would all be there. They killed and ate all the large catfish in my lake. I don’t even want to see another one. As far as my eternal destiny, that’s secure. I had tried to trap him and just couldn’t after many attempts. Finally layed low for him with my 410 and along he came. Had him , was fixing to pull down on him, and my wife had come up behind me and hollered “ Don’t shoot him “ The otter went under and did not come back up there. So I actually resorted to prayer about it and never saw him again. Otters are cute, like the girl you wanted in high school. The one that was pretty, but had a black heart. I know they are just doing what they were created to do , but when it’s between them and the fish , I’m taking the fish every time!!!

Use a totally different bait. Try live bait. Try slowing the presentation. If that all fails, then let it rest.

I have never had a bite on a jig. I have only caught a few on wacky rigged senkos ( although I slay them on a T rig. ) I have stated that on several other threads. A deep dark secret?? ? ?? I eat bass( no , not all of them) I use live bait sometimes. I fish bass beds( I do throw them all back ) Now That Ive offended half the people on the forum, I’ll quit.

Ive been around alligator snappers most of my life. I don’t fool with trying to get a hook out of their mouth. I don’t pick them up . ( anymore) And I don’t ever wade fish with fish on a stringer in waters that have them. They will find you! Other than that, you’ll be fine.

That’s it! I’m hoping to go 2-3 times. Hey are you coming down to see the vols play ?. I could put you on some fish too!

No thanks. Not touching that...

I fish all sizes of worms . I fish the 4 inch lucky strike curly tail worms and the zoom speed worms a lot. The small sized trick worms work well too, but are hard to find at stores. I T rig them with a small split shot right above the hook. The speed worms are my favorite at the moment. Not sure of the length but Probably 5-6 inch.

When I was young I went several times a week and would fish all day most Saturdays. I mean sun up to sun down. Now my back won’t let me do that anymore. It’s taken the edge off the addiction. I still go more than most. I have friends that look surprised when I tell them I only went once in the last 2 weeks, like that’s still a lot. Not for me it isn’t. I don’t do many of the things I did when I was younger , due to marriage , kids , grandkids ,volunteer work, work, financial shortcomings . But fishing has survived it all!!

I go to Academy for nearly all my outdoor stuff now. There’s one around 20 minutes from me. Dicks is about the same distance away. The only thing I need that Academy doesn’t have is 4 inch senkos. They do have the dingers though, which I usually use anyway. I love Academy sports. Hope they don’t change for the worst.