N Florida Mike

Stopped by one of my favorite work route ponds and did well with the Houdini zoom super fluke

Good dog !!

Big game this week: Florida/Georgia! Go Gators!!!?????????????

See him ? He was on our island above me as I fished. Gave him a couple of hoots. He stared. Probably scarred him for life thinking I was the biggest ugliest owl he’d ever seen. ?

Got out after 4 today. The lake was very calm . I didn’t go with much of a plan. I stopped off at the first deeper hole down the lake and Caught the biggest one there on the zoom fluke with reddish top and gold sparkle. Caught several more on the same bait. Also caught a couple on the watermelon red baby brush hog.I switched back to a fluke down at the island and had one take it- I watched him swim by the boat as I set the hook. There was a bigger fish behind that one but couldn’t get it to bite.Then I switched to a red shad 10 inch culprit worm as I moved to the south end of the lake and got a couple more. Also caught several on the June bug speed worm. As night fell, I switched to a June bug senko and got a few more. They were only biting it if I hopped it , waited , and repeated. Ended up with 16. The bite was only fair for this time of year, but you won’t hear me complaining!!?

There is a lot going on here. Rough water- overloaded boat- not enough horses- no life jackets - bailing by hand- even surfers trying to help . Sometimes bad lessons are the best to those who live long enough to learn from them... Hopefully they all survived... Would be funny if it wasn’t so serious. Everything not to do while boating...

I told this one awhile back , but it’s appropriate. My g. Daughter convinced me to go to a pawn shop nearby to look at video games. When we got there of course I went to look at the fishing stuff. I had turned to walk away as I looked at the last combo. It was an ultralight which I thought would be perfect for bream. Then I realized... it was my combo! It had been missing for a year or so . Never knew which relative or “ friend “ had taken it. But I was thrilled to get it back for 20$. .I hadn’t reported it stolen , so I probably couldn’t have pressed for an arrest. Now if I could just find that surf rod , hip boots , waders ,coin collection , family heirlooms , WEDDING RINGS.... ?

I’m glad you got out with your son. I haven’t gone with my son lately but hope to soon . His work schedule and mine don’t mesh at all at this point. Hopefully soon... Will keep you in my thoughts and prayers...

I have had a lot of my outdoor gear stolen by relatives and their friends. And a lot of other stuff. To the point that I can’t be specific or I start getting mad.On one hand it’s kind of my fault for not keeping it under lock and key. But then I think - I really shouldn’t have to with family members. And I know who they are and they know I know- and could care less.Because there is no evidence. Everything is pawned or sold. I did get my chainsaw back after noticing it was gone- stolen and pawned by a family “ friend “ I confronted him, he did not confess- but The police found it with his name on it at the local pawn shop. I pressed charges - he got 8 months in jail for it, got out and almost immediately had an overdose of heroin and died. There will be a special place in hell for drug dealers I’m convinced, and that drugs probably causes most of the crime and specifically, thefts. When I was growing up people stole something because they wanted it. Now they steal to sell it and get drugs.

I have heard many stories like that . I’ll tell you one thing, they don’t retreat much ! That’s one reason they’re so dangerous - most other wild critters run if approached. Y’all have copperheads up there don’t you?

That behavior by Gators sounds like they’re used to being fed. That’s the main reason they lose all fear of people. I know Ive said this before but I’ve been around Gators a lot(mostly in wild areas ) and just haven’t had much attention from them., even when I used to frequently wade fish the st Johns river where they were numerous. Once a gator( 7-8 footer ) swam towards us when the kids were swimming and splashing around. I made them get up on a dock . As soon as the splashing stopped, so did he. then he turned and swam out towards the middle of the river. I do respect Gators but am not scared of em. Just something we deal with if we want to spend any time outdoors here. I got hemmed in by 2 9 footers one evening but Im sure they weren’t working together to get me. When it got too dark for me to stand it ., I waded toward the one in my way out and he sank. I did pray some that time but he had left when I got to where he had been. Most of the public bank fishing areas I know about here have gators but you rarely see any. I have only heard of one that followed a boat showing aggression and he was( is ) ? A huge old gator that was named” ol’ Tail light. He was named that cause his head was so big and his eyes were so far apart ( and glowing red when shined at night) . Supposedly a 16 footer. The man it happened to was way up a creek and he saw a headless deer floating there. The gator then approached the boat. He was probably just protecting his food source. I have heard of people getting attacked and killed / maimed by them , but it’s rare. Lightning kills a lot more people here than Gators.

I’m pretty sure people are the most dangerous thing we face, city or country. And Florida definitely has its share of deranged folks. I don’t go out in the woods without my peace maker anymore.

Born and raised in Florida. I personally am much more concerned with moccasins than Gators. I won’t go into all the experience I’ve had with Gators this time, but just keep your eyes open. They don’t eat trees, and that’s basically what you look like to one if you’re standing on the bank. I have never had one fail to run away if you startle one on the bank. Moccasins are more common even than Gators .I’ve never had one chase me , although I’ve heard all the stories otherwise. Wear snake boots if possible. In Early March there won’t be too much activity if it’s been cold anyway. And wear something with deet for ticks. In ponds I would use soft plastics as weightless as possible. Flukes , senko, ribbon tailed and trick worms especially.

I like to occasionally sniff a new pack of worms but I don’t play with them ( much )?

Got up the other morning and noticed this...

I don’t go much anymore when it’s bad weather. I rarely ever fish in the rain but will if I get caught in it. I have not done well bass fishing in the rain anyway. ( catfishing is a different story) I don’t fool with lightning. I can fish on my home lake with a lot of wind and often do. The best day I ever had for numbers was one of the windier days I ever fished. I caught my PB on a very windy day also. I generally prefer a light but steady breeze- just enough to put a nice ripple on the water. I have a inshore saltwater spot that is absolute money for redfish when it’s NE winds 20 + and high tide. If you can’t fish anywhere else, that’s the best place to be.

Even though I grew up here, I’m finding less places to hunt every year due to extreme development. I hunt some of the local WMAs , mostly Guana River. I never can get far enough away from everyone in there to really enjoy the experience fully. I primarily like slow stalking for squirrels and other small game. Also like still hunting for hogs/deer. I know it’s a shot in the dark but Does anyone have or know anyone with some private land in the general area I could hunt on ? My grandson who’s 17 likes going too. Just tired of public land with all the “ hunters” that have little concept of safety and there’s just too many of them out there. ‘Preciate it!!

Hopefully they took the hooks off ! ?

I know it’s off topic but I Couldn’t help it .here’s one of my favorite far side cartoons. As for the end of the world I won’t be here but if I was I would use a senko. lol ?

I fished the last 3 hours of the day. It was partly cloudy and nice temps. Cooler than it’s been since late spring. One of those days that just felt good all around. I ended up with 18. Caught most of them on the June bug speed worm, including the two best fish that are pictured. I also caught a few on the gold sparkle/red top fluke. I have a spot that also always holds fish right before dark. It’s the first eel grass bed for a while on my way home. I found an old 8 inch producto tournament worm, and picked off a few more, mostly on or near topwater with a medium retrieve. The bigger fish have been hard to find lately. But The fall bite is improving anyway.

I haven’t been on the river lately , but a friend that lives in the fruit cove area caught a 5 pounder on a trick worm , not sure what color. I have done best in the river system with soft plastics, red shad or black , black grape. My favorite worms in the river is Culprits and producto tournament worms. I like fishing Cypress trees and inside grass beds on high tide( the closer to Jax you get the tides are a factor) and the outside of grass beds and under docks at lower tides. Usually the end of the docks will be right on the edge of deeper water so they often hold fish. Pick out the low slung docks and skip under them if you can. They usually hold more fish. I also just mainly fish the ends and under boathouses, not the walk way part. If I had one pattern that would be it. If you fish live bait, shiners always account for some good fish, I would fish them on outside grass/ pad edges. I haven’t fished south of lake George but I have a friend down there that fishes in the river east of Orlando and does very well with swimbaits on a weighted jig head.

I had one real bad episode of it 15 years or so ago. Got home from a 3 hour trip and fell out of the car, crawled up the steps into the house. I thought “ if I can just make it to the bed Ill be ok . Too late- threw up and kept on throwing up for hours. Finally went to the hospital and what all they gave me made me feel better almost immediately. Doc said it was “ minears syndrome. And to cut out salt and caffeine. My ear still rings all the time and so get little bouts of slight vertigo but nothing like that one time. I took beta histine tablets for several years and they really helped. I try to keep the salt down- it seems to really help. Caffeine doesn’t seem to matter- I drink all the sweet tea and coffee I want! Hope things get better. Vertigo was only .2nd to minengitus for the sickest I’ve ever been so I can definitely empathize.

I catch plenty of smaller fish with the baby brush hogs. Brush hogs don’t work well for me at all. I do well with lizards, mainly the 7 inch ( I think ) Zoom in pumpkin or watermelon seed. Bigger average fish. The zoom lizard is versatile- it can be used in several different ways. For me , I do best with either a medium speed retrieve on top, esp. over and around grass , or working them slow on the bottom.

Didn’t know they got this big. Would a huge bass be able to tackle this thing? I think this is where the craws would get some payback!!!

Bass will bed in a mud bottom lake. They won’t do it in real deep mud, but they will traditionally bed in the same areas year after year. They bed in my lake, which is all mud bottom. Carp are helpful, although fairly expensive. They have certain weeds they like better than others though. I’ve got some 40-50 pounders in my lake. Otters are probably why you aren’t catching fish. They ate every catfish in my lake! I fished hard for 1-2 years for them after the last otter sighting and the catfish fry finally grew up enough for me to start catching some. Otters can’t catch bass as good, because bass are more elusive than catfish but in a small pond with limited cover they can definitely thin out a population. You might try the Pond Boss forum. It’s a very helpful place to get info.