Everything posted by N Florida Mike
-
What was the deciding factor?
I totally agree. Wish I would have followed that back then.Things I did wrong: Always moving to " better " spots.Fishing way too fast.I even would fish two rods at a time.Cast two and work one,then work the other one. I never did that when I was " just" fishing. It doesnt work.Another thing I did wrong was get too locked into one bait.Esp.T- rigged worms.Although they are great, its too one dementional. Now I switch to a senko or fluke.Ive improvd my versatility 200% !!!?
-
St. Johns Bass fishing?
Ive fished the Northern part of the river a lot ( as far down as Lake George ) but not recently.I never got into the " offshore" fishing , but did well fishing eel grass , docks , pads, and Cypress trees, with black or red shad worms. Just like anywhere else, big worm= big fish ,little worms= numbers.C rescent has some excellent bream and speck fishing too. I have a friend that fishes the headwaters of the St Johns south of orlando.He uses small swimbaits and does well. I would also try wild shiners in pads or outside eel grass beds. You can also get topo maps of the whole river and figure out fishing deep er holes.
-
What was the deciding factor?
I fished tournaments for two years.What got me into it was : • I love bass fishing • I am very competitive • My friends thought Id be good at it • For the fellowship with some of these friends, and other bass fisherman. What I discoverd was : • my love for bass fishing did not place me high in every tournament •My competitive nature caused me to usually fish way too fast • I was not as good in tournaments as My friends thought Id be • I did accomplish the fellowship thing with friends.Looking back, this was the most important thing to me anyway. In the 2 years I fished them,I won one tournament, and placed 2nd or third several times.But I never did nearly as well in tournaments as I did just fishing. I did get to see some famous waters though! Id like to fish maybe one or two tournaments a year now if could do it with a friend or two.
-
So I was unprepared for this fish
5 3/4 to 6 1/4
-
Where to buy or catch wild shiners in jacksonville
Welcome to bass resource. St Augustine rd fish management area is full of shiners but its illegal to throw a cast net there.I catch em with a tiny hook with a small bread ball.Chum them first. There is a bait store ( arlington bait and tackle ) in town and country shopping center on University.( I think there still open) There are some in mandarin parks pond. Theres another small pond I know of,but a security guard will run you off. What part of town do you live in??
-
Latest Catch Pics Thread
-
Zoom bait co.
I love Zoom products.At least 2/3 of all my soft plastics are zoom.
-
Learning to fish on your own
My dad taught me to fish, but not for bass. I learned from 2 friends in th 70s, then went 30+ years learning mostly on my own.Bass resource and the friends Ive met on here have helped me to learn some new things. In the old days when I first began bass fishing I did some innovative things, such as fishing with a cane pole for bass.I mainly fished a shallow creek ( named deep bottom creek ) this way.I would walk up and down the creek and watch for schools of bass.Then plop the blue plastic worm in front of them. I learned casting, playing the fish, knots,drag,bait techniques,finding fish,etc.mostly through trial and error,doing it over and over by myself.Experience is the best teacher.
-
Latest Catch Pics Thread
Thanks.What I love doing.When I take her I try to remember to make it about her,so she'll have so much fun she'll keep going with me. Her older brother is good at it too,but at present he's been bit by the video game bug.
-
Latest Catch Pics Thread
My granddaughter and me got out for a little while before dark and she got 2. This is the bigger one.
-
Going back...
I fished nearly all the well known lakes/rivers etc in much of N. Florida,and a lot of places that arent well known, and many with no name. Its hard for me to pick one or two but I'll try.Every one of them has special memories with some of the best friends Ive ever had.I wont count the lake I live on,but it has the most memories.T hese aren't necessarily where we caught the most fish ,but where the EXPERIENCE was outstanding. • The St Johns river at Lake George,and Crescent lake.Picture Cypress trees and spanish moss.They are different water bodies,but they are very similar to me.We would have our churches mens retreats at one or the other of these 2 spots each year.Everyone (40 + )men,would fish all day, then we would clean them all and have a fish fry and fellowship ( and a lot of practical jokes as I recall ) I was in my 20s then,and learned a lot about life being around all the wisdom from the older men. Once, one of my best friends found a little hole near an Island in Crescent lake.It was only 4×4 or so.We caught easily over 100 bream of all varieties out of that one little spot.We used all the live worms we had,and they even bit DEAD worms.It pretty much supplied the whole fish fry that time.We believed the MASTER fisherman had supplied for us. One of the special memories at one of those was when I had a special needs young man with me.We were fishing behind drayton Island near lake George.I was running the boat fixing to stop and fish.I saw a bass hit,killed the motor and cast to the fish,and handed him the rod.The bass took the worm and even though he didnt fight the fish well it was eventually landed.3 pounds.It was the biggest fish caught that trip.He was so proud and excited from all the attention. Sorry for the long post but I could go on and on.
-
Going back...
If you could go back to an old fishing hole from your past ,where would it be and why, and what you caught them on there. Its ok to pick a couple. I'll wait to hear some responses and post mine later. Mike
-
Anybody have any experience cast netting shad or shiners?
• Id use a 5 foot net to start with,if u havent thrown one much. •Get one with heavier weights. • Ponds are easier because the fish are more concentrated and easier to find. • Chum the area with old bread until you get a concentration of fish.It may take a few hours to a few days . • Check the laws for cast netting in your state. I was cast netting some shiners in a pond down the road and caught a 5 pound bass.W onder what he was doing with all those shiners??
-
Can You Guys Clear This Up For Me?
• I would fish the deepest hole in the hottest part of the day for starters . • Fish Anything that amounts to structure • Fish all drain outlets thoroughly. • I dont have a problem using live bait.It works!!
-
Red shad laminate senko
My senko of choice is watermelon slice,which Are basically watermelon red with more red in it.Also has a black top to it,so its similar to red shad.Its my number one producer .I have red shad flukes which I occasionally catch a fish on,and still have my red shad culprits which I have caught hundreds of fish on.
-
Latest Catch Pics Thread
Nice football er, uh ,fish.
-
Becoming a guide/fishing teacher?
Nah not me.All it takes is a hook in the finger or worse and theyd be a lawsuit or settlement without insurance.
-
Zona Show on Skipping Docks
I love skipping. Its enjoyable to me making a good skip and then often having a fish pick up.Its truly priductive as bass so often hold under docks.The lake Im on has docks and a couple pontoons.One of them always has fish under it.Now the owner has pulled the boat straight in to the dock so the only way to skip it is at the motor end.To make it even harder,the angle is such that I have to back hand the cast. I also have an Island to fish around.I can go backhand or forehand .Ive gotten really good at the angle either way.I do better in my jon boat than the bass hunter because it sits lower in the water.It is just like skipping rocks to me. Lest you think Im bragging,I have not yet learned flipping.I have tried and just cant seem to get it. To me ,skipping is easy. ( only with spinning though)?
-
Any Pelican Bass Raider Owners Out There?
If you put weight towards the back it helps. I dont use a rudder due to all the weeds I have to get through.I put a heavy concete chunk I have in back if no one's fishing with me, and I put myself and the battery as far back as I can and still reach the Tm comfortabley.It cuts down the problem a lot .
-
barn wood quilt ladder
Nice! I love quilts ( not quilting ) I still have a couple old patchwork quilts my great Aunt made back in the mountains. Great that you can do something like that to be a blessing to your wife.
-
Finding Balance
My wife used to complain about my fishing and other activities. It used to drive me crazy.More than once I said in anger ( to myself of course ) " I'll never fish again " That lasted maybe 2 days and I would get the itch. The issue wasnt what I was doing,it was what I wasnt doing ( for her). After a lot of soul searching and prayer,I realized I needed to change from just telling her I love her to SHOWING it. I try to put her ahead of myself, and now I fish twice as much and she rarely complains.But it has to be genuine,not just so you can get your way. Best years of our marriage since I finally realized this.
-
First frog bass this year
Had a late evening supper with the famly so I missed my fishing window .Almost . Heard the frogs croakin in numbers for the first time this year. So I only took one frog outfit and one small booyah pc. Got 2 blow ups and 1 fish. The fish that missed was the better of the two.
-
bass and mushrooms
I like the bass part anyway. Hope those 'shrooms werent the psycho kind!
-
What do you do for a living?
Started out on a farm for 7 years.Did a few other outdoor jobs before getting into lawn care,which Ive done in various ways since 1987. I now do sales for that and all the other pest control services our company provides.This allows me to have a flexible schedule which I love.Love the people I sell to but not so much the fall out from micro management. Got a ministerial degree but havent done it full time.So Ive done volunteer ministry since the mid- eighties. Children's ministry, teens,adults.old folks. Right now raising a 15 year old grandson and 11 year old granddaughter. And doing mentoring for recovering addicts. And love teaching people about God and fishing.
-
Other Species Latest Catch Pics Thread
I know theyre down south but Ive never heard of anyone catching one in my area, which I consider to be from the Georgia line to ocala fl.