N Florida Mike

I tend to agree with you about there being plenty of big fish out there.Where I would tend to disagree is the pressure.In the 80s in N Florida you had a better chance of being run over by a truck pulling a bass boat than the chances you had of catching a cold! I mean bass boats were everywhere! Now I uncommonly see one.Of course,my area has changed from mostly rural to mostly suburban in the last 40 years.But still...I occasionally fish or go by lakes I fished in the past.I rarely see anyone fishing.Its like a non bass fishing twilight zone or something now.I can't tell you ONE of my old bass buddies that still fish with any regularity.One of them sold his bass boat and took up golf,of all things . So to get back on track,I believe the fish are there but largely aren't being pressured anything like they were.Talking N Florida now.

Thanks Catt. Been talking to them too.

I actually called them the other day but all they did was give me a list of fish farms that could come stock the lake.( For a price ) I may try again.After a rest.That fwc website is like a maze!

Love those black shad Culprits but I'd have to go with GY senko.

I did well there with red shad Culprits around the cypress trees. But if you stay at the campground lock everything up,even if you're there.Someone stole my lantern and cooler with us right there in the tent. Lots of butter cats too if u want to run a trot line. Just noticed this is in the NE fish location.The one I'm referring to is in Baker county FL.near olustee battlefield

There has been no change that I can think of that would cause the bigger fish to change behavior.We did have hurricane Matthew in October , but we had less rain with it than a tropical storm a couple years ago.I even checked the creek/ outflow ditch after the storm and only found some little bream that had washed out.There are holes in that creek that would have had some bigger fish had they been there.Besides,we have a grass carp excluder gate across the little dam at my property,that was there for most of the storm.There at the end it got dislodged but all the big fish wouldn't have been there anyway .I fish there nearly every time after a heavy rain and the flow created there will cause fish to school there,but never big fish for some reason. As for suspending fish,they don't have much room to suspend since the lake only averages 5 ft deep,with holes to 8 feet.While the topwater bite is usually slow,they traditionally clobber soft plastics being reeled in at or near the surface.The bigger fish are usually caught fishing slow on the bottom.I have tried unusual baits in various depths to no avail( talking bigger fish here) As for predators,nothing out of the ordinary.We have had ospreys and owls since back when...An otter got in 10 years ago and cleaned out the catfish but the bass fishing didn't seem to be affected any.But we haven't seen him in 5-6 years now...We will have an occasional gator get in but not lately. As for the health of the fish,they range from healthy to skinny,but more of them are skinny than usual. The big fish usually bed in the same areas year after year and they don't seem to be there this year at all.Its kind of like a conference for a particular business.You don't see many of these people much all year until the conference,when they all show up. When the fish bed,youll see them.But not much this year.I do have a good sized bed where I caught a 6 pounder last year but I have not seen the fish yet. Thanks for the responses.Sorry for the lengthy post. Maybe.The bass fishing was terrible in 2011 and 12.But has improved every year until this one.

The St John's river and Rodman reservoir in N central FL. There is a less well known lake that has a local reputation for monster fish. Kingsley lake, at Camp blanding. I've fished these^^ I would like to fish Okeechobee and toho. And at least once,go up north (Tennessee)??? And catch some small mouth.Dale hollow??

Trying to find a couple friends I can trust that would help me thin the herd but let the big girls go.

I dont think we're too far along toward Eutrophication.T he lake is just as clear as it was in the 70s.The same things that happen now happened then,algae , aquatic weed problems,abundance of catfish etc.We did have a bad fish kill in 2011,but it was due to overzealous treatment which resulted in oxygen depletion and so a lot of fish died.Whats interesting is that the bass have OVER recovered,but the bream have not.

I knew a Thibodeaux from Lafayette la.He could make anyone laugh under any circumstance. Cool culture,the Cajuns.Ive heard the French speaking is declining though...Great heritage there,Catt

Yeah I've considered this too.I do rotate baits a lot.Im always looking for something they haven't seen.I went through my worm box full of old style worms from the 80s.Back then,these were what the bass loved in my lake.I tried them out for a couple hours with no success,but I'm going to try them again soon. Truthfully though,I have probably lost a few that were over 4 in the 9 months since I've caught one.I dont believe in luck,but I have had some strange things happen this year with several nice fish being lost one way or another.

I couldn't buy an expensive pair to start with,and if I did, they'd soon be broken.But I am in the market for a decent cheap pair.

Spider, That was a great article,thanks.

Dwight,thanks for your response.Thats exactly the conclusion I've come to.But finding the existence big fish and catching them is what's strange to me.

The lake is basically a dammed up Creek that went into a cypress pond.Been that way since the mid fifties. Bream fishing is fair at best,way down from what it once was.Catfishing is better than it was 10 years ago. I know the lake so well,since I have wade fished every foot of it( except swimming over the deeper areas )That's why it's so strange.Lake record is 13 1/2 pounds.

As some of you know,I live on a small lake in the Jax. Area,which I have fished for 0ver 40 years now.I have kept records of all the fish over 4 pounds I've caught in the last 10 years.The total over 4 is 49. I've consistently caught these larger fish until this year.I haven't caught any over 4 since April last year.I have actually fished more this year than any year of the 10,with less results.My overall strategy has been to fish numbers because out of 25 fish or so,there will always be a good fish or two mixed in.But not lately.I have gone occasionally to bigger baits,with no result.I have even fished live bait ( which I am very experienced with here.)Nothing over 3 1/2. Other than me,there is almost no fishing pressure.I have been having dink fests more and more,so be IM trying to weed them out,to get a larger size.Im working on that,because I know the population is too high and bait fish are low. But I have released every one of these bigger fish so they are still there...any thoughts ?

Senkos.( Usually ) To me, plastic flukes are a very close 2nd,if not dead equal. A friend came over and fished his senko wacky,and I fished zoom super flukes.I caught 10.He caught 9. Needless to say,I went out and got me some senkos,but I don't ever catch them with wacky.But T-rigged I catch a lot.

Here it is

Yeah the swim bait but It floats on its side.I tried it out last night .Didn't catch any,but had a small fish blow up on it. First time bait for me.Didnt know it was topwater til I fished it

The rod would be my 6.5 ugly stick medium heavy with my Shimano stradic. The baits would be zoom salty super fluke ,GY 4 inch senko, both in watermelon seed,or watermelon red,but I'm really torn on the 3rd one.The traditional choice would be red shad 7.5 inch culprit worm.The more current choice would be zoom trick worms in watermelon red. All t- rigged with a 3/0 wide gap hook,except the senko with a 1/0.

The 3.5 inch copper nose bluegill.

Just picked one up at Academy sports.I got the 3.5 inch coppernose bluegill. Has anyone done any good with them? It casts good at least .

I'd call the manufacturer.

I generally fish the same lakes and therefore know where fish usually bed.I'll start seeing aggressive little males in the shallows, and about the same time beds will start being scooped out.The male will be on them more than the female.I have a bed this year right off my property that is in the same spot as one last year where I caught the 6.3 pound female.I looked for her nearly every day once the nest went in and never saw her until I caught her.Im starting to think that the the females have become nocturnal in my home lake because I can't tell you the last time I saw one during the day.A nother thing many people don't realize is that very small females can spawn.I caught 2 small females ,both were no bigger than 1.5 pounds.Both were full of eggs.( kept them not believing they were egg laden, trying to cull some of the small fish out )So there are many,many more fish that people never see that are reproducing. I respect bedding fish and don't keep them BUT I don't have a problem if someone keeps them in a live well or whatever for awhile. I used to KEEP bedding fish in the 70s and 80s like most others then and we always had plenty.Ive changed since then and don't advocate keeping them now but as long as you're obeying the laws in your area it is ultimately your decision what you do with the fish.

Got that pole in the work truck every day if it gets slow.Had about 25 min. today between stops.Caught 1 at one of my old ponds out on the way. Tomorrow is looking too busy but there's always Saturday?......