N Florida Mike

Been watching Andy Griffith reruns.I still laugh at them even though Ive seen them many times.My favorite episodes are esp.the ones with earnest t bass and the darling family.Whats yours?

Nice!

I use the improved clinch on mono and palomar knot on braid.Im fairly sure the breaks are from the line, not the knot though.

I mainly fish shallow, weedy and mostly clear lakes.I dont want to give up the bites but dont want lines breaking either.Just trying to fine tune it .Trying to avoid leaders if poss. I only got the braid because a friend gave me some.Ive used it sparingly in the past.Have used mostly traditional mono all these years.Ive got some casting and spinning lined with both.Tried flouro but didnt like it because it sinks.

Thanks,Catt.I was already considering big game.I know its tough, but would 15 be too visible in clear water?

I google searched"bass forums".And bassresource was the first to come up.I joined a few days later.I reached out because: I had gotten really isolated with bass fishing.Not learning-just fishing the same way.And I had to nearly beg friends to fish.Was looking for friends to fish with and learn from and to help them.Found all that through BR.Thank you!!!

One night I had left a live shiner out.Went out to check later and something had taken it up under a big bush right on my property line.I couldnt get it from the bank so i took the boat around.I was very suprised to find the line going up out of the water towards the top of the bush.Im holding a light , trying to keep the boat in position, and untangle the line as I get furthet into the bush.The further i go something starts making a big ruckus back in there.Finally I move the last branch, not knowing what to expect, and Im face to face with a barred owl!!.He gaped at me and i gaped at him!He didnt say WHO.But I said WHAT...?? The line was tangled around him so all I could do was cut the line and he flew up to the highest branch. I wanted to get all the line off him but couldnt.Went back the next day to check and he was gone.Not sure if he had tried to eat the shiner(which was 2-3 feet under a cork) or what. I quit leaving shiners out at night after this!!

A couple of years ago I noticed a lone goose out back.He was just standing there looking my way.When I got closer I saw that he had a lure stuck to his wing.He then held up the wing like he was trying to get help.But when I got closer he swam off.I probably would have been pecked anyway.

They any good to eat?

I appreciate it!

Heres another good point.What pound test to use?. I have tried to stay at 10 because I just feel like i will catch more fish.I was considering 12 for some of my reels.But you are right also.I need a line that is super strong, but small diameter so the fish dont see it and it casts good.Isnt that what we are all looking for? On the hookset i get a little pressure from the fish and pop him.Im generally good on this- once the fish is hooked I rarely lose one.And I sometimes catch 30 or so before a break including some big fish.And then it happens.... I guess sometimes you just need to ask fir help and re- boot.Thanks for helping me do this.

This is all helpful. Keep hookset from being too strong. Keep hooks sharp so a lighter hookset will do. Close hook eyes . Loosen drag, esp. With braid Moisten knots before cinching Watch for abrasions. Retie often. All stuff I knew but i dont do all consistently.Thanks - great advice!!

Im starting to think that may be most of the problem.I do have more breaks when I get over zealous with the set. But once and awhile I seem to do everything right and it still happens. Does that happen much to you?

I use soft plastics primarily. I do re-tie often, esp. if theres any fraying on the line. I wet the palomar, but not always the clinch.I use the clinch only with mono. I dont do an all out hookset anymore but sometimes when a fish hits suddenly or if Im on a roll I tend to overdo it a little. Yeah, Im finding that to be true.So I reckon a light hookset with no stretch line would be enough.

Ive been bass fishing for around 40 years now.I have caught tons of bass, big and small.I used to fish tournaments for a couple years.But I have a problem Im hoping yall can help me with.Im somewhat embarassed to admit it though after all these years.I just cant figure it out. The problem is : My line breaks way too often when I set the hook.Oh I will catch 20-30 maybe but it always happens again.It haunts me.No telling how many big fish Ive lost on the set. I know about drag.I know about abrasions.Im very careful with knots.And it just keeps happenning.Its not the guides.It always breaks near the fish. I tried power pro today.10 pound.Fished a pond on the jobsite.I used a palomar knot.Caught a 2 pounder.Got another good bite, set the hook, and it happened again.I have GOT to get to the bottom of this!!!

I have my 12 guage in the bedroom hidden real good.Not loaded.I have the shells hidden in a different place.Still not too sure I could get to it and load it in time if we had an intruder.But I wont keep it loaded with the G - kids around.Even though Ive trained them some on gun safety. Thought about a gun cabinet but you still have to unlock it in time.

I dont remember ever having a close call like that while in a boat but I did get nearly run over by a ski boat when I was 17 in the home lake.I was wade fishing and making my way out to the island(the water is only 5-6 feet deep where I was) I had just passed the dock where the boat was and heard it crank up.I froze because I was kind of in the middle and no where to go.(The end of the island is maybe 70 feet from this dock).So he guns the motor and goes by maybe 5 feet away.He missed with the boat but had the tow rope out.I could hear it coming before I saw it.I realized it was going to get me.I only had a split second to think and shifted my rod and bait bag into my right hand( no matter what I wasnt going to lose them!)So I put out my left hand defensively and when the rope got close it cut my left pinky finger and I tried to spin out so it would miss but the angle had me.As I spun it got me on the lower back and spun me all the way around, cutting my back open.The handle got me last and it was like being flogged. The boater, who was around 16, just kept going.I climbed out on the Island and tried to see how bad it was but could only see a moderate amount of blood.So I just fished until lunch then went home and mom put about 20 band aids on it.It was a deep cut though and I should have had stiches but didnt.The scar went all the way across my back just above the hips and was still noticeable 25 years later.I ended up catching 33 bream AFTER the accident! About a week later I came up on the boater on the Island.He grew up around me but had a different circle of friends.One of my friends was mad about what happenned so he tore down their clubhouse on the island.When I came up on him he immediately apologized so I hesitated then let it go.

Good job! If you havent tried gator you should.Best I ever had was killed by a friend when we were in 6th grade.It was 11.7.His mom had an old cracker recipe.He killed it "cause it ate one of his goats that free roamed in the swamp.

Suprised and impressed by this thread.Where do yall work- I want a job there!!!

One thing I did was FISH.Instead of constantly running and gunning, I would go to a good area and just fish slowly through it all.Having your line in the water the most gives you an edge. I came in 3rd in one tournament after we had motor trouble on a st johns river tournament.We could not fix the motor so we just ran the trolling motor from the ramp up the river until it was time to get to the weigh in. We actually fished a lot like they do on MLF.Just fish grass and docks and get as many fish as possible.Dont worry about size- that comes if youre doing the right things.

Ive never noticed any problem on an east wind but southwest winds are the worst for me.I think its because of the prevailing pressure influence that comes with SW winds.Need to do a study on it.?

We had one in our lake in 2011.The old man that had treated our lake since 1985 had never had one fish kill until then.He was sick and let the lake get real bad.Then he tried to kill everything too quick and when the weeds all died the oxygen was so depleted that I think ALL the bass over 1 pound or so died.All the big bream too.I had thoughts about wringing his neck.Not only did he kill the fish but he made up a story about only killing 1% or so of the fish which was total crap. We had virtually no fishing for a year or so.Now the bass are up to 7 pounds or so again. Obviously, Mr P.no longer treats the lake.

Great catch!!. Ive caught a 3 fish slam.Trout, red, and flounder.I have never caught a snook in N fla.(.I did catch a baby one in a cast net)I have caught 1 tarpon in my life.He was a 40 incher I caught while surf fishing at st augustine. Glad the banana river is getting better.What caused the fish kill?

I love sheepheads, flounder, reds, spots, croakers, whiting and others.Theyre all good.

Sorry-no flatheads around here.If there were I would hunt that dog !!