Captain Phil

Bitter's is one of the best independent bass tackle shops in Florida. If they don't have it, you don't need it. 👍

Back in my youth, I did a bunch of night bass fishing. Most people start out fishing top water at night, as did I. Night time is when big fish are most vulnerable. Nothings works better than a big black plastic worm. A close second is a large spinnerbait. Night fishing is not the time for finesse tackle. You don't want to hang the fish of a lifetime and lose it on the side of the boat. Keeping contact with the bottom is essential. Slow down, don't make quick movements and take your time. Night fishing is not for anyone who is physically compromised. Never fish alone at night. I did and it's a wonder I'm alive to tell about it. Issues that are small during the day can quickly escalate at night. I never used a light when night fishing. When your eyes adjust, you can see well enough to cast. I carried a small light if I needed to tie hooks or something similar. If you do, don't let your light shine on the water. Their was a local guy who only fished deep phosphate pits at night. All he used were huge plastic worms that he made himself. He ended up catching one of the largest bass ever caught in Florida at 17 pounds. Night fishing can be very rewarding, but it must be done safely.

It's a long drive, but you can buy native shiners at Owen's Tackle in Eustis. They have shiners when no one else does.

Speaking of strange lures, anyone ever fished with this? Sponsor of the FLW Tour! Seriously?

Years ago, a Musky Jitterbug was all we used when night fishing in the Everglades. You have to fish it where big bass are common enough to eat food that large. It's a mouthful. Alligators like it too!

Anglers have been holding bass by the lip since the first one was caught. Why do they calm down when lipped? I have no idea, I only know they do. I would ask the fish, but they're not talking. If you catch enough bass, you will become familiar with "Bass Thumb". Bass Thumb is when the skin on the inside of your holding thumb gets torn up from bass teeth rubbing against it. I actually like this as it tells me I am doing my job. 👍

Every generation of lures has it's duds. Marketing takes over and before you know it, you're caught up in the hype. The Roland Martin Helicopter lure was one example. A spinning worm works, the helicopter was so dumb looking that most just ignored it. Years ago there was a famous lure called a Helin Flatfish. Evidently, they are great trout lures. Anyway, the marketing of these lures was relentless. Their ads were everywhere. You couldn't open an outdoor magazine without seeing one of their ads. I tried and tried to catch a bass on one, but always failed. Others have told me they have caught fish on them, but it must have been during a solar eclipse. I have a couple of them in my collection along with another one of Helin's inventions, the Fish Cake. True to form, it's doesn't catch fish either. 🤣

How about a Cobia or Big Mahi? They'll tear up your boat!!

If you must hold bass, do it with wet hands. Bass have a protective slim on their bodies to keep them from bacterial infection. Never use a net or drop the bass on the carpet of the boat. It is best to handle them as little as possible. The only thing worse is carrying bass around all day in a live well, especially in the heat of summer. All my bass are released immediately on the side of the boat and as quickly as possible.

Sounds like a nice winter day in Florida! 🤣

I have caught bass in heavy cover with surface water temperatures in the 90s. Some of the best hot summer spots where I fish are in pads with the sun directly overhead. These spots are the best during the heat of the day. The first club tournament I fished was in Lake Okeechobee in July. If you have never fished in Florida, you have no idea how hot and humid it gets. It was so hot, we rode around all day and never caught a fish. Two guys won the tournament fishing in 4 feet of water. Taught me a lesson.

Thanks for the help. I'm going to try 30 pound Power Pro with a Fluorocarbon leader and a 7/1 reel. We'll see how that works and what adjustments I need to make. The weather is terrible in Florida right now. As soon as I can get out, I will.

Sounds like you have everything covered. Three of us drove from our homes in Central Florida to Windsor Canada two summers in a row towing a 20' Ranger. We left about 6 AM and arrived at 2 AM in the morning. The most important thing is to have someone to share the driving and to keep you awake. Towing a boat in heavy traffic is stressful enough.

It is a false assumption to assume big bass only live in deep water and small bass only in shallow water. I have caught double digit Florida bass in 4 feet of water in August. Here's one I caught in Little Lake Harris.

Most people currently living in Florida today believe every water snake they see is a moccasin. The majority of snakes you see while fishing are not venomous or aggressive. Water snakes grow large in Florida which can be scary. The best option is to treat each one with respect by giving them a wide berth. Never clean fish in the water as the smell attracts them and watch where you are walking or sitting. I have seen hundreds of snakes while fishing in Florida. The funniest time happened when I was loading my boat at Slim's Fish Camp in Okeechobee. My buddy was powering the boat on the trailer while I backed the truck in the water. When the boat came up, all I saw in my mirror was him running over the front of the trailer. When he hit the ground, he continued to run. I got out of the truck and asked him what was the matter? He said, "Look behind my seat in the boat!" Laying on the carpet coiled behind his seat was the biggest brown water snake I have ever seen!! We got him out of the boat with a fishing rod and went on our way home. It must has washed up into the boat with the motor's wake. Nasty...