Fishing_FF

About 2 weeks ago, I picked up St. Croix Avid X 7' medium power fast action as a plastics rod. I don't have the money right now, thanks to a little storm that paid us a visit in Florida. It will take a few weeks of cover the expense of what I had to spend to repair the house, so I figured I would ask input on which Shimano Stradic spinning reel would be best on the rod. Would I be good with FK or should I spend the extra $30 for the Ci4+? Thanks!

The only evacuations for inland Central Florida (Orange, Osceola, Lake, Seminole, and Polk) have been of mobile home communities, past to present. Otherwise, we are expected to shelter in place. Orlando has long been considered a safe zone for those evacuating from the coast.

Unfortunately, Basspro doesn't carry as size 5, only 4 and 6. Neither the 4 or 6 are in stock, so I was looking for alternatives like Gammies which are in stock.

Interesting.... a friend of mine who fishes FLW tournaments recommended the Mann's Minus 1s. I got a light and dark set. I had problems with the hooks fouling and/or straightening. I figured I had a bad batch, so I got another set. Had the same issues with the second set even though they were a different color from the first set. After that, I switch to some similar Yo-Zuri sized crankbaits with no hook issues. I still have the 4 Mann's Baby Minus 1s, so maybe it is time to try changing out the hooks. It looks like the local Orlando has a very limited stock of the Owners. Is there a comparable Gammy treble in case they don't have enough Owner treble hooks? Thanks!!!

Don't have the issues with ticks, but I've lost more than once set of hiking pants due thorns. I actually hiked into a spot on Monday. The area was loaded small, thorn filled bushes. I was doing fine until I hooked into a fairly good size bass that got hung up in the weed line. As I stepped down towards the bank edge, I got hung up in one of these bushes. I hooked the fish, but the bush hooked me. Glad I was alone and there was no cameras.

Yes, in my creature bag which includes a pack of lizards, a pack of craws, and a pack of tubes. The plan is to use the creature bag post spawn for bedded bass, but I used it last week when I couldn't get hits after fishing topwater, crank baits, and T-rigged worms.

Some of the grounds keepers said there are some nice size fish in various ponds around there. I forget which timeshare we stated at in Shipyard Plantation, but I checked out a bunch of local ponds. Unfortunately, we went a couple weeks after Hurricane Matthew. Everything was blocked, and if it wasn't, I was chased off while crews worked near by. Never got to to fish.....but we got comped a week due to various inconveniences. I'll try again when we return.

Same here for Central Florida. The local ponds closer to the road have a lot of fishing pressure. I've loaded up a tackle backpack and grab a pair of poles (M and MH) for hikes to ponds off the beaten path. Found some real gems that way.....

I'm a new guy to fishing, stumbling my way through to become a better fisherman. I've done a lot of reading through the articles and forums here. I've done a lot of experimenting with tackle, figuring out hook sizes, casting different test lines, tying knots until I could in the dark, etc. I had the opportunity to fish with a FLW tournament guy that wins a lot in the local lakes as well as a well regarded flats guy that has a niche as a lightweight spinning guru. When I was out with them, I noticed that they could repeatedly drop a lure in the same spot repeatedly. They could hit 12" holes in vegetation or skip under trees or docks like a sharpshooter hits a steel plate out at 200-400 yards. Since then, I've been practicing casting various lures at one of my kids little 3" frisbee in the backyard. It has only been a couple weeks, but I'm already seeing results. First, less lures stick in trees, heavy grass, or lily pads, but also more fish on the line as the lures are landing in spots where the fish are. Good luck, and great thread!

I will be going to the Douglasville area in a few weeks. After reviewing the GA laws regarding fishing, they only have reciprocity with FL fishing licenses on water that boarders the FL/GA line. An out of state license will run me $50 plus processing fees which bump it to near $60. Kind of steep for what will be 3-4 days of fishing. The temporary license for 4 days would be $25 plus processing fees, which is still more than my FL fishing license for the year. Yikes!!!! There is a clause in GA if fishing on private lands, a fishing license is not required. Anyone know of private ponds/lakes that are stocked for farm fishing in the Douglasville or even Atlanta area? I know of a few in FL that won't charge for catch and release guys, so just checking options. GA charters weren't an option as they do not include fish licenses in their price unlike most of the FL charters. Thanks!

I'll be the odd ball. I carry 4 of each size in 1/32, 1/16, 1/8, 1/4 and 1/2 tungsten worm weights and 4 each of 1/8 and 1/4 drop shot weights. I'm a shore/bank fishing guy. I limit the amount of tackle I carry in my backpack to keep it lighter. This is because some of the place I've gone to or am looking at going to require a hike to access. Since I'm a lightweight hiker who also uses lightweight weight spinning gear and tackle. I alway went with the mentality that if I burned through the hooks, weights, lures, etc that were in my pack, it was time to call it a day. YMMV.

Welcome to the group! Its awesome to hear them asking to go fishing! I am fishing the lake and ponds around Central Florida, too. I routinely present 2-3" swimsuits and 4-7" plastics. I learned it from one of the articles someplace on here, 4" baits get a #1 or 1/0 and 5-6" get a 3/0. I used it as a starting point, trying the lures I was going to be using with different hook sizes. The advice was spot on for the lures I was using, giving the bait enough spine but not too much to limit the action of the lure. You might also want to look at the hooks themselves as I found I needed to bump up to a 4/0 Gammy G-Lock when I was looking for a non weighted hook that was comparable to the size of the Owners 3/0 Weighted Twist-Locks hooks. Good luck!!!

I haven't made it to Lake Kissimmee yet, but I was told as a bank fisher, a good spot to check out is along State Road 60 Lake Kissimmee locks. When I travel 60, there is usually a couple people with lines in the water. I know locks and spillways are a good location to hthe t when they are flowing. You can find the status of the locks and spillways on the SFWMD website.

Welcome to another Florida guy! I've got a couple friends in the Merrit Island, Melbourne, and Palm Bay area that are having great luck with pond fishing for bass over there right now.

Thanks for the warm welcomes and greetings!!! Good place!

Thanks neighbor! Yes, there is a lot of great info here. I found the website like 2-3 weeks ago. Been browsing until I found the lure, gear, and technique section. I've read I think every article, finishing the last few Monday night. Got some new tips and toys in the tackle box. I am sure I will get even more when I read through then again. There is so much there, it is worth a couple read throughs. Yes, heard some wonderful comments from the boys, and hopefully they will continue for years.

Hey Everyone!!! Yep, I'm the new guy. Well, new until the next one. Just started fishing again a couple weeks ago. My oldest boy just said out of the blue one day, "Daddy, I wanna go fishing," so what's a dad going to do? My boys (soon to be 3 and 5) are still kind of young, but managed to keep it interesting for them so far. Live bait on a bobber and they play at the playground for the 2 lakes we use when we go until a fish is on the line. Kids have it rough, play and run over to reel in a fish, no waiting for a bite. Got a couple years until they are ready, so gives me soon time to hone this craft. I fished when I was a boy with my dad. He never fished but good some solid advice for bluegills and sunfish, corn on a drop shot rig. I remember reading some bass fishing magazines when I got to be a teenager. Guess I'm old because that is what we did before the internet. I graduated to throwing plastic worms on a spinning reel while kayaking down the Suwannee River. I must just have been lucky because I would get at least a keeper or two per day for dinner while out on the 5-7 day camping trip down the river. Since I've come back, I'm not as lucky. It may have something to do with fishing heavily trafficked lakes, FWC Fab Five Lakes and Ponds, or that I'm now a bank/shore guy (sold the kayak when I got married because the wife had no interest of being in the water with gators). When I don't have the boys with me, I'm working on finding additional lakes and ponds that aren't under the pressure that the Fab Five experience. Thanks and here's to a good day on the water!!!