Zcoker

I don't fool with florocarbon for leader material. Just don't trust it. Has to be tied correctly else the knots can fail in a heart-beat. Mono is much cheaper and I've caught so many nice fish using mono leaders that I see no reason whatsoever to change. It's cheap, strong, the fish could care less and it just plain works. But if I had no other choice, I'd most likely go for the Sniper.

Good point because once a big fish is caught from a certain spot, it's more than likely that another one will take it's place at the exact same spot, sooner or later. I've played this out many times, fishing spots were I've caught big fish before only to catch another big fish about the same size (8lbs and up). I've also caught multiple big fish from the exact same spot at the same time, one right after another, which shows me that big trophy sized fish can and do buddy up. It's all a matter of timing, right place, right time, right bait. Sometimes a prime spot may appear to be dead but it's just not the right time, etc. Come around again to the same spot at another time and, boom, there she blows!

Sometimes ya gotta catch a lot of little fish to catch one big fish, which means fishing normally. Yep, I welcome them all knowing that she’s coming around the corner real soon. It’s kinda like when you’re looking for a hardware store on a Saturday and there’s none in sight but when you’re not looking for one they seem to be at every street corner!

If I’m flipping, pitching, or punching they ain’t runnin anywhere! Your situation probably should’ve told ya to tighten up on them when they bite.

I’ve never been rescued but I have had the Fish & Wildlife (FWC) call my phone in the middle of the night to make sure I’m ok. They run my tag to get my number. What I do now is leave a courtesy note on my truck seat to alert them of my nocturnal activities.

Hooksets are free. When in doubt, light 'em up. A good rod blank is a must. Braid is very friendly on the senses. If it stops chattering or vibrating or pulsating, light 'em up. If it feels like a big mushy purse on the other end of you line after punching a mat, light 'em up. A bass mouth is big and the bigger they are, the bigger their mouth's are. It's very easy for a bait to get lost in there. When all else fails, trust your instincts.

Exactly. One way in yet no way out. Magically shifting.

Easy to get lost out in the glades even with GPS. Easy to get trapped. Thing is, with any wind the landscape can change instantly, espeically when fishing big areas that have a lot of floating vegetation like hyacinth mats. Some of those mats can be acres! Which means the whole area can change shape instantly. Very easy to get boxed in with no way out because some of the mats are so high with trees on them, very solid and heavy duty, which means no physical way around them until things start moving around again. And even at that, luck needs to be involved to clear the way....but the "way" may not be the right way. Whole lotta things to look out for when fishing the everglades. There's many things that can go very wrong and get very nasty very quickly. Takes some good planning to fish out there, day or night.

The spawning season down here for bass runs December through May but I never really pay it no mind. They’re active all year long in my neck of the woods. Seems like they eat no matter what!

Another angry everglades bass puttin on a show!

Lotta hard knocks there. Chalk them all up as teachable moments. May come in handy one day. See how that weather turned on a dime?

I've seen this many times out in the everglades, certain areas dead as a door-nail while other areas are full of life. Then, next time around, it becomes the exact opposite. Could take days or even weeks or even months for that to happen but it eventually does. For example, I was out fishing the other day. This one fishy spot has ALWAYS been dead as a doornail. Sure enough, I fished it regardless of its past history and it produced what it has always produced, which is absolutely nothing. So I continued my fishing. Later that afternoon on the way back I so happened to pass by my dead spot and made a lazy cast. Well, what do ya know, an absolute giant hit! Moral of this little story is to never, ever assume that a spot is no good. Always try. And ya don't need nothing but good intuition and a little persistent discipline to make it happen.

Lotta folks think big bass are solitary creatures. Lotta folks think big bass spook easily. Well, I kinda thought that myself until I ran into the wolf packs! Hard to imagine with all the commotion after a good catch that all the other big fish just stay cool, calm, and collective, in the EXACT same spot where their buddy was just caught! I've foamed up the water good while catching a tail-slapping giant, only to cast back a few minutes later to the exact same spot, catching yet another giant....and so on. Mind you, this is in very shallow water and in close proximity. You'd think they'd all spook away. Now I know better.

I'm not setup to film out there, especially at night. Not uncommon to catch multiple fish over 7lbs in matter of minutes during a hot summer night. Maybe someday. Sure would be nice to share some of these action packed encounters. The fishing can be quite dramatic!

There are some spring days down here in the south Florida everglades that are only what dreams are made up, literally. All year has great fishing but there are days when a giant is practically around every corner. Every hit is a biggun in the net, sometimes one right after another, getting bigger and bigger and bigger. I haven't seen much of a fluctuation as far as the catches go, that is, one year being better than the other. Much of the action can depend on our local water management districts. On the whole, though, springtime has been pretty consistent here in S. Florida.

I don't think I'll ever use mono again for bass fishing. Much of my success out in the everglades I attribute to using braid. Makes a world of difference in my world. I tried the mono and the stretchy nature of it was just to weird for my liking. I like direct contact, or as much direct contact as possible, both for feeling the hits and hooking the fish. I can tell right off the bat if I got 'em pinned good. The braid transmits that victorious feeling. She ain't going nowhere!

Check out Bama Bass and his pet bass, Moby. That fish more than proves that bass have unique personalities, anger being one of them. His bass gets angry, has fits, even jumps out of the tank and slams onto the hardwood floor! It eats and eats and then eats everything in site and if it doesn't get enough to eat, it starts spazzing out, flicking across the tank, striking everything in site. He caught the fish when it was no bigger than his pinky finger.

I've had them dance across the water many time like that. They're disoriented from the catch as well as being out of the water, a sorta instinctual dance.

When I go fishing, I make up my mind on the get-go that the big one will hit, one way or another, she will be there. I will find her, and she will hit my lure. Now, being ready for her is another story altogether. Took me a long time and many missed fish to realize that my mind can be one way while my body is altogether different. I'm usually not ready. I might be lazy on the strike. Or I might even be thinking about something else. Everything must work in unity, you see. Doesn't have to be big fish, either. When I want numbers, I try to think and act in a unified way. It's all good to have tenacity, determination, and so forth but one's actual mind has to be clearly made up along with the body armed and ready to follow through with the mind's clear intention.

If bleeding badly (and if possible) dip the fish in the water for a bit. Their blood coagulates in water only. My solution is to flatten down the barb on the hook (worm hooks or EWG hooks). The worm hooks seem to go deep with the worms, more often than not catching the throat lining during the hookset, or even the gill plates. In all cases, the quicker the release, the better! The barbless hooks pull right out with the least amount of damage no matter where they are located.

Time those fronts! Recent front fishing example (south Florida). One of several giants caught during a cold front. Even though the air temps went into the 50's, the actual water temp was 73 degrees (and dropping) when I launched. Takes time for the water to cool down. Next morning the water temp was 69 degrees and the bigger fish went completely lock-jaw. Seemed like the big girls reacted more to the gradual temp drop than anything else.

Old Town Sportsman 106 Minn Kota King of the Everglades! This has been the most efficient, the most dependable, and the most versatile craft that I've ever had out in the Florida everglades. I've gone up to three days/three nights on one single charge with juice to spare. I can steady it in a 25mph headwind without an anchor merely by throttle control. Pros: Super easy for one person to load, unload At 10.6 it can be launched just about anywhere with ease Goes all day, all night without a hiccup. Hull is super thick and tuff, everything is solid and durable Transducer is recessed with no ability to get scuffed or knocked around The rudder is massive for precise steering and folds up completely out of the water by a hand lever Replaceable keel guard Feet controlled steering Hand controlled throttle Hull storage will accommodate the complete Wilderness System yak cart Extremely stable, can stand and cast with no issues Motor is recessed for extreme shallow water running Sealed to the max, the inside of hull is always bone dry, even after washing or a heavy downpour It has caught me a TON of nice fish! Cons: NONE

Same here. Rest of the hull looked nice. I think I've even seen aftermarket flip-up rudders for the Native kayaks similar to the Old Towns.

The rudder design on the OT kayaks steered me more towards them. It’s massive and completely folds up out of the water… out of the way of everything! I think I would’ve gone through a few rudders by now if I had purchased the Bonified.

This guy hasn't gotten out of the way for anyone, ask anyone who fishes Headwater's Lake lol. In fact, he's about as active as any young person could ever get, unbelievable energy for his age at 84, still steaming ahead at full speed! I know a lotta young'uns who'd be hard pressed to keep up with Roland's stamina.