Zcoker

I believe most know that it's a catch and release fishery for largemouth bass. Below is the FWC regulation about bait. The part about "selling" and "not selling" wild shiners is much of the augment, especially as it pertains to charter fishing on that lake. The charter captains are saying that they do not sell their bait, or at least some of them are claiming that. They instead state that they are "giving the bait away free" to their customers, which may not require a commercial fishing license. Then there's the question if commercial fishing is even allowed on Headwaters Lake. If not, then that would tank everything and make no difference to even have a commercial fishing license. Freshwater shrimp and golden shiners of any size, or other freshwater nongame fish, including catfish, less than 8-inches total length may be taken for bait, unless specifically prohibited, by the following methods: Cast nets having a stretched mesh size not greater than 1 inch in fresh waters of the state unless specifically prohibited. Minnow dip nets not more than 4 feet in diameter. Minnow seines having a stretched mesh size not greater than 1 inch, a length not more than 20 feet, and a depth not more than 4 feet. Minnow traps not more than 24 inches in length and 12 inches in diameter, with a funnel entrance not more than 1 inch in spread. Any game fish taken by these methods must be released immediately. Taking of bait for the purpose of sale requires a commercial fishing license. There may be other sub-regulations that I am not aware of, maybe specific to that lake only, regulations like no commercial fishing and so forth. I don't know. Others may have to chime in on that one. Sometimes the FWC is not totally prepared (regulation-wise) for areas that they manage. For example, they had to re-write the entire regulatory format for shore based shark fishing.

There’s definitely a fine line between the concept of commercial and sportfishing on that lake. As I pointed out with the netting of wild shiners, and as I understand it, not allowed to sell them if netting them in Headwaters Lake. Some charters just state that they are giving them to their clients for free. In my mind, I see that as “selling” because the client purchases the charter. Some guys refute that by saying that’s not selling anything and, if so, then it’s considered selling the gas for the trip, too. So I guess the argument can go on forever, selling or not, who the heck knows? It must be “not” because the FWC isn’t doing anything about it…or at least not that I’m aware of.

It’s a war zone down here in South Florida. Shiner anglers against the artificial guys, one way or the other, folks are up in arms. Headwaters Lake is the focus. A little backstory about the lake: Headwaters Lake is in Fellsmere Florida. In August 2020, after many years, it finally opened for motor boat use. It’s a manmade 10k acre impoundment located in Fellsmere Florida adjacent to the famed Stick Marsh. It’s managed by the St John’s River Water Management District and by the FWC. It’s catch and release only for largemouth bass and circle hooks only if using live bait for largemouth bass. Headwaters Lake is unique, not just any old impoundment. By design, it was to be a premiere trophy bass fishery. Biologist created and sculpted a terrine of islands, rock pits, staggered ledges. The heavy machinery work that went into excavating that place is utterly amazing. Some of the machine operators even carved big letters and words into the earth. Then the area was flooded and stocked with over 1 million largemouth bass. In short, it blossomed into one of the premier bass fishing destinations in the entire world. That’s right, fishing is THAT GOOD, with one of the highest percentages of a double digit fish daily….most all of which are caught on wild shiners. This is where things get rather touchy. Because of the outstanding bass fishing, the charter captains took up the reigns in a real hurry, and rightly so. It’s not uncommon for a chartered boat to get 50 or more bass daily, with a lot of them 5 pounds all the way upwards to 10lbs or even more. Customers have a guarantee of many fish and a very high percentage of getting a trophy fish, or the biggest fish of their lifetime. The charter business is literally on fire, with big names and the likes taking advantage of the situation. People are booking trips like crazy. The word is out, trips are booked months in advance. A modern day gold rush! The scene at the small, dusty boat ramp is comical with threats, fights ... yet on social media pure rage and jealously … for all those who fish with shiners! Many fear the lake is doomed, plain and simple, by the very act of netting and fishing with wild shiners. With white PVC pipe marker poles sticking out all over the entire lake, side by side, the netters have staked their claim. Doug Hannon predicted and warned against this in an article he wrote years ago. He warned about the depletion of the shiner population in the same area. He stated that the process of netting wild shiners kills hundreds of smaller fish just to get a few “good ones” for a charter trip. Then there is the legality of netting shiners in Headwaters Lake. Some see it as commercial while others see it as their right or their privilege. The FWC says no netting if selling the wild shiners commercially. Some charter captains just say, “I’m not selling them, I’m giving them away to my clients for free.” A loophole? Maybe. Regardless, the only thing I can say is folks are very ticked off. Rage. Anger. Hostility. The fights over this on social media are downright brutal. These arguments go a few ways. First, is the idea that real fishing implies outsmarting a fish with a fake bait -- only in this regard is fishing considered real. On the flipside of that, the shiner guys say fishing is fishing, whether with live bait or dead bait or fake bait, doesn’t make a darn bit of difference, “and no one can tell me how to fish or what to fish with!” Another group sees shiner fishing as a means to destroy the fishing by fake baits, meaning that the bass are becoming “conditioned” to eat easily wild shiners thus avoiding their fake baits and diminishing the angler’s chances of ever catching a trophy. Another group views shiner netting as slowly depleting the natural food source of the bass fishery, thus wiping out the trophy fishery altogether…..and so the stories go. I, myself, cannot make much sense of it. The hostility is so darn intense and so very hard to see into any argument or disagreement to make any clear meaning. Thus my reason to put this piece out there. So, what are some of your thoughts on the matter? Have any of you ever experienced anything similar to this in your area? If so, what are some of the outcomes or solutions?

I started fishing for trout about 40 years ago in freshwater lakes and streams up north in Mass, but that only lasted a short while. When I moved back to Florida (again lol), I took up saltwater surf fishing. Through the years, I sort of craved bigger and bigger fish, craving that line ripping, rod cracking, drag screaming, heart pounding fight with true monsters. I eventually settled on sharks and now tag them for NOAA's Apex Predator Program. One of my specialties which I have advanced with sharks is catching certain species on artificial lures, namely on surface poppers and darters---can I say crazy, insane, and down right naughty!! Lol Even after tagging and mapping hundreds and hundreds of giant sharks off the Florida coast, that freshwater bug still lingered, namely that bug for largemouth bass, which I dubbed "the sharks of freshwater" lol. So I took up bass fishing in 2020 and spent most of my time (and still do) in the Everglades bank fishing. Got pretty darn good at it, too, even won tournaments. I have since advanced to the Kayak scene, learning as I go along, and having a ball. So this fishing adventure that we all partake is wide, wide open and the fun is truly high and mighty with many, many horizons to conquer. Keep going, never give up, and quench that thirst whatever it may be. Life is big catch in itself, the ultimate trophy!

Great stories! Don't hear much of them kinda stories anymore. Something to be very proud of, for sure. Down here in South Florida Headwaters Lake in Fellsmere is becoming the end all for big double digit bass. It's happening on the regular with giant DD's coming out by the boat load...literally. Because of this, our fish and wildlife (FWC) just recently passed a catch and release law for the lake in an attempt to preserve the unique fishery. Better sooner than later! Now all we have to work on is the chemical spaying that they do to rid the none native aquatic vegetation. That's killing off a lot of our fisheries....or at the very least messing up the fishing badly. An example is Kenansville Lake, another great fishery with the nickname Jurassic Park (for all the monster bass lurking there). They recently sprayed it (or nuked it, as we call it lol) and fishing has been next to none, certainly not like it was before the nuke job. Oh, well. Hopefully the FWC will re-visit their spraying program in the interest of fishermen and our giant bass. Or, at the very least, come up with an alternative method that does not include all those chemicals.

Watch out for those skunk sessions. Time seems to slow, the mind wanders, mixed feeling rush about, and then, suddenly, the fish of a lifetime explodes on the lure! Are you ready? I've missed some very big fish while fighting the skunk battle. Whether being skunked or not, I've learned to act as a cocked gun until I am completely off the water and finished for the day. Seems to help me through the emotional roller coaster of trying everything and still being skunked. I can worry about the skunked part later on while driving home lol

Often times, the reviewer needs to be reviewed lol. I've seen a lot of negative reviews on items based off the shipping, or the wrapping, or the packaging in some form or another. Even the time it takes to get something, "I waited 3 days to get my stuff!" But those kinda punch-lines are usually in the very last few lines of the 35 line paragraph, which most don't get to anyway. They instead skim quickly the first few rants and just "assume" the product is no good. Like some have pointed on here, going into all the reviews with a neutral state of mind does help sift through the ruffage. I'll often proceed to the very last reviews to get the most honest opinions on a particular product. The first batch of 5 star reviews can be kinda sketchy.

I have a 100ah Renolgy lithium in my Sportsman 106 and have traveled upwards of 15 miles with a lotta juice left over when I got back. And this isn't in an open, smooth lake but hydrilla invested, stump invested Headwaters Lake in South Florida. Seems the Minn Kota motors on these boats (same 45lb thrust for both boats) is extremely efficient. The 100ah blue tooth Renolgy is very light. Mine weighs about 19lbs. And the added comfort of knowing one can go ALL day without issue is a BIG plus with these powered kayaks....in my opinion.

One more thing that I need to mention for a new year quest...is to NOT MISS THOSE GIANTS! Last year I had some really big everglades trophy's show me how to cry, I'm talking 9-12 pounders! And it hasn't been easy gettin over those loses, kinda sneaks up on me, making me feel all giddy inside. Always asking myself...what if? What if I did this or that? And, yes, I know many will say, oh, that's a given, gonna loose big fish...but, oh, how it hurts and haunts!

The same thing happened to my wife and I during a whitewater rafting trip down in Costa Rica. We had stopped mid-way in a giant ravine after a long grueling trip. It was in fact around lunchtime but we both had no clue lol. We just were glad to get out of that raft to stretch, walk around, and enjoy the breath-taking scenery. Next thing we know, the guides had flipped over the rafts and had setup atop each raft a complete buffet of food and spirits! It was incredible! Where the heck they had that stuff stowed was beyond me. Utterly amazing. Hot and cold food. A complete surprise. I'll never forget it.

From what I've heard, bananas became a sort of bad omen in the 1700's for the ships that were carrying them because most of those ships that were carrying them were lost at sea. Everyone eventually put it all together and said, NO MORE BANANAS!!

Crazy, isn't it? I know thieves go out their way to steal stuff but something like that just seemed so far fetched. I know from experience that some of these converters are hard enough to get at let alone remove from underneath a friggin lift! How the heck they did it with a portable saw or whatever between a few inches of space with no one hearing or seeing a thing is beyond me....almost like magic. Anyhow, I was curious as to why they targeted the converters. What I found out is that most all converters contain trace amounts of precious metals like platinum, palladium and rhodium, which in early March hit nearly $30 grand per ounce! So, yeah, watch them catalytic converters, folks!! lol

Yeah, that's a bummer. I know the feeling. Down here in S. Florida, as example, one really has to scope out the area where the car/boat is parked. Some of these launch/parking areas or even storage facilities down here are quite sketchy and the vehicles are wide open for theft. I've heard of a number of folks returning from a fishing trip only to find their broken window glass scattered all over the parking grounds. My best advice is to not leave ANYTHING of value in the car, boat, or whatever. Sometimes when theft is anticipated, it never happens because one has covered all basis. Most often the thief sees something in the vehicle, whether it be a bag or a case. That is a good trigger for them to hit it. If they have enough time, they'll shake down the whole interior and find those other hidden, valuable things. Regardless, it's a part of life. They'll do anything for a buck! Case in point: it was during shift change on my job. Suddenly, the parking lot erupted into a multitude of big pow pow explosions! What folks were finding out as they started their cars to go home, no catalytic converters! Thieves actually went under the parked cars in broad daylight and CUT those suckers off! ALL OF THEM. I was like, gee, you gotta be friggin kiddin me!

Good points! We must never limit ourselves based on boredom or even age. As for age, I can run circles around some of these younger bloods at 63....or at least it appears that way lol. I often look back and see myself doing much more and handling much more nowadays than I ever did during my younger years. Unless prohibited by bad health, it's merely a state of mind.....think old, be old, think boredom, be bored or be blah blah blah. Get busy living or get busy dying. plain and simple, folks.

It's nice to have two passions. Always need a break, no matter what it is. In my case, when I grow tiresome or even bored of freshwater fishing, I just jump on over to the ocean side. I tag sharks for NOAA land-based here in S. Florida. Been doing it for years, hundreds of sharks, from 6ft blacktips to 14ft great hammerheads. That endeavor can get very exciting, to say the least, enough so to keep the juices flowing for a very long, long time lol Bass fishing, on the other hand, is so new and such a refreshing relief for me. Both these worlds, combined, spill over into one and keep my life very full. There's absolutely no room for boredom....unless there's a good flick showing on Netflix lol

I'm gonna slam Headwaters Lake in Fellsmere Florida in my kayak this year. It's powered, so I can get back there to the juicy spots. That place has been off the wall insane, btw, with double digits daily. I've spent a bit of time on it already, going places the boats can't go. Some far out fishing there, too, like everything dreamed up that a bass would love put into one single place. It's almost alien looking, some parts of it. I've spent most of my time south of there and have got into some great fishing. Probably do more tournaments this year. Last year I won some, which was nice. So many places to explore here in S. Florida, and my list is big, so most likely taking things one trip at a time lol

Great questions! And I know we ALL seek logical answers but no one can truly answer those questions with hard facts related to why fish do what they do during pressure fluctuations. Science suggest a few things that make perfect sense but often times I have seen fish (all fish) do the complete opposite lol. For the most, I would look for a pattern in these events that has proven itself over and over, which is the wind. The wind plays into these fronts highly. I catch more fish and more quality fish when that wind starts to howl. When the wind starts howling, the fish start prowling!

In my opinion, I would get a factory built powered craft for your intended usage, if possible, and avoid the add-ons, which can require a lotta mods as well as expense (can be as much as the boat itself!). Only speaking from experience from owning a factory powered kayak. In my case, I bought the Old Town Sportsman 106 powered my Minn Kota and that boat has been a game changer for me here in the Everglades. I have taken it miles and miles with no problems whatsoever. I was on the fence between it and the the 120. What swayed me was how far the motor hung down on each boat, that and the length and weight of the overall boat. The motor in the 106 is tucked tightly into the hull. On the 120 it sticks down twice the distance. It has to for the spot lock feature. The ability to be powered with least hang-ups in very, very shallow water was a must for me. Also length and weight was important, the ability to launch solo in some of the most remote launch areas and maneuverability around the sawgrass islands and the submerged tree fields. Here in the Everglades I have taken my 106 through the nastiest gnarliest stuff imaginable with zero issues. It's easy to launch solo with no trailers required or dedicated launch areas. Maneuverability is awesome. My decision worked out perfectly for my intended usage. One happy camper here!

In my opinion, less can be more. I find myself being much more focused to make a certain combination work. I've dropped down from 6 to 3 for kayak fishing, one spinning and one bait caster. The other combo is more for a backup. Same goes with lures. I only take 2 Plano 3600's which hold all my needs. From what I'm seeing, when I have less to work with I tend to make the best of what I got, which often times surprises me. I'm actually catching much more quality fish, these days.

Here in south Florida everglades I haven't caught that many other species besides what I am fishing for, which is bass. What perked me about this thread was one such catch the other day, a decent sized alligator gar. What I did totally wrong with that thing was to swing it over into the yak. Man, that was a BIG mistake! That thing went totally Tasmanian devil with a big salt water spook attached to its face (the one with three big trebles). Needless to say, I learned my lesson that day: don't ever do that again!

I agree with a lotta things said here, things like missing those fish on topwater lures, especially those fish that jump and they are about the biggest bass ever seen! Oh, my, how that hurts. I'm liken more and more topwater fishing and I find myself doin it just about all day long. I used to flip worms, etc. Was thinking the other day that nature, in all her glory, designed largemouth bass to feed mostly topwater. Their eyes are practically on the top of their big heads and that big mouth is designed like a big vacuum cleaner lol. Been using frogs more and more, which hook them and hold them and get them in with hardly any injury issues. Plus the hits are totally insane! We're shallow down here anyway with a lotta weed, so frogs play in very well. Spinnerbaits are scary only because I have lost some monsters on them, even with trailers. They can shake them quite fast. Oh, and always mind how those trailer hooks are held in place! Chatterbaits have, well, they have a lotta "chatter" lol Never go light when bank fishing! Go big, or go home, especially down south here in the Everglades. I learned that very fast. Think big bass and will catch big bass. I use heavy braid, wire leader, big stout 8ft surf spinning rods with Stella saltwater reels for these Everglades monsters....yes, they are that bad, totally and brutally insane! The sharks of freshwater lol The light stuff that I started out with I either broke in half or lost a bunch of big fish on. And I am beginning to hate these bait-casters! lol Funny how the personality of a bass can be defined by its location.....Live and learn, how its done!

Pros probably do not share what they are really using in tournaments. They probably only share those things that they are sponsored to use. I've often thought of it that way. I watch them, sure, and support their quest. I just don't run down to the local Dick's after watching them to buy up what I saw them trying to promote as the end all lure or fishing rod setup.

This whole topic on time of day related to what can be caught or what hits is interesting and a lot of good points have already been made. With my 2 cents, I'll toss in another theory. I tend to think of it more as "opportunities" regardless of time of day. Huh? Let me try to explain lol Each day of fishing can be segmented into various opportune movements, or flurries, if you will, related to temperature, wind, light, etc. For example, it can be high noon with a stagnant-like water with zero bites and then, out of nowhere, a flurry of wind suddenly ****** the water into a myriad display of diamond like ripples. Suddenly, that big girl slams the lure! I've witnessed moments like this throughout a day which have nothing to do with time of day but more to do with the conditions at a particular moment during a day. It can be the wind, a sudden flurry that pops out of nowhere like I mentioned, or a big puffy cloud passing overhead, or a temperature flux, a front, a fog drift, a storm brewing in the distance, bait movement, birds diving...a host of things. A host of things, day or night, I've seen it like this all the way around. So I tend to look at each day--no matter the time of day--as having great fishing opportunities. The key is in being prepared and positioned to take advantage of those opportunities.

I agree with a lot of what is being said here on continually trying to improve oneself with fishing knowledge, skill, fishing products, etc. It does help move this sport forward. Personally, though, I find myself actually trying not to improve so much anymore lol I mean, literally, one can get completely and totally saturated in this bass fishing scene today, almost to the point of drowning in a sea of videos, lures, rods, presentation, sales pitches, spots, opinions, etc. It can actually take away the clarity of fishing altogether....IMHO. Because of this, I find myself actually reverting a little, going back to the basics and enjoying the success of catching and winning. Sure, I still read, listen, and observe places like this site. But I keep in check my original ideas and styles that got me here in the first place.

$20 to launch a kayak?? What the heck. I just can't imagine that. I mean, sure, I can see the parking/meter fee or the entrance fees in parks, places like that. But those fees usually include access to all launch areas. To specifically pay to use a launch site for a kayak sounds utterly ridiculous. Here in Florida (or at least SE & SW Florida) we can launch anywhere, anyplace, and anytime most lakes, beaches or whatever for free. Some smaller places do have sunrise to sunset gates but are still open for launching. The Everglades is wide open for hundreds of miles to do whatever, day or night. State parks we all know about. I've had no problems off the beaches, day or night, launching baits with a kayak when shark fishing for NOAA. I guess each area has its ups and downs.