I am trying out a new fishing spot soon hoping for some new species besides the normal bluegill, bass, and uncatchable grass carp trio in the neighborhood pond. What species could i find here in the freshwater of florida? I think i'll try a multi species lure such as a spinner. I should also mention it is only about 2 acres so something like crappie probably aren't there. So what species should i look out for and what lures should i try?

Jaguar Guapote  are fun to catch on light tackle.Small spinnerbaits work well for them.

You can catch the carp. Attract them to a shoreline by tossing in a can-full of canned corn, then a few hours later use a small hook baited with a canned green bean. Keep your distance from the shore so you don't spook them. Return any carp you catch to the pond. There are also perhaps big catfish, tilapia, bowfin, pickerel, oscars, other types of bream, and crappie in your area. I believe you are too far north for Mayan cichlids, peacock bass, and snakeheads.

17 hours ago, hawgenvy said:

You can catch the carp. Attract them to a shoreline by tossing in a can-full of canned corn, then a few hours later use a small hook baited with a canned green bean. Keep your distance from the shore so you don't spook them. Return any carp you catch to the pond. There are also perhaps big catfish, tilapia, bowfin, pickerel, oscars, other types of bream, and crappie in your area. I believe you are too far north for Mayan cichlids, peacock bass, and snakeheads.

I have tried everything and nothing works. I may be using too heavy line (8lb mono). It has been almost a year of chasing them and no luck so far. They come and eat the corn but nothing on a hook...

Bread + corn + flour

Make little balls, they love it.

Gar & mudfish!

Red eye too!

5 hours ago, Fentawn said:

Bread + corn + flour

Make little balls, they love it.

Do you know any good recipes?

Ok i just got back from the new spot. I was about 5 casts in when some old lady came and said that i could not fish there despite the fact that i have been told by multiple people it is a fishing spot. Also the only thing the signs said were no swimming. I ended up leaving, but the funniest part was that as soon as she told me no fishing i caught a bluegill XD.

 

Anyway im going to try a new spot soon that has LMB, bluegill, channel catfish, and gar. Any advice on gar from the 1-5lb range? I've heard i should use plugs so i will fish a popper there.

19 minutes ago, LiftedSquare13 said:

Ok i just got back from the new spot. I was about 5 casts in when some old lady came and said that i could not fish there despite the fact that i have been told by multiple people it is a fishing spot. Also the only thing the signs said were no swimming. I ended up leaving, but the funniest part was that as soon as she told me no fishing i caught a bluegill XD.

 

Anyway im going to try a new spot soon that has LMB, bluegill, channel catfish, and gar. Any advice on gar from the 1-5lb range? I've heard i should use plugs so i will fish a popper there.

Free line live bait or strips of cut bait on a light wire hook with a 10-15lb test leader. You have to let them swallow it because there is nothing in their mouth for a hook to grab. Have fun!

4 hours ago, everythingthatswims said:

Free line live bait or strips of cut bait on a light wire hook with a 10-15lb test leader. You have to let them swallow it because there is nothing in their mouth for a hook to grab. Have fun!

Do you know if plugs will hold up? I'm definetly a lure fisherman although i will use live bait if i catch a small fish there. I've seen people on youtube catch gar on poppers and stuff. Is that a good method?

10 hours ago, LiftedSquare13 said:

Do you know if plugs will hold up? I'm definetly a lure fisherman although i will use live bait if i catch a small fish there. I've seen people on youtube catch gar on poppers and stuff. Is that a good method?

Maybe the spotted gar or whatever you have in Florida have different mouths that can be hooked by a treble. I fish for long nose gar and out of the probably hundreds that have hit my jerkbaits, crankbaits, and swimbaits, I have never had one hooked up for more than a few seconds. You could look into nylon lures that their teeth get stuck in.

15 hours ago, LiftedSquare13 said:

Any advice on gar from the 1-5lb range?

Take some nice long needle nose pliers!

Gars love jerkbaits, at least down here

On 1/1/2016 at 5:20 PM, LiftedSquare13 said:

Anyway im going to try a new spot soon that has LMB, bluegill, channel catfish, and gar. Any advice on gar from the 1-5lb range? I've heard i should use plugs so i will fish a popper there.

They'll eat anything, but a live minnow or dead piece of fish works best. They swim around with the bait for a minute or two before swallowing, so free spool it for awhile and be patient before setting the hook.

This Florida gar was caught in a shallow canal behind my house, on a soft plastic bait. He was released unharmed. They are fun to catch, powerful, muscular fish, but they smell awful.

 

Depending on how far South you are willing to travel in FL. You have multiple options: Mayan cichilds, Oscars, Peacock bass, Knife fish, Snakehead, Jaguar Guapote, Gar, and Grass Carp. Our canals farther South also hold: Snook, Jack Crevalle, Tarpon and Bull shark. You pretty much have your hands full with all these possibilities and locations. Various techniques can catch several of these species. Some you will do better with live baiting. Also, all of these species can be caught from land. 

1 hour ago, BassinLou said:

Depending on how far South you are willing to travel in FL. You have multiple options: Mayan cichilds, Oscars, Peacock bass, Knife fish, Snakehead, Jaguar Guapote, Gar, and Grass Carp. Our canals farther South also hold: Snook, Jack Crevalle, Tarpon and Bull shark. You pretty much have your hands full with all these possibilities and locations. Various techniques can catch several of these species. Some you will do better with live baiting. Also, all of these species can be caught from land. 

100%

The variety down here is amazing, even in urban settings.  

Love the canals down here, a bank fishermans paradise.

22 hours ago, Fentawn said:

The variety down here is amazing, even in urban settings.  

Love the canals down here, a bank fishermans paradise.

South Florida is fishing paradise!

Speaking of variety, caught this little guy in the C-4 canal yesterday.

I was trying to land some more peacocks and this was a definite surprise for me. 

 

 

A cuda? Or ladyfish?

37 minutes ago, N Florida Mike said:

A cuda? Or ladyfish?

Juvenile cuda. 

Yeah I see the teeth now.Cool.

29 minutes ago, N Florida Mike said:

Yeah I see the teeth now.Cool.

There's lots of big barracuda down here!I have caught several of them over 5 feet long.The teeth on these big Cuda are very large and sharp.

Yeah we have them up here too.They try to nab snappers as you pull them up.

are there cuda around the boca grand area

i have been spending about three months a year down there and was curious

On 1/26/2016 at 8:38 PM, mrmacwvu1 said:

are there cuda around the boca grand area

i have been spending about three months a year down there and was curious

Yes. I have caught many there over the years.