BASS FISHINGBass Fishing Sports Blog

Im gonna go bass fishing and i want to know which one is the best. also what color it is. I am also in miami florida
LURES
1. Grasshoper Lure
2. Mop Jig
3. Crayfish Lure
4. Buzzerbait
5. top water lure
Colors
1.Red
2. Blue
3. Green
4. blue and green
5. Brown

top water or just nightcrawlers. but if u r getting the top water there is a spesific one called a hula popper (get the gold and black one) after u cast it u use it by pulling on your pole frome the left to the right if u r doing it right u will hear a ploping sound.

All of the above and more. You never know what they'll hit on. That's why fishing pros carry 4-5 tourney bags of lures and baits. There's no one lure or bait that does it all. I'm sure you don't eat the same thing day in, and day out for all of your meals.

Anglers drive hundreds of miles just to get a chance to catch that wall hanger, as many bass up to 13 pounds have been taken out of this lake.

It’s not unusual for Florida’s Game & Fresh Water Fish Commission (FWC) staff to receive reports of individual anglers landing and releasing anywhere from 15 to 30 fish per day, even during the hot, humid months of summer when bass commonly sulk in deeper waters while attempting to stay cool.

We talked to Ron Turner and Gary Warner of Lakeland, who fished the lake this past Tuesday morning. Ron said they arrived just before daylight, launched their boat and headed out to a spot they had fished many times before. Ron and Gary, who delight in wildlife, frequently see eagles and ospreys, plus a wide variety of wading birds, alligators and, if lucky, a deer or wild turkey grazing on shore.

Tuesday was such a beautiful morning as these two anglers found their spot and started fishing just as the sun was coming in over the horizon. on the first cast, Gary hooked and boated a four-pound bass. by the way, Gary was using eight-inch Junebug colored plastic worms.

Ron was using shallow diving crank bait, and just a few casts later, he boated a two-pounder. the war was on as both are competitors and always make a small wager as to who will catch the largest and the most.

As it turned out on this beautiful morning, Gary caught five bass up to four pounds and Ron boated six bass up to three pounds. Ron caught more fish but Gary had the most poundage, so they called it a tie and headed home around 9:30 a.m. as it was really getting hot. these anglers always release their catch as they delight in the excitement of catching them.

There are special regulations for largemouth bass on Lake Walk-in-Water. a slot limit protects quality large-mouth bass by requiring that bass between 15 and 24 inches in length must be immediately released back into the lake. the daily bag limit is three fish per day. Only one of the three fish may be greater than 24 inches. This means you may keep three bass less than 15 inches, or two bass less than 15 inches and one bass greater than 24 inches.

Very Few Boats

As we ride around the chain in Winter Haven, we do not see many boats on the lakes unless they are pulling skiers. on weekends, we see a few more anglers out trying their best to win one of the many tournaments held on the chain in these one-day events. but fishing is just about at a standstill from 10 a.m. to sundown as it is just too hot. your best bet is to get out around sunup and leave the lake about 9:30 a.m.

Anglers who are fishing early morning hours are catching a few nice bass out of Summit, Eloise, Winterset and Roy. most are using plastic worms, hitting the grass lines just at sun-up then switching to deep water later.

There is still plenty of action on bluegills while using crickets through the chain. keep those lines tight and we will see you on the pond this week. Be sure to take a youth with you on your next trip.

I live in Hernando county Florida. I catch bass every day in my backyard it's getting kind of dull I need new scene. If we aren't catching bass it's red fish which I do delight in a lot but I'm tryint to make a trip out of fishing for the boyfriend and me. I am looking for a charter. Any suggestions on where to go? I need a good spot to catch some fish and a good time. When's the best time trying to plot a good trip? Hopefully sooner than later.

Plot your boat trip more to late spring! for some good fishing try a run over to panama city beach at the treasure island marine and look for Captain Bobby Robinette (Gotta believe or the little Richard)or Captain bill and tell them Rion said Hello!Gotta believe 850-234-9409
Also check out Pastime Princess (386) 427-5393 or
107N Riverside Drive
New Smyrna Beach, FL 32169

The Double Eagle Charter Boat at clearwater beach they are the kindest people and you can go for a half day or a whole day and you can't beat their price. and they put you on fish last time i went before i moved from there we caught 23 grunts and the were tasty. here's their site. also tackle and fishing rods are provided to.
doubleeagledeepseafishing.com… from now on every time I visit i go fishing on their charter boats.

The town of Cedar Key, is perhaps one of the coolest places in FLA. it has a really clean boardwalk & the area is renown for all types of saltwater fishing.

Google it!

UPDATE: OOps! (lol)

go to catch 47.com click on the fishing link and a list of charter captains will help you out

I agree with S_M_C with this one
Cedar Key is awesome! I like it there.
Note to S_M_C
You might want to edit *Florida is perhaps the coolest place in Florida* to say *Cedar Key is perhaps the coolest place in Florida*
-Fishingidiot-

S M C, had a good idea, with cedar key.
you could also try in the 10,000 islands. the fishing there can be fantastic

what site do u get the 3 lures for 15.00 dollars fishing lewers that people in florida use to catch 48 bass and 14 fish with other lures.

Beware of the gimmick man. there are alot of companies out there who are attempting to make a name for themselves by boasting a huge amount of hooked fish. the brand of lure is no where near as vital as the lake, quanity of bass, season, color and ecetera. You cant go incorrect with the classic rapala. Thats a company who has been doing it right for centuries. everyone has thier favorites but you should buy a few and see which ones you like and beware of any ad that says "we caught this many fish" or " this lure is going to be nanned in tournaments because of the amount of fish it catches" bla bla bla

You might mean the Banjo Minnow ? Beware of some of the infomercial lures they dont work as well as advertised

I reckon i saw a discussion about the Banjo Minnow at www fishntell com

A hallmark of the long-term Florida Black Bass Management Plot, which the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission (FWC) approved on June 9, 2011, will be a sensational new TrophyCatch angler recognition program. Florida intends to ensure that Florida is the undisputed bass fishing capital of the world.Representatives of the FWC, the Wildlife Foundation of Florida, and several corporate partners will be in Booth 2266 at ICAST, to discuss how industry partners can participate in the ground floor of this innovative conservation program. TrophyCatch will be a full-fleged intiative to document largemouth bass caught throughout Florida that are heavier than eight pounds and encourage their release. Incremental rewards and recognition will be provided to anglers reporting bass in the 8-10, 10-12, 12-13 and greater than 13-pound categories.“ICAST is an exciting venue for FWC to announce TrophyCatch to the sportfishing community and to develop new partnerships with the industry and media,” said Tom Champeau, Director of the Division of Freshwater Fisheries Management. “This progam, driven by private dollars, can substantially enhance Florida bass fishing by addressing ecological issues and encouraging recycling of trophy bass, but it will also have a fantastic social and economic impact.”Specific handling guidelines are being developed to ensure anglers do the best possible job of effectively releasing these fish while at the same time providing the FWC with valuable research and marketing information. FWC representatives will certify bass over 13-pounds caught from October through April for entry into the Florida Trophy Bass Hall of Fame. Sponsors, corporate partners and the media will help provide incentives to encourage reporting all such catches and releasing them. Industry representatives are encouraged to come by Booth 2266 to learn more about current plans and offer their own suggestions.Fisheries biologists will use TrophyCatch reports to identify Florida’s best bass fisheries to determine which management practices (e.g., habitat and aquatic plant management, regulations, stocking) are most effective in making trophy fisheries. VISIT FLORIDA, the state’s privatized tourism agency, and FWC will work with the media industry to use this information to establish Florida as a prime trophy bass fishing destination. Incorporating social media and online mapping resources will make thisinformation widely available to the public and create a constant buzz as anglers report new trophies and post photos. Such recognition will increase both resident and nonresident angler participation and enjoyment, tackle and license sales and tourism, and help to create the next generation that cares about our natural resources and outdoor recreational heritage.Florida is the “Fishing Capital of the World,” due to fantastic resources and responsible management (FishingCapital.net). Facts from the last several National Surveys of Fishing, Hunting and Wildlife-Associated Recreation, and International Game Fish Association records help substantiate that claim. For instance, in Sportfishing in America: An Economic Engine and Conservation Powerhouse, based on the 2006 National Survey, Southwick Associates reported Florida ranked number one in total days fishing (46.3 million), in-state anglers (2.8 million), nonresident anglers (885,000), total angler expenditures ($4.4 billion) and total economic impact ($7.5 billion). This establishes Florida as the top ranked fishing market in the world.But, those numbers depend on both saltwater and freshwater fishing combined. in Florida, more recreational fishing days are spent on fresh water (24.4 million days by 1.4 million anglers) than in salt water. Largemouth bass are not only the most sought after species in Florida but also in the nation. Bass anglers alone generate $1.25 billion dollars for Florida’s economy supporting thousands of jobs.in March 2010, BassMaster Magazine (Mccormick 2010) summarized the first 12 years of its Lunker Club applications, reporting that, "Considering the number of largemouth entries the Lunker Club has received over more than a decade, it's not surprising that more entries have been caught in Florida (514 lunkers reported; 27.2%) than any other state.”The IGFA record book shows in their 10-Pound Bass Club 123 of 412 entries coming from Florida. Amazingly, they document 10 bass up to 18.5 pounds that surpass the current state-certified record of 17.27 pounds (the uncertified state record is 20.13 pounds).Florida has tremendously diverse bass fisheries comprising 3 million acres of water and 12,000 miles of fishable rivers and canals that are open year round. Tim O’Neil, a FWC marketing expert and liaison to the Wildlife Foundation of Florida (a public-support organization affiliated with FWC), pointed out that FWC and the Foundation want to work with the sportfishing industry. “TrophyCatch is in it’s infancy but will grow quickly, and we want to work with the best and brightest in the corporate world A hallmark of the long-term Florida Black Bass Management Plot, which the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission (FWC) approved on June 9, 2011, will be a sensational new TrophyCatch angler recognition program. Florida intends to ensure that Florida is the undisputed bass fishing capital of the world.Representatives of the FWC, the Wildlife Foundation of Florida, and several corporate partners will be in Booth 2266 at ICAST, to discuss how industry partners can participate in the ground floor of this innovative conservation program. TrophyCatch will be a full-fleged intiative to document largemouth bass caught throughout Florida that are heavier than eight pounds and encourage their release. Incremental rewards and recognition will be provided to anglers reporting bass in the 8-10, 10-12, 12-13 and greater than 13-pound categories.“ICAST is an exciting venue for FWC to announce TrophyCatch to the sportfishing community and to develop new partnerships with the industry and media,” said Tom Champeau, Director of the Division of Freshwater Fisheries Management. “This progam, driven by private dollars, can substantially enhance Florida bass fishing by addressing ecological issues and encouraging recycling of trophy bass, but it will also have a fantastic social and economic impact.”Specific handling guidelines are being developed to ensure anglers do the best possible job of effectively releasing these fish while at the same time providing the FWC with valuable research and marketing information. FWC representatives will certify bass over 13-pounds caught from October through April for entry into the Florida Trophy Bass Hall of Fame. Sponsors, corporate partners and the media will help provide incentives to encourage reporting all such catches and releasing them. Industry representatives are encouraged to come by Booth 2266 to learn more about current plans and offer their own suggestions.Fisheries biologists will use TrophyCatch reports to identify Florida’s best bass fisheries to determine which management practices (e.g., habitat and aquatic plant management, regulations, stocking) are most effective in making trophy fisheries. VISIT FLORIDA, the state’s privatized tourism agency, and FWC will work with the media industry to use this information to establish Florida as a prime trophy bass fishing destination. Incorporating social media and online mapping resources will make thisinformation widely available to the public and create a constant buzz as anglers report new trophies and post photos. Such recognition will increase both resident and nonresident angler participation and enjoyment, tackle and license sales and tourism, and help to create the next generation that cares about our natural resources and outdoor recreational heritage.Florida is the “Fishing Capital of the World,” due to fantastic resources and responsible management (FishingCapital.net). Facts from the last several National Surveys of Fishing, Hunting and Wildlife-Associated Recreation, and International Game Fish Association records help substantiate that claim. For instance, in Sportfishing in America: An Economic Engine and Conservation Powerhouse, based on the 2006 National Survey, Southwick Associates reported Florida ranked number one in total days fishing (46.3 million), in-state anglers (2.8 million), nonresident anglers (885,000), total angler expenditures ($4.4 billion) and total economic impact ($7.5 billion). This establishes Florida as the top ranked fishing market in the world.But, those numbers depend on both saltwater and freshwater fishing combined. in Florida, more recreational fishing days are spent on fresh water (24.4 million days by 1.4 million anglers) than in salt water. Largemouth bass are not only the most sought after species in Florida but also in the nation. Bass anglers alone generate $1.25 billion dollars for Florida’s economy supporting thousands of jobs.in March 2010, BassMaster Magazine (Mccormick 2010) summarized the first 12 years of its Lunker Club applications, reporting that, "Considering the number of largemouth entries the Lunker Club has received over more than a decade, it's not surprising that more entries have been caught in Florida (514 lunkers reported; 27.2%) than any other state.”The IGFA record book shows in their 10-Pound Bass Club 123 of 412 entries coming from Florida. Amazingly, they document 10 bass up to 18.5 pounds that surpass the current state-certified record of 17.27 pounds (the uncertified state record is 20.13 pounds).Florida has tremendously diverse bass fisheries comprising 3 million acres of water and 12,000 miles of fishable rivers and canals that are open year round. Tim O’Neil, a FWC marketing expert and liaison to the Wildlife Foundation of Florida (a public-support organization affiliated with FWC), pointed out that FWC and the Foundation want to work with the sportfishing industry. “TrophyCatch is in it’s infancy but will grow quickly, and we want to work with the best and brightest in the corporate world to make this a win-win-win for the environment, anglers, and industry. " O'Neil said.

Here’s fish tale of sorts from G Lahrye Radford a Santa Rosa Beach resident.

A common question heard on Monday is, “What did you do over the weekend?”  well, I have a pretty good story as three non-pros can have a positive outcome when all the planets are aligned.

This saga started a year ago when my cousin Bob Horne helped Dr. Perry Hight get his boat off a sandbar – as a reward for Bob’s efforts Dr. Hight offered to take Bob fishing. one year later when Bob returned to Florida from his home in Montana – we went and I was a stow-away.

I suppose this was a catch that was supposed to happen.  The fish, a wahoo, was caught on a no. 2 circle hook (relatively small), the bait was a dead cigar minnow, and the line was 30-pound test.  after the strike, the fish immediately ran to the left and under another boat where it picked up two lines where the people were bottom fishing. 

In the excitement of getting the bottom rigs off my line, the line got caught in the anchor.  now we have two people hanging off the front of the boat, extricating the line while I watched and eased off on the fish. I thought I had lost the fish, but it was swimming back toward the boat. after the slack was reeled in, the fishes suddenly realized his situation and off he swam — 45 minutes later, Bob gaffed the fish – an 85-pound wahoo.

Later, we learned that Dr. Hight’s boating skills also saved the day.  He kept the fish at a constant angle to the boat that helped prevent the hook from slipping out.  a first mate from one of the charter boats that was helping us clean the fish kept saying – “you aren’t suppose to catch a fish like that with a Carolina Mackerel Rig.”  Check that out at Bass Pro Shop and you also will be amazed.”

For the record, we were fishing out of Destin Harbor, the boat is “Bali Hi” captained by Dr. Perry Height – to the best of our ability to determine, we were in 110 ft of water, maybe 12 miles from land.

Keep you line tight.

Nowhere was better than Lake Kissimmee, where four bass over 10 pounds and three more in the 9-pound class were weighed at the Accent Marine tournament.

And nobody had a better day than Colby Cotterill and David Harris, a couple of young fellows from Lakeland who won the Accent tournament with a 38.05-pound stringer and an 11 1/4-pounder to top it off.

But bass 4-7 pounds were also commonplace on the south Winter Haven chain, Lake Walk-in-the-Water, Lake Reedy and Bent Lake, mostly in deeper water and from daylight up until 9-10 a.m.

Ron Schelfo at Ron’s Tackle Box in Lake Alfred said the south Winter Haven chain has been excellent for bass 5-7 pounds on lakes Howard, may, Shipp and Summit.

Whether the upward trend for bass continues through the July 4 weekend remains to be seen, but with the start of daily thundershowers and the effect of the new moon on Friday, the odds are good that hook-sets will continue for holiday bass fishermen.

More anglers will be in pursuit of panfish, and they’re in luck with a favorable moon phase likely to keep bluegill and shellcracker in shallow lily pads, bulrushes and grass on several local lakes.

Kissimmee is also hard to beat for panfish.

“The bream bite’s on, and for those who like to fish the outside edge of grass lines and flip, they’ll have a good day bass fishing,” said Leo Cosce at Camp Lester along the river channel to Lake Kissimmee.

It’s been a stellar spring for bluegill and shellcracker on the huge lake.

“If they’re going bluegilling, I’d tell them to go straight to Kissimmee,” said Gary Parramore at Chain O’Lakes Bait and Tackle in Dundee.

Cosce pointed out the best panfish spots on Lake Kissimmee.

“Check the lily pads on Grassy Island. Check the bulrushes and lily pads in North Cove. And go to the south end of Rabbit Island and the south end of Bird Island, inside,” Cosce said.

Steve Grimes, his dad and a friend came away with 75 mixed bluegill and shellcracker in the lily pads on Lake Kissimmee. they were using crickets.

“Both species bit crickets, only because they didn’t take worms,” Cosce said. “If they had taken worms, they might have caught more shellcracker.”

Bluegill have also been good at Lake Toho, Saddle Creek Park, Lake Rochelle and Lake Swoop, to name a few.

In addition to bass and panfish, catfish have been decent at Tenoroc, Peterson Park and Lake Kissimmee.

And for bank fishermen just looking for a bite, there’s been a lot of tilapia at Saddle Creek on red worms.

Fishing has been surprisingly good even though it’s the end of June.

But Schelfo pointed out that the number of anglers has dropped off in the past two weeks even though there are fish to be caught.

“Fishing is excellent when people go. But not a lot of people are going,” Schelfo said.

Many anglers will spend the Fourth of July on the coast, but for freshwater fishermen who get out early this weekend, there should be plenty of fillets for the fryer.

BASS TOURNAMENTS

David Harris and Colby Cotterill produced one of the top stringers of the year on Sunday in the Accent Marine tournament on the Kissimmee Chain out of Camp Mack. Harris and Cotterill weighed in the limit of six bass totaling 38.05 pounds, and also boated the largest bass at 11.25 pounds. Brian Wical and Matt Hinman finished second with 33.25 pounds, while Scott Perry and Richard Anthony took third with 32.20 pounds. Richie Upchurch and Danny Hulett placed fourth with 29 pounds, while James Pearson and Jeff Crandon had 27.55 pounds for fifth. There were four bass over 10 pounds in the tournament.

Jack Graham and Willard Combee combined for a 23.25-pound stringer to win the good Ol’ Boys Bassmasters tournament on the south Winter Haven chain Saturday. they also boated the largest bass at 6.35 pounds. Scott Yutzy and Anthony Coffman finished second with 17.05 pounds.

Jack Alward and Willard Combee won the Sunday Open Series mini-classic on Lake Reedy Sunday with 22 pounds. Bill Guerard and Bobby Castilleja took second with 17 1/2 pounds. the father-son team of Joey and Adam Tyler placed third with 16 1/4 pounds. Ben Plodzik and his usual partner’s grandson, Johnny Patrick, netted the largest bass at 6 pounds, 5 ounces, and Johnny caught it.

Don Smith and Ricky Timmerman won the Lake Wales Po’ Boys tournament on Bent Lake Sunday with 12.74 pounds. Geoffrey Balog and Stephen George finished second with 11.77 pounds. Phil Hayes and Bobby Abbatoy had 10.66 pounds for third, including Hayes’ 5.74-pounder.

Jack Alward and Willard Combee won the Ron’s Tackle Box evening tournament last Thursday on Eagle Lake with 9 pounds, including Alward’s 3-pound, 10-ouncer. Kevin Wells and Todd String finished second with 8 1/2 pounds, followed by Don Pruitt and Scott Bennett with 7 1/2 pounds.

Jamie Eskdale won the 15-18 age group in the Lakeland Junior Bassmasters tournament on Lake Ariana Saturday with 12.15 pounds. Cody Myers was second with 9.70 pounds. Michael Boswell placed third with 6.60 pounds with the largest bass of 3.95 pounds. Luke Ferguson finished fourth (4.20 pounds) and Dustin Bozeman (3.85) was fifth. Cole Schmucker was the 11-14 champion with 6.05 pounds. Dalton Gorman took second with 5.20 pounds including the top fish at 3 pounds, and third went to Kaitlyn Boswell with 2.20 pounds. Colby Cotterill netted the largest bass among boat captains at 3.10 pounds.

[ Del Milligan's freshwater fishing column appears Thursdays in the Ledger. He can be reached at or 863-802-7555. Milligan's blog, Central Florida Fishology, can be found at theledger.com home page. ]

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The harried largemouth angler in the boat some 30 yards away must have held a masters degree in profanity. From his mouth flowed a stream of some of the “bluest” language imaginable.

His vocabulary contained more noteworthy and creative curse words than Richard Pryor, Eddie Murphy and my great Uncle Ray combined. in the fisherman’s defense, however, he did beg the pardon of those within earshot. His apology also explained the motivation for his considerable wealth of expletives.

“Forgive me,” he said, “but this blinkety-blank grass is just about to aggravate me to death. I don’t know how folks can stand to fish it without going slap crazy. For every minute I’ve spent fishing today, I’ve spent another 10 pulling weeds off my lures and getting junk off my line.”

It wasn’t long afterward that my buddy and I noticed the man fire up his outboard and roar away toward the boat ramp.

He went home, most likely not to return until fall, when the lake’s abundance of aquatic vegetation would be less lush, thinner, and simpler to negotiate and fish.

Though all bass fishermen despise grass (here, a collective term for surface and subsurface plant species) at one time or another, the truly serious angler has reason to love it as well. this common Deep South like/despise attitude stacks up two ways.

“Thick grass and weeds in a lake or pond can be frustrating,” said North Florida fisherman Bart Bradley. “The traditional casting and retrieving techniques can often be useless, and your lures turn into little more than grappling hooks for huge wads of vegetation. On the other hand, there is usually a large number of fish in the grass, and that number often includes some very big largemouth bass.”

Bass and other warm-water fishes love grass and weeds for a very simple reason. Green vegetative cover provides what every freshwater predatory fish must have to survive: summertime shade, an ample hot-weather oxygen supply and strategic ambush points from which the predator can successfully attack and subsequently consume its prey.

Thus, many knowledgeable fishermen are quite willing to put up with the inherent fishing frustration that is an “occupational hazard” for thick-cover anglers.

But exactly how does one go about fishing vegetation, particularly in the summertime, when the largest fish may well be secluded deep in the thickest weed bed, lily pad patch or grass mat?

“The solution is to take what the grass gives you,” Bradley said. “Adapt. Don’t try to force your so-called tried-and-right fishing methods on the situation at hand.”

According to Bradley, the real secret to fishing thick grass and weeds, in general, is holes and edges. Concentrating on fishing these specific “open” spots can alleviate many grass-fishing headaches and ultimately result in multiple numbers of nice bass on the end of one’s line.

“First,” Bradley continued, “there is seldom a patch of aquatic vegetation, no matter how thick or expansive, that isn’t pock-marked with open, weed-free holes and occasional pockets of open water. with the right lures and presentations, these holes in the grass may be fished easily and effectively.”

If the vegetation is lily pads, for example, start out with weedless topwater baits in a mouse or frog pattern.

Lighter colors are excellent on bright days and dark is excellent early and late or during an overcast.

“Cast the lure onto the pads and retrieve it with a twitch-and-rest motion until it reaches one of those openings I mentioned,” Bradley said. “Then stop it in the open-water pocket and let it sit a minute before resuming your retrieve. Repeat that process several times in the same spot before you go on to the next hole.”

If topwater action is not immediately forthcoming, a jig-and-pork or jig-and-craw combination or Texas-rigged worm can be flipped or cast directly into the open pocket. once the bait is exactly where the angler wants it, he should then work it slowly, making it hop and wriggle in one spot.

For fishing surface or subsurface vegetation like hydrilla or milfoil, the same methods can be employed. The growth pattern of these particular plants, however, will also allow a bait to be presented not only in open pockets, but in the thick stuff itself.

“A heavily weighted worm or bass jig can be made to fall through the surface mat and down into the open water below,” Bradley explained. “Again, fish it very slowly.”

The edges of practically any kind of vegetation can be easily fished with lures like spinnerbaits, crankbaits, or worms. The spinnerbait is often an ideal choice. Work the lure as parallel as possible to the vegetation and run it right along the “grassline.”

“Fish as close to the grass as possible and experiment with both deep and shallow retrieves,” said Bradley.

“Aggressive fish will leave the vegetative cover long enough to grab the lure before dashing back to their ‘hideout.’ Topwater baits along these surface and subsurface edges are not usually as productive.”Weedless spoons like the old standby Johnson Silver Minnow or the newer Rapala models are also excellent grass lures. Tipped with a pork frog or plastic worm tail, they can be deadly crayfish or frog imitations and will often produce when all else fails. these spoons can be fished in the thickest vegetation without hang-ups or those aggravating grass-wads on the end of the line.

One final important point: Never fish thick vegetation without stout equipment. Stiff rods are needed for positive hooksets, while strong baitcasting reels and heavy line make it more likely you’ll hoist your catch from its grassy hideaway.

Don’t shy away from fishing the grass this summer. You’ll be one up on the fellow who gives up, gets mad and goes home.

Time of year. we are now post spawn i reckon and the bite has gone away. I know this B/C i just bought the smart caster (RF25) by Humminbird so i now know where the fish are. I highly recomend bying this item for the shore angler there is nothing better and so much fun.
Is there a magazine out there that covers Florida? i do get bassmaster but it seems that it covers the rest of the upper states and as much as i like it i would like to find a magazine that covers only florida/texas as we dont see much of a change in the weather.
also is there a teaching video for children somewhere? my nieces and nephews are 6-12 and i have given them the fishing bug but thier dad is no old man in the sea so i would like to show them VIA an instructional video how to fish for the huge BASS..

Thank in advance for all answers and suggestions
I am a carpenter by trade so if you have any questions feel free to question and i will do my best to help you to return the favor.

It depends on a lot of factors. Type of water; depth; coverage; clarity etc. probably a carolina-rigged plastic worm would be the best all-round lure. try different colors to see what they are hitting! LoL.

Ok. I'm not going to say they'll work every time, and I'm not going to say they'll increase your catch rate 110% or anything like that, but when I go freshwater fishing, I NEVER go without a pack of Senkos… rig 'em but you want, I prefer wacky, just because it's simple, simple, simple, and let's just say it's rare to not catch anything on them if there's anything around to eat them.

Have to agree that Florida Sportsman is probably ~the~ best magazine for us Florida anglers, lots of good info. As for the kids, just keep them interested… what I've found is that as long as they're included, that's all they care about… catch a fish, and it's just a bonus, and I doubt the foremost thing in their mind is catching lunkers just yet. my goal is to get my niece and nephew on a mess of bluegill in the coming year… or mangrove snapper… something along those lines where no real skill is required, just the patience and the ability to put the food in front of the fish.

Excellent luck

I am Japanese. I will go fishing to Florida next February . I will fish bass in some lakes with fishing guides. I will present some Japanese lures for them. I reckon it's a good idea. but I have no thoughts what to present. so I want to question you what kind of Japanese lures are noticed in America? What pleases them ?

Florida Bass fishing guides and most fisherman around here like Caps that display logos of different lures and products. I live on the Kissimmee chain of lakes and I would like to try a Smith Glossa Magnum or a Shabuki sinking minnow. Maybe a Imakatsu #123 Bleeding Arkansas Shiner crankbait. The bass feed on shiners and other small fish so imitations produce fish. When you get here in Feb it will be during the spawn so huge bass will be on the beds. good Luck and great Fishing!

Many of the Japanese lures are good for fishing, in fact about 50% of lures in the USA are imported from japan, with the likes of diawa, being the main importer, bring a selection with quality hooks and im sure they wont turn them down.

Golden Feather pretty well summed up the question with his answer. The Megabass Ito Vision 110 jerkbait being the top of the artificial food chain. Let's not fail to mention Lucky Craft Live Pointer 110, the Sammy or Japan's No.1 lure maker and their ASURA O.S.P. here is what they look like: deloscustomtackleshack.com/je…
As for your idea being considered good, it is a fantastic idea and will be very well appreciated. they will be most pleased by your gift.

Anything Yo-Zuri makes is top notch!!