Fishing Thread

[warrior-cat]

Been a slow year for me this year as I heavy rains started the season and really mucked up the water and raised the level of all of my fishing holes. Monday, I caught my biggest bass of the year at just over 5lbs. Going again tomorrow kayaking (wade most of the time) just to get to some areas I have not been able to when wading.

How about you others? Having a good or bad year?

 

[cordmaker 74]

Been a slow year for me this year as I heavy rains started the season and really mucked up the water and raised the level of all of my fishing holes. Monday, I caught my biggest bass of the year at just over 5lbs. Going again tomorrow kayaking (wade most of the time) just to get to some areas I have not been able to when wading.

How about you others? Having a good or bad year?

WC, not a bad year, the first one I caught the picture weighed 4 lbs, the other I got it to the boat, I looked at it and one eye was on one side of the boat and the other eye was on the other side of the boat, I decided it was catch an release!

 

[JDHoss]

The surf fishing has been pitiful this year, and the lagoon side has been hit and miss for snook. Same for bass fishing. I've had to hit the Everglades canals to have any luck. Agriculture runoff has killed bass fishing between here and Okeechobee.

 

[Catsfan2025]

"Throw out the line and reel em in, I'm going fishing again."

 

[SWFLwildcat06]

I’ve been killing it as usual. Catching some nice snook on the beach and the back bays. Trout has been hit and miss but when I do find them they are quality fish. The redfish bite has slowed down quite a bit since April. I’m going out early am Sat to hit some dock lights and look for some tarpon after sunrise. I don’t do much bass fishing in the summer here in south FL.

 

[Anon1751573686]

Have not been this year yet.
How embarrassing and pathetic.

 

[JDHoss]

I’ve been killing it as usual. Catching some nice snook on the beach and the back bays. Trout has been hit and miss but when I do find them they are quality fish. The redfish bite has slowed down quite a bit since April. I’m going out early am Sat to hit some dock lights and look for some tarpon after sunrise. I don’t do much bass fishing in the summer here in south FL.

You ever fish the Tamiami? I love taking a day and hitting that. I stop off at the Harold Campbell rec area at the Palm Beach/Broward county line and spend a couple of hours before going down US-27 to Krome Ave and taking the Tamiami on west.

 

[Bluefish]

Fish mainly NC/southern VA out of lake house for stripers and the occasional walleye and some forays into SC and TN for whatever the group I’m with want to try to get in the boat. Some mountain trout fishing (western NC or Colorado) but none this year so far.

After a dismal last two seasons at the lake, have been wrecking it on striper schools this season. Fishing some “new” areas (to me at least). Downriggers mostly but also get the kayak out for cove fishing in the shallows. Quite a few smallies doing that.

Any day on the water is a good day though.

 

[warrior-cat]

The surf fishing has been pitiful this year, and the lagoon side has been hit and miss for snook. Same for bass fishing. I've had to hit the Everglades canals to have any luck. Agriculture runoff has killed bass fishing between here and Okeechobee.

Yeah, as I said, we have had more rain this year than I can remember and my fishing holes are overrunning. I believe that affects the fishing a great deal. Went this morning (kayaking) and while the pond I went to is still up (starting to recede) the water grass is everywhere. Ran weedless frogs, worms, and creatures with only the swimming frogs being hit. I hooked 4 but only landed 2. One very small and the other maybe 3lbs.

 

[JDHoss]

Yeah, as I said, we have had more rain this year than I can remember and my fishing holes are overrunning. I believe that affects the fishing a great deal. Went this morning (kayaking) and while the pond I went to is still up (starting to recede) the water grass is everywhere. Ran weedless frogs, worms, and creatures with only the swimming frogs being hit. I hooked 4 but only landed 2. One very small and the other maybe 3lbs.

Yeah, high water will definitely turn them off. When I lived in Virginia, we had a really wet summer that made fishing the rivers and creeks I normally fished a waste of time.

 

[SWFLwildcat06]

The surf fishing has been pitiful this year, and the lagoon side has been hit and miss for snook. Same for bass fishing. I've had to hit the Everglades canals to have any luck. Agriculture runoff has killed bass fishing between here and Okeechobee.

Are you talking about Mosquito Lagoon? Some of those Everglades canals are great, I don’t get down that far south too much I do know a few canals in Naples area that have Peacock bass.

 

[JDHoss]

Are you talking about Mosquito Lagoon? Some of those Everglades canals are great, I don’t get down that far south too much I do know a few canals in Naples area that have Peacock bass.

It's the canal that goes along US-41 from just above the Miccosukee casino in Miami over towards Naples. That's some good fishing for bass, peacocks, cichlids, Oscars and closer to the coast, some snook and small tarpon. It's truly a bonanza of species.

 

[SWFLwildcat06]

Yeah all those canals are loaded with fish I just don’t get down that far south usually. I generally kayak fish, mostly Estero Bay and the Pine Island area. Florida is an amazing fishery, no where else like it. So much water to explore and fish, a true fisherman’s paradise.

 

[JayHank]

I am new to the board so pardon me for stepping in. As a native Floridian I do love to talk fishing.

Fishing is good on the Gulf of Mexico and rivers feeding into it in my part of Florida. We also have good scalloping and Stone Crabs. My brother has crab traps off of St George Island and does well. He lets his grandson's work the traps and they get to keep the money for their college fund.

We have a fisherman's paradise down here and the fun part is talking with the Old Timers about how it was before the population explosion. Ted Williams loved to fish in Citrus County and Babe Ruth had a fishing cabin in Aripeka. Aripeka is known for snook, redfish, trout and tarpon.

 

[wildcatwelder_rivals]

It's been a terrible year for myself, but it's not the fish's fault. The first week in April, I was on my way to see about getting a hitch on my truck so I could buy a boat, when a guy made a left turn right in front of me, totaling my truck. Since the other driver is at fault, I'm just awaiting my attorney to settle the case so I can go buy a new truck......THEN I can return to looking around for a boat.

However, (seems there's always a however), about three weeks ago one of my ankles began swelling and giving out on me. Apparently there's a bone fragment floating around in there, along with an old fracture. I was prescribed a steroid pack that I finished yesterday. I was told that if it returned at the completion of taking all the RX, to go see my ortho. All the pain and swelling has returned. Going this week to see an ortho if at all possible. Fishing may not happen for me this year, and I was so looking forward to it, especially since I just retired.

Hope all of you guys catch a bunch though. Keep the old welder in your best fishing prayers, lol.

 

[80 Proof]

Are you talking about Mosquito Lagoon? Some of those Everglades canals are great, I don’t get down that far south too much I do know a few canals in Naples area that have Peacock bass.

My Naples saltwater guide has promised to take me to his secret Peacock holes next time im down that way. Can't wait to catch one of those.

 

[80 Proof]

It's been a terrible year for myself, but it's not the fish's fault. The first week in April, I was on my way to see about getting a hitch on my truck so I could buy a boat, when a guy made a left turn right in front of me, totaling my truck. Since the other driver is at fault, I'm just awaiting my attorney to settle the case so I can go buy a new truck......THEN I can return to looking around for a boat.

However, (seems there's always a however), about three weeks ago one of my ankles began swelling and giving out on me. Apparently there's a bone fragment floating around in there, along with an old fracture. I was prescribed a steroid pack that I finished yesterday. I was told that if it returned at the completion of taking all the RX, to go see my ortho. All the pain and swelling has returned. Going this week to see an ortho if at all possible. Fishing may not happen for me this year, and I was so looking forward to it, especially since I just retired.

Hope all of you guys catch a bunch though. Keep the old welder in your best fishing prayers, lol.

Get well soon wildcat friend!

 

[warrior-cat]

Went fishing again this morning in my kayak. Arrived at one of my favorite ponds at the break of dawn and stayed a little over 3 hours.

Had 7 strikes, 5 hooked and 3 landed. 2 were in the 5lb range so, pretty good size. One of the ones that got away was pulling me in the kayak pretty good, so I suspect it was a lunker.

 

[SWFLwildcat06]

My Naples saltwater guide has promised to take me to his secret Peacock holes next time im down that way. Can't wait to catch one of those.

Hell yeah. A lot of the guides use shiners, which usually gives you a better chance at some of the bigger peacocks. I have pretty good luck with them on white paddle tails though and smaller brightly colored twitch baits, like Rapala or Yozuri.

 

[Catfan in Tn.]

Friend and his Grandkids catch at Lake Cumberland using a Guide.

 

[JDHoss]

My Naples saltwater guide has promised to take me to his secret Peacock holes next time im down that way. Can't wait to catch one of those.

We don't have any smallmouth down here, but they are the next best thing.