Razor Baits Pro Staff Team

Extremely proud and honored to announce I'll be joining the Razor Baits Pro Staff Team!!! I am very excited to represent the greatest soft baits on the market and such a great team!!! Check them out at http://www.razorbaits.com/

Altering Your Strategy

It's always important to have a game plan when heading to the water. What area do I want to fish and what lure do I want to use are among some of the questions we all think about before we hit the water.

But what happens when you're thrown a curveball?

Last week  I planned to do some evening snakehead fishing so I got my favorite frog, strapped it to my custom Dunamis Rod with 50# braid and headed to the canal. Upon arriving the normally calm canal had waves! After a few casts and seeing my frog get air off the waves I knew I had to switch things up.

I tied on a Bayou Bug Jigs Da Gator Flippin Jig with a lizard trailer and on my third cast boom!

Knowing when to change your strategy is very important in fishing. Failure to notice and adapt to conditions will result in lost fish.

Take care and tight lines!

5 Pound Snakehead on my GoPro

Caught this 5 pound snakehead on my custom Dunamis Rods fishing rod throwing a Bayou Bugs Jigs Swim Jig with a lizard trailer!

Bayou Bug Jigs Field Staff!!!

Extremely proud and honored to announce I'll be joining the Bayou Bug Jigs Field Staff Team for 2016!!! I am very excited to represent the greatest jigs on the market and such a great team!!! Use the code below for 20% off! http://www.bayoubugjigs.com

Facebook Messenger

If you're a business with a Facebook Page make sure you're set up for Facebook Messenger.  Potential customers may have questions about your product or service and without Facebook Messenger they will move on to a competitor.

While this may seem like beginner stuff you would be surprised at how many businesses do not have Facebook Messenger.  So if you already have Facebook Messenger- good job.  If you do not- add it right now!

Take care and tight lines!

Promoting Other Brands on Social Media

If you're a business be careful about what other businesses you promote on your social media platforms.  Just last night a company lost my business because they spend more time promoting a business I compete with on their page than promoting their own page.

I'm not sure if they have a cross-promotional deal or if they're just unusually obsessed with promoting an inferior product but it didn't matter- my business was already gone.

Take care and tight lines!

Topwater Frogs

Topwater fishing is great! Jigs and spinners may be effective but only topwater lures allow you to see the strike- what's more exciting than that?

I love throwing frogs- they're weedless and bass love them. The biggest drawback is their steep price so when it came time to restock my tackle box I put a lot of thought into it. I didn't want to spend over $10/frog but I wanted quality- I wanted to get the most bang for my buck. I thought about it for a while and came up with three categories to judge them on: color, hook setting ability and durability.

Now that I had my criteria to evaluate the frogs I went to Bass Pro, grabbed a lawn chair from the camping section and sat down in the frog aisle ready to get down to the bottom of things...

The first thing I evaluated was color and while very important it is often misunderstood. The only color that matters is its belly color- it's the only color that fish see. Think about it- the bass is coming up from below and most of the frog is above water. While intricate paint jobs catch the attention of an angler they do nothing to catch the attention of a bass.

To make matters worse, many times a frog's belly does not match the body. Don't buy a frog online unless you've already used it before and when you're at the tackle shop be sure to take the frog out to make sure the belly matches the body.

So the first thing I did was grab several frogs in the same color but from different brands and open up the packaging. Right off the bat I eliminated most of them when I saw their belly color didn't match the body. I had already decided I wanted to cover all my bases- black, white, green and yellow. Surprisingly, only one brand had frogs with black, white, green and yellow bellies.

With color taken care of I moved onto hook setting ability. Some frogs are stiff and require serious pressure to expose the hidden weed-safe hooks resulting in lost hook ups. It only took a slight amount of pressure to expose the hooks which made me happy.

The final thing to evaluate was durability. One thing I noticed was the better the durability the harder the hook set was and vice versa. It's important to find common ground between these two dividing forces. While hook setting is important you don't want a frog that immediately starts taking on water or is destroyed after one hit.

After a thorough inspection I had a decision to make...

Sure, a $12 frog might dance better than a $4 frog but is the difference worth the price and $12 frogs still break, get snagged, break off and fill with water. I thought to myself...

Is it really worth the money???

At what point does the skill of the angler overrule the lure???

Do you need a $12 lure or are you skilled enough to work a $4 frog???

I decided to go with $6 frogs and I'm anxious to see how my bargain (still made by a well known company- just not grossly overpriced) frogs stack up to the expensive ones!!!

Take care and tight lines!!!

NY Rangers Preseason Wrap Up!!!

While the preseason means little, the Rangers looked good in the games I watched.  Mats Zuccarello  is back and looks like the Zuc of Old, King Henrik is holding court and the starting lineup is all set.  Only things left on the table are the suits.

The race for 7th defenseman comes down to Dylan McIlrath and Raphael Diaz.  While Diaz looked good on the power play McIlrath clearly won this battle sealing the deal by fighting Boston forward Tyler Randell (a fight he clearly won) after he made contact with Lundqvist.  McIlrath had a strong camp and will easily fill the role of enforcer.  It's time to see what the Undertaker can do in the NHL.

Speaking of enforcers, the race for the last forward spot is down to Emerson Etem and Tanner Glass.  Glass, a veteran, is a solid penalty killer and will drop the gloves with anyone filling the role of enforcer last year.  Etem has been a disappointment since coming from Anaheim in the Carl Hagelin trade.  At 23 years old he still has potential and releasing Etem means they traded Hagelin for nothing.  For these reasons Etem is my pick to wear a suit but with coach Alain Vigneault's unexplainable attachment to Glass anything is possible.

The only other question at this point is how well will Antti Raanta fill Cam Talbot's skates.  Talbot was as reliable as back up goalies come- to the point he is now the starting goalie for the Edmonton Oilers.  Will Raanta be able to handle 20-25 games to spell Lundqvist?

The Rangers head into the 2015-16 season will high expectations- much like the last two years.  This is truly a Stanley Cup or bust season... LGR!!!

Take care and tight lines!

My Love of Fishing...

This past Sunday was opening weekend for the NFL and I've been counting down the days for months like many of you.  I drafted my fantasy football team and was planning to invite some friends over and order some pizza and wings.  I was psyched.

Then I realized I was also scheduled to fish in a tournament on Sunday.  What do you do when you have a fishing tournament scheduled for the opening Sunday of football?

I wasn't surprised I chose to fish but I was surprised at how easy the decision was.  Almost as soon I realized there was a conflict football didn't seem as important to me.

Once on the water I thought I'd be constantly checking scores but I wasn't.  The only thing that mattered was putting fish in the boat!

Take care and tight lines!

Where it all began...

The Young Laughing Pescador proudly showing off his walleye!

Fishing with Dad!!!

The Perfect Compliment to Almost Any Activity

The canal was quiet.

The bite was slow.

I was past the point when most people would have gone home.

I reached into my pocket, pulled out my cigar, sparked it up and smiled. The slow bite couldn't have been further out of my thoughts.

Cigars like fishing, are something I learned to enjoy from my father. Since I was old enough to smoke my father provided me with some of the best cigars on the market while teaching me everything he knew about them. We've discussed leafs, wrappers, cuts and more. Which brand was our favorite, which cut was our favorite and I even got my first humidor from him. At any given time my humidor is stocked with great cigars. I smoke them while I golf, fish or just sitting outside on a warm night with a glass of bourbon.

Cigars are also great for parties and celebrations. Teams smoke fat cigars after big wins and proud fathers pass them out to commemorate having a child. Cigars are great at weddings- I even had a cigar roller at my wedding reception!

The great thing about cigars is how they can compliment other activities. I can't even remember the last round of golf I played without a cigar. Hot sun, cold beer, good friends- a nice cigar is the cherry on top. Not to mention they're the best bug repellant money can buy. So you can imagine how excited I was when Cory Glover of Famous Smoke Shop https://www.famous-smoke.com/  contacted me about reviewing some cigars. I eagerly agreed and a week later I had five Romeo y Julieta Havocs in my mailbox. I opened the package and immediately saw the care and quality that went into them.

Later that night after my wife went to sleep I poured three neat fingers of my favorite bourbon and sat out on my back patio and sparked up my first Romeo y Julieta. The cigar was amazing. It was fresh, strong and light all at the same time. The draw was smooth and it burned perfectly. Simply put- it was a great smoke!

About a week later I had a fishing trip planned with a friend. We were heading to a Jetty to do some nighttime shark fishing. Anyone who has shark fished knows that it is a game of sitting and waiting. There are times you sit for six or more hours without a single bite. So after we floated our baits out we sat down and began catching up. After about an hour of sitting around I pulled out two more of my Romeo y Julietas and we lit up. After discussing the finer points of the cigar we began reminiscing and telling each other stories of great cigars and the crazy times we've had while smoking them. While we never caught Jaws we still had a great time. The cigars were the perfect compliment to our night.

Later that week I decided to play a little golf so I threw my sticks in my car, grabbed my last two Romeo y Julietas and headed to the course. It was a Thursday afternoon so I hoped to get out by myself for a quick round but was paired with another golfer. At the turn I broke out the cigars and offered him one. While we chatted small talk on the front we kept the talk to golf. But once we sparked the cigars the mood changed and two holes later we were high fiving each other. We had fun, shot better golf and the cigars were the catalyst.

I called Cory to thank him and tell him how much I enjoyed the cigars. When I told him my fishing buddy wanted to order some he not only gave me all the info but he also hooked me up with the below link for easy ordering. Whether you're a seasoned cigar aficionado or a beginner looking to get started I definitely suggest you check them out. So click on the link and tell them The Laughing Pescador sent you!

ROMEO Y JULIETA HAVOC STOCKY BULLY

Link: http://www.famous-smoke.com/brandgroup/romeo+y+julieta+cigars

Strength: Medium

Shape: Robusto

Size: 5 x 56

Country: Honduras

Wrapper Color: Natural

Wrapper Origin: Nicaraguan

Wrapper Leaf: Habano

Even Tarpon can't resist Da Bug!!!

Freshwater tarpon hooked with a Bayou Bug Jig's Swim Jig on 8# mono!!!  I was targeting bass with a slow roll retrieve and BOOOOM!  He hit so hard and fast I didn't even have to set the hook!  Unfortunately, since I was targeting bass, I was not using a leader and he broke off after about 5 minutes!!!
To get your Bayou Bug Jigs click here!!!

Fish On!

Snookin in the Glades!!!  Caught this guy using a Bayou Bug Jig- check them out at www.bayoubugjigs.com

Fish On!

No tarpon, snook or bass but still had fun messing around with the gars!  Caught a bunch of them today including this guy!!!

Look at those chompers!!!

Full Tarpon Video!!!!

Here's the full video from yesterday's tarpon hunt!  Don't worry it's not too long- just 4 1/2 minutes so check it out!

Tarpon Time!!!

Caught a nice freshwater tarpon yesterday at the canal!  He gave a good fight but was no match for my trusty Dunamis rod!

 

Here is a short video!

 

 

 

For more tarpon and fishing videos please check out my YouTube Channel!

Fish On!!!

Crushed the peacocks this morning!  Weapons of choice were an Angler's Gold King Swim Click with a Strike King soft bait and some Liquid Mayhem fish attractant teamed up with my trusty custom Dunamis Rod!

Weapons of Choice: Anglers's Gold King Swim Click with a Strike King swimbait and Liquid Mayhem fish attractant.

Peacock Bass

Social Media and Weight Loss

Adding followers and friends is like weight loss. People use fad diets and expensive supplements for quick weight loss. Similarly in social media people will respond to slow developing campaigns with a knee jerk response like buying friends/followers.

In both social media and weight loss people expect huge results in a short amount of time and only want to put in the minimal effort. People will trade success, especially long term success for the easiest route available.

The result, in both social media and weight loss is limited success in the beginning. The problem occurs when they start to feel over confident and start falling back into their old bad habits. Next thing they know they're back at the same number of friends/followers or weight.

The only way to succeed in social media or weight loss is to completely re strategize your approach.

Dedication and consistency are the keys to prolonged success in both social media and weight loss. With social media you must post quality content consistently in order to achieve long term success.

Take care and tight lines!

Fish On!!!

Fished a South Miami golf course with a friend today. No lunkers but landed a few little guys and had a great time!

Nice little largemouth from a South Miami golf course

Fish On!!!

Another successful haul from the canal!!!

BIG Peacock Bass

Average Size Peacock Bass

Snakeheads!!!

Made an interesting discovery a few weeks back while I was out tarpon hunting in my canal. With my fresh cut mullet head sitting on the bottom waiting for a giant poon I decided to fish a topwater hollow frog for bass. As I made my frog dance across the surface I felt a strike. Definitely wasn't a lunker- felt like a little bass shot up the water column and tried to claim my lure as his own.

After a short fight a flopping pile of weeds greeted me at the banks edge. I proceeded to remove the cabbage nonchalantly so I could thumb grip this little bass and release him as soon as possible. After I removed the final strand of weeds I began to reach down with my bare hand when I realized I was about to make a potentially costly mistake as this bass had teeth- lots of sharp teeth.

My eyes immediately opened with a childish expression of surprise and delight that can only be comparable to a child's first trip to Disney- that's a snakedhead and my first. I immediately took a step back to analyze the situation (snakeheads breathe air so relax, you have time). After giving myself the proverbial celebratory fist pound I went into action. Although this was just a baby I wasn't messing around- first things first, gloves on. By now the hook had come out naturally so all I had to do was grab it, take a quick picture and then the tricky part- since snakeheads are an invasive species you are required by Florida Fish and Wildlife Commission (FWC) policy to dispose of them.

I knew I had a decision to make.  First and foremost, I believe in taking care of our waters and fish- as anglers if we don’t who will?  That being said I understand both sides of the argument.  Invasive species can wreak havoc on ecosystems- we’ve all seen evidence of this with the silver carp problem in the Mississippi River water system.  What would happen if the silver carp disaster happened on the same scale in South Florida with snakeheads?  South Florida including Lake Okeechobee has some of the best bass fishing in the world- could snakeheads jeopardize this?   

After quick but careful consideration I released my snakehead and did so for many reasons.  First, snakeheads are nowhere near as big of problem as they are made out to be.  I’ve been fishing the same canal and in roughly the same spot for well over 2 years and this was my first snakehead.  While there are definitely some hot spots in some canals they have not taken over South Florida.  Second, peacock bass are not native as they were imported to eat small fish destroying the vegetation.  Well since snakeheads eat the same small fish as peacocks aren’t they at least part of the solution?  Third, a strong snakehead following has embraced this species complete with tournaments and guide services. 

Finally, if you do choose to kill your snakeheads please take the time to learn the difference between invasive snakeheads and indigenous bowfin.  The result of the FWC execution and an equally dramatic episode of River Monsters was a mass movement to kill snakeheads.  The problem was and still is that overly ambitious yet uneducated anglers are mistaking bowfins for snakeheads.  Although they may look identical at first glance a seasoned angler can easily tell the difference.  By far the easiest way to distinguish the two fish is the anal fin.  Snakeheads have a long anal fin while bowfins have a much shorter one.

 

 

The bottom line is that while snakehead are an invasive species released illegally in South Florida they're not going anywhere. We might as well embrace them- they fight like hell and most importantly no matter what we do they are here to stay.

Take care and tight lines!

Leader Organization

If you're anything like me you try to get as much preparation done at home before you head out. It's simple- the more you get done at home the less time you waste fishing. I always keep my gear organized and try to prepare as much as possible so I don't even waste a second on the water. Leaders are no exception but storing 4-6 foot of fluorocarbon, wire, hooks and swivels can be difficult... until now!

First you need a 3 ring binder- if you don't have one laying around the house you can grab one at any store that sells office/school supplies. Second, fill it with clear plastic sleeves- these can also be bought at any office/school supply store. Then simply drop the pre-tied leader into the sleeve and it will naturally coil in the sleeve. Tie a few extras and now you won't have to tie leaders on the water!

Fluorocarbon leaders I tied in the front and steel shark leaders in the back!

 

Take care and tight lines!

Fish On!!!

Lot's of gators and snapping turtles but was able to land this nice snook on my trusty Dunamis Rod!!!

Snook

Fishing with Swimbaits

Knowing the prey of the fish you’re targeting is important- for example largemouths love plastic worms but peacock bass won't touch them.  Blue crabs are like candy to tarpon but few other fish will strike them.  I mainly target tarpon, peacock bass, snook and largemouth bass- all fish that prey on smaller fish.  Having a lure that mimics these small baitfish is important to me.  Over the years I’ve tried almost every lure imaginable but keep coming back to one- the soft swimbait.  The swimbait is easy to rig, versatile and most importantly effective.  So sit back and enjoy a beginner’s introduction to swimbaits with a few tricks that some Certified Master Anglers might not even know!

First thing to consider is size- the length of your swimbait, type/size of your weight and the size of your hook. Swimbaits can range in size from 3" to over 6". While most people think the bigger the swimbait the bigger the fish you'll catch I've caught lunkers on small swimbaits. In my opinion it is more important to properly match the correct hook size and weight than the actual length of the swimbait. That being said, whether you're using a jig head, swim jig or a Texas Rig selecting the proper hook size and weight is very important. For weights a lot depends on the level of the water column you want to fish at- heavier the weight the deeper your bait will swim. However, the rule of thumb is to use a 1/4 to 1/2 ounce weight for regular sized swimbaits (3-4") and 1/2 to 1 ounce weights for larger swimbaits (5-6"+). As for hooks, I use 2/0 to 4/0 on regular swimbaits and 4/0 to 6/0 on large swimbaits.

Perhaps the most important thing to consider is color. You can find swimbaits in almost any color imaginable and most people follow the brightly colored lures in muddy or dark water and more subtle colors in clear water code. The problem is this is just a generalization. How I choose the color of my swimbait is easy- I look to imitate the prey of the fish I'm targeting. It’s also important to know your species and not be afraid to try new things. For example, tarpon love the color purple so if I'm targeting tarpon I'll use a big purple swimbait!

Presentation and technique depend on the depth of water you want to fish at. For shallow water (0-15 feet) you can either slow roll or jig. Slow and steady retrieval or the slow roll as I like to call it targets fish in the top 5 feet of water. Jigging or the jerk and reel technique is an effective way to change lure direction and/or speed. This technique allows you to pick the depth you fish at and all the jigs, jerks and pauses entice bites. To fish in deep water use a fast sinking weight with your swimbait. Cast out, let the swimbait reach the level of the water column you want to fish (you can even let it hit the bottom and fish real deep but watch out for weeds and rocks), then use a jigging technique to fish at your desired depth.

Now that we've covered the basics here are three more advanced tips for fishing with swimbaits. First, split their bellies. I'm sure many of you know this one already- especially if you love swimbaits as much as I do. Using a knife or razor (I use an exacto knife) simply cut the belly of the swimbait. The length of the cut depends more on hook size than anything- you want to easily be able to thread the hook through the split belly.  For depth, you want to cut deep but not all the way through the swimbait. Then hook the swimbait through its head like you normally would and finally stick the hook into the split belly for easy weedless rigging!

Second, those of you who know me know I always use super glue on my knots to strengthen them. Another reason to keep super glue in your tackle box is to glue swimbaits. We all know how annoying it is to have to remove weeds from your lure so the last thing you want to have to worry about is your swimbait sliding down the swim jig, jig head or hook- so why not super glue? Simply put a little super glue on the head of your swimbait and then glue it down! Now your swimbait is locked in place!

Finally, wacky rigging is a way to prolong the life of your swimbaits. While our love for fishing may be unconditional like any relationships there are certain things that drive us crazy. At the top of the list of every angler is losing lures. Nothing upsets an angler more than losing their favorite lure (other than maybe losing a fish). While I'm not here with some secret to never lose another lure I do have a tip for extending the life of your swimbait. Once your swimbait becomes wrecked, I'm talking FUBAR, cut off the paddle tail, re-hook it through the back and fish on!

So there you have it- swimbaits 101 with a few advanced tips. If you have any questions about swimbaits or anything else fishing or social media related please do not hesitate to ask!

Take care and tight lines!

Super Glue your Knots

Every angler knows they're only as strong as their knot- so why not make it stronger?

After you tie your knot simply dab a little super glue on the knot to solidify its strength. While this might not work on all knots it works extremely well on the Palomar Knot which I use 99% of the time. I use super glue with monofilament, braid and fluorocarbon when tying hooks, lures, swivels and snaps. One last word of advice, especially when using lures, make sure to only glue the knot- otherwise you may damage your lure!

Take care and tight lines!

The Hashtag

#... The hashtag or pound sign to those of us born in the 80s or before is used to group like content together on social media. Hashtags rule Twitter and while originally ineffective on Facebook they've become a valuable tool the last couple years. Some of you might be wondering why I'm talking about old news but the truth is I still see businesses, brands and people not using them.

The bottom line is you should be using them if you want your content to be seen by as many people as possible. By grouping like content together you can connect with potential clients and grow your network. Just remember to apply to same rule as Twitter- less than three hashtags per post.

That being said, if you only use Facebook for personal use and don't want your posts grouped together with similar content then don't use them!

Take care and tight lines.

Automation vs Syndication

No one argues that posting your content over multiple platforms is vital to the success of your social media campaign. If your goal is to get your message to as many people as possible why wouldn't you? The problem I have is too many companies are syndicating their content across multiple platforms. I don't know if it's the convenience of posting to multiple platforms with one button or that people are just lazy. Here's my issue with syndication.

First, platforms have different rules and restrictions. Why limit all platforms to 140 characters just because Twitter does? Second, do you talk to your mother and best friend the same way? Twitter and Facebook are two totally different social media beasts and need to be treated so. Instead, customize your content to best suit each individual platforms specifications and post separately. Customization is the key!

While syndication may seem like a time saving tool on the surface it's really the lazy man's way out. To get the most out of your campaign take the extra time to post custom content to each platform.

Take care and tight lines.

Fish On!!!

Got some afternoon Gar action in today!

Florida Gar
 

Fish On!!!

Another interesting day at the canal.  Saw five gators but landed two nice bass!

Peacock Bass

Largemouth Bass

Hike Up Those Skirts!!!

Settle down- we're talking about swim jig skirts here! Swim jigs out of the box always have a long flowing skirt to conceal its hook. While they may look pretty the problem is the skirt extends way past the hook. With a long a skirt there is a distinct possibility the fish will miss the hook- so hike up that skirt! Simply cut the excess skirt using scissors and get ready to catch fish!

The same thing should be done with soft hollow frogs. Just hold the lure upside down so the legs run the length of the body down past the frog’s nose. Then trim off any excess skirt!

Take care and tight lines!

Reviving a Fish

Reviving fish works and is something all anglers should know how to do.  I've done it several times on species ranging from bass to barracuda.  So check out this video and learn the correct way to revive fish!

https://youtu.be/Z0icgOXZMDM

Fish On!!!

Interesting day at the canal- was targeting tarpon but hooked two giant snapping turtles then got chased by two gators!  Decided to check out a new spot and had some luck!  These guys might not win any tournaments but were still fun to catch!

Peacock Bass

Largemouth Bass

Are You a Bully?

Don't worry, this is not another public service announcement about bullying.... Well not exactly at least. You see there are two ways to fish- bullying and playing. Bullying refers to the technique of using heavy tackle to reel the fish in as quick as possible. This technique has two major benefits. First, it increases your chance to land the fish. Simply put, you're using heavy tackle and you're reeling it in as fast as you can. Anglers who use this technique say "you can play with it after you land it. Second, it's healthier and safer for the fish because the fight is over quickly not allowing the fish to expel all its energy. Most times when you bully a fish it still has a lot of fight left in it so be sure to handle it safely and securely.

Playing or fighting your fish involves light tackle and the ride of your life- you feel every ounce of the fish's fight with light tackle. This technique has three main benefits. First, in my opinion it's a necessity for big fish. While you may be able to handle a pissed off 5 pound bass a 120 pound pissed off tarpon is a completely different story. Tarpon are known to jump and sometimes will strike boats causing damage and can even knock people unconscious. Plain and simple it's not safe to land a pissed off monster not to mention a shark or another toothy critter. Second, nothing beats the rush of catching a monster on light tackle. I landed a 120 pound tarpon on 20# mono after a 2 hour 15 fight and I felt like I was invincible. Third, light tackle will challenge you more- even the playing field. Giving the fish a fighting chance will give you a real sense of accomplishment. Finally, while there is a risk of injuring the fish, as long as you get it back in the water quickly risk is minimized. If the fish doesn't swim away you can always revive it. This almost always works when done correctly- I've never had a fish die on me! Just be careful of gators and sharks though!

While there are times for bullying a lunker- if you're in a tournament or trying to catch dinner- I personally prefer to give the fish a fighting chance and will revive it if necessary. Just remember, the bigger the fish the longer the fight, and the longer the fight the more tired the fish is. Use special caution when handling big tired fish, returning them to the water as quick as possible and remember any fish over 40" should NOT be removed from the water. In some states it is even illegal to remove certain fish from the water. For example, all Florida tarpon over 40" must remain in the water!

Fighting a 120 pound tarpon on 20 pound line with my trusty Dunamis Rod in Islamorada, FL

Take care and tight lines!

Get your Fishing License on your Smartphone!

How many of you have multiple tackle boxes? I know I do- I even have one box dedicated just to swimbaits! Every time I go fishing I just grab the boxes I need and go. I have a system that works but the one thing that always worried me was that I was going to forget my fishing license.

Thanks to the Florida Fish and Wildlife Commission I no longer worry about my fishing license! FWC offers a function on there smartphone app to download and display your Florida fishing license right on your screen! Now I never worry about remembering my license!

Take care and tight lines!

Dealing with Negative Social Media Comments

Negative reviews are a part of every successful business. No matter how much time or effort you put in you will receive negative reviews. Bottom line is you can't always make everyone happy. Plus there are people who will complain no matter what you do- I think we all know at least one person like this.

When dealing with negative reviews and comments social media can be your worst enemy or best friend. Consider the story of John and Steve...

John owns a auto body shop and while seeing the need to have social media accounts he doesn't have the time to actively monitor them. A customer then comes in, has a bad experience, finds their Facebook page and leaves a negative review. Because John doesn't monitor his social media the negative review just sits there for all potential customers to see. In this case social media is John's worst nightmare- who is going to give him business with unaddressed negative reviews and comments?

Steve owns an auto body shop across town, is on the same social media platforms but actively monitors them. When he received a negative comment he immediately responded, remedied the situation and left the customer happy. Now instead of a negative review Steve has a recommendation and a happy customer!

When you receive a negative social media comment the most important thing to do is to respond quickly- quicker the better. This response should be short and to the point. Something like "We are very sorry you had a bad experience and you are very important to us. We are looking into what happened and will get back to you soon". The purpose of this response is to let the customer know you care and are looking into their issue while buying you time to figure out a solution.

Your second response needs to come within 24-48 hours after receiving the complaint. Here you will address all their concerns, offer solutions, and thank them for their advice. Depending on the situation you may want to offer them incentives to remain your customer. This can be a free or discounted product or service or even a free t-shirt or other cool swag.

Social media gives your customers a voice and how you respond to negative reviews and comments can make or break your business.

Take care and tight lines!

Fishing License On Your Smartphone???

How many of you have multiple tackle boxes? I know I do- I even have one box dedicated to crankbaits! Every time I go fishing I just grab the boxes I need, leave the ones I don't and go. I have a systm that works but one thing that used to worry me was that I was going to forget my fishing license. I would always get the feeling I left my license in one of the boxes at home about halfway to the water. But thanks to the Florida Fish and Wildlife Commission as long as I have my iPhone I have my fishing license!

For about a year now, FWC offers a function within their smartphone app to download and display your fishing license.  Simply head over to the app store, download the app, enter your information and boom- your fishing license is now on your smartphone!

Take care and tight lines!

The 4 Pillars of Social Media Marketing

Social media is an art not a science- there's no magic formula for success.  Instead, social media success is dependent on knowledge, planning, dedication and time. While this may seem daunting I've identified 4 Pillars of Social Media Marketing for you to focus on. If you cover these four areas your campaign will be on its way to success!

First, find your volume. This is the number of posts or updates per day and while there is no magic number of updates/day there is definitely a sweet spot. You can easily post too much or not enough. Second, quality is and always will be king. Only post quality content and if you don't have any solid content to post, don't post. It's quality over quantity. Third, without consistency your campaign will crumble.  The #1 reason campaigns fail is they lose steam. Everyone is all systems go in the beginning but as time goes by so does interest. You start to post less frequently and the quality of the content drops. In order to suceed you must map out a plan and stick to it. Finally, while it is important to post across multiple platforms, syndication is bad. This is becasue platforms are very different. Why limit other platforms to 140 characters just because Twitter does? Do you talk to your mother and best friend the same way? Twitter and Facebook are two totally different social media beasts ans need to be treated so.

If you have any questions about the 4 Pillars of Social Media Marketing or anything social media or fishing related please do not hesitate to reach out to me.

Take care and tight lines!

#FollowFriday

Follow Friday or #FF is one of the great phenonenon of Twitter and is a great tool to help build your business or personal brand. If you're trying to grow your network you should be a fan of #FF but even it you're not here are a few quidelines to help make sure you're getting the most out of #FF.

When someone mentions you in a #FF they are giving you a shout out. They are telling all of their followers to also follow you so the first thing you should do is to show your thanks. Favorite and retweet the #FF tweet and tweet them a thanks. Finally, if you send out your own #FF tweet you should try to feature them in yours.  If someone takes the time to promote your business or brand you should thank them.  Show them that you appreciate their support.

Similarly, before you send your #FF tweet there are a few things to consider. Many people will start their tweet with #FF then just list as many handles as they can fit. While this is nice there are more effective ways of doing it. Even if it is only a few words give people a reason or motivation to follow them.

#FF is a fun way to add followers to your business or personal brand and to boost your reach and influence but be sure to follow these guidelines!!!

Take care and tight lines!

Quality is King

Businesses always have their eye on the prize and they should. Creating more revenue and getting the highest return on investment are goals that all companies share. Social media is no exception. The number one question people ask me is how do I get more friends/followers/likes/favorites/mentions? They're focused on the end result- got their eye on the prize.

The simple truth is there are no short cuts in improving your company's social media reach and influence. There is a lot of time and effort required to build a successful social media campaign. While there are many moving parts to a campaign, quality content is and always will be king.

Quality content is content that is either interesting or informative. Interesting content makes you "wow" while informative information makes you say " I didn't know that". Only post quality content and if you don't have anything solid to say, don't say it. It's truly quality over quantity.

If you have any questions about quality content, the other components of a successful social media campaign or anything else please leave a comment or shoot me an email!

Take care and tight lines.

Tarpon Jump!

Here's a quick video from our Islamorada, FL trip of one of our tarpons jumping!  120 pounder on 20# mono with my trusty Dunamis Rod!!!

The Palomar Knot

The palomar knot isn't only my favorite knot but also the knot I use 99% of the time. It's strong, easy to learn and quick to tie making it very versatile. Simply put, it's easy and strong making it a valuable knot to know. I use it on mono, braid and fluorocarbon to tie lures, hooks, leaders, swivels, snaps and more.  Here's how you tie it...

If you haven't already committed this knot to memory I recommend you do now!  What's your favorite knot?

Experienced Angler or Tackle Junkie

I recently read an article titled 10 Signs That You're a Tackle Junkie (you can click on the link below for the article) that identified 10 signs that you're a tackle junkie. Things like buying Plano Tackle boxes every time they're on sale or flying to Poland to buy black market bait made the list. What this article illustrates is that there is a fine line between passion and obsession in the sport we love.

Focusing back on the article what is the difference between an experienced angler and a tackle junkie? Is there a difference? We are always trying new products and techniques while trying to improve our overall fishing knowledge so where do you draw the line between experienced angler and tackle junkie?

Original Article Link

South Florida Bass: Fishing for South Florida's Peacock Bass

Fishing in South Florida has a lot of advantages.  The weather is beautiful allowing you to fish year round and with all the lakes, rivers and canals there's always water within reach.  You can fish fresh, salt or the brackish water that marries them.  If you know where to go you can catch bass, tarpon, snook or gar on any given cast.   But the best part about fishing South Florida isn't the weather or water; it's the South Florida Bass!

Adult Peacock Bass

South Florida Bass or more commonly known as Peacock Bass are one of the hidden gems of Florida nestled away in the south east corner of the state.  Although similar to the largemouth bass they do not belong to the same family. Imported from South America in 1984 to help control the population of smaller fish, the Butterfly Peacock actually belongs to the Cichla Genus.   They are very similar to the Ciclids that are common in home aquariums.  Once introduced peacock bass quickly became one of South Florida's most prized game fish.

Confined to the waters of South Florida peacock bass can be found throughout Miami-Dade and Broward counties with a few creeping up into Palm Beach.  They love slow moving canals, lakes and ponds with overhanging structure and thick vegetation cover.  I recommend the canals because they have an ample supply of food, thick cover and they’re less fished.  The problem is these Amazonian lunkers require warm water vastly limiting their habitat in the United States.  If the water temperature falls below 60 degrees Fahrenheit they will die.  In fact, during the winter of 2010 South Florida experienced several back to back cold fronts killing many Peacock Bass and threatening their survival. Luckily they quickly bounced back and are now plentiful.

Peacock bass are like largemouths in shape and mouth size but the similarities stop there.  The easiest way to identify peacock bass is by their distinctive and pronounced black eye on their caudal fin.  This along with their bright olive green body and red belly make them easy to identify.  Juveniles display three vertical black stripes but as they mature their stripes diminish and their color can lighten to yellowish green color.  Also, adult males can develop a distinguished hump on their foreheads during mating season to attract females.  Peacock bass have two distinct growing phases.  Their juvenile growth of 12-16" occurs in the first two years of its life then growth becomes much more concentrated on girth.  Basically, a 17" fish will weigh about 3 pounds, a 19" bass weighs around 5 pounds and so on. 

Juvenile Peacock Bass

 

You can handle them the same way as largemouth bass but beware of what I’ve come to call peacock thumb.  Handling largemouths is simple- the thumb grip lower jar immobilizer.  Problem is that while it is an effective grip to remove the hook it does not subdue peacock bass the way it does largemouths.  Smaller boys are easy to handle but if you land a lunker be ready for a duel with a sandpaper vice.  Either tape your thumb or proudly display the abrasions on your peacock thumb!

Introduced into South Florida to control the population of smaller invasive fish destroying canal vegetation, these predators will eat any fish they can fit into their mouths.  That being said the best bait is anything that will mimic bait fish. I mostly use a swim jig with swim bait trailer but will occasionally use a spin bait with a swim bait or simply a swim bait alone.  You are going to want some kind of weed guard whether it’s part of the jig or a Texas rigged swim bait.  Leave your plastic worms at home because Peacock Bass will not hit them.  This is a very common mistake because while largemouth bass love plastic worms peacock bass will not touch them.  Tackle depends more on the water and cover than the fish itself but I recommend going as light as possible. I'm currently running a Daiwa Ballistic spinning reel with 10# monofilament on a custom Dunamis Rods rod which is perfect for the canals I fish but depending on cover you may need to up your tackle.

One final piece of advice: bring your net.  First of all, if you’re bank fishing you will need it to bring it up the bank.  If you try to pull it up your line will snap and your fish will happily swim away.  It happened to me once and now my net is always within reach.  Second, I’m lucky enough not to have any snakeheads in my canal but there are gar and I’m not messing around with them either!

If you're lucky enough to make it down to South Florida I highly recommend a fishing trip to the canals. There's plenty of bank fishing, boat rentals and charter fishing opportunities to help you land that giant South Florida Bass!  If you have any further peacock bass or South Florida fishing questions please let me know!

Fish On!!!

It was raining but I still caught this beautiful peacock bass!!!  It weighed about 4 pounds and gave a great fight!

My First Tarpon Video!!!

Here's my first Tarpon Go Pro video!  It's just the first 20 seconds of a 15 minute battle but he jumps a few times and runs!  Just click the link below!

Tarpon Bite South Florida

Dunamis Rods Pro Staff!!!

I'm very happy and excited to announce I'm officially a member of the Dunamis Rods Pro Staff!!! I am truly honored to be part of such a great team!!!  Click the link below to check out their website!!!

 

Dunamis Rods

Fish On!!!

First trip to the canal with my new custom tarpon rod from Dunamis Rods and although I didn't catch any tarpon I'd say I had a good day!

Tarpon are running!

Tarpon are running through the Glades right now!  Look at this juvenile I caught last week!

Fish On!!!

Great morning at the canal! Not a giant but still a nice peacock bass and two gars! Not to mention a 10 minute (unsuccessful) fight with a nice tarpon!  Look at the color on that peacock!

Your Biggest Competition

Your biggest competition is yourself.  You have to shed your ego and stubbornness at the door and push to make your goal.

Syndication

Many people make the mistake of syndicating their Facebook and Twitter.

DON'T DO IT!!! 

They are completely different social media beasts and need top be treated so.  Think of it this way... Do you talk to your best friend and mother the same way?  I hope not!

Here are a few things to think about...

• Twitter limits you to 140 characters... Facebook is unlimited
• Although there is no magic number of tweets per day no matter how you slice it you need to be tweeting SIGNIFICANTLY MORE than posting on Facebook.
• Not to mention strategies, content and the way you speak are completely different.

Now it is important to distinguish between syndicating and posting your message across different social media platforms.  The key is to tweak, customize and cater your message to the specific platform (and post significantly more on Twitter than Facebook).

Fish On!!!

Another beautiful day at the canal and the largemouths were biting!

My article for Cast For Bass!

Looking to get sponsored???

If you haven't already please click on the Cast For Bass link below to read my article on the best practices when trying to find sponsors!!!

CastForBass.com

Fish On!!!

Beautiful day at the canal and I caught two largemouths and a gar while my Dad caught this giant gar on his last trip to the canal before he heads back to frozen NY!!!

 

Fish On!

Headed out to the inlet today and look at what we caught!

Fish On!!!

It was REALLY windy (check out the brim on my hat!) but we still landed this nice Gar!!!

Fish On!!!

Caught my first barracuda!!!

Fish On!!!

It was a little chilly at the canal this morning but I managed to land this guy!!!

Fish On!!!

They may not be giants but we still had a good time!

Fish On!

Did some intracoastal fishing north of Boynton Beach today and caught this guy!!!

Check out my article for CastForBass.com!!!

Please check out my new article for Cast For Bass!!!  It's about using the power of social media to secure sponsorships!!!  Also, check out castforbass.com for other great bass fishing articles!!!

Peacock Bass Size and Color Explained

I've been getting a lot of questions regarding the differences in size and color of the Peacock Bass I catch so I wanted to take a minute to explain.  There are many reasons for discrepancies in size and color in many fish and animals- male vs. female is usually a favorite but not when it comes to the peacock bass.

The main reason for differences in size and color is maturity.  Let's start with size... 

Peacock bass have two distinct growth phases.  The juvenile phase is centered on length with 12-16" of growth in their first two years.  Then the adult growth phase concentrates on girth.  Basically, a 17" fish will weigh about 3 pounds while a 19" bass will weigh around 5 pounds and so on.  Now for color...

As juveniles peacock bass have a bright olive green body with three vertical black stripes not to mention their signature black eye on their caudal fin.  As they mature, their stripes will diminish and in some cases out right disappear.  Their body color can also lighten to a more yellowish green color.

So there you have it.  Peacock bass size and color is determined by maturity and in case you're wondering it's very hard to tell male from female except during mating season when males develop a pronounced hump on their forehead.  If you have any other peacock bass or fishing questions please do not hesitate to ask the Laughing Pescador!

 

19 Inch 4 1/2 Pound Peacock Bass- vertical black almost gone and yellowish green color setting in

16 Inch Peacock Bass- vertical black stripes starting to disappear since it is close to maturity