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!