Back from Florida trip

This trip was awesome! We left last Thursday night after work. The Son-in-law (Wes aka Rearranged) and I took turns driving. We left at 8pm and when the sun came up we were in Florida. We arrived at my friends house at about 11:30, said our hello's, got out the suitcases, uncovered the boat and headed for Alligator Alley. Bryan drove that portion because we were exhausted, but still able to fish. Water temp was in the low 70's. We caught fish on senko's, spinnerbaits, and several other lures. Fished til dark and headed for the house. My buddy's wife had dinner ready every night for us when we got back. Special thanks to her for that and she also made our lunches for the day along with fresh baked cookies. She's a keeper!
We fished the Alley again on Friday. Plenty of fish caught but no Big ones. Saturday was back at the Alley and produced good fish again but not the big one. We also caught 3 Peacock Bass. I caught 2 of them 1 on a Spinnerbait and the other on a crankbait. My buddy Bryan caught his on a crankbait also. They were about 1-1/2pounds and fought like smallies.
Sunday we headed to the Big "O". Wow that water was low. Main lake temp was around 60-63 and the rim canal by clewiston was in the low 70's. Caught fish on dropshot with a shakey head as lower weight. All fish hit the drop shot worm. Bryan caught one on a Motor-oil worm that was close to 5 pounds. At the end of the evening right before dark the Fish were killing a Spinnerbait. My son-in-law boatd a 5.75 pounder earlier in the day with a spinnerbait.
Monday we headed back to the Alley. We decided to fish a different area this time, putting in at the last place closest to the Miami side. There the water was Gin Clear and we couldn't draw a strike. After 4 hours I made the call to load the boat and go to the other portion again. Started fishing right at the dock and within an hour we all had fish. Senko's, spinnerbaits, chatter baits,brush hogs, just to name a few. Bryan ended up with a fish pushing close to 5 pounds on a jig/senko combo. The fish were whacking that thing.
On Tuesday (the last day) I boated a 6.75 pounder on my third cast with a chatter bait (green-pumpkin) we had only been on the water for 5 minutes and at that point I was threatened to be thrown overboard for gator bait. The bite was nothing short of Awesome that day! Some rain was moving in and the top water bite was On!!!! Bryan and Wes were making record setting casts and back-lashes with Horney toads to hit the poskets before the other could reach it. Within an hour they boated about 15 fish all of them between 2-3 pounds. Then the sun came out and shut it down. The action was fast. They missed as many as they caught or just didn't get them all the way to the boat. There was one fish that made a wake towards both of their lures that a wake boarder would have loved. But the fish would not strike. I worked on him with a senko with no results. Since we couldnt catch it we declared it to be a Mud Fish. It helps to ease the pain of missing a big Bass.
This was a great trip. Fishing was awesome, we all caught fish every day without resulting to live bait and I got to spend some quality time on the water with the Son-in-law and a Great friend that I hadn't seen in almost a year. Cant wait to do it again Next Year!!!!

I to left for Florida Thursday night, on way to step-daughter in Tallahassee. I opted to take boat as after I screened in a porch for her I would have two days to fish. As I pulled in to Tallahassee they were having a tornado and heavy rain. The run off was making ditches into small rivers. Finally go to hit the lake Sunday at daybreak, water was murky, Lake Talquin is just west of Tallahassee, it is supposed to be a crappie fishing heaven, they had reported 2 pounders being caught regularly. I am just a couple of days late for that. Water temp 60, muddy, no crappie even biting. So pretty quick a change to Bass fishing. Shaky head, caught 2 nice 3 ½ lbs right off the bat on a point with current coming across it, it also had a flat about 6 ft dropping into 20 ft of water. Decided to look around lake and fish other areas. Spent rest of day checking out other areas, caught several fish in 3 lb range.

Next morning on water at daylight, trolled out to point I FISHED FIRST THE DAY BEFORE, made first cast had a 5 lbs bass, shaky Head, green pumpkin 6” worm, in next hour landed several more from 3 to 5 lbs, 2 hours later still fishing point, landed 7.2 lb LM. I stayed there all day, boat over 70 bass almost all over 3 lbs. Also caught several Hybrid Stripers in 6 to 8 lb range, Was worth pulling the Ranger to Fl. Wished I could have stayed longer.

[QUOTE=18'stratos;319572]
We fished the Alley again on Friday. Plenty of fish caught but no Big ones. Saturday was back at the Alley and produced good fish again but not the big one. We also caught 3 Peacock Bass. I caught 2 of them 1 on a Spinnerbait and the other on a crankbait. My buddy Bryan caught his on a crankbait also. They were about 1-1/2pounds and fought like smallies.
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that's impossible. there are no peacocks in the everglades. they weren't on the board at the ramp. had to be something else...

[QUOTE=rearranged;319669]that's impossible. there are no peacocks in the everglades. they weren't on the board at the ramp. had to be something else...[/QUOTE]

Well......I guess its time for Florida to update their Habitat and species board. The Brown Hoplo (armored-catfish) wasn't on the board either and we saw 2 different boats with their floors full of them. Catching them in cast nets. Well.... you said you didn't see them cause you were busy working on a Back-lash.
If I remember correctly we worked that area again several times and you were trying very hard to catch one.
Have you cooked up any of that Swamp Bass yet. I can't wait to see how they turn out with the new Buttermilk recipe? Yummy!

[QUOTE=18'stratos;319672]Well......I guess its time for Florida to update their Habitat and species board. The Brown Hoplo (armored-catfish) wasn't on the board either and we saw 2 different boats with their floors full of them. Catching them in cast nets. Well.... you said you didn't see them cause you were busy working on a Back-lash.
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that and i had no interest in seeing another breed of muckfish. i'd seen enough bowfins already.

[IMG]http://i189.photobucket.com/albums/z199/south127/alligator%20alley/100_1385.jpg[/IMG]
my big bass from the trip
[IMG]http://i189.photobucket.com/albums/z199/south127/alligator%20alley/pict2315.jpg[/IMG]
proof that there may be peacocks in the everglades

[IMG]http://i189.photobucket.com/albums/z199/south127/alligator%20alley/PICT2324.jpg[/IMG]
Bill's big fish from the trip. Caught in Alligator Alley. 2nd or 3rd cast of the day. He yelled for the net and we had forgotten to put it in the boat. He got it in the boat with no problems though. Nice fish.

Great pics! Looks like you guy's had some fun down there. I'm headed down next month to Central Fl. and fish the Indian River for Redfish and Trout. Hope to have some luck as well.:)