April 2015 Florida Bragging Rights BS thread

[SFL BassHunter]

Rick this is what I caught the decent fish on. It's a decent size bait Storm baits.

Looks nice West. I'll look into it. I did buy a few online this morning through. Let me here your thoughts on them.

[SFL BassHunter]

Hey Rick,

I got a friend that swears by the Storm Swimbaits that look like both Bluegill and Crappie. He says that they work really good until the Bluegill bite the tail off then they are junk and throw them away.

I sold them at the Sporting Goods Dept and always asked folks to come back and give me a report on them but no one ever did.

These do not look like the one West Posted but have a Single hook pointed up I think? Can't remember for sure about the single hook or the direction but they did not have a bill for sure.

They come in Mutli Packs and in different sizes.

I've never used them myself.


I have used the smaller ones, also made by Storm that have the hook already in them. There is a clear/greenish/blue one that looks like it should be good if you have shad available, but haven't tried that one. The ones I tried were the white ones and I did no good with them but haven't used them a lot. There also is a Blue one.

I had a guy on the water tell me once that he uses them and has luck with both the Blue and the Clear/Green/Blue ones.

They come in single packs and different sizes too.


To me they cost to much when I can buy several Swimbaits and my own hooks for less. If you try them let us know how they work for you.

Thanks for the info Fred. I checked out the storm site, they do have the one West is talking about the Kickin Slab. They have a Redear, and a Bluegill as well.

The swimbait I used today at the canal I think is a storm, perhaps old one and for saltwater but this Jag Guapote didn't seem to mind, it also didn't mind that it was nearly half its size. If you look closely you can see the bait in its mouth.

[West6550]

Rick I had a BassPro one like that. Never caughy a dang thing on one lol

Good luck though!

[Swede]

Catching that Mayan Cichlid in the central part of state is rare. I know that MC's have called South FL their home for a couple of decades now. But Central FL has left me scratching my head. They are sensitive to cold water like peacock bass are. The only thing I can think of, is that they are learning to adapt and may be expanding to the North a bit. The one that Bassindude caught was a nice size so its been around for a little while. They are scrappy fighters and make for some fun fishing.

Well maybe in another 20 years they'll find their way to the panhandle 

[SFL BassHunter]

Rick I had a BassPro one like that. Never caughy a dang thing on one lol

Good luck though!

Thanks west.  You would think for the price they charge for some of those swimbaits 100+ dollars, they would be made of gold or at least have 24k gold flakes in them lol.

[Pferox]

I was at Bass Pro once and saw a bunch of baits with prices out of this world for my tastes.  I kept thinking so that's why blue water charters are so expensive.  I looked up and looked around and I was in the bass section. 

They had to wheel me out of the isle because I was paralyzed from sticker shock.

[West6550]

Thanks west.  You would think for the price they charge for some of those swimbaits 100+ dollars, they would be made of gold or at least have 24k gold flakes in them lol.

I agree with you for sure. There used yo be a guy on here that used them a ton and caught huge fish on them.

[SFL BassHunter]

I bet. All the research ive done in the last day or two indicate that if you do catch a fish with some of these it will be a big ol pig. Saw a video on youtube saying to expect no more than 3 bites on a good day. Lol. Thats all fine and dandy so i didnt buy any 7 inch or 8 inch baits. I stuck the the 4.5 and 5 inch. If they suck well at least they look cool and i can always hang them on a wall somewhere in my house hahaha

[West6550]

lolol I think his name was Manbearpig if I'm not mistaken. A search my yield his posts. He was from S FL.

[Took]

I usually run two large swimbaits (hard) each trip. A list of top notch baits to check out 3:16 lure company, Jackall, Huddleston, Hinkle, plus a ton of customs. I prefer either surface or very shallow because of the vegetation here. Price can get costly but I think it can be worth it.

[Pferox]

That is the problem with targeting just big fish in general.

In winter in the Bayou, I sit all day, throwing all kinds of bait, and soaking others only to catch one or 20+ black drum.

I hear a lot of shark reports and they sit on the beach all weekend long soaking HUGE baits and are all excited with a couple of runs, no hookups, and maybe one 4 or 5 footer.

[Took]

That is the problem with targeting just big fish in general.

In winter in the Bayou, I sit all day, throwing all kinds of bait, and soaking others only to catch one or 20+ black drum.

I hear a lot of shark reports and they sit on the beach all weekend long soaking HUGE baits and are all excited with a couple of runs, no hookups, and maybe one 4 or 5 footer.

Yeah I have a system, two large swimbaits,  a plastic, punch rig, and then something small either small plastic or crank

[West6550]

Here Rick I goggled ultimate bass and found this. Not sure if he is still active. He also used a "stinger" rig he made for them as well.

http://www.ultimatebass.com/bass-fishing-forum/index.php?topic=111323.0

Well I clicked his avatar and he is still posting.  He catches some hogs for sure. I swore he was from S FL but it says Tampa. I just thought I remembered him posting some peacock bass up.

[SFL BassHunter]

Here Rick I goggled ultimate bass and found this. Not sure if he is still active. He also used a "stinger" rig he made for them as well.

http://www.ultimatebass.com/bass-fishing-forum/index.php?topic=111323.0

Well I clicked his avatar and he is still posting.  He catches some hogs for sure. I swore he was from S FL but it says Tampa. I just thought I remembered him posting some peacock bass up.

Nice job hunting that down. Yeah them huddlestons arw expensive lol. I cant buy anything expensive ill lose it. I lost the swimbait i caught that jag on lol. I lose everything i throw which is why i am cheap! I dont feel bad if i lose a 2 dollar crank.

[Capt. BassinLou]

Went to the park for a bit and unfortunately caught nothing worth posting. My highlight of my outing was when I launched my bait really far into some deep water. I was working the bait slowly when I felt a tick. My heart starting racing because at that depth and distance it had to be a pig...... not!!! I was fishing a 5" stickbait and the bass I caught must have been 4" long!! 

As I was leaving, this guy stopped me asked me if I caught anything. I said no kept walking. The guy calls me excitedly as he runs to get his cell phone. What he showed me next really bothered me. The guy proudly showed me a pic of a mound of Peacock bass with some largemouth in the mix. That he caught at some remote location.  I told him if he got caught, there were serious fines to be payed. He laughed it off, and told me he knew that, but there was no way there going to catch him where he was fishing. I walked off shaking my head and that was that. I understand fish can be kept and that's cool, but to harvest all those fish really bugged me.

[Pferox]

Nice report in the other thread, Lou.

Sorry to hear you had a bad experience, some people just don't care.  But then again if he had a legal limit, what can you do.  If it wasn't legal ...... it seems to all even out in the end.

[Capt. BassinLou]

Nice report in the other thread, Lou.

Sorry to hear you had a bad experience, some people just don't care.  But then again if he had a legal limit, what can you do.  If it wasn't legal ...... it seems to all even out in the end.

He had more than triple the limit in that picture. Our limits of peacocks are 2 per day, and bass are 5.  There were more than 6 nice peacocks alone, not including the bunch of other bass. This happens down here all the time. So much water that to regulate is close to impossible.

[Pferox]

He had more than triple the limit in that picture. Our limits of peacocks are 2 per day, and bass are 5.  There were more than 6 nice peacocks alone, not including the bunch of other bass. This happens down here all the time. So much water that to regulate is close to impossible.

So true, too much area for the few Fish and Game guys to cover.  And it is very hard to snitch on em, many times too.

[West6550]

I hear ya Lou. I'm 100% okay with keeping your amount of fish but a ton over limit is just being an a##hole.

[Deadeye]

I hear ya Lou. I'm 100% okay with keeping your amount of fish but a ton over limit is just being an a##hole.

I agree and then being brash enough to brag about it takes to a whole other level.

The only thing you can do in that case is Report Them if you think they still have the fish. With just a Pic they could say that it was them and a few friends and not much the LEO could do.

[Deadeye]

I'm heading out to the River here in a few. I'll post a report up when I get back.

[West6550]

Ditto.. but to a lake.  Fred watch out for any of Lou's cartel members trying to sabotage you!

[SFL BassHunter]

Hey West, I am beyond worrying about Lou's cartel. I am now more worried about his ability to jinx anyone at any given moment. The other day at the lake he says hey you should get some crocs so you can stand in the shallow water in these grassy areas for a longer cast and when the water levels rise. He leaves and about 30 minutes later i cast and without noticing put a foot forward onto what i thought was dry land only to feel my sock soaked. The water went through the mesh of my sneaker.

Back when he first met me he made a comment about one of my spinning rods and reels being to lightweight for the glades if i was to pull a fish out of a few pads. Turns out that weekend it happened.
Then another time he said the wind is to strong to fish the side of the lake you want to fish. I get out of the car and 0 wind. Im like ok dude has lost it... I walk to the lake where im hit by hurricane force winds and have to head back to the car to get to the other side of the lake.

[Capt. BassinLou]

You guys are too funny

[Pferox]

Lou has those mystical powers that can see the future ..... they call that ESPN ...