First off let me welcome you to theforum and the club.
Sometimes Florida strain bass are not a aggressive as the nothern strain bass. I found this out last year when fishing Clear Lake in California they have the Florida strain there. You jsut have to be more savy in your approch. I believe th water there is crystal clear and if you can see them they can see you, and then your busted. Make long cast with floro. Try senko's, texas rigged brush hogs, or Strike King Rage Craws. those all worked for me in Ca. Good Luck.

Harry

were i am fishing the water is like mud color, and the two bass i did catch were done so with out a 'strike'.. they just sucked in the live mud minnow and sat there until i relled in.. i was disapointed with both of the fish's 'fight' and i am all over your choice's for tackle this weekend[love the texas rigs bush hogs and have had lil luck with them] i understand this is part of the fun\challenge of fishing and the first 6 times out i was loven trying to work this fish, but when you see one of these fish[not sure there bass, but i cant say for sure, they roll the top of the water and send the shrimp skittering like a flat rock skipped over the top of the water] breach and roll ya just wana jump in and grab one[unfourtunatly i am allergic to the gators..HA][caught one of those bad boys as well,allmost lost my jitterbug i have had for years].. i have been useing STORMs minnow rigs on the small ponds in town with great results, so im pretty sure im playing the bass right[the water in these ponds is crystle clear and a long time floridian has told me that most of them are retention ponds built by man 10yrs ago or less,i think one of them is quarry feed,when i asked him how these lrgmouth got there he shrugger his shoulders and said he dosent like fishing.. i didnt know that was possabil] but thanks Harry i will be out again this weekend as it is the only time i can go, early sunday morning, the other days i care for my lil angle who is battling cancer after recovering from 3 open heart surgerys,, so these fishing outing are important to me,, gives me peice of mind and recharges my karma for chemo sessions.. sometimes i just sit the boat and enjoy the quite mornings with my good buddy who never freshwater fished in his 50yrs.. poor guy, but he is loving it now and got himself a nice 5lber out of said pond,, perplexing to say the least.. keep casting and remember catch and release brings the big ones back on the boat on a different day!!

JB if your fishing in water that muddy you need to use some baits that make noise. Spinnerbaits white or black. Ratteling crank baits. Lipless crankbaits and such. Bass in muddy water tend to strike using the lateral lines to pick up vibrations and not so much on sight. In clear water they use sight more.

Harry

will be useing your advice, i have been thinking and useing sense baits,, GULP ALIVE and such,, of course the next thing would be sound,, so am on it
outstanding forms,, thanks alot for your input
JAB

I live in Jacksonville area and do a lot of fishing without a boat. Caught some really nice trout last week at my favorite spot. The huricane kept me off the Jac Bch pier last week, But there has been some nice trout caught there. The St Augustine bch pier is good fishing but I don't go there often because it is way of for me.

JB, Sounds like a dumb question for me to ask, but what part of North Florida are you lost in?  There is great fishing all over Florida--freshwater and salt!  I would start by checking out some of the local bait shops.  Meaning no disrespect to the super chains but you are apt to get more information from the small shops.  I try to remember that when I shop as well.  They stay in business because you purchase items there and once you find one where the seller has time it becomes a two-way street.
Some operate like the old coffee shops, sit around and listen.  The piers in Florida offer excellent fishing--spend some time at the piers watching what others are doing.  Generally, you'll find people more than glad to offer suggestions.  If you are working ask around work maybe you'll run into a partner.  Another good place to observe is check out areas where boats are being launched--some of them sell bait as well.  I use to use live shrimp because you can eat your bait.  I am sure other club members will be glad to share as well.  Good luck and welcome to NAFC.  Uncle Tom 

had a great weekend of fishing, as silly as it seemed at the time i have been hitting dranage/retention ponds in and around St. Augustine with results far better then expected.. 12 fish[all lrgmouth bass] in two sittings.. one pond was hid'n at the top of my street!.. we went out at 4:45am monday and i had the first one on the boat by 5:05am. still going back to trout creeck in orangedale when weather cools down some.. had a few nasty birdsnest in both reels i had been useing and ordered the WaveSpin today,, will put Doug's extraordinarye reel to the test... my wife hit me with a big one on monday... said if i sell my VTX 1300 honda motorcycle she will get me a 18' ranger bass boat.. man thats a tough one but its one or the other as my kids cancer treatments take there toll.. may wait till next year to make a call on it.. zeke33 tell me were those trout are man and you will see me in there with my lil 10' boat this weekend!! UncleTom i have sat at two boat launchs and recived cold looks and answers to my questions[if i could work a good 'ole sothern drawl and maybe stop wearing my NE patriots gear i may get better results] im in St. Augustine [1st city] and at this time rely on my buddy to transport my boat and he dosent like to go too far. but that will change soon.. just need to weigh my love of fishing and the compleate joy of bike riding..

JB, you just think you got some cold looks?  Put on a bright red Georgia Bull Dawg shirt and cap.  Wear them and I can guarantee you'll catch fish and big ones.  Go Dawgs!  Sorry, I had forgot about football in Florida--occasionally they have a good high school player, most of them transferred from Georgia schools.  Did I understand you to say your wife said you could trade your motorcycle for a bass boat.  I'd like to know which one of you got dropped on their head.  Man, junk that motorcycle before you fall and it gets back up and runs over you.  Think of all the pluses live wells, 2 gas tanks, depth finders, water spouts to follow you everywhere, electric trolling motor, weather radio, vhf radio, hydraulic anchor system for shallow water, and you already have a helmet.  You can even have that bass boat with bubble wrap and your name all over it not to mention a beautiful trailer.  Think of all those guys looking it over at the gas   I'm sure the wife would enjoy being out in the sun while you are fishing if she doesn't fish.  Trade before you wakes up.  Seriously, with a bass boat there is no limit the places you have to fish in Florida and when you get tired come on up to Georgia and fish paradise--that is Paradise Park on the Altamaha River.  All these Southern States are full of huge bass.  Good luck and Great Fishing!  Send Photos
Uncle Tom

too funny.. a bulldogs outfit.. i would end up as chum.. once my lil girls treatments end i have every intention of fish'n everywere there is big largemouth bass to be found.. and i went out on the bike this morning and it's not as easy as you think,, even worse is the fact i received the 2011 Ranger Boats book yesterday[thats what prompted me to take bike out today].. man there are some smoken boats out there!! may put bike on craigslist to get a feel for what it will bring,, i have added some nice stuff to this bike, bags, crome and a swichblade windshild.. she is a bute and has very low milage[spent most of last 12 months in and out of hospital with my baby].. but after looking at the Z522 Comanche ot the VX/VS Series it is hard not to want to take off in one of these fine machines!!!