Oops!! Caught a PB Bass in INSANE Winter Weather

on December 21, 2017December 20, 2017

Winter fishing for bass in the most epic cold front of the year means insane fish activity and even catching a personal best bass over 10lbs on a crank bait. I’m not saying it’s fun fishing on days like this but pre-frontal conditions, strong winds, usually rain, and overcast skies have been the ideal times to target trophy fish this year. The west wind, a normal signal of a front passing through in Florida, sets up perfect on some offshore structure I’ve found and that current supplied by the strong winds lines the fish bass up in an eating mood! For the most part the most successful fishing techniques all related to power fishing – and mainly grinding a crankbait on the bottom in 15-24ft of water. We did catch a few fish dragging a Wrecking Ball and Carolina Rig but fish seemed to want the bait moving fast and digging into the bottom.

Weather: winds WSW 15-25mph (we took water over the bow of the boat many times), overcast with occasional heavy rains – note temps were in the low 60’s-70’s, the next day saw lows in the upper 30’s – i.e. it was a massive cold front!

Make sure to LIKE & SUBSCRIBE – SUPPORT #REALFISHING

Inststagram: https://www.instagram.com/mikeybalzz/
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/mikeybalzzfishing
Twitter: https://twitter.com/mikeybalzz
Website: https://mikeybalzzfishing.com/

Want to know what fishing lures, terminal tackle, and fishing/camera equipment are being used in the vids? Check it out all below:

Strike King 10xd http://www.tacklewarehouse.com/Strike_King_10XD_Crankbait/descpage-SK10XD.html?from=mkfish

Mustad Triple Grips (Change your hooks!!!!!) http://www.tacklewarehouse.com/Mustad_KVD_1x_Strong_2x_Short_Triple_Grip_Treble_Hook/descpage-MKVDEST.html?from=mkfish

Sunline FC Sniper http://www.tacklewarehouse.com/Sunline_Super_FC_Sniper_Fluorocarbon/descpage-SLFCS.html?from=mkfish

You need this graph – Lowrance HDS 12 Carbon:http://www.tacklewarehouse.com/Lowrance_HDS-12_Carbon_Fishfinder_Chartplotters/descpage-CAR2X.html?from=mkfish

My Costas http://www.tacklewarehouse.com/Costa_Del_Mar_Blackfin_Sunglasses/descpage-CDMBF.html?from=mkfish

All the camera stuff, the drone, everything you need to shoot vids! https://www.amazon.com/shop/mikeybalzzfishing?ref=ac_inf_hm_vp

HUGE 11+lbs Bass Caught on Crazy Light Fishing Line

on November 8, 2017November 7, 2017

One of the craziest bass I’ve ever caught while fishing in Florida and the 2nd biggest ever! An EPIC fishing video: fishing for bass with light fishing line and catching a trophy using a technique called long lining.

Fish are setting up to eat prior to spawning this time of year and that means big schools of hungry fish. Today it seemed like more and more of them showed up every hour and we managed 2 solid catches a 6lbs 9oz and an 11lbs 6oz along with others that didn’t quite make the cut.

Weather – cooling temps in the evenings, highs in the upper 70’s to low 80’s. Partly cloudy with a very slight northeast breeze.

Want the gear in the vids?

Strike King 6xd http://www.tacklewarehouse.com/Strike_King_Pro_Model_6XD_Crankbaits/descpage-SK6XD.html?from=mkfish

Mustad Triple Grips (Change your hooks!!!!!) http://www.tacklewarehouse.com/Mustad_KVD_1x_Strong_2x_Short_Triple_Grip_Treble_Hook/descpage-MKVDEST.html?from=mkfish

Sunline FC Sniper http://www.tacklewarehouse.com/Sunline_Super_FC_Sniper_Fluorocarbon/descpage-SLFCS.html?from=mkfish

You need this graph – Lowrance HDS 12 Carbon:http://www.tacklewarehouse.com/Lowrance_HDS-12_Carbon_Fishfinder_Chartplotters/descpage-CAR2X.html?from=mkfish

Gambler Culling Scale http://www.tacklewarehouse.com/Gambler_Digital_Culling_Scale/descpage-GDCS.html?from=mkfish

Reel Shimano Curado http://www.tacklewarehouse.com/Shimano_Reels_Casting/catpage-RLCSHIMANO.html?from=mkfish

Damiki Neko Rig Weight My Amazon store and all the camera stuff you need! https://www.amazon.com/shop/mikeybalzzfishing?ref=ac_inf_hm_vp

Gambler Fat Ace Stick Bait http://www.tacklewarehouse.com/Gambler_Fat_Ace_5pk/descpage-GFA.html?from=mkfish

Camera – GoPro Hero 5 Black http://www.tacklewarehouse.com/GoPro_HERO5_Black_Camera/descpage-GPB5.html?from=mkfish

My Amazon store and all the camera stuff you need! https://www.amazon.com/shop/mikeybalzzfishing?ref=ac_inf_hm_vp

Let’s Go Punching for Bass

on November 2, 2017October 23, 2017

Punching for Florida strain bass out on Lake Kissimee. One of my favorite ways to fish for bass and it’s becoming the time of year where that seasonal pattern can be key to finding staging and pre spawn fish moving in. I spent the day out on the Kissimee Chain and focused on Lake Kissimee targeting hydrill and chop grass mats in lily pads with a 1.5 oz Reins Tungsten weight and baits like a Gambler Why Not and Crawdaddy. The water is high and it’s the early part of the season, thus the reason fish are spread out and and we’re seeing so many male bass in the mats. It’s probably one of the most fun ways to fish down here in Florida and the bite should only get better as the temperature cool and fish move in to spawn.

Weather: just a few clouds, highs in the mid 80’s, no wind until the end of the day when a storm rolled up. Water temps still in the low 80’s with high water levels due to heavy rain.

Gear in the vid – grab it from Tackle Warehouse!

Reel Shimano Curado http://www.tacklewarehouse.com/Shimano_Reels_Casting/catpage-RLCSHIMANO.html?from=mkfish

Dobyns Champion Extreme MH 795 http://www.tacklewarehouse.com/Dobyns_Champion_Extreme_HP_Full_Handle_Casting_Rods/descpage-DCX.html?from=mkfish

Hack Attack Flipping Hook http://www.tacklewarehouse.com/Strike_King_Hack_Attack_Heavy_Cover_Flipping_Hooks_4pk/descpage-SKHAFH.html?from=mkfish

Power Pro Slick 65lbs Braid http://www.tacklewarehouse.com/Power_Pro_Super_8_Slick_Braided_Line_Timber_Brown/descpage-PSBT.html?from=mkfish

Gambler Why Not http://www.tacklewarehouse.com/Gambler_Why_Not_7pk/descpage-GWN.html?from=mkfish

Gambler Crawdaddy http://www.tacklewarehouse.com/Gambler_Crawdaddy_4_10pk/descpage-GBCD.html?from=mkfish

Culprit Incredicraw
http://www.tacklewarehouse.com/Culprit_Incredi_Craw/descpage-CULPINC.html?from=mkfish

Reins 1.5oz Tungsten http://www.tacklewarehouse.com/Reins_TG_Tungsten_Slip_Sinker_Heavy_Weight/descpage-RTGSS.html?from=mkfish

Camera – GoPro Hero 5 Black http://www.tacklewarehouse.com/GoPro_HERO5_Black_Camera/descpage-GPB5.html?from=mkfish

GoPro Shoulder Mount http://amzn.to/2lkPI0t

Floral Hat http://amzn.to/2oASb5H

You need this graph – Lowrance HDS 12 Carbon:http://www.tacklewarehouse.com/Lowrance_HDS-12_Carbon_Fishfinder_Chartplotters/descpage-CAR2X.html?from=mkfish

Re Fuel Gopro Battery – 6hrs of Action http://amzn.to/2q4mYdC

Floral Hat http://amzn.to/2oASb5H

Okeechobee Bass in the Grass

on October 26, 2017October 7, 2017

Fishing for bass on one of the best lakes in the country – Lake Okeechobee. Fish are in a transition mode and we started the day punching mats with braided line and flipping setups – mostly a 1.5oz tungsten weight and a Gambler Lures Crawdaddy. The mat bite was not happening the way we hoped so we started targeting submerged hydrilla on the north end of the lake using a technique Donny figured out a couple weeks earlier. Basically we were dragging soft plastics with lighter tungsten weights through grass and the fish would react when we pulled the bait off the hydrilla – somewhat like a subtle reaction strike. Donny stuck with a 1/2oz tungsten weight and a Gambler Fat Ace where as I caught most of my fish on a Wrecking Ball swinging football head and a soft plastic. We caught a ton of fish, many of which I didn’t include in the video but the key was hitting that grass and working the bait through it. Fishing is starting to improve as we get some cooler weather but the water is high following Hurricane Irma so that will be a challenge in locating groups of fish moving in to spawn as it tends to spread them out a bit. All in all a killer day on Lake Okeechobee hanging out with my good friend and local stick Donny Bass!

Weather:mostly sunny, slight breeze out of the east, air in the low 70’s to mid 80’s

LIKE SUBSCRIBE and help promote real fishing vids!

Here’s the gear we used:

Reel Shimano Curado http://www.tacklewarehouse.com/Shimano_Reels_Casting/catpage-RLCSHIMANO.html?from=mkfish

Camera – GoPro Hero 5 Black http://www.tacklewarehouse.com/GoPro_HERO5_Black_Camera/descpage-GPB5.html?from=mkfish

Sunline FC Sniper http://www.tacklewarehouse.com/Sunline_Super_FC_Sniper_Fluorocarbon/descpage-SLFCS.html?from=mkfish

You need this graph – Lowrance HDS 12 Carbon:http://www.tacklewarehouse.com/Lowrance_HDS-12_Carbon_Fishfinder_Chartplotters/descpage-CAR2X.html?from=mkfish

Reins Tungsten http://www.tacklewarehouse.com/Reins_TG_Tungsten_Slip_Sinker_Heavy_Weight/descpage-RTGSS.html?from=mkfish

Power Pro Slick 65lbs Braid http://www.tacklewarehouse.com/Power_Pro_Super_8_Slick_Braided_Line_Timber_Brown/descpage-PSBT.html?from=mkfish

Gambler Culling Scale http://www.tacklewarehouse.com/Gambler_Digital_Culling_Scale/descpage-GDCS.html?from=mkfish

Gambler Fat Ace http://www.tacklewarehouse.com/Gambler_Fat_Ace_5pk/descpage-GFA.html?from=mkfish

Dobyns Champion Rods http://www.tacklewarehouse.com/Dobyns_Champion_XP_Full_Grip_Casting_Rods/descpage-DNF.html?from=mkfish

Shiner Fishing for Bass a.k.a. Desperate

on October 11, 2017October 7, 2017

Fishing for bass is a challenge, even aggressive peacock bass. We decided to bust out a traditional fishing technique I haven’t used in ages, using live bait. In this case we grabbed some shiners from a local tackle store and went out to sight fish for spawning bass on South Florida canal system that holds a range of species from snook and tarpon all the way to peacock and largemouth bass. It was sort of an adventure since neither me nor my best friend has ever tried live bait rigs for this kind of bass fishing – we were total novices but made it work to hook up with some nice fish and some ball busting in between.

Weather: partly to mostly cloudy, highs in the low 90’s becoming sunny and breezy later in the day (that’s when the bite seemed to improve too)

https://youtu.be/b_GqEj7YIcs

Equipment:
Camera – GoPro Hero 5 Black http://www.tacklewarehouse.com/GoPro_HERO5_Black_Camera/descpage-GPB5.html?from=mkfish

Powell 7’1″ MH Spinning Rod http://www.tacklewarehouse.com/Powell_Max_3D_Spinning_Rods/descpage-ND.html?from=mkfish

Owner Wacky Rig Hooks http://www.tacklewarehouse.com/Owner_Wacky_Hook/descpage-OWNWHH.html?from=mkfish

Berkley Fireline Crystal 10# and 12# http://www.tacklewarehouse.com/Berkley_Fireline_Ultra_8_Superline_Crystal/descpage-BEF.html?from=mkfish

You need this graph – Lowrance HDS 12 Carbon:http://www.tacklewarehouse.com/Lowrance_HDS-12_Carbon_Fishfinder_Chartplotters/descpage-CAR2X.html?from=mkfish

GoPro Shoulder Mount http://amzn.to/2lkPI0t

Floral Hat http://amzn.to/2oASb5H

Lapel mic http://amzn.to/2q6VUZB

Re Fuel Gopro Battery – 6hrs of Action http://amzn.to/2q4mYdC

SD Card for all day http://amzn.to/2q4mFPS

What you need to know to fish for BASS with Hair Jigs – 101

on June 21, 2017June 3, 2017

Fishing for bass with hair jigs is awesome. This is not me generalizing, this is not a conventional video. This is my experience on the water using hair jigs to target offshore bass on Florida lakes.

I’ve caught a lot of fish over 7lbs using hair jigs. I only need 2 sizes, 5/8 and 3/4. I’m usually targeting largemouth bass in 13-30ft of water and those weights, even with wind and current, tend to cover all the fishing bases. Color wise, it’s simple – white. I prefer Gambler’s JTK Hair Jig which comes in a Shad color that basically incorporates white with a touch of olive green which is perfect for mimicking shad and other bait fish. If there’s one huge key to the fishing technique that I’ve found in the past 2 years it’s that a hair jig is the perfect hard bait fishing tackle for targeting suspended fish. Fish anywhere from 2 feet to 12 feet off the bottom. It takes some practice to dial in the retrieve and keep the bait in the strike zone but when things come together you’ll know you’ve figured it out!

All the stuff in the video is available through the links below. Make sure to LIKE and SUBSCRIBE to keep the vids rolling!