[SouthFlorida FlyGuy]

Hello everyone!
I came across this site and have been snooping around the past couple weeks. I finally joined because of the great info I have been reading and the style of the site reminds me of my other Bass Site I belong too.

I'm Jonathan. I'm a South Florida native who has grown up Bass Fishing with baitcasting equipment ever since I was 10. I'm now 32 years of age. I grew up bank fishing around golf courses, neighborhood lakes and ponds, and of coarse the Florida Everglades.

I decided to book a trout guide a few months ago while visiting N.C. with my family. Well, all I can say is after arriving back in Florida, I felt as if I was missing something? I did not want to wait until my next trip to N.C. to pickup a fly rod again, so I walked into BPS and decided to purchase a 5WT 9' middle of the range TFO rod and a great deal on a Mid Arbor Redington CD 7/8reel spooled up with an awesome weight forward line.

I'm new to fly fishing and have been reading up on any and all magazines I can get my hands on along with DVD's. I've gotten fairly good at casting and double hauling but always learning to sharpen my form everyday. I'm now finding myself curious on how to tie my own flies and I'm about to take a local class on it.

WHAT IS REALLY INTERESTING is that I am finding myself not targeting my beloved LMB but instead South Florida Peacock Bass!! So what is really ironic is that not only do I find myself NOT picking up all my baitcasting equipment anymore but I am totaly fishing for another species all together!! Wow, talk about evolution?

I just wanted to introduce myself to everyone. Let you all know a little bit about my background, and where I'm coming from. I've invested a TON of money on my bait casting stuff and intend on getting back to the power fishing style of it all but until then, I think I have found a new home.

Now let me go post some "NEW" Threads!!!!
Here's a pic of a Peacock I caught a few weeks ago on a Enrico Puglisi "Anchovy". I also attached pictures of my most common baits for Peacocks. They SLAUGHTER these little babies!!!

[Doc]

Welcome to the board SouthFlorida FlyGuy. You're right about the info, lots of it here. I've yet to wet a line for bass. Closest bass fishing is about 12 hours from where I live and tons of incredible trout water between me and it. One of these days though.

Cheers,
Doc

[darkcahill]

Welcome aboard. Always wanting to hear about Peacock Bass since we don't have any up here. This is a great place to be.

[SouthFlorida FlyGuy]

Thank you guys.
Unfortunately I'm stuck home with a broken ankle. I have not been fishing for 6 weeks! Although I have snuck down to the waters edge a couple times this past week. Picture this..... Me limping with a hard cast on my left leg from my ankle to my lower knee, crutches, Fishpond Fanny guidepack, Rod&Reel, and a HUGE beach towel! My neighbors think I'm NUTS! Great practice casting on either one knee or sitting down. I also have to take into consideration the ground level behind me since its higher. Dangerous I know but you would not believe how BORED I am sitting at home all day!! It felt great catching a couple tiny 1 pound bass on some poppers!

I'm going to be fairly active on this site, I must warn you all in advance.lol
I will share my Peacock stories with you all and more information on where and how I am catching them in S.Florida. I consider myself the ultimate bank fisherman since I have never owned a boat and have been banking it since I was a kid. Here in South Florida, if you dont take some free time to ROAM in and out of neighborhoods, local small parks, golf coarses, or even in the back of shoping malls or plazas where there could be tiny ponds, you are absolutely nuts. I have uncovered many honeyholes over the years and still come across new ones every year.

I look forward to learning from you all and asking tons of questions!

[SouthFlorida FlyGuy]

Originally Posted by Doc

Welcome to the board SouthFlorida FlyGuy. You're right about the info, lots of it here. I've yet to wet a line for bass. Closest bass fishing is about 12 hours from where I live and tons of incredible trout water between me and it. One of these days though.

Cheers,
Doc

One day for sure. One thing thats cool about Florida fishing is that you have the Everglades 10 minutes away if you live out west. You have the ocean 20 minutes away from just about anywhere, and then you have HUNDREDS of inland places to fish. The places I talk about within neighborhoods, apartment complexes, golf coarses, etc. Alot of these inland or rural places give you a type of amazon feel. For example, there are tons of iguanas that are breeding like crazy in most of these places now. Peacocks are fished right along the banks of rocky and lily pad ledges and so are bass except bass are obviously found in all water columns.

The difference between Florida and where you live is that I live in 80%+ humidity levels almost all year around and you live in plain old HEAVEN!

[Jimmie]

Welcome SouthFlorida FlyGuy. New to the forum and flyfishing also. Same as you, after a lifetime of spinning outfits. Going out to buy my first fly line tonight, that's how new.

[SouthFlorida FlyGuy]

Originally Posted by Jimmie

Welcome SouthFlorida FlyGuy. New to the forum and flyfishing also. Same as you, after a lifetime of spinning outfits. Going out to buy my first fly line tonight, that's how new.

Awesome! Welcome to you as well!
So what species of fish are you targeting?
Also, whats the description of your rod and reel?
Im curious to what type of line your goig to choose.

[GeorgeMcFly]

welcome to the forum! keep us posted!

[Jimmie]

Originally Posted by SouthFlorida FlyGuy

Awesome! Welcome to you as well!
So what species of fish are you targeting?
Also, whats the description of your rod and reel?
Im curious to what type of line your goig to choose.

Fish mostly streams and rivers for trout.
Sage FLi 9' 6wt, and Okuma Helios 5/6 reel.
I read all that I could on here and it helped with line choices. At the store it was a coin flip between the Cortland 444 WF 6 peach, or the Cortland 555 WF 6 high floating. I wound up getting the 555; some tappered leaders; and about four different size tippets. Oh, and 20 lb backing. Never quite sure if I'm doing it right. This is a small town and nobody that I've run into in the stores fly fishes. Glad I'm here on the forum.