Mr Double Digit. 30 Plus 10 Lbs Large Mouth 2024

Eric Montes Polk FL reply :

Hey everyone. Im new to the site. I recently saw a video of a so called bass expert talk about fishing environments and habits. I was amped to hear what he had to say about Florida bass. That's where he lost me. He went on to talk about the low numbers of double digit bass in Florida. He shocks the water to bring up the fish. Electrofishing I believe it's called. I was taken back by his testimony. Apparently he has only held 30 or so 10 plus lb'ers in over 30 years of fishing and researching... went on to talk about how rare it is to catch a double digit bass especially in Florida. After seeing this I realize that I must be a fishing genius. Around 2008 I started hunting double digit large mouth in central Florida. That year alone I managed to pull in 11 fish over ten pounds. I caught so many that my friends and locals called me Mr Double Digits. I stopped taking pictures after the fifth or sixth one. That went on till round 2011. I saw this man's video then looked online to research his testimony. I realized that I infanct am somewhat of an anomaly. So I set out to see if I still had it in me. In the last three weeks of fishing about six hours a week I pulled in 3 ten plus pounders. Seeing the significance of such a feat I feel compelled to begin sharing my tips and pictures with the world of LMB enthusiasts. My name is Eric Montes. I live in polk county florida and I look forward to sharing my fishing adventure with yall.

Eric Montes Polk FL reply :

Please allow some time for me to figure out how to post pictures

Eric Montes Polk FL reply :

My first fish caught in October of 2015. After three years of non trophy hunting. Caught in Kissimmee Florida.

Eric Montes Polk FL reply :

Second caught in October. Caught in Davenport Florida.

flyfisher reply :

welcome to the site. I am looking forward to seeing the pictures of the 10lbers....someday i might catch one myself

Eric Montes Polk FL reply :

One of the last double digit bass I caught during my trophy hunt and 2011. Caught this in Poincianna Florida.

Eric Montes Polk FL reply :

Thanks Hawg. Where are you located if I may ask.

davecon reply :

Eric my friend, I'm one county over in Hillsborough. I know what you are talking about. If you fish the right places with the right techniques it is very possible. You just have to forget about targeting anything under about 7. Most folks will think you are feeding them bs, so I usually don't talk about it.

I fish primarily for snook nowadays but concentrate on big bass during the spawn. Once you let go of the "limit" mentality it becomes a lot easier.

Be prepared, a lot of guys on this site and others are going to call you out on your post but not me. Been there, done that. We are blessed with where we live.

Eric Montes Polk FL reply :

Ha thanks minnow for your words of advice. I'm currently documenting every double digit bass I catch. I have several more pics to post but the files are too big. I'm ready for the nay sayers as I plan to prove my story. As soon as I figure out how to make my pics smaller in kbs. Follow me. I'll be quite active as I plan to fish a lot in the near future. P.S. I have a huge chance of setting the state record. I've located a monster that I pray to land in the near future.

geo g reply :

Eric what baits are you using? You are certainly surrounded by some wonderful fisheries.

Eric Montes Polk FL reply :

Trying to figure out how to make my pictures a small enough file to upload. Any help?

Eric Montes Polk FL reply :

Hi geo g. It all depends on water color ,temperature , bass activity and several other factors. I am currently trying to post pics with brief descriptions but after get the loads of pics added I will start describing the conditions and lures use in deity . (To the best of my knowledge and memory) Thanks

Mr_Poche' reply :

Oh I'm in for this. You have my attention

Eric Montes Polk FL reply :

This one was today in lake wales Florida. October 13

Eric Montes Polk FL reply :

This was in September 2015. Caught in Clermont area. Using a large imitation swim bait as close to a large shad as I could find.

Eric Montes Polk FL reply :

This one was in the same lake as the previous pic. Different day. This lake was said to have nothing more than yearling in it and soft shell turtles. Well they were wrong. I caught four ten plus pounders here. In the course of 2 months

d-camarena reply :

Keep them coming please

Eric Montes Polk FL reply :

This one was cool. Same lake. I went to put my hand in its mouth for reference and noticed a lump in its throat. I reached in her throat and into her stomach and pulled this yearling out.

Eric Montes Polk FL reply :

Another pic of the previous fish. I have a goal of never extending the fish out to the camera like a lot of people do. I want my pic real and raw. No angle fabrications as I like to call em. This is what real HOGS look like next to a 6'1 grown ass man lol

Eric Montes Polk FL reply :

This little guy was a pain to get in. It was in the four corners area. Lake full of Lilly pads. My buddy Joe had to do some fancy driving to receive this HOG. I took the pic of him holding it with my phone because he's a big guy and I wanted better reference for a friend of mine. He took one of me holding it but it's in his phone which took a swim that day so.... needless to say this is all I have of her.

Eric Montes Polk FL reply :

This gurl came from a community pond in the Davenport area. A lot of great lakes in this area.

Eric Montes Polk FL reply :

I will dig for more pics from the recent past. Ill post as soon as I get the chance along with new pics from my upcoming fishing trips. I'm always available to answer questions. Write me any time. I don't do charters or specific fishing hole advice. I'm pretty busy and fish when I can. Other than that. ASK AWAY . If I can help you land a monster it would make my day. FISH ON !?!?!

Fisher-O-men reply :

Obviously not bed fish! That is a good thing in my book.

scaleface reply :

My wife calls me Mr Double Digit but shes just trying to boost my confidence .

BassinLou reply :

Congratulations on those nice catches. Beautiful fish for sure. If you are participating in the FWC's trophy catch program you would be cleaning house receiving nice amount $$. If you haven't done this already you should.

00 mod reply :

Do you have pictures of any of these on a scale?

Jeff

Eric Montes Polk FL reply :

I weighed most.I have the weight written down in a journal and wouldn't you know it. CAN'T FIND IT. Been looking all morning. I never sight fish females on bed. Done it once on a 12.4 lbs girl. Wasn't very satisfying. I'd like to know more about this trophy money deal. I used to fish just to fish and brag to friends and compare pics. Now im learning more about the significance of my catches.

P.s... Double Digits lmao ur wife is a kind women lol

BassinLou reply :

On 10/14/2015 at 8:41 PM, Eric Montes Polk FL said:

I weighed most.I have the weight written down in a journal and wouldn't you know it. CAN'T FIND IT. Been looking all morning. I never sight fish females on bed. Done it once on a 12.4 lbs girl. Wasn't very satisfying. I'd like to know more about this trophy money deal. I used to fish just to fish and brag to friends and compare pics. Now im learning more about the significance of my catches.

P.s... Double Digits lmao ur wife is a kind women lol

Go to FWC website, and click on Florida Trophy Catch Prog.

Big C reply :

You know, just a suggestion. Why don't you move this thread to the "Fishing Reports" section. Not everybody checks the "Southeast Fishing" section. And I'm sure they would be interested. Nice fish by the way.

Senko lover reply :

On 10/14/2015 at 10:55 AM, geo g said:
Eric what baits are you using? You are certainly surrounded by some wonderful fisheries.

Wait for it!!! Pink Rat'L Traps!

Eric Montes Polk FL reply :

Thanks for the advice. Im not a big "move the thread kinda guy". Thanks for the info on the FWC site. Im going there now to check it out. Ive got calls into friends of mine. Like I said I stopped taking pics of the bass I caught unless it was big. Im working on gettin pictures from a recent fishing trip I took my mother on. She caught 3 over ten that day. The biggest being 12.9 lbs.

Pink rattle trap. Funny stuff man. The guy who turned me on to big bass fishing swears by pink lures. Ive seen him sand a deep diver down and paint it a neon green and pink color. He also uses pink with black striped trick worms. Its only crazy if it doesn't work lol

Eric Montes Polk FL reply :

My fiance and her first hawg

Evan K reply :

Amazing fish. You're clearly onto something!

1234567 reply :

Eric glad to have you here. Looking forward to your insights and great pics. Down here in southern florida there are less 10 pound and bigger bass then one would think. Due to the shallow water and high heat its to much for them to overcome to grow that big. However 7-8 pounders can be caught quite often with the occasional bigger bass mixed in. Regardless of just the size the age also probably puts them in

similar big bass habits which is the key to catching them. Looking forward to more.

geo g reply :

On 10/14/2015 at 11:14 PM, 1234567 said:

Eric glad to have you here. Looking forward to your insights and great pics. Down here in southern florida there are less 10 pound and bigger bass then one would think. Due to the shallow water and high heat its to much for them to overcome to grow that big. However 7-8 pounders can be caught quite often with the occasional bigger bass mixed in. Regardless of just the size the age also probably puts them in

similar big bass habits which is the key to catching them. Looking forward to more.

I could not agree more with this last statement. We have so much shallow water full of bass in south Florida, many do not make it out of the shallows during the seasonal dry season. Many become gator and bird food when they become stranded in the shallows. Hundreds of miles of shallow marsh will drain into a network of canals and deep holes. It makes the fishing crazy in the canal system, but we lose loads of big fish that don't make it out.

Eric Montes Polk FL reply :

My fiance and her first hawg

BassinLou reply :

Here's a direct link to the trophy catch program.

https://www.trophycatchflorida.com/

Senko lover reply :

On 10/14/2015 at 10:39 PM, Eric Montes Polk FL said:

Thanks for the advice. Im not a big "move the thread kinda guy". Thanks for the info on the FWC site. Im going there now to check it out. Ive got calls into friends of mine. Like I said I stopped taking pics of the bass I caught unless it was big. Im working on gettin pictures from a recent fishing trip I took my mother on. She caught 3 over ten that day. The biggest being 12.9 lbs.

Pink rattle trap. Funny stuff man. The guy who turned me on to big bass fishing swears by pink lures. Ive seen him sand a deep diver down and paint it a neon green and pink color. He also uses pink with black striped trick worms. Its only crazy if it doesn't work lol

His name isn't Aldo Rasado, by any chance??

There was a joke behind what I said.

Catch and Grease reply :

You should make YouTube videos, I'm sure if you catch DD's consistently you could get a decent following going!

Starchalopakis reply :

On 10/15/2015 at 2:37 AM, Senko lover said:

His name isn't Aldo Rasado, by any chance??

There was a joke behind what I said.

I thought the same exact thing after reading his first few posts!

Mswen reply :

On 10/14/2015 at 9:42 AM, Eric Montes Polk FL said:
He went on to talk about the low numbers of double digit bass in Florida. He shocks the water to bring up the fish. Electrofishing I believe it's called. I was taken back by his testimony. Apparently he has only held 30 or so 10 plus lb'ers in over 30 years of fishing and researching... went on to talk about how rare it is to catch a double digit bass especially in Florida.

Electrofishing isn't effective for larger fish. You would have to turn the voltage up so high that it would kill smaller fish. That's why they use Fyke nets to sample walleyes and muskies up north. With electrofishing, you might get the occasional big fish in the wrong place at the wrong time, but the way it's done actually helps them to escape. The boat moves along slowly, with electrodes in the water and typically two people up front netting fish as they float to the top. Bigger bass, along with big carp, catfish, and other fish with a high resistance, feel the electrodes start to tingle and take off. There aren't other commonly used ways to capture giant bass, because Conservation Depts. are loathe to unnecessarily stress them, and because anglers are perfectly willing to self-report. Anyone who wants to sell themselves as an expert, with over 30 years of research and fishing, should know this. After all, they don't call them "Florida-strain" bass for nothing.

South FLA reply :

Eric,

Gotta LOVE Florida fishing, if you notice most of the areas you are fishing are small waters! Very rarely does FWC electrofish small waters, they concentrate on larger well know bodies of water or managed areas. Like I tell everyone, I would rather fish small waters (urban ponds, golf course ponds, canals, etc) in Florida when targeting trophy bass. Also, being North of Okeechobee County helps, I believe S. Florida bass can't hold a candle to mid/Northern FL or even Southern GA, when it comes to trophy potential.

Its going to break your heart when you see how much $$$$ you have left on the table so grab yourself a scale and make sure you take pictures for Florida's Trophy Catch program. You also have a chance of winning a nice Pheonix bass boat!

Here is an article on the top image hosting sites to help you get started on posting pics larger pics:

http://lifehacker.com/5808625/five-best-web-sites-for-image-hosting-and-photo-sharing/

I use Photobucket, an older photo hosting site, but have had good luck with it, although it dates me!

Here is a pic of a recent submission I turned in to Trophy Catch program, and the bait monkey quickly used the money on a new trolling motor. lol!

Keep the HAWG pics coming, welcome to the site and thanks for sharing!

rboat reply :

Eric,

Are the areas you fish private lakes and ponds and is there much fishing pressure in that area. I have been fishing around central Fl and never caught anything close to that. I do catch alot of nice fish, but I always fish on public lakes with boat ramps and more fishing and boating pressure. I do not target just large fish, but I wouldn't mind catching a big girl every once in a while. Thanks for any help you can give and keep the great pics coming.

BassObsessed reply :

Nice hawgs you're catching. I don't know about the lack of giant bass in Florida but the last 2 times on vacation there I caught 4 or 5 over 10lbs and that was just in the Orlando area. Way more big bass than my home state for sure. Not even comparable.

shimmy reply :

Eric, I notice that most of your fish are from the same golf course pond/lake even though you identify it as a different lake in Davenport? I think to reiterate what others have said, the electric shocking of fish does not take place (in general) on smaller bodies of water. As for being a fishing anomaly and wanting to share your abilities with the world, slow down cowboy. Becoming an anomaly has to be earned on this site and there are a lot of guys on here who have proven to be great resources of knowledge for big fish. No doubt those are great pond fish, but keep in mind, that is common for people who fish ponds in Florida. Any pictures of your PB? Ever use a scale? As always, post youtube videos. People always like them, especially during the loooooong winter months. Welcome to the site,

bigbill reply :

I ran into talking with the electro shock boat guys on a ct bass sight. I'm seeing more big bass than anyone is catching. Even the electro shock guys aren't seeing them because the shocker doesn't go deep. It's a shallow working devise. I caught one 10lber, lost bigger, seen bigger swim by me at the drop off. No one believes ct has big bass. I push harder to say every state has bigger bass there not being caught.

Congrats Eric

davecon reply :

As far as electro shocking, I see some FWC biologists on a regular basis in a river I fish (know them now on a first name basis). They are targeting snook and snook get a LOT bigger than bass (they do inadvertantly shock up some bass from time to time) and they seem to have no problems with big fish. They sometimes shock up snook as big as 48 inches. Their biggest problem is salinity. The saltier the water, the less the electroshocking works.

Their boat doesen't float as shallow as mine so I actually catch more large snook than they shock.

Based on this I am puzzled about the statement that shocking doesn't work as well on larger fish.

Perhaps it has something to do with the species.

bigbill reply :

The shocker works on big fish but the shocker doesn't work in deeper water so they shock in shallower water.

I weed chopper in one of the lakes hit a 12 lb lmb. They killed it. Seeing this should of woke everyone up in ct we have big bass. Who knows what's in the waters.

Dogmatic reply :

I believe he is talking about Bob Lusk "The Pond Boss" in the original post. No doubt the man knows bass.

SFL BassHunter reply :

Wow Eric, I am amazed at the amount of double digit bass you've caught! You certainly have them dialed in. Doing something right lol. Keep it up!

soflabasser reply :

Very impressive Eric, especially since you catch most of your double digit bass from shore. Central Florida definitely has more +10lbs bass than here in South Florida. I have caught a couple +10 pound bass from shore down here, but no where near the amounts of 6-8 pounders I have caught. Looking towards for your future reports!

BassinLou reply :

On 10/16/2015 at 5:02 AM, soflabasser said:
Very impressive Eric, especially since you catch most of your double digit bass from shore. Central Florida definitely has more +10lbs bass than here in South Florida. I have caught a couple +10 pound bass from shore down here, but no where near the amounts of 6-8 pounders I have caught. Looking towards for your future reports!

Do have any pics to share with us? 10+ lbrs down here in South FL are rare indeed. If you caught a couple I would love to seem them. What part of town were these fish caught? Was this fairly recent or while back? I know a lot fisheries down here have been effected with the construction boom we have been having.

soflabasser reply :

@BassinLou,I have several pictures of Largemouth Bass between 10 -12lbs, all that I caught from the shore in South Florida. I will show the pictures in person if you want. Most of the lakes I fish are private lakes that I have permission to fish in, but have caught several +8lbers in public lakes/canals. The last +10 pounder I caught was over a year ago( in a public lake), but I just recently got back to specifically fishing for big bass and have caught over 6 bass between 6 to +8lbs in the past 3 months. The biggest this past weekend was over 6 pounds. Its not easy down here in South Florida from shore, but if your persistent and determined enough you will eventually catch a double digit bass.

BassinLou reply :

On 10/16/2015 at 7:28 AM, soflabasser said:
@BassinLou,I have several pictures of Largemouth Bass between 10 -12lbs, all that I caught from the shore in South Florida. I will show the pictures in person if you want. Most of the lakes I fish are private lakes that I have permission to fish in, but have caught several +8lbers in public lakes/canals. The last +10 pounder I caught was over a year ago( in a public lake), but I just recently got back to specifically fishing for big bass and have caught over 6 bass between 6 to +8lbs in the past 3 months. The biggest this past weekend was over 6 pounds. Its not easy down here in South Florida from shore, but if your persistent and determined enough you will eventually catch a double digit bass.

There's no doubt, fishing from the bank in South Florida, and catching quality bass is challenging. Your fish resume is impressive, hopefully down the road you will be able to share a few pics with us. What technique have you found has helped you land such quality fish?

Eric Montes Polk FL reply :

Ok people I'm back. Been quite busy recently. Excuse me for the pic mix up on location. I was tryin to upload picsand it would say file was too large so i would move on to another pic. My apologizes. Most of the fish i post will come from public lakes and rivers. I typically sit on the water and watch bait fish. Being around water most my life its fairly easy to figure out what the natural bait is and what color it should be. Ive spent more time judging and testing the lake than i have actually fishing it. The lakes I usually fish are lake kissimmee , lake eva , south port , lake jessup , lake pan , lake fanny , st. Johns , lake toho and various community ponds. I knew most of the lakes before a community popped up so I rarely fish ponds that i dont know to be older ponds. Found quickly fishing golf courses can produce many 5-8 lbers but is usually fround upon lol You get ran out quickly.

Thanks for the posts about electro fishermen not being able to get larger bass. Very informative and makes alot of sense. Im finding more and more info on this bounty for trophies. Kinda sickning seeing as a spent the last few weeks compiling stories me and few of my fishing buddies. At last count my total over 10 is at 32 fish. I found more pics that im posting now. Another of my fiances first hawg and some of when i took my mom on a trophy hunt a couple years ago. Here they are and thank you all for your input and the photo shrinking site. Eric

soflabasser reply :

Thank you @BassinLou. I love bass fishing and fishing for trophy bass is by far one of my favorite types of fishing. What helps me the most is having lots of patience, along with being very determined and persistent.When I am specifically targeting trophy bass I use big swimbaits and big live bait. This works the best in the spots I fish, but have been surprised more than once when a big bass takes a lure meant to catch numbers of bass. By far the best thing to have is patience and lots of it.

Eric Montes Polk FL reply :

The other pic of my fiances fish

Eric Montes Polk FL reply :

Now on to the fishing trip with my mom in 2013ish. This was in lake wales near the fisherman's candy store off hwy60. This was on a pontoon boat where we watched shad movements and followed the yearling schools. We used trick worms (large ones) and farly large soft swim baits. She caught 3 bass over ten pounds. The biggest was 13.9 lbs.

Eric Montes Polk FL reply :

Not a ten but was same trip

Eric Montes Polk FL reply :

I was a proud son and fishing guide that day

Eric Montes Polk FL reply :

Another monster

Eric Montes Polk FL reply :

Again not a ten. I was casting with a 14" brown with pumkin seed worm. When she hooked up id cast right where the fight was to encourage a reaction strike

SFL BassHunter reply :

On 10/16/2015 at 8:12 AM, soflabasser said:
Thank you @BassinLou. I love bass fishing and fishing for trophy bass is by far one of my favorite types of fishing. What helps me the most is having lots of patience, along with being very determined and persistent.When I am specifically targeting trophy bass I use big swimbaits and big live bait. This works the best in the spots I fish, but have been surprised more than once when a big bass takes a lure meant to catch numbers of bass. By far the best thing to have is patience and lots of it.

Yeah out where I fish on the trail lots of people use live bait. While I am standing there not catching anything most people with shiners are pulling out nice sized bass. Live bait will defiantly get you some big fish. No doubt about that.

Eric Montes Polk FL reply :

We were leaving... She thought she was a bass master at this point and swore she had a hunch. Turn here she says. Move there she yelled. I feel it she proclaimed.... well ten mins later.....

Smokinal reply :

I just purchased a plane ticket. I'm on my way. Pick me up at the airport please.

Eric Montes Polk FL reply :

I use live bait every now and then while trophy hunting. My body wants to reel and cast reel and cast but I definately agree. You can surely catch some large bass goin live bait but where's the fun in sitting and waiting. I like chasing these scoundrels down and owning thier *****.

Eric Montes Polk FL reply :

Haha hey Mike. Dont scare me with a good time. Ill grab you from orlando international and we will spend a few days putting mosters in the boat. Ive got a few lakes in the boggy creek area that I know hold my next pics lol

Eric Montes Polk FL reply :

P.s. that lake I took my mom on is a public lake. Before we went there a guy showed me a 14.?? Lb (Cant remember exactly) pic that triggered my inner trophy fever.

geo g reply :

I agree with you there not much enjoyment with live bait. I feel like it cheating. The only time I have done it, is when I took the kids out, and they were young. Id rather not go, then let a fish swim around waiting to be eaten. To me the technique is the enjoyment in fishing. Can you make that cast, is it time to change baits. It gives me a feeling of accomplishment,if you can figure them out that day.

Eric Montes Polk FL reply :

Also. I weighed half of the fish I caught. Understand I dont have pics of most the fish I've caught. As hard as it may be youd have to take my word for it on the number. Im a pretty strait shooter and I welcome criticism. As long as you not being a dick for the sake of being one. I know theres alot I can still learn and Im hoping you guys will give tips. Im working on gathering more pics and formatting them to fit this site. Bare with me. I will be showing bass on the scale from now on. I will try my hardest to get video. If I do it would just be the end of the catch im sure (i dont have access to a film crew like bass pros). I wish you all luck and I will check this form as often as I can

Eric Montes Polk FL reply :

Hey geo. I dont think its cheating but I definately agree its more of an accomplishment to chase them down and make em your *****. I get a "got em" feeling from seeking em out. Somethin bout diagnosing a lake and pin pinting a possible hawg lair . Though like 7 or 8 of my tens came from live bait. Ill put that disclaimer now. Id hate to be called a hypocrite lol I just get more enjoyment from trophy HUNTING over trophy TRICKING.

davecon reply :

I don't use live bait either but if I could get my hands on some I sure would use live eels. It's been over 40 years ago (dating myself here) but there used to be a small tackle shop locally that sold live eels from time to time. They were unbelieveable !!!!!

We would hook them thru the upper and lower sides of their snouts using a weedless worm hook and cast them out just like a plastic worm, just work them to the boat real slow. They squirmed around like crazy. Best size was about 12 to 14 inches. They were pretty skinny, kind of like a little black snake. If there was a bass in tbe area it simply couldn't resist. You could catch a dozen or so fish on one before he met his demise. Kept in a small bucket and they would stay alive for days if you put damp spanish moss in the bucket. Hardest part was grabbing hold of the things. Had to take a towel with you to get any type of grip on em.

Better than wild shiners !,!

geo g reply :

Im not being critical at all. People can do whatever they like to do, and enjoy the sport. Those are just my personal feelings, and I enjoy the casting and targeting spots to hit. To me its a big game and I enjoy it as long as the conditions are good, and everything is working. If I catch 20 small bass Im happy, if I catch a monster I'm happy. I only do it to have fun and to relax. Anything else is too much like work.

Eric Montes Polk FL reply :

Lol geo. If I had to work (fish) for the rest of my life I'd die a happy man

bostonsox2904 reply :

It's been a trip reading this post and seeing the photos trickle out. Great catches. If you ever need a fishing buddy for Lake Jesup or Monroe, give me a shout!

soflabasser reply :

Most of the trophy bass I have caught have been on lures. A well presented lure will out fish live bait for big bass in most situations, at least from the spots I fish from the shore. Still few things are as relaxing as sitting down watching the wilderness around you while waiting for a big bass to take the bait.

Eric Montes Polk FL reply :

Hey guys. Still workin on grabbin more pics. Hey minnow. I dont hit jessup too often. I hit monroe several times. I had a very nice one on once there but it caught me up in heavy pads and was broke off by the time I swam into the pads. Not much luck other than that but I hear some nice ones have been pulled out and put hack in on monroe and that general area of st johns in deep pockets. How have you done around there?

1234567 reply :

Do you know anyone that fishes the bypass canal near 301?

Eric Montes Polk FL reply :

Haha keeper... THIS GUY. I fished it a ton for catfish and gators. Bass? Nothing bigger than 4lbs. And ive fished it from north of I-4 to near the end. If they are they i havnt found em. Goodluck man. That canal has always interested me.

Eric Montes Polk FL reply :

BTW . Nice fish man. Shes thick

bassinhole reply :

On 10/17/2015 at 9:13 AM, Eric Montes Polk FL said:
Haha keeper... THIS GUY. I fished it a ton for catfish and gators. Bass? Nothing bigger than 4lbs. And ive fished it from north of I-4 to near the end. If they are they i havnt found em. Goodluck man. That canal has always interested me.

Eric,

Not sure if you realize this but the, Minnow, Keeper, and so on titles are just form stats which give you an idea of a persons experience on the forum. Usernames/Handles are on the next line up.

davecon reply :

Have not fished the bypass canal in decades but was told by a reliable source that earlier this summer when we had all that rain that things were on fire where the water comes in out of the river. Several 10's, a few 12's, and one over 13.

All caught as close to the roiling water as you could get.

hawgenvy reply :

On 10/17/2015 at 3:41 AM, Eric Montes Polk FL said:
Hey guys. Still workin on grabbin more pics. Hey minnow. I dont hit jessup too often. I hit monroe several times. I had a very nice one on once there but it caught me up in heavy pads and was broke off by the time I swam into the pads. Not much luck other than that but I hear some nice ones have been pulled out and put hack in on monroe and that general area of st johns in deep pockets. How have you done around there?

Hey Eric. Enjoying your big fish photos and stories! You sure know how to find and entice those big girls! As far as photos, you can easily upload any size photos to an album in your gallery on your profile page of this site, and from there you can add them to your posts without re-sizing by simply clicking the "My Media" icon in the toolbar when you're posting. It'll add a link to your photo and the picture will show up on your post.

And if you choose to, tell us a story about one (or more) of your biggest bass, how you spotted her, how you enticed her, how you picked which bait to use, how you fought her and brought her in. Thanks!

South FLA reply :

On 10/16/2015 at 8:30 AM, Eric Montes Polk FL said:
Not a ten but was same trip

GO NOLES!

Eric Montes Polk FL reply :

GO NOLES. Thanks for the info guys. Ill be sharing the story of my 14.6 lb pb later today. I'm trying to track down a screen shot i took of it. Got the second half of the fight , weigh in and release on video. The video was on my computer. My computer was blown by a lightning storm. But i had a screen shot some where.

bostonsox2904 reply :

On 10/17/2015 at 3:41 AM, Eric Montes Polk FL said:
Hey guys. Still workin on grabbin more pics. Hey minnow. I dont hit jessup too often. I hit monroe several times. I had a very nice one on once there but it caught me up in heavy pads and was broke off by the time I swam into the pads. Not much luck other than that but I hear some nice ones have been pulled out and put hack in on monroe and that general area of st johns in deep pockets. How have you done around there?

I honestly haven't done much freshwater since moving to the Sanford area. I caught a nice 4lber on my lunch break but I definitely wanna get out to the bigger bodies of water. I've been hitting up Mosquito Lagoon and Indian River in search of the reds. Looking at some kayaks so I can go explore St. Johns and those bigger lakes like Jesup and Monroe. Seeing all your fish is motivating me to get out there and catch one myself!

clh121787 reply :

Wow that's a bold statement. More power to you.

tennsopher reply :

Eric,if you can find a copy of BASS MASTER Sept/Oct.2008.Read the article by Dave Precht editor in chief on last page 96.Itis about a guy named Jeffrey Smith who fishes central Fla.for big bass.He has caught fish over 18 lbs down here.(would be state record)But he turns all back alive.To have a fish verified you basically have to kill it to have an official come and verify the fish.I have been fishing for trophies down here since 1982.I have personally seen two fish one of 18lbs and one 17 back in 1980's.I know the guy that caught the 18 and the lake it came from.Two guys later found it floating in a lake it was released in and made up a story how the caught her.This was later debunked ,but the fish was mounted and made the rounds at some tackle stores.Millers bait&tackle on Forest City road was where I first saw her.I have a picture on my i-phone of a 17lber caught by my old boss last year in a local lake here in Orlando.It was caught last year and he passed away a month ago.I moved to Fla in the hopes of finding work and the opportunity to catch big bass. So far I feel I have been blessed to have done both and to have met some great people along the way.Good luck on your quest and God bless you.Wayne

Eric Montes Polk FL reply :

Hey Tenn. Interesting reply. Know in going to be finding that article after this reply. Personal message me with some contact info. I'm always down to do some fishing. I've got a game warden I'm going to call that lives locally who can be there to verify the weight very quickly. When I fish for the big one Im taking a large live well with me. I'd fill it with the lakes water and keep air on the fish. Ima do everything I can to keep her alive. May work may not. I'd be interested in seeing the fish ur boss caught. Or even post it here.

Eric Montes Polk FL reply :

Here's another from my trophy hunting era

Eric Montes Polk FL reply :

My boy just sent that one. Realize not many people have pics from my fishing Expo's readily available lol unfortunate for me

Eric Montes Polk FL reply :

Double bass off the lure I bought online. Wasn't able to get another one a week later after I lost it. Anyone know how to get it again. Don't know the name of it. It lights up the eyes when the lure touches the water. Blinks red lights in the eyes. This was the first cast I made with it.

roadwarrior reply :

Moderator edit:

"Salt" anything and everything but bass belongs in "Other Species".

Deer in "Hunting".

-Kent

Eric Montes Polk FL reply :

Didn't want to start a whole new thread for two pics then turn around and make another thread for one hunting pic. Or do you just upload them to random threads?

BassinLou reply :

On 11/4/2015 at 6:12 AM, Eric Montes Polk FL said:
Didn't want to start a whole new thread for two pics then turn around and make another thread for one hunting pic. Or do you just upload them to random threads?

Since you have so many pics. Go to your profile, and go to the gallery and make a photo album. That way whenever you need to bring up a pic of a fresh or saltwater catch they will all be in your album for very easy retrieval. That's what I do at least.

FL Bass Abducter reply :

Eric,

I'm sorry, but most of your fish don't look anywhere near 10 pounds. Do you have an accurate scale like a boga grip?

Eric Montes Polk FL reply :

On 11/4/2015 at 7:57 AM, BassinLou said:

Since you have so many pics. Go to your profile, and go to the gallery and make a photo album. That way whenever you need to bring up a pic of a fresh or saltwater catch they will all be in your album for very easy retrieval. That's what I do at least.

Just finished doing that. Thanks

Eric Montes Polk FL reply :

On 11/4/2015 at 12:30 PM, FL Bass Abducter said:

Eric,

I'm sorry, but most of your fish don't look anywhere near 10 pounds. Do you have an accurate scale like a boga grip?

No where near ten... Sry bud. How bout I start holding the fish two inches from the camera next time like your use to seeing.

Eric Montes Polk FL reply :

Moving on. Today I grabbed this guy on my way home from work.

soflabasser reply :

That big bass is thick!

FL Bass Abducter reply :

On 11/6/2015 at 7:28 AM, Eric Montes Polk FL said:
No where near ten... Sry bud. How bout I start holding the fish two inches from the camera next time like your use to seeing.

I guide in Central FL, so I've seen plenty of 10# plus Bass. I was just wondering if you weigh them on an accurate scale like a Boga Grip? Nice fish none the less............

Eric Montes Polk FL reply :

When I go out to trophy hunt I usually have two scales. I test my scales with a series of dumbells about four times a year. Or after using them a few times. Understand that I rarely took pics of fish and didn't weigh multiple fish. Like you said. I've seen a ton of tens. I know immediately if she's there or not. We use to guess the weight of hundreds of fish. I almost always guess closest by usually 3-4 ounces under the actual. Here lately I haven't gone full fledge fishing. Just an hour here and there when Im inbetween comuting or on the way home from work. There for I usually don't have allot of tackle with me. I'm trying to make a habit of leaving a scale in the truck or with a pole. I'm starting to see that along with what when where and how the whole what's the exact weight and where is the pic of it on a scale comes up . So Im trying to adjust for that for the sake of the followers here and to better my resume so to speak.

Siebert Outdoors reply :

WOW! Congrats to the trophy fish.

South FLA reply :

On 11/6/2015 at 7:30 AM, Eric Montes Polk FL said:
Moving on. Today I grabbed this guy on my way home from work.

Big'one sign her up for Trophy Catch!

soflabasser reply :

Eric how is the bass fishing up there in terms of numbers of bass from the bank? Any days of +100 bass?

Eric Montes Polk FL reply :

I have this specific lake that has a TON of yearling in it. You can catch upwards of 100 bass from half pound to pound and a half in an hour. That lake has several large bass in it but they only hit certain baits presented a certain way and only on certain days lol. It's tough to get them to hit. I found that reaction strikes with trick worms work best or throwing a shad jerk bait after promotes strikes. There are some places I fish where you don't see a bass all day but when you do... They are usually four to eight pounds. I caught several six to nine pounders lately. No pics. I only snap pics of the double digits anymore. How are the hawgs on your side of the woods Wayne?

soflabasser reply :

I might visit my family in Lakeland in January/February.If I do I will PM you.Have been fishing mostly in Saltwater for bigger Gamefish but still Bass fish when I don't have time to go to the Ocean.Have caught several bass in the 6 to +8 pound range in the past couple months.Hopefully I get another 8-10 pounder by the end of the year.I have land based spots where I catch well over 100 bass a day anywhere from 1-8 pounds,with a average of 2-3 pounds, but it only happens on certain months of the year.Hoping for the temperature to cool down a bit more for the big bass to start moving and feeding more in my area.

Eric Montes Polk FL reply :

Definitely message me. I'm still working on making time to go fishing with you. 100+ fish sounds like my kind of day lol I'm up for that

tennsopher reply :

Eric I have been busy lately is why I haven't bee in touch.I'm free to go Sunday if you want to.Text me and I'll be in touch .Haven't had much time to check the forum lately.Wayne

MikeOGNR reply :

On 11/6/2015 at 7:30 AM, Eric Montes Polk FL said:
Moving on. Today I grabbed this guy on my way home from work.

Nice bass.... On a real not though that hat is sick as **** haha. None the less nice fish will be coming down to Florida on the 17th from the northern part of the state hopefully catch a hog like that.

Eric Montes Polk FL reply :

No worries Wayne. We may have to have a Bass Resource meet and fish lol. Soflo Tenn and Mr DD. Get a camera crew to follow and bass resource to sponsor ha

soflabasser reply :

Looks like someone caught and released a 19 pound bass in Lake Kissimmee earlier this year in July!

http://www.***/outdoors/***/story/1567512-potential-florida-state-record-bass-caught

BassinLou reply :

On 11/14/2015 at 12:15 AM, soflabasser said:

Looks like someone caught and released a 19 pound bass in Lake Kissimmee earlier this year in July!

http://www.***/outdoors/***/story/1567512-potential-florida-state-record-bass-caught

That fish was not 19lbs. This topic was discussed this past summer. Nice fish though, I will give him that. But not a state record fish.

soflabasser reply :

We will never know if it weighed 19.2 pounds or not since he released it without having it officially measured.It appears to be thick all along its length,not just fat in one spot like most spawning bass.One thing is certain,that Bass is definitely Hall of fame quality for the Trophy Catch program

davecon reply :

This thread got me to thinking about a fellow that used to guide here in the Tampa area.

Back in the 60's and early 70's he guided locally fishing mostly with wild shiners. He GUARANTEED a 10 pounder or you did not have to pay him. This was on public waters. He told me he didn't get a 10 every trip but nobody ever failed to pay him.

The same guy and his uncle, which happened to be about the same age, fished the Ocklawaha River when they first built Rodman Resevoir. They would spend an entire day catching wild shiners locally, keep them in aerated garbage cans , keep in mind this was in the 60's prior to todays livewell systems, then head to the Ocklawaha for two days. If they didn't get at least 10 or 12 that went 10 or better they were very upset. No such thing as catch and release in those days and they would ice down the bed of a Datsun pickup truck to bring home the catch.

I know they got several that went around 16 and I believe one that approached 18.

While it was a different era and much has changed, those guys were two of the best fishermen I have ever known.

soflabasser reply :

I agree with you Dave that older,experienced trophy bass fishermen are more talented than the ones now.They caught much more trophy bass with significantly less technology at their disposal.I am fortunate to have been taught by my friend who has caught well over 50 bass over 10 pounds in South Florida and set the record in my favorite lake(his bass was almost 15 pounds).I still fish that lake to this day.

Eric Montes Polk FL reply :

I'm positive I can go out with shinners and hit most any big lake and bring in several tens a day. Six poles. Six different presentations. A good lay of the lake and a little common sense and BAM your loaded with hawgs but.... Where in the hell is the sport in that. There are people who chase a double digit bass for the Mount and then people who chase one to mount for the skill. Nothing against shinner fishing. It's a great way for people to get they're hands on a big fish. But to claim title on it is like claiming a 300 game of bowling.... With the rails up. JS

BassinLou reply :

On 11/18/2015 at 12:06 AM, Eric Montes Polk FL said:
I'm positive I can go out with shinners and hit most any big lake and bring in several tens a day. Six poles. Six different presentations. A good lay of the lake and a little common sense and BAM your loaded with hawgs but.... Where in the hell is the sport in that. There are people who chase a double digit bass for the Mount and then people who chase one to mount for the skill. Nothing against shinner fishing. It's a great way for people to get they're hands on a big fish. But to claim title on it is like claiming a 300 game of bowling.... With the rails up. JS

Lol... I like that line...

tennsopher reply :

Back in the sixties and seventies guides used to take clients out in their ladder boats. Fishing in Ocala forest lakes which were very clear at that time,and would guarantee 10lb fish.They would spot them on beds then take a large shiner,a three way swivel,and a heavy sinker and put the shiner in the nest.The shiner could only swim in circles,until the bass would eat it from irritation.They practically decimated the large bass population in the forest lakes.That my friends,is not what I call sport.Even today most guides take their clients shiner fishing,and can promise larger fish than northern anglers are used to catching.Shiners are very expensive and are included in guide fees.I salute those ethical fishermen that try to fool the big ones on artificials that takes skill and knowledge.Peace out.

soflabasser reply :

I agree with you @tennsopher that catching bass on a nest is not very sportmanlike at all,but some do it since their only shot at getting a trophy bass.I personally prefer to catch bass on artificials and most of my trophy bass have been caught this way from land in South Florida.

BassObsessed reply :

I need to fish with the guide who includes the shiners with his charter rate. All the guides Iv'e fished with in Fl. all charge separate fees for live bait used.

Eric Montes Polk FL reply :

I've never been on a chartered trip. I'm the unofficial charter in our family/friends group. Someone's coming in to town? Call Eric for a bass Expo lol

DrewMixon reply :

hey gang. just a note of clarification on weighing fish of any kind for records. having held 7 IGFA state records in 3 different states, i can tell you to have your T's crossed, and I's dotted. but the scale is the easiest of the aspects. the original Boga Grip, made by Eastaboga company is not only the only spring-type scale that is certifiable, but is also one of the cheapest certifiable scales to own. if you are a serious trophy hunter like i was for several years, do yourself the favor and buy a Boga Grip and send it to the IGFA to be certified. it costs like 15 bucks to have it certified and there will be no question about your weights. it only has to be sent in annually to ensure it's certification.

as far as witnesses, unless rules have changed lately, as long as a witness is reliable and can be contacted by the certifying authority you should be clean. but--rules will say that a fish must be weighted on land. not in the boat. you are welcome to (and encouraged to) release that fish, but your feet should be planted firmly on ground doing the weighing.

for all the guys who are posting up these multiple catches and continuous catches catches of 10+ pound bass, i humbly bow to you. you guys rock. if i could catch those kinds of fish with that kind of regularity, i'd be the winningest tournament angler in florida. i'll buy the fuel and roast beef on rye if you'll let me tag along here and there.

cheers

drew

Eric Montes Polk FL reply :

On 1/6/2016 at 6:04 AM, DrewMixon said:

hey gang. just a note of clarification on weighing fish of any kind for records. having held 7 IGFA state records in 3 different states, i can tell you to have your T's crossed, and I's dotted. but the scale is the easiest of the aspects. the original Boga Grip, made by Eastaboga company is not only the only spring-type scale that is certifiable, but is also one of the cheapest certifiable scales to own. if you are a serious trophy hunter like i was for several years, do yourself the favor and buy a Boga Grip and send it to the IGFA to be certified. it costs like 15 bucks to have it certified and there will be no question about your weights. it only has to be sent in annually to ensure it's certification.

as far as witnesses, unless rules have changed lately, as long as a witness is reliable and can be contacted by the certifying authority you should be clean. but--rules will say that a fish must be weighted on land. not in the boat. you are welcome to (and encouraged to) release that fish, but your feet should be planted firmly on ground doing the weighing.

for all the guys who are posting up these multiple catches and continuous catches catches of 10+ pound bass, i humbly bow to you. you guys rock. if i could catch those kinds of fish with that kind of regularity, i'd be the winningest tournament angler in florida. i'll buy the fuel and roast beef on rye if you'll let me tag along here and there.

cheers

drew

Some interesting info there. I just bought my second boga grip. Trying to put one in every vehicle possible. Some how I've lost two scales. So you HAVE to weigh them on land? I definitely didn't know that. The last two fish over ten I caught I didn't get pics of. I found a lake on google maps on the side of the interstate in the woods a bit... Went scouting and landed two REAL fat girls. Phone (camera) was in the truck. Was on Lake Hatchnihah the other day... Got skunked. A few other lakes have skunked me lately also. Fish have hush mouth right now for me Atleast. If your around the Polk county area you can PM me and let me know where. I have a few tricks and honey holes we can go play in. Thankz again for the helpful insight. FISH ON

Eric Montes Polk FL reply :

Hey fellas... Haven't been on in a while... Here's one i grabbed a couple weeks ago