Good Luck To All This Season!!

[ryoder]

Hey fellow hoosiers and shanty members. Just wanted to wish all of you a safe and successful hardwater season. A few of you already know but I have officially moved to Florida-  specifically the Clearwater area. Family and work aligned and it made sense for my wife and I to move.  Even though I have already purchased a flats boat down here to get my fix of fishing its already killing me to see some of your pictures!

If work allows I might be able to fly up for a quick weekend of ice fishing and checking on my place up there - and I might try to align it with a tournament date so I can meet up with some of you guys.

Bottom line is once you are in a geographic area where you know there will be no chance at all to get on the ice it makes you realize to never take those ice cold mornings for granted, watching the sun rise over the ice, hearing the soothing hum of a vex, and eyeing your tip ups out of the corner of your eye in anticipation. Ice fishing is one of those things you just can’t explain to people until they experience it..trust me people I work with down here think ice fishing sounds like the most boring thing in the world haha.

I will still read the boards daily and expect all of you to post up some great pictures so I can drool over them! It was great meeting a lot of you over the past winter on and off the ice! And specifically, I will miss fishing with you this winter Walleypac!

Have a great winter guys and be safe!  

[wax_worm]

Thanks Reid!  Let us know if/when you are coming up!

[ryoder]

Thanks Reid!  Let us know if/when you are coming up!

Thanks Mike! I will let you know. If you are ever down my way give me a holler and I will put you on some snook and redfish.

[tightliner812]

Wow I don't think I could make a move like that . Like the others said if you come up this way give us a holler and I sure we could help you out . Don't be afraid to post up a few pics. from down there either . It would be kinda cool to see what your getting .

[ryoder]

Wow I don't think I could make a move like that . Like the others said if you come up this way give us a holler and I sure we could help you out . Don't be afraid to post up a few pics. from down there either . It would be kinda cool to see what your getting .

Here ya go Tightlinter! These were caught during the last couple weeks. Hopefully no one minds if I post these non-hardwater pics..

[wax_worm]

Nice!!!  Kingfish, snook and black Grouper?  The kingfish looks a bit deformed or maybe it is the way you are holding it.  Good thing about living down there is there are so many different kinds of fish to target.

[marmooskapaul]

Nice!!!  Kingfish, snook and black Grouper?  The kingfish looks a bit deformed or maybe it is the way you are holding it.  Good thing about living down there is there are so many different kinds of fish to target.

Well that and everything is good to eat out of the gulf.....I lived in Fort Myers for a short time.
If there ever was a fisherman's  paradise ....I think it would be in the ocean/gulf coast.
Paul

[ryoder]

Nice!!!  Kingfish, snook and black Grouper?  The kingfish looks a bit deformed or maybe it is the way you are holding it.  Good thing about living down there is there are so many different kinds of fish to target.

Must be the way i was holding it. And the grouper was actually a really big Red Grouper. Here is another pic of the king.. I decided not to enter a big Kingfish tourney that day and "fish for fun" and it turns out that fish would have taken first place and put $20,000 in my pocket. It stung a little when I realized it but thats just the way the cookie crumbles I guess! 

[abishop]

Lived just outside Boston for 6 years. Loved fishing the salt. You never know what you will catch. So many fish and so little time. Think I will need a bigger boat. Loved them twin lobster dinners for 7.99.

[tightliner812]

Those are some great fish. Looks like a lot of fun but I still don't think I could give up icefishing to do it . 

[wax_worm]

Must be the way i was holding it. And the grouper was actually a really big Red Grouper. Here is another pic of the king.. I decided not to enter a big Kingfish tourney that day and "fish for fun" and it turns out that fish would have taken first place and put $20,000 in my pocket. It stung a little when I realized it but thats just the way the cookie crumbles I guess! 

Yikes....that would suck knowing it cost you 20K.  Looks normal holding it that way but I would be worried if it going crazy there and whacking me in nads.  Although I am so short it would probably hit me in the ankles!