20 # mono yoo heavy for what you are using plus a med heavy rod 2 strikes against you.

5/8 once Chartreuse and white spinner bait with rattles on it. I caught the biggest bass (in tournaments) with one straight out from the launch on the other side of the bay on my very first cast and lost the lure two casts later. Didn't catch another fist the entire day and with two hours to go the boater who hadn't caught anything asked what I used and I found one of the spinner baits just like it in his tacklebox. He put it on and caught 5 bass over 20 pounds and won the tournament. Love the BFL for beginners. Word of warning Preist has a lot of jagged rocks on the bottom and eats slow rolled spinner baits and crank baits but that's the best way to catch them. The only place I found those spinner baits with a rattle built in was at an Ace Hardware in Center Hill. Good luck bass should be on fire in April on Preist.

The Harris chain is in Leesburg , Florida and is as very popular tournament Lake check FLW BFL and Bassmasters for results there has been several tournaments there quite recently.

I fished Millwood and cought a 15 1/2 " crappy and partner who fished there for several years said too small to keep. it was the biggest one I have ever cought but since you are limited to 30 fish per day I released it we kept everything over 17" and got up to 19". We were bass fishing with 1/2 and 3/4 once rattletraps. What we were also after is the white bass which were between 3-4 1/2 pounds each. Even though I was an extensive fisherman my arms were so sore after three days of fishing we had to take a day off. Typical day 80-100 bass and limits of white bass plus I got the biggest fish I've ever landed there an 74" alligator gar a hell of a fight only got it to get my last rattletrap back ( I went thru 3 dozen of them ) could not find any at any bait shops even in Texarkana Cabela's. we came home with over 300# of fillets. Found a secret on white bass which are a very oily fish you take the filets and put them in SALT water and ice cubes in the fridge overnight and rinse them with fresh water in the morning before you put 2 filets per bag in the freezer. Best fishing day I've ever had from a guy whose been a charter captain for 15 years on lake Michigan and fished bass tournament for 19 years before I tore up both knees. 2 surgeries and 1 full knee replacement and this year I'm going to back on the water. I know it's a little bit of a drive for you but in the spring (late March early April I don't think you can find any other place other than Mississippi to get that kind of action. And the fish really taste GREAT. Hope you have a great time from the Capt.

I know America is supposed to be the land of the free and you have a right to be wrong but things are getting a lot ridicules'. Maybe I'm just old fashioned but I love this country and wish those that don't respect it should leave it. The way things are going there's going to be a major uprising I'm afraid it's just things are being pushed too far and too fast. I hope I'm wrong because I really believe and love this country.

I might add to color of rattletraps at this time of the year try the red and chartreuse I guess red in the spring is quite the attractant. although I've also caught the on the blue and chrome too especially when it's sunny.

Lake Guntersville is one of the most popular lakes in the U.S. Just watched the Bassmaster classic on tv yesterday. To say most of the members don't know anything about where it is is pretty much ridicules'. My advice is go internet look up tournament info on Gunt. a nd there you will find more info that you can absorb. Depending on where you fish just about an y presentation works all dependent
on the time of year and weather. Most tournaments there need 25 plus pounds to come in the top ten and 30 pounds to win.

as far as rods what ever length you are comfortable with I'm 5'11" and I choose a 7'6" model the longer the rod the more distance you will get You want a either Med Heavy or HEAVY rod with a very fast tip. This will allow you a good hook set but still have a little give for the fight of the fish. I like the Bass Pro rods I feel you get the most for your money The carbon lite or Jonny Morris is best. Good lock out there.

Who ever gave you the advise to use 20# mono doesn't know what they are talking about. First of all 20#mono has a big diameter to it and you will not get the distance you sometimes need #2 mono stretches' as much as 45% saw a seminar where Jimmy Houston cast a spinner bait to a persons pocket about 70 feet away and told the person to hold the spinnerbait between his thumb and index finger. Jimmy took up all the slack in the line and made a viscous hook set stepping back about two feet and the person holding the spinnerbait was able to keep holding it with very little effort. You can't have that much stretch and get a hook set. Even if you were able to get a hook set chances of bringing in any fish of even moderate size would be slim at best. Depending on how thick the vegetation is I would recommend Power Pro Slick or Quatro in either 40 up to 65# with this choice you will get casting distance as well as a great hook set plus it will last several seasons not like the mono. Spend wisely and you will be much more satisfied. Hope this advise helps you succeed.

If you continue to vote these controlling Dummycrates into office in your state you deserve everything you get. Hopefully the nation is waking up. Hate to get political but the facts are the facts. Unfortunately these liberals that messed up their states are moving to other states and doing the same thing all over again.

I'm planning on moving in that area in the next 6 months spent some time on the Harris chain and Orange lake. Can't wait to be down there permanently. Hope to meet up with some of you in the Hernando area then.

I'm a Tracker Boat sales consultant and except for loosing the ability to get into those very shallow weedy areas for bass a pontoon is a great choice. The women (if not fishing) like to stretch out and sun bathe and for kids tubing there is NOTHING BETTER. 2 things to caution you about
#1 A TRITOON may cost as much as $3000. more but it is worth every penny WELL SPENT CASH.
#2 If you are going to use the boat a lot buy the largest motor available for that boat. Two reasons for that having the power if you need it is good but not overworking your motor will give you 45-50% better fuel economy and your engine will last much longer.
I've been around boats for over 55 years with being a charter captain for 15 years and a bass tournament fisherman for 20 years Been off the water for the last 4 years because I tore up both my knees but after two surgeries and so far 10 months of my body getting used to a new knee I'm getting a new bass boat in the next two months and going to move down to north central Florida to be closer to 6 of my great grand kids . I'm also going to buy a Suntracker 24 tri toon if you haven't checked them out they have the BEST warranty of anything on the market and are fairly priced. Got kind of long winded there but I believe very strongly of what I said and try to help people from making a mistake with their hard earned money. Good luck to You and Yours. The Capt.
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Whish you well I'm going to move to Hernando area this fall hope we can get together. Been fishing bass tournaments both boater and co-angler for 18 years till 4 years ago when I tore up both knees Was a charter captain for 15 years on lake Michigan. I've fished a few of the lakes near your area as I have a condo in Daytona Beach but in Hernando I've got 2 grand kids and 6 great grand kids one of which I want to teach to tournament fish for bass. I'll try to remember your info and as I get to the time of moving there get in contact with you. Till then catch a bunch.

Moraine hills is closed now and you can't bring in your own boat if your talking about the one in McHenry,Illinois

really they told me that it was shut down for good last time I was there.