I’ve just realised that was Alabama not Florida, only a few miles from the border but accuracy is important.
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I have been on a few canal boat holidays and there are loads of carp, seemingly ignored. I haven’t landed anything as big as yours, I always managed to lose the decent ones but others I know have caught well. The Kennet and Avon at Rusty Lane swing bridge, Seend, Wiltshire used to be a favourite spot. Carp up to mid- twenties on the float!
This was back in March this year. An old school friend and I went to The Avon at Salisbury for a couple of days. Wind and heavy rain ruined day one so we left but on the way home detoured to a free stretch of the Ichen in Winchester town Centre that I had heard about. A couple of hours trotting maggots produced several of these and quite a few brownies. Great fun.
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The lady of the stream. Lovely.
A friend of mine lives here (Britford, just below Salisbury) right on the Avon & doesn’t fish! Gorgeous spot.
Breaks my heart every time I visit 
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Yes, Britford was where we were. The LAA have a very good stretch just below the town, which I’ve fished a couple of times but not anywhere near cracked. Is your friend’s place on this stretch? It must be 2 1/2 miles long. It’s a beautiful stretch of water with many carriers, lots of species and at ten pounds a day, great value. I only caught salmon parr and minnows on my last visit. 
Not sure which part the LAA has. His place is actually called the Fishing Lodge. You could put a rod out of the kitchen window & drop the bait in if you wanted to. At one time there was to be a by-pass round the South side of Salisbury & the house (actually two houses attached) was acquired by the highways agency to be the Site managers office. He rented it while they waited for a go ahead from the Government but the scheme was cancelled & he was able to buy it at a really good price. He’s always struggled to keep up with the mortgage & may have to sell soon but he’s had about 20 years there. I once crossed a footbridge & took a walk along the far bank & came upon a Polish guy catching Pike quite frequently to about 12-15 lbs with dead bait.
EDIT. It appears that the LAA do have all of that North bank and the South bank West of my friend’s place
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There are monster pike there! Also chub, large barbel if you know where to look, dace, grayling, bream etc, etc but most people go for the roach I think. It is probably THE day ticket, river roach water in England with a realistic chance of a giant. It is a real challenge though. If finding them is hard, catching them is something else! The river needs to be just right, fining down after rain with a tinge of colour, low light, cloudy days are a must and then your presentation has to be just right. They see any amount of baits thrown at them and are extremely sniffy. I have heard of times though when for some reason they become almost suicidal and a bag of twenty fish over two pounds can happen! It’s one of those places where just to be there is enough, it’s lovely. I really wish I had more time. 
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I remember stopping the car & having a scout along the Avon at Ibsley below Fordingbridge. If you looked carefully you could see some lovely & hefty Barbel there just sitting in the flow. Not sure who had the rights for that stretch.
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There used to be a day ticket stretch at Ibsley but maybe only available at certain times of the year. I have only really fished the Avon in a couple of places, The Royalty etc. There isn’t really much else like it. It isn’t easy but there are always the spots that are like an aquarium, where you can watch giants of every species appearing and disappearing beneath swaying banks of weed and it’s that that makes you go back.
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Sorry for the Swedish dialogue . . .
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I like ABU. 
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All my fixed spool and multiplier reels are ABU. One made in Japan, two Korea, all the rest are vintage made in Sweden models.
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I have some too. A vintage closed face 506 I’ve had from new c '78, a couple of more modern fixed spools, actually 3 come to think of it. A 55, a 90’s Ambassador multiplier… I don’t use any of them really!
The 506 is an itch I haven’t scratched yet. They were never popular reels in North America and are hard to find for realistic money. A 54 and a 53 would also be on my want list. A nice condition high speed 44X in lovely brown tone is my white whale.
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You have it bad!
I’ve got a Revo premier
For lure fishing?
Yeah, lovely reel on a one piece G Loomis 6’6" GL2, I really should use it more.
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Mmm Loomis… I had a 1pce Loomis spinning rod. I still have the 2 pieces… 
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