VolFan

Not a rod/reel but waaaay back in college I was kayaking on Calderwood in east TN when my flip phone rang. I flipped it open and right out of my hand and into the drink. As I lunged for it the sunglasses that were on my hat so I could see the phone followed it.

Just making sure! Didn’t see your other posts about getting them in the Rap! Just a great variety of species in there and in the Potomac - do you ever get many blue cats on lures?

That second pic down is a grinned/mud fish not a snakehead - and I’ll bet at that size he was a heck of a fight. Never seen one of those in the Rap. Really gorgeous snakeheads too!

His consistency was always his strong suit...

He’s out-Favreing Brett Favre at this point... bless his heart he is fun to watch.

^ He’s right. I’m also a newer boat owner with the same anxiety. There’s nothing you can get it stuck in you can’t get it out of. You can clear weeds from your TM and outboard. If it beaches just get out and push it. Appropriate thrust vectors and linguistic encouragement will fix just about any boating situation within normal reason.

My neighbors across the street had it all at the same time. 4 of 5 had flu-like symptoms of varying degrees with the kids being fairly light. The mom was on the border of being hospitalized but they let her stay home with supplemental O2 and daily paramedic visits. It killed a friend and coworker. Flu to pneumonia to infection to sepsis to organ failure. His whole family got it as well, including 85 yr old parents and he and his brother were both hospitalized. Odds are you will be fine, but don’t discount it.

Several dozen orders with TW over several years and I can’t think of a single problem. They’ve helped with warranty claims on a rod for me as well. I do always spring for the two day though.

Either way - those are some pretty baits!

I still have a MagTouch in the rotation with the same reel - I love both.

You’re just saying that because I’m from Tennessee- but that makes sense!?

Have you considered a big tin bay boat or something like a Lund Alaskan or even weirder, one of the big Sea Ark deck boats?

I would think that reel would work but only be a short-term, light duty, temporary solution.

What JJ said - when you really load a cast, braid that thin will dig into the spool. When you let fly, no stretch+snagged in spool= release of energy in the form of sound as it snaps and your spinner bait goes sailing. I’d step up the braid size to at least 40 lb if you’re using normal bass sized lures (1/4 to 3/4 oz) and smooth out that casting stroke.

I have a Nucanoe Frontier 12. I am also not your size but that boat paddles better with 3-400ls in it. It’s like a mini bass boat and really ridiculously stable. You will fall out before you turtle it. You do give up some paddling speed, but properly load balanced with your seat set correctly you can paddle all day.

I think their slow sink is a ROF 5 which means 5 inches per second sink rate. You can downsize your line, use fluoro, and/or weight the hook keepers with lead wire to get it to behave how you want. How deep do you want it?

True story - I actually get way worse gas mileage in my V8 4Runner with a Nucanoe on top that I do with a 14 ft tin behind it. It really drags on the interstate.

I grew up fishing that lake! Nice catch!

Song’s in your head for a few days now isn’t it? You’re welcome ?

Let it go. - Elsa

He’s right you know...but it’s the best thing ever.

I had a Dagger Delta come off my Explorer in college taking two crossbars with it. After it hit the interstate it got a gentle 65 mph kiss from a semi to move it to the side of I-40. It had a pretty good scuff from where it touched down and a dent that popped out from the semi.

I have a Lowe 1467 with a 20 hp Merc that I bought for $4500 last May. I don’t think you’re getting that anymore but there is a ton of used tin around the Chick and you should be able to find a well-used boat for what you are looking to spend. Your safety is between your ears. Make good choices that suit whatever boat you end up with and you will have no problems. All things being equal, if you’re not going to be taking other people fishing a lot, I’d get a great kayak setup and save some money.

I’ll have what he’s having^^^ In reality, vermouth in the glass then dump it out. Gin, Olives, dirty. I like Bombay Sapphire but I think I’ve had more kids than martinis in the last fifteen years (and that’s exactly one kid soooo...)

I’m in the same boat... ive had a kayak for 20+ years and just love fishing out of them. But this past year I got a boat...and there’s no replacement for displacement.