J Francho

I had other things going on. How'd the call go?

I think you're linking a social event with a fishing style, but that isn't the same as many live bait strategies used by trophy hunters. Imagine using the same thought process about location, feeding mode of the fish, seasonal patterns, boat position, casting technique, presentation, etc. of fishing an artificial. Now put a live bait on the hook. Same deal.

GoPro footage is overrated. I think it's a nice way for someone with the means to document their fishing, but weeding through all that footage of someone else's fishing isn't on my day planner. I think most video can be cut down to about a minute or so. The Instagram one minute rule should be in full effect.

A second battery costs half that. I like the idea a ton, but the cost needs to go down, and charge output up. It's been a long time since phone battery issues have been a problem. I think somewhere around the iPhone 6 is when that seemed to get better. For camping, I'd definitely be getting something like this as well as keeping more than a couple batteries on hand if an electric site was not available.

My buddy took the shot using my DSLR in single shot mode. He has a good eye for framing, and the fast response on that shutter helps. Often, you miss the best shot using burst mode. Video is getting so good these days, you can grab good stills from a clip. If you can drop your kayak in a pool, you can really work on what the boat will do in a safer environment. You can also practice reentry. Most of my boats, save the Coosa, you'd fall off it before rolling it.

I rarely fish from my kayaks while sitting, unless it's purely a chuck and wind bait or totally vertical.

For pitching, sit in your living room while watching TV or listening to music. Take a casting rod, and release the bait, stopping it with your thumb just before hitting the ground. Keep doing this over and over. When you get good at stopping the bait gently, like braking at a red light, loosen the spool tension a bit. This will get your thumb ready for pitching with a baitcaster. In fact, it will help with any casting, but really helps with the slower spool speeds when pitching.

I use both.

Tilapia will spawn year round, when conditions are acceptable. I've never heard a bass reusing a bed, though they often use the same sites year after year. Also, some tilapia are mouthbrooders, and only clean a temporary site to deposit the eggs before they are picked up by the female.

I can probably count on one hand the times I've used a flip cast from shore. I'm not sure why length of the rod is that important, though something 7' or better is nice to stay back and get that extra foot or so of line, but really you can pitch or flip with any rod and reel, including spinning.

The times I fished them was with a guide that already had the shad. I would have rather tossed a jig, but the guide said they wouldn't hit anything but live bait. I didn't have my own tackle, so when in Rome...

This is what I was going to say. I have a couple ponds I like to fish when it warms up. Those fish are always the first on beds, usually 2-3 weeks before other larger lakes.

I've done it in Florida, but we used balloons instead of bobbers. It was really boring, but we caught big fish.

When I say I pitched, it means I pitched. The same goes for when I say I flipped.

Not uncommon, happens every few years or so.

Sounds high tech

He sounded like he was getting a grocery list from his wife, lol.

That you for using euphemisms.

What is "cable TV" you speak of?

I honestly have at least dozen more places I'd rather fish for bass than Florida, having been there more than a few times. It was fun, glad I got the opportunity to go, but I'm good. That said, I kind of agree with you - Minnesota is not on my list at all. Maybe that's a mistake, who knows. I hear the fishing is pretty good up there all the time on these forums.

I eat a lot during a bad winter.

I only count fish from my home state, though I've fished just about every state on the east coast from Vermont to Florida. I don't think the almost 9 pounder from Florida is nearly as impressive 7-2 I caught two minutes from my driveway.

When they're in the water, they swing together and make the signature Ragetail thump. They're about as compact a double trailer as there is. About the only thing smaller would be a small crappie grub with a sickle tail.

At 2.5", they are about the smallest thing mentioned in this thread, plus you can pinch off one or two segments and thread them on the hook if you want smaller. They will have more thump than anything else as well.

Pretty sure that's the one I will go with. I can do a really good A/B comparison with other lines like Avid and even other brands since I have more than a few similar. Saint Croix has always had something special with their MLXF rods.