J Francho

I use the same rods I use in a boat, on shore, whatever. Has more to do with location and conditions than what craft I'm fishing from.

I usually take a nap after spawning.

Senko is my follow up for moving baits. Wacky or weedless is more a function of cover. If I'm using a jig or sosme plastic, another cast is my follow up. I've tossed a jig in a downed tree 10 to no avail, and on the 11th cast, I get bit. Important lesson there!

Use a square or coffin bill bait, and slow it wayyyyy down. And this is another instance where I prefer the sensitivity of a moderate taper GRAPHITE rod over any glass or hybrid. You can feel the difference between a tree limb and a bite much easier with graphite. When feel contact with a tree, stop reeling, and give the bait a tiny bit of slack, and the start reeling again, slowly. You often get bit after the contact. Cranking laydowns is a bread and butter presentation for me.

LOL, yep, but only in early spring. By now, they've warmed up and taste like mud.

Yup!

It has that erratic action that gets the bass' attention!

The only topwater bait I threw last year was a PopMax in python color. Just started throwing as temps are in the 50s.

I've been using Tuf-Line Supercast for topwaters. No stretch, handles like mono with the coating, very strong, and floats.

I can't say if it's really Sunline, but it's not far fetched that they would make the line for them. XPS is made by Toray, IIRC. There's a reason it's called "private label." It's just the stores label put on a product privately sourced by the store's buyers. Many companies provide products for private label store branded items.

"I really smoked them today. I couldn't have done it without my.....blah blah blah.." LOL. Sound like a NASCAR driver in the winners circle after a race.

Weight and stability. And that you like paddling it. Get some time on the water wit it before you buy, if you can.

They're on a ball mount, and the tubes have holes for a bungee if you want extra security. Coming up to a low tree or bridge, just push them down. Way better than those ratchet adjust holders.

What doesn't?

For weeds, docks, bed fishing, and other shallow applications, I use 15# braid and fluoro leader material (not reel fill). Any deeper, open water drop shot, it's straight 6# Tatsu.

All at once for me - no loan. It's great when you go to sell.....

Yep, they are a pain. You can add friction plates to do away with the ratcheting tilt lock, but it's still a pain. I had them with the recessed mounts on my original kayak. Neither I, nor the current owner uses them. A ball mount is so much simpler. You can tighten it, but not too much, and still be able to move them when they get in your way, like when landing a fish. Personally, I'd put two RAM tubes on the port side on screw balls, directly attached to the mounting slab. They're there for this. A left handled caster would do the opposite side.

I paid cash for all my boats, but none were new.

I like recessed right behind the seat, but if you want tubes, then I prefer RAM 2008 tubes, by a long shot over any other product. I have four that I use in various places all over my Commander 140. They are track mounted, but a permanent screwball mount should be fine on each of those mounting blocks on your boat. http://www.yakattack.us/CBO_SB15_R119_p/cbo-sb15-r119.htm

I resisted sponsorship until a company that respected me and knew I used their stuff already came to me and offered a deal. That's IDEAL situation, but everyone on the block has to have a brag rag with 20 companies listed as sponsors that are giving them a 10% discount, lol.

Plain old black seems pretty non standard, if you look at the available colors. I do like the smoke with purple flake. Not sure the color #, but that's one I like.

I have no idea...Neko rigged worms and craw-bug type bait (man, did I just say that on the internet) are awesome for prespawn smallies. Especially when they move into that 5-10' range, where it takes forever for a senko to fall, but you don't really need a drop shot, though that works too.

All I care about is a quality hook, and a wire tied skirt. I'm not paying more than $2 for a rubber band jig with a crappy hook. In fact, I generally stay around or $4 a jig. Siebert offers this quality at that price point. Skinny Bear and Buckeye are two more available in local retailers that are close for not too much.

My main sponsor has very few rules about how to promote them. One of the main tenants of the promotion philosophy: don't cram our gear down people's throats. Just show off what you're doing, and try to catch the logos in the pics and videos. People will catch on, and it works better. They don't say, "I want a such and such because so and so said to use it!" But, they will think to themselves next time they're in a store or browsing online stores, "Hey, there's that such and such that so and so uses. Man, he smoked them in that video." They associate the brand with a positive experience, not a positive review or endorsement. It's pervasive, and passive, and it works better that way. Why? Because it's honest. I honestly love my sponsors products, and I use them day in and day out. Intentional, subversive product plug:

My dad and grandfather were Heddon Wooden Basser guys. I still have a few of those old baits they used.