kikstand454

I love seeing all the guys offshore here in the south with their dropshots out. It's cute. I drag the ball and chain thanks. 25+ fow calls for a 1oz weight. Seriously. With zero wind you would be OK with a 3/4..... But to be safe I'd start with 1oz.

Oh.....agreed......no doubt. I am not trying to remotely say that they're in that league. Ive got a garage full of rods that are "better" and "nicer" than the f&s inferno. But for $30 it is a solid rod that fishes double its price. I like it better than both versions of the lightening rod, berkley amp, cherry wood and anything Shakespeare. It's more on par TO ME with the box stores' mid level rods- bps extreme for instance- at half the price.

I think the idea that it's over during the summer is due to tons of factors that have very little to do with fish, and alot to do with the fisherman. It's hot. It's probably humid. The fish aren't laying there in uncluttered shallow water waiting for your politely presented offering. Exponentially more jacklegs roaming the water in skidoos and pleasure boats. It's hot. The fish are in less accessible water requiring the angler to put some actual effort into it. Bugs suck. Vacations and daily thunderstorms limit an anglers time on the water- and so "stats" are askew. Did I mention its hot?

Are you in a boat? Topwaters should produce a fish or two in the early morning like that.....at least a bite or two. Without knowing the size/ type of lake, wheather or not your fishing from shore, and how hot your water temp is......its hard to give specific advice. Deep water, docks near deep water and matted vegetation is general summmer stuff.

I used to really like the scum frog ....... But nowadays I just get the h2o frog from academy. Just as nice- at half the price.

Well.....no. The scuppers were put there to drain water from the seat area. This was designed on the premise that the load the kayak would be carrying would not be such that the scupper tops would ever be under the waterline. However..... Your ( and many other) kayaks are overloaded for their design, and that's when scupper plugs come into play. In THEORY scupper plugs are supposed to be only used when you are in high chop/ waves where the rising and falling water may come up through the holes. In REALITY- most scupper plugs are used to compensate for overloading the kayak. The gone fishin seat is really well built and comfortable. I have a hard time accessing the storage with ease....and so I use that backpack ppcket for emergency items, and it frees up more space in my crate area.

What you need is the " gone fishin" seat by AKC. Its a perfect aftermarket seat for the old tarpon/ pascador. The other thing you need is scupper plugs. These two things will make you soooo much happier in your yak. Trust me. I paddle the old tarpon140.

Down here the water was 86.6 this past Sunday, and that was after a rain and with fully clouded sky. I love the summer because for me that means c-rig out deep or punching mats. My two favorite things to do.

I use a palomar or improved cinch. Learn the thumb trick and try not to crease the line when you have a backlash. It's wonderful line.

I've been really enjoying my 4.7 PQ . feels solid, casts great. I'm pretty happy....esp with the price I picked up off of here used.

For the size jigs you're talking about.... 12#yz would be ideal. If you're throwing to heavy cover though , 15# is the way to go. That's what I use either way....I like 15#.

Ideally, you want to be no more than 2/3 your kayaks rated weight in order for it to perform its best. This includes keeping a dry ride without scupper plugs. That being said, I am WAY over that on my kayak and it works fine. I MUST have scupper plugs at all times though, because I will be sitting in a bathtub otherwise. There are lots of "big guy" kayaks out there- but you have to pay attention to their weight in regards to you car topping them. Just do your research and know what features are important to you. My personal recommendation would be a used ride 135 if you feel you can load that on top of your SUV. Good luck. Once you get it all right........you will be addicted.

I agree with the above. It's not the trebles, its your drag.

I have not been in one....but its a sexy yak. I have heard nothing but good reviews on it, and the few that are owned by members of my club are well talked about. I'd get one if I could. That or a native slayer.

It's one of the most fun ways to fish when they're there. It can be a long day if they're not. I LOVE IT!

If you have a dicks sporting goods store, pick up a field and stream inferno. It's red. It's $30. I got one of these ( two piece) rods to take on vacation smallie fishing last year, and it worked so well ( caught plenty of fish on a t-rig....inckuding the smallie in my avatar) -that when I got home, I got one for my kayak. 7'mh/f. I put my curado200 on it and went at it. That rod has been dunked in salt, bent completely over lipling fish at the side of my yak, tons of speckled trout, sailcats, insane drag pulling spanish makeral and landed many many redfish -two over 27". It is still going strong. This is much much more abuse than a typical bass rod. It is fairly sensitive as well as I have caught many a sheepshead ( real saltwater ones....the bite feels like a mosquito farting) with this $30 rod. Not too long ago I picked up a 7'6" heavy/fast......and it has just the right amount of action to be an AWESOME deep cranking rod. I couldn't be happier. Great rods for the money- even though they are two piece. Check them out. I'm going to get two more 7'mh/f as my inshore kayak rods.

I find very little use for any rod lighter than a medium here in Florida. Salt or fresh. The fish are too big and the cover too thick. To throw a bass jig, you really should be looking at a 6'6"-7' mh/f. Jmho

Fin stalker, look up the ACK "gone fishing" seat. It is the best thing you can get for the old style yaks. I love mine. I also went to sporting goods store and got one of those foam stadium cushions and use it when I know I'm going to be out 6hrs or more. The two of them make a world of difference!

I have an 08 tarpon140. Then one the pescador is modeled after.(only 14 ft.) It is neither light nor tippy. I have zero issues fishing out of it...... But there will be no standing. Lol. I did it twice....and thatll be all of that. It has served me well and there is hardly a better paddling/faster yak to be had . The pescador will be a fine fishing platform- especially if you want to cover some distance. Fin stalker- that is a mighty fine "big ugly" there. Wtg!

My grandpa bought me a zebco 5'5" m before I was even born.1975. It was black and white.... I used that thing tilI was probably 10 or so. I was so devastated when the handle finally broke on it!!!! I didn't even want the rod my parents bought to replace it. Lol. But I got over it.

IME after a good evening/night time feed, you may find some stragglers up shallow early....but after that, the fish will move off to the SECOND drop off to deep water in the summer. This should also correlate to your particular lakes thermocline. But in GENERAL, 12-15ft is a good start. Humps, sand or even better muscle bars, stump fields....etc. Anything to break up that transition to deep ( 15+ft) water. That's where your "active" fish are. The ones your more likely to catch. Alternatively, if you're fishing a grass bowl in the middle or southern part of the state, then find the heaviest mat with the deepest water under it and get out that 2oz punch rig. Contours in the grass means contours on the bottom, and mixed vegetation is the sweet spot. Hyacinth blown up against reeds is money.

I currently run trolleys on both sides of my tarpon with no drilling at all. I made the trolleys myself. The tarpon had the eyes in the back already, and I clipped the fronts to the bow handles. They're actually two piece, clipped to my side handles. So I guess I have four separate trolleys. It cost about $15 a side. Paracord, 4brass swivel clips ( per side), 2 stainless 2" rings (per side) - done.

The h2o mettle is an amazing deal of a reel. Buy with confidence if that's what you're wanting.

I think for true versatility, find a rod that people say is overrated for its power. Rods that are routinely described as heavy even though its a MH. Then buy the 7' medium/f version. This has proven to be a sweet spot for me. ...where its heavier than a medium, but not QUITE a MH. Strong enough for t-rigs and light jigs around medium cover, but soft enough to throw topwaters and squarebills. Two rods off the top of my head like this are the Abu Garcia veritas ( what I have and love) and the St croix mojo. Good luck.

I would try the 1/2oz first, depending on how dense your pad field is. ...this may be enough. If your pads are close or if there is other vegetation in addition to the pads, then you are venturing into punching territory and you'll want some heavy braid, 1oz tungsten and flipping hooks.