Darren.

Sweet catch!!

Welcome aboard! That's a "merp" bass. http://bassblaster.rocks/derp-merps-of-the-week-angry-dudes-break-down-your-flip I'd put the weight at a guestimated 2.5 pounds.

Really nice paint work!

Hi Chris! Welcome aboard!

Welcome aboard! No experience with watching a tourney (other than on TV), so can't really help. But enjoy your time! Plenty here have been to tourneys, so advice a comin'.

Yes, the longer the yak, the more this can be an issue. In my 12' yak it really isn't *too* much an issue, but there have been times when I stage my rods and they hang over the bow a few inches. A bit more stretch is required to get around them.

Welcome aboard! Another 1969er! My sweet spot is 5'9" - 6' with 6'6" being my max. Just prefer shorter rods. I'm more accurate and don't usually worry about distance fishing out of a kayak.

These days I will have, if I take 3 rods: 1) Wacky rig setup (spinning) 2) Ned rig setup (spinning) 3) TX rig, jig, swimbait (spinning or casting) The third being a variable setup, one I'll change out if the other two aren't working well.

I'll be honest. My testosterone was raging as it picked up. As I look back it was a "Hey, hold my beer..." moment that could have been my last stand, LOL. I had to have a story that ... "yeah, once I fished in 40+ mph winds and even stood up in my kayak." Was nice when I first went out. Then the sky started looking suspicious then a few gusts hit me, cold gusts. Knew something was up, then it hit. Didn't last long out there, but at least I can tell the story, LOL. If I wasn't so close to the boat dock (within 30-40 yards), I probably wouldn't have been so fortunate.

I don't go out in these winds. No way. But once I did. I was already on the water though, prior to the arrival of 40+ mph winds...in my yak. Was at Harwood's Mill Reservoir. Thankfully I was close to the boat launch, but I did try to fish in it for a while. Even stood up in my U12. Crazy. Stupid. But I survived, unscathed, and smarter for the next time, LOL. When I got home I found out we were under a tornado watch and winds gusted well over 40. So yeah. Phew.

Nice thing with kayaking is you can let the fish pull you, assuming you aren't anchored. I'm just a short-rod fan when it comes to kayaking. I haven't yet encountered an issue that would make me yearn for rods over 6'6". Exception being (so I guess I *have* encountered an issue) is distance casting if I need to reach a feeding frenzy further away from me. Hasn't really been an issue in fresh. Other thing, striper jigging rods that I've seen are often shorter anyhow. 5'9", 5'10", etc. Guess it really depends on how deep, etc. Heck, I'm still learning the salt side.

Agree with @Scrapiron on reel size, though I am currently using 1000 size Stradics for inshore and striper fishing. I use 10 and 15# braid with a 6-10# leader. Rods are ML, M, and MH (casting). Nothing longer than 6'6" for me.

And next time don't hold it by the belly. That helps in our analysis... Oh, and next time bring your scale!! My guess, 3.5-4.5.

Welcome aboard!

Just speaking of YZH, I think of 8# as actually 10# given it's diameter. So I feel pretty comfortable going after big bass with YZH from 6-10# test. Set drag properly, etc., and they'll pull in a lot of fish with many different techniques.

Welcome aboard! Another vote for Lightning Rod Shock. I no longer have one, but when I did I felt, and still do, it's a great value for the money. I'm using a 6'6" Carbonlite paired with a Chronarch 50e, now my only casting setup (save for a ML rod I swap with), when I go striper fishing. But my spinning setups have been more than sufficient for what I need.

Welcome aboard! I agree, Lightning Rod Shock is a great rod for the $. Will work well for you.

Feel better, Blue. I've had pretty low temps before, as well...

With a 5000 size, and trying to do both off and in-shore you will probably want something in the 7' range and MH. The thing with saltwater is you never know what you'll catch and what size. Me? I do inshore and MH is my heaviest rod. I normally use ML and M spinning rods with 1000 size reels. I'm not expecting something too massive, though I could hook a big striper or red. Being in a kayak, I can move around. If I keep doing saltwater (which I plan to do), I plan to add a 3000 size at some point. Ugly Stiks are solid, especially if you plan on doing a lot of live bait fishing. You don't really need something super sensitive.

I use light-wire hooks, very sharp, like the Gamakatsu Split shot/Drop shot hooks. Look at #2, #4. They are nice and sharp, and thin, making for an easier hookset. Even the smaller Gammy Finesse Wide Gap hooks in #2, #4 will work, but are a slightly stouter wire than the other. #1 or 1/0 O'Shaughnessy hooks will work, too, with small plastics. I imagine a St. Croix UL is a bit more stout than other ULs. My Croix ML rods are somewhere between ML and M in most others I've tried.

Some great answers above. I use both and most often when the bite is tough. I like one rod rigged, spinning, and unless I've pre-rigged mojo, I'll use a bull-shot by Water Gremlin. On the hook end, often a #2 split/drop Gammy hook with a tiny fluke nose-hooked. Have caught some very nice bass on that rig.

Welcome aboard, Nick!

Welcome aboard, Kevin. 1) By taking hands off reel, you mean the handle, right? We've probably all lost a fish because of a lapse in reeling, the fish was coming toward us and we didn't reel fast enough. 2) I've always got my hand on the rod/reel when netting a fish. Spinning or casting. Obviously not the reel handle. 3) Not really sure it's a problem in need of a solution, at least none that I can think of.

Bingo! Neighbor has a lovely one in bloom across the street. I've got several dogwoods, they ain't bloomin' yet!

I would say I use 2 normally, 4 max....