Darren.

Welcome aboard! First. Braid. Straight braid is not a no-no, plenty do it and with great success. For ME, I don't like cutting into my pricey braid so I always use a leader anywhere from 4-15# test. I'm a mostly-spinning guy, and I would not recommend one rod for all the techniques you want to throw. Plenty of good rods can be had at $50-100, with the $100 being the sweet spot in quality/sensitivity of blanks. I have St. Croix (USA-made) models in MLF and MLXF - Premier and Legend Tournament. The Premier is a fine rod. I've been using mine for Ned rigs, wacky, and so forth. Plenty sensitive and around $120. I also use Bass Pro Carbonlites. Excellent for $100 and often on sale. Actions: ML/F or ML/XF, M/F or M/XF, MH You can get away with jig, cranks and such on a M power rod but it isn't optimal. Look for MXF if you're going with one rod. MH would be better.

WUT?!

Welcome aboard!

I was just watching a YouTube vid of a guy that had a "cheap" motorcycle trailer that he converted to tow his Hobie PA, and it was wide enough to have a toolbox (like back of truck) on the other side where he stored his gear. Starts talking trailer at 52 seconds, shows it after the 1 min mark.

Number of rods is entirely dependent on the fisherman/woman. I will carry up to 4, but often only take two. Unless you're trolling or live baiting, you can only use one rod at a time. Decide what your primary techniques are and base rod/reel choice on that. I'm a finesse fisherman, mainly take spinning gear. Heaviest is Medium power. ML used most often. Croix MLXF rods are excellent. If I want to change to a technique I didn't bring a rod for, I will still do it (say a heavier TX rig or such) and change out my leader from 6,8,or 10 to 15lb test and a larger hook. I've done it enough to know it will work, may not be "best" but it works and keeps my kayak sanity in shape. Too much stuff is a nightmare waiting to happen in a yak (IMHO).

Reels at that level will be pretty much on level with each other. I'm a Stradic guy, but would have no problem using a Ballistic.

8 hours, 140 fish. Man that sounds like an awesome time!! Well done.

Welcome aboard! I saw "Warriors" and immediately thought Golden State!! But you clarified...keyboard warriors. Ah well, go GS!!

One of those "TMI" videos, but you know he's right!! LOL

I voted "yes", I'd try it, because why not? That said, I'll likely not try it anytime soon as I've got enough leader spools of YoZuri Hybrid, Gamma Edge fluoro, and P-Line Floroclear to last me yeeears.

I know of one. My brother in 1981, canebrake in his collection, over over 40 snakes, a number of which were venomous...thankfully he pulled through!! I've been tagged numerous times by non-venomous snakes I can't tell you the number, but both captive and in the wild. Every snake handler/collector has been tagged in the line of work/hobby. Something you get used to, and it'll happen even with proper handling.

We've got copperheads, cottonmouths, and canebrake rattlers here, though the canebrake is quite rare to find. I've not seen one in the wild yet, but plenty of cottonmouths and copperheads. Here's another of the young CM, as well as a large CM I had an encounter with years before, same reservoir. I found the video, but is too large to upload...

Congrats!! Wacky rig is deadly, as you found out

Welcome aboard, Kevin!

Got a story to tell about the time I tried to impress a girl by eating the hottest wings... You all know the ending. It's in the posts above. I've never taken a hot wing "challenge" since then - early 90s. Learnt my lesson!!!

Aye, but ... I mean however, there is a copious amount of cooling wipes requried for relief.

Need to tell my eldest son. He loves hot chicken wings, and Buffalo Wild.

My favorite under 6 rod is a 5'9" Shimano Compre, cork handle, circa 2009, I think. Has fantastic action, super accurate... Now that I have a Premier 6' ML, I've been using it and the Compre a lot, which is why I've been toying with having the Premier cut down to 5'9". Would make it a great all-around rod IMO.

Welcome aboard!

Welcome aboard, Jimmy! I like your thinking

You guys that just want to kill snakes are wimps You are correct that most are mistaken. I find the majority of sightings are Northern watersnakes. And as your linked map shows, they're in my area. My sons and I, and my brother, have been snake hunting around one of our local reservoirs and have caught (my bro handles the venomous) cottonmouths and copperheads. One is attached from around Harwood's Mill Reservoir maybe 8 years ago, not sure. I really need to find/post my cottonmouth video at Harwood's Mill...

Welcome aboard, G!

I never drank until I was in my late 20s, and then it was maybe a glass of wine/week at work dinners, or special events. Increased amount over the years, so working on the cut back now. Weight gain definitely a bad thing. Talk about spare tires around the waist... I only need 2 for my bike, and 4 for my truck, not one around my belly.

Great memories! The more I think about it, the more 100% certain I am that it was Jimmy Buffs. That name totally brings back the memory of sinking my teeth into a juicy hot dog the likes of which I never had. Although hot dogs at Yankee stadium were pretty good then, too But not as good as JBs. Boy, memories flooding in.