Darren.
Super User
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Everything posted by Darren.
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Welcome aboard, Randy!
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Great stuff! Got my first topwater frog catch the other morning. Very exciting stuff.
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I use copoly for most now-a-days. P-Line Floroclear is my first choice, then Yo-Zuri Hybrid.
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Welcome aboard!
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While your tourney is over, here's my choices.
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Snapple Mint Tea....because it was my favorite tea next to plain, ice-cold, unsweet tea from Chik-fil-A.
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Agree with Sam. And no, do not use a snap swivel. As well, Palomar is probably the easiest to tie, you can also learn the snell knot, others. But Palomar will keep things simple. I second the heat shrink. What I like to do is hook through the "top" of the heat shrink as opposed through the center of the worm as I would without the shrink. Sounds like that may be what Sam described in going through the senko's skin... Allows a bit more of the hook to be open this way.
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Congrats, Kevin! Pics must accompany all monster stories!!
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Welcome aboard, Chris!
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Realize that whatever you do now will likely evolve as you learn your kayak as a fishing platform. I'm years into mine and still evolving my setup(s). Given the high customizability of my Native Ultimate, I currently take about 5 3600 size boxes, all but one with soft plastics. I've got a trick worm box, a senko box, a finesse worm + minnow box, and a creature box. The 5th is hard baits. Actually 6 boxes, the last is my terminal tackle box. I keep four of the boxes under my seat in a drawer that I installed (I sit up high), the other two plus a 6-spool line holder reside in a fishing bag that I keep behind my seat. Also in the drawer are some scents, my digital scale. Along side the drawer I have my bump board (hawg trough). I clip my spring scale onto my seat. On my vest are my whistle, boomerang clips, and attached to my seat is a set of pliers. As for the baits, I put my main colors in 4, 5" sizes. Other colors I leave at home. Same with all the soft plastics, actually. I take what works rather than everything just-in-case. Other times I've used soft plastics in their own bag, tossed together into a gallon zip-lock labeled for each type. I just find the boxes easier to utilize than bags.
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Welcome aboard!
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My opinion is --- both! And I use both. Sometimes a "lighter" bait (trick worm) gets the bite when a Senko does not. That said, if you fish them wacky, or TX rig -- slow down. Throw right up on downed trees and let them work their shimmy as they fall. Fish them too fast and they won't produce that shimmy. Also mojo (light carolina rigging) works well. Bottom line, slow down and let the worm do its thing.
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My preferences... For spinning: Power Pro, 10 pound, yellow + leader of various tests. For casting: Power Pro, 20 lb test, yellow + leader of variou test. Some like other brands like Sufix, Daiwa, etc. I like PP for line diameter, which tends to be smaller than other braids. But the newer stuff offered has newer technology, which may or may not be better/worse. So bottom line, take a pick of what is offered, we here have a LOT of opinions, none of which are 100% right for everyone.
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Welcome to the forums, Colin!
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Gammy drop shot hooks are a light wire hook (thinner). I use them in 2, 1, and 1/0 for wacky rigging. Because they're light wire, they penetrate rather easily into a fish's mouth. However, short strikes can and do happen. Some days more than others. This is when a bass has the worm, and sometimes even the hook, in its mouth, but the way the rig is in the mouth, and the way you "set the hook" simply may not land the fish. While on the small side, a 1/0 is actually perfectly fine for wacky rigging. I've caught plenty of bass on hooks down to size 4. Fly fishermen use even smaller... So it can be done and done quite successfully. Some feel more confident with larger hook sizes, and that's fine. I mean a bass can open its mouth pretty darn wide so a big hook is not the problem. When I wacky rig, I often set the hook with a reel down and lift of the rod, sometimes a sweeping hookset. Mostly a reel-down and rod lift. I don't do a hookset that rips the lips clean off the bass. With thick, heavy wire hooks you almost have to do that in order to penetrate the mouth. Not the case with light wire hooks.
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Welcome aboard, Nick!
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Welcome aboard!
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There may be more to your situation than meets the eye. Hard to say exactly why your braid failed. Hookset, rod, age, fraying, other stuff? I caught my PB with 10lb Fireline on a bait caster along with a 10lb leader. My PB was 7 ½ pounds brought in with a thick salad wrapped around her, maybe an additional pound to two pounds added. I use Power Pro, that flirt with Fireline was brief, but I still have it on a spinning spool. I use 10lb PP for spinning applications (+leader), and 20lb PP (+leader) for bait casting. So perhaps changing out your braid will give you a new perspective. Use PowerPro, or Sufix, or whatever suits your fancy when you go purchase. Not all braids are equal, and I've settled on PP for my needs. Others will choose differently.
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Agree with TiNuts, either be ok with adding $20 to your total, or hang on for a sale on the Carbonlites to stay within your range. They are really good rods for the money. I try to get to my local BPS 1-2 x per month, and I almost always handle some rods while I'm there. I've handled every BPS freshwater rod and like the Carbonlites and JM Signature Series II rods over all of them. Now this is *my* preference. BPS has made a lot of changes to their lineup over the past few years. So if you get to go and handle them, you may find another model you like better. To each his/her own.
