Bluebasser86

I don't know about the Tat CT, but I have a couple CC80s and those reels cast a mile.

Even used is a rough market right now. I just sent my wife one yesterday as a joke. '99 Champion 20' with an '04 200hp Mercury. Single axle trailer (seems like a huge boat for a single axle?) not a ton of upgrades, no poles, 20k and lots of people interested.

I think the one I have is the 70 size. It's bone colored, it cast as advertised, is easy to fish, comes with good hooks, and I haven't had any durability issues.

Made my first after work trip to one of the local lakes this morning, can't wait for my son to be out of school so I can go straight after work instead of waiting to take him first ? Had a few swimbaits that I really wanted to try and get bit on, so I threw those a lot. I hadn't caught one yet on a swimbait from my kayak, but I had a skinny 17 incher fix that for me. I had one more pop the Monster Jack without getting the hooks, and I stuck one for just a second on the Bull Shad glide that pulled off, but that was it other than a bunch of follows. It rained a lot for it not suppose to rain any too. I stayed way longer than I should have, picked a spot I wanted to fish to and quit. I was just about to it, fishing one of my homemade bladed jigs, when this fish ate it off my rod tip. 5.30lbs, probably would have eaten either of the swimbaits I had been throwing, but I'm glad she at least ate something I had tied on.

I love watching that guys videos. That's a 190 plopper even. I've caught a ton of fish on the 90, and quite a few on the 110 and 130, even a couple on the 190. The 130 was the first size I tried and it took several trips to get bit, but wow did they crush it when I finally got it working.

Welcome!

Snagging season is a huge deal here. I just can't see the appeal. I've caught a couple on accident, they're cool fish, but going out and dragging a big treble hook trying to intentionally snag a fish just doesn't do it for me.

Behavior correction specialist for 13+ years, currently trying not to end up on the news for hurting someone's feelings.

6 something for spinnerbaits 7 or higher (currently using an 8), for buzzbaits.

I've got one of these I turned into my crate/tackle storage; https://www.walmart.com/ip/HART-24in-Rolling-Tool-Box-Resin-Tool-Storage-Black-with-Blue/735517326?wmlspartner=wlpa&selectedSellerId=0&&adid=22222222227329964075&wl0=&wl1=g&wl2=c&wl3=412825705606&wl4=aud-1028050746418:pla-861624435750&wl5=9023835&wl6=&wl7=&wl8=&wl9=pla&wl10=8175035&wl11=online&wl12=735517326&veh=sem&gclid=Cj0KCQjws-OEBhCkARIsAPhOkIZzAM6rVb5Gii6spJ2wXTdl_zVddDi9mje9hy0jMc75pERmT5EeBosaAuikEALw_wcB&gclsrc=aw.ds Mounted rod holders on the side, drilled out a hole in the lid for my flag/light bar. Holds a ton of tackle and the top stores my tools, spare prop, scale, grippers, brush grips, ect on the opaque side and my "go-to" baits for the day as well as some leader line, maybe scent and dyes on the clear side.

Good information A-Jay. I'm sure you've posted it before, but do you use an inflatable or standard style vest while in your canoe? I've been wearing an inflatable in my kayak, but as I was in the washing machine trying to pedal back to the ramp Saturday with occasional rollers so tall they were hitting me in the thigh, I started to have the "what if I need this vest and it doesn't work", thoughts creep into my mind. Not a good feeling. I was hugging as close to the shore as possible, but as you're well aware, even a 50-100 yards is a long ways to swim in your gear, churning waves, and cold water. I've been looking at standard vest before, but I think that might have sealed the deal on me wanting to go that route.

Kind of my thoughts on it. I prefer to add some degree of bulk and a little wiggle. Probably why I like the Menace and Pitboss so much as a bladed jig trailer. Both add different amounts of bulk and a little shimmy behind the bait, but without a ton of drag or kick.

I've got a Shadow Rap Shad that was in the $5 box at WalMart I keep in my go box. I've caught some bank fishing and from the kayak with it. I wouldn't lose any sleep over it if I lost it but it's okay.

Here's a few reasons why I like them.

Shipping rods pretty much makes it so it's a waste to sell rods unless they're high end. The USPS loves breaking rods too, so make sure they're packed good if you do ship them. I either sell them local or keep them. Not many rods that I've sold that I didn't end up looking for and wishing I'd kept later on.

I've had them from several companies, I really like Costa, but the Strike King S11's are nice, but I can't wear them long because of my fat head. I had a pair by Revo that fit great, but unfortunately the frame broke on them. One thing to consider with glass lens, they'll shatter. If you're wearing them and a jig or T-rig comes back and mach speed and hits that lens, you're potentially going to have a bunch of glass fragments in your eye. The odds may be slim, but something to keep in mind when making your purchase.

Have you only been fishing "brutally slow"? I've caught them on a little bit of everything lately and rarely what I expected to catch them on. We had a big cold front move through yesterday with temps dropping from the high 70's into the high 30's this morning. I caught my fish on a wakebait when I stopped for 30 minutes after work. The fish don't care about what they're "suppose" to be doing.

First off, welcome to the forum. Second, you're going to overwhelm yourself at the rate you're going. You need to focus on being safe as a new boat owner. Operating a boat is not the same as a car if you've never done it. Make sure you know and understand the rules for operating on the water. Third, fish your strengths and do what you're comfortable with. I can't claim to have tons of tournament experience, but of all the ones I've done well in, I did what I'm good at doing and stuck with it. Especially in a big bass tournament where you're only after one big bite. Focus on the likely areas and fish them hard.

I've got the next size up of the same basic model of the Topwater (Sportsman 120). You can stand with no issues in the 106 and I can carry my 120 for short distances and pick it up to put it in my truck bed, the 106 should be no problem at all.

It happens, even when you do everything right.

Been on a consistent dink bite after work on the Shellcracker. This is by far the largest one I've got out of probably 20 the last few weeks. Usually get 1-4 in 30 minutes of spot hopping.

Package arrived today ?

Yes, ever actually. This is my first season fishing a kayak tournament circuit.

Fished my second kayak tournament of the year Saturday. The wind was awful, and to make matters worse, the ramp where I wanted to launch was closed for repairs. So I had to launch 2.5 miles away, on the windy side of the lake, pedal across the waves, getting soaked by 60* water in the dark the whole 45 minutes, it was not fun and the wind only got stronger as the day went on. I started with a monster 9.5" smallmouth, along with a dozen or so 12+ inch crappie and was started to get a little concerned when an 18.25" smallmouth showed up to the party. A disappointing drum, and several more crappie, were followed by another 18.25" smallmouth. Shortly after this fish, I hooked another that looked to be larger than either of my bigger smallmouth, but I got in a hurry to stand and fight the fish and didn't keep the line tight enough, the fish spit my Ned rig back at me on the jump. Another disappointment, this time a channel cat, several more crappie, were eventually followed by a largemouth, smallmouth, and another largemouth that were all eventually culled, before I got a 15.5" largemouth on a spinnerbait, the only bite I had on it all day. I worked over a bank thoroughly that I'd caught a few really nice smallmouth prefishing and came up empty. Switched to a tube and got bit immediately, but it turned out to be a 16.5" largemouth instead. The entire time I was working one small cut, maybe 100 yards of shoreline total with 2 docks and a boat ramp. I think the fish spawn in it though and I also saw lots of shad flipping around. I worked it back and forth several times, switching baits each time and picking up small fish, crappie, and an occasionally drum. Finally, I pulled a 16.25" smallmouth off the boat ramp courtesy dock on a ned rigged 10,000 Fish Sukoshi bug. This was about 10AM and my bite for quality fish just died after that. I had a pretty solid lead, but I had nothing else other than this spot, at all. I had a couple spots I'd done well in the past I thought maybe I could fish on my way back towards the ramp, but there was no way. I had waves rolling and crashing into my thigh on the way back in. I stayed as close to shore as I could and just held on tight. I should have just stayed and ground it out where I was protected instead of moving to the unknown. I found a little protected water near where I had launched, water I'd never fished before. I caught some small largemouth, nothing even close to helping. I've caught lots of fish off the boat ramp docks so I tried the one at the ramp I launched from right before taking out. Had a fish pick up my Ned rig and swim off slow. Set on a heavy fish that dogged me, no rolling and stupid catfish/drum moves. I had my cull, just needed to get her in the net. When that fish surfaced, there is no way to describe the disappointment. If I'd have lost it, I'd be telling you all now that I lost a 5lb bass that would have gave me the kicker I was searching for, instead I had to deal with this. Being able to see everyone's scores is a different level of anxiety. I had a good lead all day, but losing that big one, and my bite drying up and having nothing to fall back on, had me nervous all day. I held big bass honors until the last 30 minutes, and 2 guys made good runs right at the end, but despite my less than perfect execution and not so great decision making, I got enough of the ones that counted on what turned out to be a really tough day on the water for the other 34 anglers.

The ruby throats just started showing up at my wife's feeders as well as the orioles to her jelly feeder. I guess some people here have been seeing black throats though, so she's hopeful.