Bluebasser86

Did you change colors on that lipless your threw or just offer one color? Or try a spinnerbait? Bladed jig? If I threw slow moving baits here right now, I'd be struggling to get a couple bites a day instead of 20-50 fish I've been getting. I'm not pond fishing so I have access to a lot more fish, but imo, if you offer the fish something for 10-20 minutes in a pond and get no response, that bait isn't the answer. It might take something as slight as a color change. Maybe they don't want the flash of a chrome bait so try a sexy shad, or maybe go completely opposite and try a red craw. We've had horrible weather with almost 6" of rain in areas, flash flooding, and cold temps, so the bass did exactly like you'd expect and pushed shallower. Water temps got colder and clarity dropped to less than a foot, but they were hammering a bait if it got close to them. Bass are programmed to get moving this time of year, regardless of weather.

This rain needs to stop, I'm tired of the super muddy water already ?

I keep covers on my rods and reels in my locker and try not to go out of my way to tear them up, but you can tell they're used for sure. I buy my fishing gear to use it, not to spend all my time worrying about not getting a scuff or scratch on it. I swear my wife notices every scratch on my boat and ask where each one comes from. "Fishing", is what I usually tell her. I don't try to run into things, but it happens occasionally and each one tells the story of all the trips my boat and gear have been on.

The Bucoo is a super nice rod in the $100 range. I've got 3 of them now and would have no issues buying more.

Once you get the melting pot and some of the supplies to make jigs and other baits, it starts to not make sense to buy them premade anymore unless you just want to remove the hassle of actually making them. Really opens your eyes to how much some companies are charging for things that so grossly overpriced (looking at you Ned rig jigheads).

When they first came out they were popular as a pitching bait because of the bulk and thump. I'm sure they'd work on the back of a jig too, just like a bulky speed craw.

Your water temps are in the prime range for spring time fishing, not at all what I'd consider cold anymore. There's bass up shallow with those baitfish, I promise there are. I have a feeling you're greatly underestimating how active and aggressive bass will be in those water temps.

Ever cut the tag end of your line and toss your bait over the side just to find out you actually cut your main line? I've done that more times than I care to admit, usually on days that are already frustrating.

Welcome!

I was thinking flathead but we don't have any musky here or I'd have probably been thinking the same.

I've caught smallmouth with 8-9 inch crappie in their throats. You're not going to use too big of a creek chub. This fish was only 16" but nearly 3lbs thanks to the 7-8 inch crappie in it's throat, but it still tried to eat a 5" jerkbait. 5-6 inch chubs are easy to catch on rod and reel. They're extremely aggressive and will attack a hook over and over again until you hook them. They have decent sized mouths for their size so it isn't like you're micro fishing to get them hooked.

Yeah I don't know anything about the Slayer but I don't see a lot of upgrades in that picture and $2500 sounds really steep for a used paddle kayak.

I ordered mine from these guys, but they're looking at August as an ETA on them. https://ecofishingshop.com/products/old-town-sportsman-pdl-120-fishing-kayak?variant=31676380315782 The good thing for you is you already have a boat, so you could just fish it until the kayak arrives. Shipping was a long process, but I guess they're really careful and slow in moving them (no forklifts, everything done by hand, no stacking), to make sure it gets to you in one piece with no damage. It was packaged great and shipping was very reasonable.

There's about as many variables in catfishing as there are in bass fishing. There is no "best" rig. Probably the most popular is the simple Carolina rig with a sliding sinker, swivel, leader, and the hook of your choice. Depending on the situation and style of fishing though, that rig isn't going to work. Depth is also completely situational. For me, they're rarely deeper than 10', but other places they'll often get 50' deep and even deeper if water quality allows. Bait is the easiest part for me, either live or fresh cut fish, preferably from the same body of water I'm fishing. All the prepared baits, chicken livers, hotdogs, nightcrawlers, chicken breast, ect, they all catch fish, but not nearly as well or as big of fish as other fish. You don't have to use prepared or live bait for catfish either, they'll readily attack lures if you choose to fish for them. I target them with lures on occasion and catch some of my biggest catfish, including my PB flathead, on lures every year. I spent some time targeting flatheads with spoons this winter and caught several, including one giant.

I originally tried to order the topwater but they were out of stock. The Sportsman is the same thing but with an upgraded seat from what the store was telling me.

20lb braid might make sense, but usually rods that have ratings for braid will have 2 separate ratings, 1 for mono/fluoro and 1 for braid. Like you said though, nobody should be buying a ML rod to use it with 20lb mono anyways.

I have not felt the Target Crank rod, but I do have Victory I'm liking so far. I do have a Legend Glass also and have owned a Mojo Glass. the Mojo was a good rod, the Legend Glass is the nicest cranking rod I've ever owned though.

If you've never done it yet, you will. Everyone who owns a boat with a kill switch will accidentally flip it at some point and feel like an idiot when they figure it out.

Yeah the DFI oil is a brownish/gold and that's all I've run through my Pro XS.

I have a 120 Sportsmans PDL (basically the same kayak you're looking at), weight will not be an issue for you in it. I'm 6' 180 and bring more gear than I should and it would handle more. I considered a trolling motor version but decided against it because you have to register it once you put a motor on it in Kansas and I didn't want to have to do that. It gets around really well with the pedals though.

A 3" Gulp minnow on an 1/8oz ballhead was my Ned rig before I knew what a Ned rig was.

I had a white and blue Spence Scout for awhile when I was a kid. Don't remember ever catching anything on it.

Big Bite Baits Yomoma

I use EWG for most everything except really thin baits. Those I use an Owner Cover Shot.

A Baby -1 is a great bait for ponds. Doesn't run deep enough to snag often or pick up junk on the bottom and it cast like a rocket so you can reach lots of places from single spot.