moguy1973

Check out the Tackle HD Hellgrammites. They aren't small like that, but they sure do catch fish.

I haven't had a drop off in the bites I've had since I switched to all straight braid. I guess it does depend on the presentation and water clarity to an extent too. If you are fishing a bottom bait that may sit for a while to let the fish look at it before they bite it may matter, or if you are using a finesse presentation like a Ned rig or something like that. But for moving baits it doesn't matter at all. Look at the Alabama Rig, it's full of big wires and they attack that thing like it's going out of style.

People from the Ozarks know the magic of a Cotton Cordell Redfin, great topwater wake bait.

If you are from Missouri there's no secret to where the best smallmouth rivers are.

I have an older Ocean Kayak Trident 11 Angler. I was going to suggest one of those because mine only weighs about 54lbs unloaded, but I looked up the specs on the new ones and they've gotten chunky at 72lbs. Mine doesn't have the greatest seat, but the new ones look like they have an upgraded one from mine. the thing I like about the Ocean Kayaks is they have a Rod Pod (Mod Pod on the new ones) in the middle where I can store a couple extra rods if I so choose, it's really come in handy though on over night trips where I can shove all my camping stuff inside all the way to the back of the kayak and still have room up front for all my fishing stuff.

Without the B

Not sure where you fish in the midwest for smallmouth bass. There are lots of 18"+ smallies in the Ozark streams. The 21.5" one in my avatar came from one.

This can't be good. I found out they are converting a closed down Toys R Us and ROSS store into a Bass Pro about 2 1/2 miles from my house in 2022. I may be visiting this thread more in the near future. ?

Here's a 2.5hp 4 stroke on a 12' boat going up river. It's not fast but it makes a wake. (106) Jon Boat with 2.5 HP Yamaha 4-Stroke Outboard We Never Found Our Destination! - YouTube And here's a 2 stroke on a 12' (start at the 3:44 mark) (106) 12 foot tiny boat with a 2.5 hp engine - first trip mistakes! - YouTube

It's not a common color, nor does it probably represent a color of a real shad, but my most productive "shad" color is the Parrot color the Rapala DT series comes in. Blue on top, chartreuse on the bottom, with some orange and silver mixed in here and there. It probably represents both bluegill and shad forage.

USCG regs actually says the same wording the Missouri regs do. 420.PDF (uscgboating.org) (page 29)

I know Missouri only requires a white all around light for unpowered vessels less than 23' unless its feasible to add standard navigation lights to the vessel, so it may depend on the state regulations on what is needed. To the OP though, I would make sure your green and red lights can't be seen from the opposite side of the kayak from where they are installed.

I used to wear the button down shirts but have since switched to the tech-type quick dry long sleeve shirts with SPF protection. Easier to find at cheaper prices from places like Academy and Target and they seem to fit me better

Are there weeds below where you are doing this? If so the finder will see the weeds and not the bottom. If not, something is wrong with installation of the transducer or the unit is bad. And not that this is the case, but you have to remember if the transducer is on your trolling motor, it sticks down in the water a foot or so, so you have to account for that distance also.

I'm 48 now. I was 46 when I caught my current PB largemouth (5.20lb) I was 45 when I caught my previous best (4.70lb). I fish a family member's pond that's full of them and they seem to keep getting bigger every year, just haven't fished it much since COVID. My PB smallmouth came when I was 42 (4lb 7oz). Previous one to that was when I was 40 (3lb).

Well, kids now a days eat Tide Pods. I think mud might be a little better for you.

I started fishing walk the dog lures with a 110 Sammy, but I've found ones that rest horizontally in the water like Strike King Sexy Dawgs to be more effective for me. When I did use the Sammy I continuously walked it without pausing usually. I think I find with the Sexy Dawgs if a fish misses the bait and I do pause it, there's less movement of the bait for a 2nd strike and the bass hit the bait better, if that makes sense? I dunno, it may just be I switched to the SK's because they are a little cheaper and they work for me.

I won't wear my auto PFDs in my kayak because I like to get out and take a dip sometimes and I don't want to mess with having to take my PFD off to do that. I wear a Stolquist Fisherman PFD when I'm in my kayak. It has high back padding only and nothing down on my lower back. The padding rides above the back of my kayak seat and doesn't bother me when I'm paddling. For a non-inflatable PFD it's very comfortable.

The 4.5lb river smallie in my avatar was caught on a buzz toad type bait. Smallies love them in my experience. I can't wait for the Spro Flappin Frog comes out for sale. Currently I use a Horny Toad on a VMC 3/32 weighted 4/0 swimbait hook to keep it upright on the retrieve.

Moving baits like top water, crank baits, and spinner baits all get casting rigs when I’m on the river. All my bottom baits like tubes, Ned rigs, drop shot, and lighter baits get a spinning rig.

You are one of the few I’ve heard say they like Vanish. Most people I know that have used it (have being the big word there because they don’t any more) say it lives up to its name because that’s what happens to all your lures when using it, they all VANISH!

My favorite co-polymer line is P-Line CX Premium. It handles well, is priced great, and is super strong for the test strength.

Fish don't care but they do like contrast. Anything that would look different to catch their interest and entice them to bite seems to work well. I've seen a lot of people fishing the Ned with different/brightly colored mushroom heads.

I was hoping the Zoom floaters were going to be a little more durablethan they were. I used a wide gapped offset hook that had a keeper tooth at the front of it and it worked well but the nose of the frog got beat up bad, and that caused the hook slot to get bigger and not want to stay in the frog causing it to not be weedless anymore with the hook sticking up above the frog. For $3/ea I probably only caught about 2 dozen fish on 6 of them before I had to toss them because they wouldn't stay on the hook anymore. I also found I was missing a lot of them because that rubber they are made of really didn't have much give to it and wouldn't collapse into the hook belly much. That's why I think this Spro one will be a little more durable because their regular hollowbody frogs last quite a while., plus it has 2 hooks on the sides of the frog which will be exposed a little better.

My boat shoes are a pair of Teva Refugio water shoes. They have Spider Rubber soles and they grip pretty much anything in wet conditions. Problem is they are discontinued and mine are about shot and need to be replace which isn't the best situation.