flyfisher

I don't have anything special for my frog rod and i fish out of a kayak. Rod length hasn't been an issue for me. I currently use a Abu Garcia Veritas HF which i think is 7'2" or 7'4". The longer rod is nice to get the leverage on them to get their head up and pull them out of the pads and vegetation.

only time i clean my kayak is if i am feeling randy after power washing my house and i just say huh, might as well do the kayak while i have the power washer out. Other than that, i just leave it all and don't worry about it.

Fish finder for a kayak is no different than any other vessel. The only caveat being how large of a screen you want to have on your boat and the transducer and how you will mount it. That being said I feel that for kayaks side imaging is a must, especially in shallow water as it allows you to see what's around you without paddling over everything. I personally have a helix 5SI but i wish i got the bigger screen. So my advice is figure out what features you want, mapping, side imaging, auto charting etc...then look to see ant is out there and in your budget. Another big factor is usability. Go play with them in a store and see how they all work and if you feel comfortable using them and if it makes sense to you. How large and how you will mount the transducer will also be a factor. Lots of people use the arms over the side, I personally don't like them which is a big reason why I bought the kayak I have now since it has an electronics pod in the center of the boat. There are a lot of good options out there for sure.

it is physics really. The steeper the angle of the anchor the less holding power it will have. You have to determine where you want to end up anchored and deploy it accordingly. It isn't a power pole where you stop and hold right where you put it down. It is more complicated in writing than on the water lol When i see a spot I want to fish, i check the wind direction, get in position beyond where i want to be anchored (distance depends on depth of water), deploy my anchor and adjust my anchor trolley to position myself the best way to fish the spot. it is much easier if it is shallow enough for a stakeout pole because that will hold you right where you stick it and then it is just an anchor trolley adjustment for direction.

Anchor line depends a lot o the conditions. Generally the more line you let out the less chance of the anchor being moved by current or winds per se. The lakes i fish don't really have motor boat traffic so I don't use much more than the depth of the water I am fishing but it is nice to be able to let out some line to change positions somewhat. Anchoring on rivers is an entirely different beast and I never recommend it for newer kayak anglers as the problems encountered can get sketchy and disastrous very quickly if your not set up correctly.

Comfort is high on the list for kayaks, then stability and speed, at least for me. My kayak has all of those qualities so it really isn't bad to fish from in just about any conditions. Wind is the enemy and probably the worst thing to deal with to be honest but it can be managed with anchoring techniques and using it to your advantage. I will say that a quality SOT kayak will make like much more enjoyable. What kayak are you in right now?

I love fishing lilly pads and have never found a patch I can't pull a fish or two out of suing a bunch of different techniques. The usual suspects of frogs and pegged texas rigs work well. I also prefer to throw weightless flukes and hollow bodied swim baits which i work painfully slow. I didn't read the entire thread so i apologize if this has already been said but after you fish the edges which i know was mentioned, just sit and watch and listen. Look for stalks to move that are out of the ordinary, listen for sunnies or baitfish popping the surface. This will help to let you know what is in there and moving around and where they are. Also look for anything that is different. In a field of lilly pads there are reasons fish are where they are and you need to figure it out. it is almost guaranteed that if there is any type of wood cover in there that fish will be there too. Also look for holes and depressions where the pads are sticking out of the water more or less than the surrounding areas. Picking apart a lilly pad field can take a while but it sure is fun...

sounds like it doesn't matter what anyone says because you aren't hearing what you want to hear. Do what you want to do and call it a day.

i have caught plenty of 4+lb fish on the smaller ripstop and the hooks were never and issue. if you want to replace them go with a heavier gauge of the same size but it will change the action for sure. those baits seem rather temperamental on weight changes

Give him the full amount you normally would. Remember fuel cost is also the vehicle transporting to and from the lake as well. It also includes wear and tear on the boat. You also have to consider that maybe he will be your partner again some time and the good will may be remembered.

Money isn't everything. I switched from a process engineering job at a top 5 bank to become an elementary school teacher and have zero regrets. Do i miss the money, absolutely because I took a substantial pay cut in the process but it has all been worth it.

The other thing is unless you are carrying a lot of rods, you don't need a bunch of rod holders. I have 6 flush mounts on my kayak now but most of the time i have two laid out on front of me and i am fishing one. I know your boat being a sit inside does limit the open deck option in front of you though.

First thing i would say is don't drill a single hole until you fish for a few trips and you see where you want your stuff. I have fished out of a lot of kayaks for well over a decade and on every one I fish it for a while before mounting anything. You'd be surprised at how things change on the water rather than the lawn sitting inside and acting like you are fishing.

I'll pass on the rod tethers myself. Maybe if i fished ocean or something i would use them but for me, i'll pass on having another thing to get in my way or get tangled in should i flip.

Yum houdini shads do it if you pop out the diamond tale, D shads also do it as do Zoom. I rig all mine with 4/0 wide gap offset hooks. I also stretch mine before rigging, not sure why i started doing it, but it seems to move some of the salt around or something because it changes the falling action.

i have a C Tug that i use on my ATAK 140 and it does great.

I used to feel the same way but I have gotten used to it. It is also a big plus if you ever knock one overboard in shallow enough water where you can still see where it hit because that white really stands out....don't ask me how i know that though lol

Here is something i tell my students every day. Assume positive intent until proven otherwise. Seems like you think everyone is belittling you when they may just be trying to help. it sounds to me like you try and belittle them with your responses trying to talk over their heads. You mention wanting to make the world a better place so why not start by inviting those people out fishing with you and teaching them a thing or two and being open to learning a few things as well. You might be surprised what you can learn from unlikely sources. Oh, and get some thicker skin....lol

As much as I don't like Harper I now have to root for him to do well. Phillies had a great off season and are still a pitcher or two away from being a true contender which I imagine they will go after around the trade deadline should they be in the hunt.

bubba shot

I haven't found a wind level that i won't fish in out of my kayak but i definitely change up where i am going to fish based on high winds. There are a few lakes out here that are wide open and high winds can create some pretty large swells that make it difficult to fish. others offer more coves and are more protected from the wind so I can fish those.

Sure why not. People move for all kinds of reasons and if said hobby is a high priority in your life then there is no reason not to move to a place that you can enjoy it as often as possible.

If i ever was positive i caught the largest fish i would probably stop fishing

Scales turn 5lbers into 3lbers pretty quickly. I usually don't even pull out the scale unless i am sure it is around 5lbs and I am pretty good at guesstimating the weight. if anything, I tend to guess light but that isn't a bad thing. As far as other species go though I am way off...i can't judge the weight of a chain pickerel or a bowfin to save my life.

all 10. If you are missing a bunch of fish it could be a color thing or smaller fish not really getting a big bite on them.