Hanover_Yakker

Welcome aboard!

You can - I mean, I used mine when I first got it for Rat-L-Traps and swimming jigs. With a 6.0:1 ratio, it is pretty versatile. I started off using 30lb. braid on it, so you use it for what works best for your fishing style. A spinnerbait would be no issue in my opinion. Just spooli it up with some 12lb and roll.

Apparently you need to clear out more messages than that - you still can't receive new PMs. So I will post my note here....... I am a member of their Pro Staff and have a discount url I order from. Everytime an order is placed, 7% of the sale goes to Heroes On the Water, plus you get a 10% off of your purchase to boot. http://ptl.refr.cc/ZVDVZM5 I fish with the owners as much as time permits, so I can give you firsthand knowledge and experience using their products. I believe in their plastics so much, that I donated all of my plastics including several new bags of Zoom, Berkley, GYCB and more to the local HOW chapters. I have almost every plastic they offer in a variety of colors. Let me know if you have any more questions. Chuck

It's my deep diving cb and Bullshad Swimbait reel - it is currently spooled with 20lb PLINE CXX. In a pinch, I can use it as a live bait rod for flounder and striper in the Chesapeake Bay or even as a catfish reel on the James - they are tanks!

Pay close attention to the reel as it seats - I found out earlier this year when I was considering the purchase of the Lexa 100 that they will not seat fully in the new style rods from Shimano (Clarus, Compre, Crucial and Cumaras). I even asked the Daiwa and Shimano reps that were at BPS during their annual Spring Fishing Kick-Off and they didn't even realize it. Both reps tried to get the Lexa to seat fully but couldn't. Only the very edge of the reel feet seated, so under any load or torque on the reel and you ran the risk of the reel coming unseated during a fight. The issue is that the front reel seat opening is narrower on the edges as it rounds the rod blank. The reel foot on the Lexa is thicker than most reels unbeknowst to the reps, because the Curados, Lews, Abus, Brownings, Mitchells, BPS and other Daiwas seated perfectly fine. Only the Lexas had the issue at that point in time.

Spicy Goby will satisfy both species, but I also recommend covering the three color zones: Dark - Spicy Goby, Gill or Panicked Perch Medium - Money, Slam Shad or Smokin' Minnow Light - Tasty Tilapia, Rainbow Trout or Pearl Hope that helps - fwiw, the Bubble Gum, Chartreuse Shiner and Pearl are killer saltwater baits on a 1/4oz jighead as well.......shhhhhhhh!!!

Check your PM.

I'm game! Maybe next year once the little one gets a little bigger. I could bring my son and let him experience what some big smallies feel like on the end of the line. He would flip! Closest thing to that fight is a slot redfish (that's 18-26" btw and they fight like crazy and pull hard). You'd love it, so bring your yak and come down sometime and we can chase the reds as well!

Nice work you two - I need to find a way to get up there and experience some deep d/s work for smallies. Those are some excellent pre-football season footballs.

If you are looking at that type of seating position, then you should consider saving your money and opting for a Jackson Cuda 12, Native Ultimate 12.5, Old Town Predator/MX, Wilderness Systems Ride 115 or Commander 120. They are all lighter than the Ascend and have a better user base that can help you out with direct questions on functionality. While the Ascend is attractive, BPS/Dicks and any other big box store is not going to have the necessary expertise to handle any kayak or handling specific questions you might have about a specific model during and after the purchase process. If you need any proof of this, try visiting the store at various hours and see how many different people are "working" that section. Then go visit your local kayak store and see that the same people work there everyday. They live and breathe kayaks and have firsthand knowledge and real seat time in the brands they carry. Just my .02 - take it for what its worth.

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Elevated seating positions absolutely affect your primary stability, more so in people that are taller. A side effect is also increased wind resistance and affects by the wind. You should probably try one first to see if it is a viable option before dropping the coin on it and finding out you don't like it. Check with a local online kayak forum or a national one and see if anyone is in your area that could let you try one for a bit. Brands really don't matter in this discussion, because the physics apply regardless - Native, Wilderness, Jackson, Old Town, NuCanoe, Hobie, etc. They all will behave differently with elevated seating. I had a Revolution 13 that was not affected by wind as much due to the lower seating position. When I switched to a Pro Angler, the wind effect was magnified with the same amount of gear. The seat is but one contributing factor - your physical stature, how your kayak is trimmed/balanced relative to the gear you are carrying, the physical profile of your gear relative to its footprint above water (think an Engel or Coleman cooler versus a simple tackle bag or small crate), etc.

It's all dependent on the weather for me on Friday with a launch from Ft. Belvoir. Saturday may not be possible - a family event came up with my sister-in-law that may require my attendance.

Here's a story of how a kayak based organization bested seven other power boater based anglers clubs in VA this past weekend. I was proud to not only be a board member of this group but also one of the anglers who weighed in a points qualifying fish! Enjoy...... As the sun rose on the Chesapeake Bay, the members of the Tidewater Kayak Anglers Association (TKAA) made their way to their designated launch sites with a solitary goal in their collective minds – catch as many quality fish as you can. At first glance, this is not unfamiliar to anyone that fishes in their own native waters. On this day, a different challenge was faced by these kayaker anglers for they were stepping into the ring with not one, but seven other notable and skilled anglers clubs from the region that were fishing out of their power boats. These kayakers had taken on the challenge of competing in the 23rd annual Catchin’ For Kids Anglers Club Challenge charity tournament. The rules were simple – 20 anglers per club with no more than five anglers per team/boat; fifteen species with the top three fish by weight earning points for first through third; and best combined point total wins the Anglers Club Challenge trophy. To the novice angler or kayaker, this would appear to be an insurmountable task. For the members of the TKAA, this was neither their first dance, nor the first time that these members had competed in a fishing tournament. They had participated in this challenge for the last few years and had started to rise in the standings each year with a third place showing most recently in 2012 as their best to date. The goal each year has always been to finish higher than the previous year. On this day, the goal was clear – to be the best, you have to beat the best. The locations were strategically selected, and the teams were formed to facilitate a broad spectrum attack! In order to succeed, every team member would need to focus and concentrate on the task at hand. By the end of the day, the tale of the tape was clear, the kayakers had come to serve notice and did so with emphasis by posting a tournament record 32 points with three species sweeps, four citations, and several multi-species points. The second place team finished with 19 points, further exemplifying how successful this group of kayak anglers was on this day. Kayakers around the world all have their preferences when it comes to brands of kayaks and the kayak and fishing accessories they employ. All too often, people focus on what kayak or paddle is the most popular or even what rod and reel someone else is using. On this day, members of the Hurricane, Wilderness Systems, Native Watercraft, Ocean Kayak, Jackson Kayak, Malibu and Hobie Fishing teams all formed a unified front. They utilized gear from a virtual melting pot of manufacturers including but not limited to: Bending Branches, Werner, Aqua Bound, Adventure Technology, Kokatat, Simms, Stohlquist, Astral, Daiwa, Shimano, Abu Garcia, Okuma, Penn, Boomerang, YakAttack, Yak Gear, FishGrip, Maui Jim, Costa del Mar, Smith Optics, Hobie Polarized and others to demonstrate the true meaning of teamwork. On this day, the Tidewater Kayak Anglers Association served notice to the other clubs in the region that we are here, and we know how to fish!

Kayak fishing is my stress release from the toils and troubles that ail me. Catching is just a bonus. It is addictive though. You have been warned .

And to think there are bigger ones than that yet to be caught. I have seen one up close and personal. Scared the crap out of me when I saw it rush my lure in 3' clear water in Pohick Bay last summer.

Best news heard all day. Congrats!

That would be a serious chunk - congrats! HW by chance?

I have had both and can tell you that the lens quality on the Costas are better but the price point is what scares many people away. The one caveat to this whole discussion is that in actuality, the manufacturer is not the limiting factor in your decision - your own vision is. The amber lens from Oakley, Native Eyewear, WileX, Amphibia, Hobie Polarized, Maui Jim, Ray-Ban, Costa, Smith Optics, etc are not equivalent to one another. Your best bet is to find someone that has a lens color you like and go out on the water and see for yourself. The other factor to consider then is the fit. Although the lenses for Costas are far superior to Oakleys in my opinion, none of the Costas fit my nose structure or face comfortably. The nose pads on the Oakleys just sit better for me. Your face may be different. It's a shame too, because I love the Costa designs and the inshore green lens color. Heck even Hobie Polarized (whom I have a Pro Staff deal with) doesn't have a frame or nose/bridge configuration that fits my face without giving me a splitting headache. Forget the brand and go for fit first, then worry about lens color.

Why not just buy the Flambeau or Plano Marine Dry Boxes? Serves the same purpose, and they are built for it already. I have one I use when I live bait fish in saltwater.

http://www.bassresource.com/bass-fishing-forums/topic/121564-looking-into-getting-a-kayak/#entry1330025 Try this thread. A lot of your questions may have already been answered. I posted a reply that has almost every thread for the last 6+ months asking the same question you asked.

Thanks guys - yeah, getting caught out that far is more of a risk out on the open water like that, but on the otherhand, you can see trouble brewing a lot easier and farther way. Unfortunately, that storm cell formed right on top of us with no warning, not even from the National Weather Service. They activated the alert system right as it was bearing down on us.

PowerTeam Lures JP Hammer Shad in 3.6" and 4.8" in the Spicy Goby color.

Try this..... http://www.bassresource.com/bass-fishing-forums/topic/121496-ribbit-frog-weighted-or-weightless/

Lowepro makes some cool one shoulder bags you might consider. We have one we use for my wife's digital slr.