Hanover_Yakker

The man the myth the legend - welcome home Jim. Now if we could only get him out of La Jolla and the saltwater long enough to chase some bass on a consistent basis

Actually, the lifetime warranty starts with the Convergenace line of rods (usually around $59), but per the OP, if it comes down to price, the Compre, if you can get the Crucial on sale then Crucial hands down.

I think an important distinction needs to be addressed here: alternative methods of propulsion are not for everyone. While the Native Mariner and Hobie Mirage Drive kayaks are not for everyone, they do offer unique and distinct advantages to the angler who prefers to move often, has long open water to cross or has a medical condition that precludes them from extended paddling sessions. I fall into the last two categories with the last reason being most prominent. I have tendonitis in one shoulder, and a damaged labrum in the other. While I use to paddle for periods of 5-6 hours at a time over the course of a day on big reservoirs, it was murder on my shoulders the next day. Often times I would even have trouble sleeping because of it. As flyfisher pointed out earlier with the movement differences on the drive systems between the Native and the Hobie, there are also disadvantages to both drive systems. While the Mirage Drive may create additional pressure on your lower back, that most often times is due to improper seat adjustment and Mirage Drive pedal distance adjustment. Most people sit too upright and have the pedals adjusted too close believing they need a long reach of their leg to move the kayak. Nothing could be further from the truth. In fact, movement of the pedals on a Mirage Drive kayak a mere 2-3" will propel the kayak, the Native still requires a full revolution to move the kayak. The movement required for the drive is on a lateral/horizontal plane and is less stressful/more natural movement on your knee and ankle joints over the course of the day on the water. As far as the Native in concerned, the challenge with that drive system is that it is a recumbant drive meaning that your knees, hips, legs and ankles are all utilized which for some individuals can be difficult over the course of the day and can actually place more strain on your knees over the course of time if not executed efficiently and properly, just like riding your bike. The are also three huge differences between the form and function of the drive systems when compared to one another. First and foremost, the drive system on the Native is a fixed mast system and has no flex, meaning that in shallow water situations where the mast can bottom out, the drive is not as useful, because it protrudes from the bottom of the kayak over 6". For the Mirage Drive, the fins can be opposed to one another and not require removal in water that is 12-16" deep, and the drivehousing only protrudes a little over 1" from the bottom of the hull. Second, in shallow water, the Mirage Drive fins can still be utilized by performing a fluttering action of your feet on the pedals that will still propel the kayak. The Native is not able to execute this maneuver due to the fixed mast. Third and most significantly, pedaling efficiency is not equivalent between the two drive systems. The Native has a fixed propeller size and does not increase your speed significantly with a fast pedaling action. In fact, you will tire out and risk injury to yourself in trying to do so. A rapid pedaling action in the Native also increases the noise resonance of the hull, because the drive system actually vibrates and creates a loud humming/grinding sound. The drive was never designed nor intended for that type of usage. The Mirage Drive system is easier on your lower body and more efficient as you increase the speed of your pedaling. The fins of the Mirage Drive are based upon the physics of penguin flippers and will flex as you increase your speed. I used my Elite 5 DSI this past summer and tracked my speed on my Revolution 13 and was able to maintain a speed of 5 mph for 35 minutes straight with a nice steady cadence in my pedaling action. I left a fellow kayaker using a Mariner in the dust, because the drive system could not rotate fast enough to keep up with me. Remember, the Native is a single gear, not like a 10 speed where you can change sprockets and gears to get more power. However, it important to understand this overlying principle here regarding these kayaks and shallow water. If you are in either of these types of kayaks, you can simple pull both drive systems and paddle the kayak just like a normal kayak. It all boils down to the types of water you want to fish and whether these types of kayaks are ones to consider. It should also be noted that while I am a member of the Hobie Fishing Team and support their brand, I am good friends with a couple Native reps in my area and have spent time in most of their models, including the Mariner. I can tell you from personal experience, the Mirage Drive system is more efficient and less stressful on your joints. In the end, seat time, physical limitations and your overall safety and comfort are the key factors in making the decision. Listen to your "body" and then go ask your spouse for the funds !

Be forewarned though......it can be addictive and you will slowly gravitate to your sinful desires..... I started with this....... Tried out a Tarpon 120 & 140, Commander 120, paddled an Ocean Kayak Trident 13, Native Manta Ray 12, Ultimate 12, thought about a Jackson Coosa but settled on a Hobie Revolution 13.... And now I have this

Yozuri Hybrid is one to consider as well as XPS FC. If you watch the sales carfeully, PLine goes on sale where you can buy two spools and get $6 back. BPS is currently running that promo during their Fishing Extravaganza.

Skip technique specific rods and stick with three rods total to get you started. Here's what I would go with: 1 - MH XFast casting combo (which you might have) for skirted jig-n-craws, frogs, carolina rigs. Spooled with 15-17lb flouro or 20-30lb. braid 1 - M F casting combo for lipless cranks, spinnerbaits, square bills, larger top water walking baits. Spooled with 12-15lb. flouro. 1 - M/XF spinning combo for senkos, weightless flukes, shakey heads, small top waters like Zara Pups or Rebel Pop-Rs. Spooled with 8-10lb. flouro. Keep it simple.

Then again - you could always just read the manufacturer's specs on your rod and see what the handle length is. That would give you a pretty good idea without having to do any of this. Another method is taking your rods and measuring them to see where the keeper line is before you head out. I'm assuming we are referring to a tournament right? Well most tourneys that I have seen or participated in have a 12-14" minimum length. Almost every rod I own that I would use for the target species measure at least 14" from rod butt to the end of the reel seat near where the rod blank enters the handle. If that doesn't work, there should be a rod spec line that you could reference on the blank itself like the "1" in the 1/8-3/4oz. lure rating or the "H" in the rod model series listed ie: AVC68MHF.

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Depends on which version of the Ribbit you bought. The regular or 3.5" Ribbit is designed to be used with 4/0 hooks, while the Bull Ribbit is designed to be used with 5/0 hooks. You can use any EWG hook, but make sure it is not a fine wire type. When paired with 30-65lb braid (depending upon your fishing style and cover fished), the hook can be straightened on fine wire styles. The Double Take hooks I find actually cause a greater number of destroyed frogs on violent strikes. I personally use a Mustad-based 4/0 swimbait hook from Aqua Dream Lures that is saltwater grade. It is a little sturdier than a traditional EWG hook without the bulk of a superline hook like the Gammys. It also has a small keeper pin that is a perfect fit for the small heads on the standard sized Ribbits. Another rigging method I use when only using an EWG hook instead of a swimbait hook is to add a swivel to the nose to keep the hook from tearing out. Try this out: https://plus.google.com/photos/108474160562442085621/albums?banner=pwa&gpsrc=pwrd1#photos/108474160562442085621/albums/5631929031349625537 Welcome to the world of frog fishing!

Dang - looks like I ordered mine a few days too early

Have had all three and can say that DirecTV has the best qualtiy and customer service. DISH is second and traditional cable is third. I just switched from satellite to cable for cost reasons, but I am real close to cutting it off and switching back. The inconveniences of storms in VA all year long knock out the satellite signal more than I prefer but the picture quality is so much better. With cable, the package I paid for is supposed to include certain channels yet multiple calls cannot resolve this issue. I was so ticked that the NFL Network was not coming in and I missed the Scouting Combine this past weekend. I know they replay it several times before the draft, but it should have worked to start with. There answer to this problem was boosting the signal? Really? You mean all the other channels in HD for the same package work fine but somehow the NFL requires the signal to be boosted. Pretty poor answer in my opinion. The rub with the satellite package is that they make you lock in for 2 years and only discount the first year. The cable packages have nice bundles but again after the first year the cost increases significantly. They get you coming and going. For OTA, we are basically screwed, because all of our cable outlets are on the north facing walls, but the satellites are all to our SSW. I tried a surface top OTA antenna and was only able to pull in 8 channels. I could install a big antenna inside the attic, but that defeats the purpose from a cost persepctive. I'll probably end up switching back to DTV here in the next month or so if my experiences with cable do not improve.

Snapped off a few pics today of the new 2013 Hobie Pro Angler 14 when I unloaded all my gear from the weekend at Bass Pro talking about kayaking and Heroes On the Water... Enjoy!

Here'a little bigger version you might find easier to see.....

Until you take both of the reels and put them on the rod, you're just hoping. They both are fine reels, but they have different profiles when mounted on a fishing rod. You need to go to a store that has both and take your rod with you. You might find that the Lews sits nicely on the rod but it is unbalanced for your tastes. Or you might find the Chronarch doesn't feel right when fully seated in your hand. While input of others is good it ultimately ends up being a popularity contest of those that choose to respond. If the majority of the individuals who respond say "Chronarch", does that mean you should exclude the Lews? Absolutely not. Only you can decide which reel feels the best for a given rod. Any other information you obtain from a forum is just personal preference. For example, is there any reason you are excluding the Daiwa Lexa, Abu Garcia Revo S, SX, STX, Pflueger President, Okuma, etc.......see what I mean? I could easily argue that you should consider a Revo S or a Lexa.

Here is one that I am in the process of selling...... I'll add a photo or two of my Pro Angler when I have it out next time.

Guess I should have specified that this was for the baitcaster.

I'm actually volunteering with the Central VA Heroes On the Water group at the local BPS here in Central VA. I took a few minutes at the end of the day and snagged a few small terminal tackle items and some line but avoided any large purchases. I figured I would snag a spool of the Seguar Kanzen braid and wanted to give it a try. Also snagged some more PLine Flourclear and Yozuri Hybrid.

A St. Croix ML AVID or Shimano Crucial ML would be excellent for that!!

Just a heads up for those interested in the Lexa. I spent some time with both local Daiwa and Shimano reps at Bass Pro yesterday during their fishing sale. We all learned something that you may or may not be aware of. I was test fitting the Lexa on the Compre and Crucial and learned that the forward reel seat on the reel will not secure properly due to how the Compre and Crucial reel seats are constructed. The opening is too shallow and will not accommodate the Lexa properly. You can force it on there if you try hard enough, but you actually may compromise the rod reel seat. You could visibly see where the Lexa was cutting into the reel seat on the rod. It also did not provide a substantial enough mounting area for my tastes. So much so that I would fear the reel would come un-seated under a heavy load or from a large fish. On a different note, the Lexa fit beautifully on a St. Croix AVID because the AVID uses a more traditional reel seat. Rod builders will know the specifics of this but thought I would share my experience from a casual gearhead.

Love mine. It's my frog rod reel.

Quality fish!! Not to sound preachy, but I would love to see that same picture with your PFD on next time

Lifetime warranty on the clarus, only a year on the sellus. I have two of the clarus rods. No complaints.

Other than the live weigh-in, it's the same as every other Bassmasters Series event. The full tournament on the water snippets are aired a week or two later on ESPN 2 on SAT and SUN mornings.

I won't repeat the tips offered by others on kayak choice, so I'll give a different take on the decision. For me, you have to consider a number of variables, but the deciding factor for me was cost outlay. If you opt for any vessel that requires any power solution other than your physical actions (ie: paddling or pedaling), then you need to take into consideration the costs necessary to register your vessel, the cost of a trailer, personal property taxes each year, gas costs, specific vehicle mods like a towing package and tow bar, any mods you want to do, etc. Then you have to account for ongoing costs - annual taxes, gas costs, winterizing, maintenance, etc. Finally, you are relegated to the available boat ramps. Not necessary when you opt for a kayak, float tube, or canoe. All you need is a shoreline or path to the water. When I added all that money up, I found it easier just to buy a SOT kayak. My first was a Wilderness Systems Ride 135, but I also paddled an Ocean Kayak Trident 13, Wilderness Systems Tarpon 120 and 140, Native Watercraft Manta Ray 12, and a host of others. I ended up moving to a Hobie Revolution 13 and as of yesterday a Hobie Pro Angler 14. The initial cost outlay on a kayak is actually a one-time cost compared to a powered vessel. They are also easier to transport, as many can be transported without a special rack. Lastly, you get some exercise and you can fish in areas that the larger boats are unable to get to. Good luck in your decision.

I've never had any issue with product quality or customer service. I've had a composite rod tube break that was replaced without issue all the way here in VA. I also have their Lowrance FF mount, rod tubes, and no less than 5 different rod holders. Quality stuff and USA made.