buzzed bait

it's the standard, but requires some DIY out the gate... i used a sharpie and filled in the lines on mine. took some foam pads i had in my garage and fit some strips in the channels on the underside of the trough and now it floats. Somewhere online they sell Hawg Troughs that are modified to float, can't remember where right now, but i've seen them. word to the wise, don't leave it on the kayak and then take off down the road... i did and it fell out and broke the "bump" part... but my cheap self just took some gorilla glue and put humpty dumpty back together again.

yeah, bug spray with DEET is another terrible idea for the boat/kayak/fishfinder.... found that out a few years back.

i have no info or experience with rod building, but i'd go with the type, length, action, etc. that you're most likely to use often. That way you'd be able to critique your work a little more and fine tune your skills for the next build, and the next build, and the next build....

i agree..... and then to have to seek permission even, no thanks. And i don't even consider myself a "geezer"!!

good info! Those look to be about the typical size of an Allatoona spotted bass...

NOT ALLATOONA! seriously, don't spend the gas money to get up there... go to Lake Acworth instead if you're in the area. I love hitting all the different resevoirs around, i fish from a kayak too and like to steer clear of the bigger lakes in the busier months. I'll just list a few of my favorites and then you can google them and take a look for yourself: Lake Varner High Falls Lake Juliette (so much standing timber it's hard to figure out where to start!) Lake Acworth there's so many reservoirs right around you there in Peachtree, i'd wear them out and fish them until i was sick of them and then maybe venture out! Wish i lived more in that area because i have to drive a decent little bit to hit much of anything good!

i had mine in Cherokee, NC... stayed in a cabin and had a blast. we hit the casino and rented a boat and went out on lake fontana, not easy fishing by any means as it's the deepest lake in the east. however, the area is known for trout fishing. i'd look around there if that peaks your interest. Also would look like around the blue ridge, GA area as there are tons of cabin rentals and plenty of trout fishing spots around. you're right next to blue ridge lake and not too far from Chatuge. Both lakes have some smallmouth in them, though i think blue ridge has a more abundant population of the smallies.

i've only fished up there a few times in the kayak so i'm not a ton of help. from what i've read here lately, they're all over the docks. this past weekend they had a tournament where you could only use spotsticker baits and i believe 19lbs won it. most said they were just running docks.

nicely done. when the spinnerbait bite is on, you can just leave the other rods at home!

man i wish i could find a 20" smallie in these parts! nice fish!

Didn't you hear, it's past jig season!!! nice catching Mike!

oh my God what a game! I'm about sick from my blood pressure being through the freakin' roof!!! what do you say, but good game Villanova, they earned every bit of it!

i've seriously thought about an exsence dc myself, but can't bring myself to pull the trigger. i'd have to know for sure i'd use it every outing or i'd feel like i was cheating on it...

he was talking about you..... LOL

senko and it's like a million:two ratio. i mean i literally have like 2 bags of ribbontails to my name and they're the rage tail anaconda.

well i sent yet another spinnerbait into a tree out of reach this weekend like a moron.... terminator t1 spinnerbait at that and they don't just give those things away! not sure what my deal is with losing spinnerbaits over the last few weeks! i did lose a few jigs too, but i never count those as losses.... if you're not hanging a few of them up, you're not fishing them right!

^^either of these two

and the two of you meet my new PB!!! Me: Yeah these look nice, think i'll pick up a few of those. Wife: Don't you have enough baits by now? Me: Don't you have enough shoes by now? Wife: So which colors are you getting?

i expect nothing less than "crazy" results!

great advice. i absolutely hate opening up a split ring and having it stay open. i'll have to order the spring steel next time i place an order.

x whatever on the war eagle! otherwise i use the terminator t1, but only when i find them on sale because they're expensive otherwise. still makes me cry a little inside when i lose one like i did on saturday thanks to the most squirrelly cast you've ever seen.... i like the stanley vibes, but honestly couldn't keep the blades on them. catch one fish that wants to thrash around and adios blades!

although i had no takers on it this saturday, i was SLOWLY swimming a keitech swing impact on a darter head. could work it as slow as i wanted and still get that tail kick

i like the rage blades for some snaggier spots because they come through with less hangups and the wobblers from @Bluebasser86 put out some serious thump...

blasphemy!!!! especially from the one that started this 140+ pages of tackle porn....

mine may be a jr 110, but i'll shoot you a pic when i get home, remind me later.