DogBone_384

The estrogen level was extra high when I got home this afternoon - wife, daughter, sister-in-law and her granddaughter - so I launched as Sunset Lake around 5:30. The water was 73.x -74.x and the weeds took over almost everywhere from 9' down to 3'. Weedless was the call. I used a perch Whopper Plopper, T-rigged Zoom worm, and a 4" Senko (also T-rigged). The Senko was the bait of the evening, netting 2 small LMB, 1 decent LMB, and a decent pickerel. I hooked onto something else but it spit me before it came to the surface. It felt like a pickerel.

It was $50 - 60 if I remember right. It was reasonable vs. a $99 retail.

I snapped the tip of one of my Veritas rods in my truck's tail gate. I called Abu Garcia to ask about their coverage. Abu's customer service asked me to email them pictures of the broken section and the rod's model number. They couldn't cover it under warranty, but sold me the same model for a fair/discounted price. A+ customer service, give them a call.

A screwdriver and my bench vise.... works every time.

Congratulations on getting out on your yak and catching fish. You're "free" now. Bummer that you lost a rig, unfortunately it happens. I've lost two rigs since picking up kayak fishing, both my fault for rushing and not paying attention to my surroundings. My Lure 11.5 rod holders have rod retainers on them. They're nothing more than a length of bungee cord with a clip on the end. I'm adding them to my Ascend 128T and try to be prudent about using them. Best of luck, and enjoy your new freedom!

X2

Try SETTINGS, PHONE, and make sure call forwarding is OFF. One more question: If you switched phones, did you swap SIM cards (that is if you're carrier uses SIM cards)? If your SIM is in the phone he's using, it'll get all your calls.

X2. I don't buy Senkos from BPS anymore because they've gone from $6.99 to $8.79 (though they're on sale as I type this...)

Yes, they use the same cables. I just bought a Hook-5 to replace a Elite-4X for the bigger screen. Can't help you with the maps. I kayak fish on small waters.

Thanks for the advice MassYak85. A coworker has dive gear and offered to give it a try for me. The water is very stained but the rod & reel are both white. He'll be able to stay down there and hopefully come up with it.

10'

I took a dive to try to get my rig back. Even with my FD issued flashlight I couln't see more than a foot in front of me. It was like swimming in coffee. A coworker has scuba gear and offered to try for me. On the way back I though about my lack of sucess there. It's the darkest water I know of. Perhaps a change to louder/brighter baits is necessary.....

Fishing Rhino and I launched from Lake Chaubunagungamaug just before dawn. It was 50-ish and foggy, but the first SMB came at 5:04 AM on a perch Whopper Plopper. The sun came out later in the morning and the fish cooperated until lunch time, took a break, and were sporatic the rest of the afternoon. I caught 11 assorted SMB and LMB with the biggest a 3-4 Larry. Fishing Rhino caught 2 (or more) for every one of mine, with a few nice LMB north of 2 pounds. The most productive lures of the day were the Whopper Plopper, Binsky, and wacky Senko. Water temps were in the mid 60's when we packed up a little after 3:00 PM. Tomorrow's adventure might be a trip back to Wampatuck with a set of goggles and waterproof flashlight to see if I can retrieve my lost baitcast rig. I've fished it on and off for 30+ years and have never caught any bass bigger than a pound. I've talked to other folks fishing there who've caught good size bass, with pictures to prove it. JG233 fished it with me and came up with a 3+ pound Larry. You'll have to ask him what he used. Most say it's a tough pond to figure out. I'm half convinced it's mostly panfish.

Had the day off so I figured I'd try Wampatuck State Park. I launched around 11:30 and started on the southern two points. The weather was great and water temps in the low 60's. I over shot a cast and wrapped my Swimsenko around a tree limb hanging over the water. I untied it and continued on, but as I left, something felt different. I turned around to see my favorite setup in the water. Unfortunately I was in my 128T with trolling motor and couldn't get turned quick enough to get to it. Say goodbye to a 8.1:1 Co****t C and Veritas. I shrugged it off best I can ???, and continued on. If you've never fished Wampatuck, it's texbook: points, drop offs, islands, lilly pads, grass, rocks, et al. I wrapped it up at 5:00, with two Crappie and a big Pickerel to show for it (all on a wacky 4" Senko). The highlight, other than the weather, were the skads of turtles sunning on tree limbs and the baby Copperhead that swam near me. That's the second copperhead I've seen at Wampatuck in my lifetime. I might go back for the rod with some gear to help me see down there, who knows. I tried it two years ago when my Villain and Supreme XT sank in Ponkapog but came up empty. Regardless, I'm off to Webster before dawn and plan two things: catch some nice bass and keep all my gear in the boat! Oo

If you can solder wires, you can repair it. I'd use double walled shrink tubing for the inner wires and the outer shielding. Double up your final shrink tubing for the outer shell to ensure it'll keep water out. I get my shrink tubing and wire from DelCity.net Good luck.

I started my plastic navy with an Ascend 128T. When I bought it it was $699. It's a BIG kayak, has an ALL DAY comfortable seat, is stable enough to fish STANDING, has plenty of storage space, and accepts a transom mount trolling motor. I bought a FeelFree Lure 11.5 a couple years later. It's lighter, has an ALL DAY comfortable seat, and is more stable than my Ascend. It was almost twice the 128T's price, but its fit and finish is worth the extra money. You need to ask yourself some questions: What's my budget? How am I going to transport it? Do I want a SIT ON TOP or SIT IN? What accessories will I add to it Fish finder Anchor trolley extra rod holders wheel cart Like other members already said, TRY TO TEST PADDLE, or at least sit in it at the store if you can. At the very least, look at what models interest you in person and take note of their weight, where carry handles are, and how far the seat lifts you off the kayak. DON'T skimp on a paddle or PFD. Best of luck.

I throw wacky rigs with casting gear 90% of the time, specifically a 6' 6" M/F Abu Garcia Veritas with a 7.1:1 Diawa T3 Ballistic.

Fishing Rhino and I launched at Great Herring at dawn. I landed my first SMB at 0537. I'm pretty sure Tom did too. I totaled 11 SMB and 2 LMB on a variety of baits. Most of the SMB were little, but it beats nada. My biggest SMB was 1-4 and 2-8 for LMB. Tom out fished me 3 or 4 to one. He caught two pickerel that were close to 4 pounds each. We packed up around 1:30 or so. Water temps were in the low 60's. The weather was a mixed bag, but over all a great day.

I just did the math for my Lure 11.5. Funny, it came out to just about 6' 10".

I fish from an Ascend 128T and Lure 11.5. I use 6' 10" to 7' for 99% of my fishing.

Abu Garcia's Veritas gets my vote. Most retailers are selling them for $79 now, with some cheaper by a smidge. A Veritas 7' MH/F was my first MH rod. It, and my other Abu rods are my favorite and most used sticks.

I don't have any experience with iBobber but bought Vexilar's Sonarphone a few years ago. It's similar to the iBobber in that it's castable and uses a smartphone APP as a controller. I use it when bank fishing new waters. It sets up its own WIFI network and is good for 75 yards or so. It's basic, but shows depth and water temp. The Vexilar's battery life is excellent. I used it in my first kayak by tying a short line to it and the stern until I installed a Lowrance on it. I like the idea because it stows in my tackle bag and charges with a USB cable. It was also short money when compared to a dedicated fish finder.

Never mind someone else's opinion. What hot dog does your stomach say is best? Though Gene and Jude's is only 16 hours away, maybe 12-13 by motorcycle....

I fish from an Ascend 128T and have a Hook-5. When I use my trolling motor the fish finder is powered off the trolling motor's battery, with the transducer is mounted on the trolling motor. I don't get any interference. When the Hook is on my Lure 11.5 I use my XL Milwaukee M12 batteries in a Pelican box. I get a full day out of one M12 battery.

Congrats on your PB!