Choporoz

I tried the knot2kinky and hated it. I bought 3 different sizes...couldn't tie it worth a darn...and when I did, I didn't trust it. Used 12 and 15 # Yo-Zuri Hybrid, instead. That 15# YZ is like steel, anyway

I spend most of my time in dirty water. Generally, the only time I see a bass take a lure, it is rocketing towards the boat and scares the crap out of me....missed a monster the other day crashed my jig at the boat...after I was reeling full speed, preparing to make next pitch...I'm still wondering why she didn't just grab that jig off the bottom and save me a couple years on my ticker

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Gqw1FI1hfJA

My advice is to get 'move in ready' out of your head. Curb appeal should mean nothing to a discriminating buyer. I am the least handy person I've ever known, but between a little elbow grease and just minor (even just cosmetic) contracted work, you can save tons. My current home showed like crap...was on the market for months. I had a good realtor and looked beyond the surface. Bought the cheapest house on the block and after some relatively minor work, had a beautiful home. I'd estimate that for the couple thousand in work, we probably saved over 30K on purchase.

My experience with jerkbaits is also fairly limited, but what I've found is they're either ON IT...or they aren't so much. I don't mess around with them for very long without getting bites or bumps....because when they are truly on it, you know pretty quickly

@DINK WHISPERER, it looks like he's taking your signature to heart

That's a good question....not sure we're ever going to know for certain. Just like the color arguments. Until we get a hold of a talking bass, we are only going to be guessing at what a bass sees. My guess is that a bass can probably see better in any water condition than you and I can.

There's a whole lot of awesome in that sentence

I'm not at all sure how much it weighs. Until you get a scale, use couple pieces of line, or rope....if you have fairly accurate length AND girth measurement, we'll all feel better about guessing for you. Welcome to BR! And congrats on your PB. And also congrats on a 2fer thread in your first week; "How much does this fish 'on the ground' weigh?"

OPEN FULL TIME March 27- November 5 Sunrise- Sunset PRIVATE LAUNCH ONLY November 6-November 26 Sunrise- Sunset I am a very harsh critics of most park websites...but NOVA does a great job of keeping theirs' updated. https://www.novaparks.com/parks/fountainhead-regional-park

My thoughts are that once I quit blaming the reel, things got better....maybe not better, but at least less 'emotional'...lol "I can't seem to establish enough of a consistent success pattern to definitively say, "If I backlash I need to adjust ME_."" Point being that if it happens once every few dozen casts...or whatever....then it almost always is because I put a hitch in my swing; or didn't account for wind;....or tried to reach the green in two on a par 5...

The bass must have all topped off on Sat, because Sun was fairly slow going.

Wow...thought these were long gone. Wonder where these came from? I have 6'10" MF and it is my favorite rod. I also have a spinning 6'9"MXF that is awesome, as well. Agree with above that the handle is perfect for kayak use. I just got a brand new Aetos MH and have no need for a MH ETSM, but will probably order one anyway. Funny....before I got this Aetos, I was discussing having a custom built short-handled 6'10MH...hard to pass this one up.

It depends. Never knew I needed XF ....until I had one. Setting hooks at a distance with slighty slack line presentations became a whole different (better) ballgame with XF.

Agree with @KDW96. 2.8 Crazy Flappers and SKRT Menace. Either one rigged on Owner Ultrahead Finesse Ball Head. This head comes through rocks with current as well as any rig I've ever tried.

I suspect that color might matter sometimes. However, I haven't ever proved it to myself with any certainty. There are just so many other ways to mix up presentation, that I never get around to really testing color.

REI has a good page on choosing a paddle. Like the kayaks, I suggest you handle a variety. Not having drip rings on a rented paddle is unsat. I've not been willing to spring for carbon fiber; I'm happy with my aluminum...except in the colder weather, when gloves are generally called for anyway. I've borrowed a few different $300+ paddles, and while I know that many, including @J Francho, strongly disagree, I am very happy with my $120 aluminum paddles. Getting the right length is probably the most important consideration, IMO. And you may not know what length that is until you decide on a yak and sit in it holding a paddle, since width and seat height will have some bearing. Something not generally discussed is blade color -- I do feel strongly about getting bright blade color: blaze orange, chartreuse, even white. Being seen is a huge consideration for me on a lot of the waters that I fish.....black paddle blades seem to have a way of making you invisible.

Looks like butternut squash baby poop

I like Megastrikes and Siebert's (the ones called Zenith now.) There's lots out there now with screwlock and as long as the hooks are correct for you (worm vs ewg; size; sharp, etc), then I'm not sure the head makes all that much difference to me. You can put most any plastic on, but I've had the best luck with Reins Swamp Mover....by far.

Spent a few hours Fri evening in Gunston Cove. Got skunked out there for the first time in a long, long time. Lots of movement in the pads, but I suspect that I spent way too much time targeting carp. Put the kayak in the Occoquan River at ORP Saturday morning and didn't fare much better. Boat traffic was worse than mid-summer. Never thought I'd say it, but I can't wait for the temps to start dropping. Bass have gotta be getting hungry. @TOXIC's snakehead pic in another thread reminded me....last week at Hunting Run, I didn't hook up with any, but I saw snakeheads there for the first time. I'm sure they've been there for a while, but I was totally unaware.

I'm going to go in a different direction. If he's like most of us here, he already hits TW daily....or more If it were me, I think I'd appreciate a gift card from Austin Kayak; http://www.austinkayak.com/ and or Yak Gear, https://yakgear.com/yakshop/ or, perhaps: http://www.kayakfishingsupplies.com/

My story is similar, but with an extra middle chapter. I broke near-new first gen Aetos spinning rod while high-sticking a snag. I told them exactly what I'd been doing -- I didn't think it should have broken, but I knew and told them that I wasn't exactly gentle. They replaced it with a new-gen Aetos baitcasting rod, since that was actually a more emergent need for me. I broke that one on the first day, first fish -- no abuse, whatsoever. One phone call and an emailed picture...few days later, brand new rod on my porch. I've used it pretty hard the last few weeks ...to 'break' it in. No issues at all. So, my relationship with Fenwick is...complicated. My ET Small Mouth rods are easily my two favorite rods at any price point. My brand new Aetos is the lightest 7'MHF rod I've ever owned....I love it, but based on the two previous Aetos, I'm a little fearful for its lifespan. I do, however, feel very good about their CS and warranty program.

I've used their warranty service more than once in recent months. I have been more than satisfied. I agree that tip replacement is a very simple do-it-yourself job. However, I'm concerned that we don't know what the real problem is. If it is just the guide, glue, etc....then, fine...simple, permanent DIY fix. But, if the 'malformation' or 'chip' is in the blank, or because of the blank or, if the blank has been compromised by the issue....you run the risk of voiding a warranted problem. (Can you post a pic of the spot on here?) IF you decide to replace the tip, I recommend that you take a couple/few good pics and correspond with Fenwick warranty folks first. Then, if your tip snaps next month, you can probably deal with them from a better position.

Yep.... especially if the bass in your like like them cooked.....sorry to be a dilrod...but live craws can be found in a huge spectrum of colors in most any water at any time of the year....some times of the year, your lake might have a lot more red than other colors, but fact is, jigs in most any color will work most any time...except when they don't....try red...tie your own...use some jj's or spike it....see for yourelf if it works better than green/brown/blue/black. I keep it simple...most of the time

Shore, Kayak, Boat. In most cases, the answer is 'too much'. But, the minute that I try to downsize, it is the rod/lure/hook/pliers, etc that I left behind that I go to reach for and start cursing