Choporoz

Exact size? If not....if you have a little wiggle room, try places like Michael's, Hobby Lobby, Harbor Freight....lots of options if it doesn't say 'tackle' in description....often cheaper, too.

I just returned an Amazon sourced Chinese LiFePo (Wokyy). After four months, it wouldn't take a full charge any more. I'm looking at Amped or Dakota replacements.

Only took a few years, but finally caught a decent Whopper Plopper fish. From the dock this morning

Never thought about that, but it seems unlikely where I fish. However, I have gotten rather anxious a few times when big dogs were swimming towards me

I would plan to be at the State Park at 0715.....that way I might arrive around 0745....maybe the minimum wage paid 18 year old will arrive early......lol

Blade baits work well if they don't get hung up first. Fish from a kayak long enough and you'll get practice

Just trying to be funny....I don't think you 'cause' toxicity.....but it does seem to find you as much as anyone else

Correlation or causation?

I am in the opposite camp. I think the shape, action, fall rate differences between Bandito and Pit Boss are huge and color is far down the list of what I think is important here. My first awareness of Googan was the strong negativity here on BR. I was curious and watched a couple YT vids and joined that chorus. I was not amused and fairly dismissive....still am mostly. But I will acknowledge that I received some Googan soft and hard baits, including Banditos, as gifts. I have been impressed with all that I have tried. Banditos aren't replacing Rage Bugs or Pit Bosses, or Sweet Beavers in my kayak any time soon, but they catch fish. I'd say they are more like a Rage Bug than a Pit Boss....and those are different enough that I always carry both. Huh? I catch a dozen fish on a Rage Bug some days.....but they aren't more economical than even a $25 110 which has caught a hundred (more?) fish....unless you consider that I have over a dozen jerkbaits that expensive....but I guess I do have a basement full of SKRT....soooo....IDK....apples and oranges, I suppose

I had to look up AITAH....never seen that acronym. But looking back, I can't recall a time when the answer to someone asking wasn't "YES'

Either. You'll have a decent spinnerbait rod. I agree with @WRB. If you can save and wait a bit, I think you will be so much happier with a Victory for bottom contact.

I fish too much wood to have an exposed hook most of the time. So I often default to belly weighted. When I do use jig heads, I like Buckeye J-Will, usually with weed guard; and FinTech Title Shots

I don't do real math, but in my head, it is cheaper to skip the backing. My thinking is that every spooled reel is going to 'waste' the last 30 or 40 yards, when it needs to be re-spooled. The more fluoro I put on each time, means fewer times that I have that 'end waste'....assuming I don't waste too much at end of a supply spool. (Which leads to a similar lazy math reason to by bigger spools, aside from per yard cost.) This probably saves me a few nickles, but admittedly, I deal with under-filled reels towards the end each time....so there is a trade off. One big benefit, though is not having knots on the reel, which isn't usually a huge problem....until it is.

You won't have a problem finding an advocate on here for any fluoro, mono, copolymer between 12 and 20#, or braid between 20 and 50. There's no right answer.....I can't even make up my own mind- in last few weeks, I've thrown jigs on 20 and 40# braid, with leaders and without, also on 12 and 17# fluoro.....all work good, none are perfect

+1...I carry a 3700 full of treble lures on my yak...and usually 1 or 2 (of 8 ) rods for them, but they aren't my favorite or first choice. I am nearly always keyed on wood, grass or pads, and cranks just don't jump to forefront of my mind in those areas. However, I did meet a guy years ago who was an absolute master with traps in laydowns....I was amazed....and stunned...like watching Pinball Wizard or something. I'm never going to get there, I'm afraid.

I struggle when I read this.....I am the confused one, because I read this a lot....but I don't recall ever worrying about ripping a hook out of a bass' mouth....except maybe the tiny trebles of a size 78 jerkbait...even then, I gotta think barb penetration trumps ripping free...but wouldn't cross my mind for the single hooks you're considering

I'd use a thermometer to find the water temperature.

NC and VA both require PFD to be accessible. I wear one 100% of the time. I'm a strong swimmer, but my club requires it for any events or even photos on their social media pages, so it has become habit. And, as I mentioned in a couple threads recently, I also seem to have a habit of putting myself in less than the safest situations....no less than 3 times already this year....stayed upright, but glad I had PFD on each time

Someone once said there's a fine line between bravery and stupidity

^9. Not a huge fan of the original, but enjoyed this. He manages to put a lot of expression in there...like he's adding bass and rhythm fills.

3 and change most days...Compass , also...under 1 yesterday straight into the teeth of 18 mph wind....if not for the incoming tidal current, it might have been negative

Smells god-awful, too? We get that here, too. I guess it has died off, but seems dark most of the year. Funny, it is in same places, year after year...I always wondered why....since all the grass dies off at some point....never gave enough thought to how it is different when alive. I catch fish in it, often good ones, but sometimes doesn't seem worth it. I use weightless Rage Bug or senkos, usually. Perfect pich or cast to visible cover....because you don't get to hop, drag, or swim it back....one shot and clean again....

I'm still second guessing decisions I made in a tournament four years ago. I can spend days after a tournament reconsidering every big and small decision....whether I did well or poorly. I do it after fun or pre-fishing, too, but there's more reason and less emotion involved.

Every time a thread like this pops up, at least a couple folks reminisce about Slug-Gos....and every time, I break them out for an hour or so....and every time, I wonder just wth you guys are talking about.....never had even a whiff of a bite with one....I must fish around younger bass who just point and laugh at what that geezer in the yak is tossing