Choporoz

Paul Newman Southwest Ranch

Ha! I can't imagine getting into the creek and not spending at least a few minutes working the first big round bend. Too much good stuff there. As to the storms....I was in Pohick a couple months ago after a week of sustained NW storms....full moon and low tide....the entire bay was mud....I couldn't paddle through areas that are typically 3.5 FOW at low tide. I'm still cleaningmud from stuff. But, somehow....within a week, the fish were right back where they were supposed to be.

Me. I have only fished it from a kayak, however. Been in Aquia maybe a half dozen times. Most of my time has been in Occoquan and Gunston Cove. But I have put a lot of time on Mattawoman, too. I haven't been out for about 3 weeks, though. Grass was just starting in a lot of spots. Wood should still be good. Some big girls were already spending time in the pads. Pads can be needle in haystack...or, hopefully, a goldmine now. Whatever your game plan, don't ever waste last 60 minutes of outgoing tide running. That's the golden hour most days

A lot depends on where you fish. In four consecutive trips, I might fish a smallie river, a clear deep, grassy lake, tidal river, and a perpetually muddy, woody reservoir. Every time out in my kayak, I carry more tackle than you described.

One thing I like about kayak fishing is that even when I go out with others, I can fish alone

I got my head start from Swindle and Andy Montgomery videos. I also practiced with spool tensioner cranked pretty tight. I don't like to fish with it like that, but it helped me learn the motion

Soooo many docks. I'd be hard pressed to try anything else until they prove unproductive. Maybe try a PM to @Fishin' Fool.

Grumpy Old Men On Golden Pond Only ones that come to mind....guess I haven't watched many movies in the last few decades...lol

New Boat.....Sconnie style

For me, it's all about keeping those tags neat. I use alberto, but I imagine the same is true for any leader knot.

Not to over-complicate things....ok maybe just a little... What lures do you expect to use...in what sort of 'environment'? Probably fine for most anything with 40 or 50

I might gravitate towards Zoom when low on flukes, tricks, or lizards...(as if that could ever happen)....but reality is that I wouldn't miss them much. Besides....it seems like every month there is another 10% increase in soft plastic choices just at TW....so many baits... so little time

Haven't needed an alarm clock to be on the water well before sunrise for a number of years. I've been first to ramp at least a half dozen times the last few weeks.....even the 'ungated' ones. However, about three weeks ago, I thought I would get to ramp particularly early, as the kayak tournament earliest launch time was 0600. I rolled up about 4:50 and there was at least a dozen boats ahead of me.

If only you had a DeLorean....

My bias is towards form, fit and function. Matching combos for any other reason, especially aesthetics, or to match manufacturer names doesn't ever enter my thought process. How many manufacturers, other than maybe Lews or Wright McGill even consider the possibility that enough people care? (And those two, I imagine just do it to sell combos)

Haven't paid for more than a dozen haircuts since I arrived at Navy boot camp in September 1982. When I wasn't on a ship, both of my wives could manage #2 straight up sides and back, and #3 across top just fine

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Late last season I decided to try to answer same dilemma with a new Cashion Elite 7'3" MH Crankbait rod. It is my first Cashion and I'd only handled a friend's....had never fished with one. I admit that I am still getting used to the carbon fiber handle...and may still winn-wrap it. But as for action and power, it is exactly what I wanted. Feels like it weighs half of what my Mojo glass rod weighs. It handles 1/2 oz lipless perfectly....and even though on the rated low end, it casts 3/8 oz cranks great. I have thrown 1/4 oz LC Mini on it just fine, as well.

I use 10# braid and 8# fluoro for those techniques and I find that diameter line very difficult with a baitcaster. I have not handled a bc that can adequately cast a 1/16 anything. I skip with both, but lighter stuff much better with spinning.

I can think of four instances where a rod departed my kayak unexpectedly. Amazing that I didn't lose any of them. -Flipped in light 'rapids' once but got all rods back -Caught one on backswing...was able to reach it as it handle started to go under -Set one behind me and actually missed rodholder...not sure what possessed me to let go before I was certain....but almost certainly a follow up cast to a bite. That one made it to bottom in 11 FOW, but I was able to snag it with a blade bait after only about 5 min -A branch took one out of a rod holder not long ago, but was nice enough to stay hung on the branch until I could get back to it

I'm 60 in a few weeks. I fish from my kayak a couple times a week nearly year round. I haven't been pain free since sometime in 2015.

+1. By a wide margin.

Good to know that Tripadvisor's user review averages are authoritative. Just because people in Seattle like their local joint, doesn't make Seattle's best any better than KC's worst. This is the kind of article I expect in FB clickbaits

Ha...not yet. But put an offer on a lake house and can't see looking out the window at an empty dock for very long

Probably true....though situation is such that I might not be comfortable doing that.