22hertz

Good idea on the flag. My kayak is camo. Once I was on the lake during the day when a boat came from one side of the lake zooming up to where I was, full speed, stopping about 50 ft away from me. I thought why did this jerk just zoom into the general area of where Im fishing? Him and two buddies are rigging their rods when one of them looks at me through binoculars and says "thats a kayaker, I thought that was a buoy" I keep my head on a swivel out on the water and will move the blades of my paddle if boaters are approaching as I noticed the wet blades reflect light and boaters notice that before they notice me. Im also looking into picking up a BaoFeng UV-5R dual band radio since I don't carry a cell phone.

You can get a Cabelas Tournament ZX rod for $70 on sale. I have 2 of the TZXC-71MH rods. IMO you cant find a better rod anywhere near this price. Great warranty too. One of those rods has a Tatula CT spooled with 10lb Yozuri Hybrid. If you're just starting spool with inexpensive mono. Pick up a big 1/4lb spool of Sufix Superior mono 10lb or 12lb at Academy Sports. Be careful not to overfill a Daiwa reel with the T-Wing when spooling. Better to go a little lower than higher if in doubt.

Im a minimalist. Here is what I carry every trip on my kayak. KAYAK -Paddle -PFD with attached whistle (worn at all times) -2 bottled water + backup water jug -Forceps -Fish Gripper -1 small tackle box with small bag of soft baits attached -2 rods/reels -Several carabiners to tie or attach various things CARGO POCKETS -2 Cliff Bar -Car key + Surefire Titan + Spyderco Ladybug + 2 carabiners clipped to belt loop -1 Zip lock bag w/ 2 zip lock bags, 6 Ibuprofen, 10 zip ties, 6 feet duct tape, 20ft paracord, toilet paper, 2 alcohol wipes, Bic lighter, bandaids, antibiotic cream -Rain poncho -Spyderco Paramilitay 2 -Wallet + fishing license -Buff + hat -Headlamp + spare batteries in battery carrier BELT -Swisstool Spirit multitool I always bring footwear, usually flip flops. I always wear a wide brim hat, buff and polarized sunglasses. I always wear a watch and know what time last light is, and try to keep track or estimate paddle back time. I always let someone know where Im going and a timeframe to expect me back (even if its don't expect me back until real late) Sometimes I bring a hammock/straps to take a break Sometimes I bring binoculars to scope possible fishing sites without having to paddle there (or to check out other things ) Sometimes I bring a cast net and bucket with aerator IN THE CAR Backup water bottles in cooler Lunch/Dinner in cooler Towel and full set of clothes

The Abu Garcia Black Max combo is universally considered the best entry level baitcaster combo. I don't have experience with it but many do and agree its the way to go in that price range. Quantum has a spotted past for reliability, and although a reel may feel great when new the mark of a good reel is how it performs after extended use.

You need to oil the brake drum. But honestly you should do everything on page 1 in the link J Franco provided and couple more things not listed on there to both reels. To answer your question, on picture 7 where the white arrow is pointing is the brake drum. Put a couple drops of oil on a Q-tip and run it around the drum. You want to clean any debris and leave enough oil where if you press your finger on it, you are only left with a small finger print and no more On top of everything else on page 1 you should put a little rubbing alcohol on a Q-tip and clean the outer lips of the spool and the reel body where the lips of the spool sit close to (on picture 8 where it says Superfree Bearing you want to clean the circumference of the area between where the i and n are and on the other side where the top of the B is) Also run a Q-tip with alcohol through the level wind eye.

Get a kayak. Most of the places I go I would not even dream of going in a tube. There are plenty out there that hold your weight. Make sure you get a 'big boy' kayak for the extra butt room in the seating area and bigger seat for long sitting comfort. Since no one has mentioned it a Wilderness Systems ride 135 might be a good option. I lift my kayak onto the roof rack of my Honda and have it strapped down in 5 minutes. Sometimes I put both my kayak and my brothers kayak on my car and he has done the same on his Honda when we drop off and pick up with different cars. Your Fit will carry a kayak no problem.

Yes, its worth it. Personally, for the price, I would rather buy a Tatula CT for the same price as a US Casitas, but the JDM Casitas MGL is worth it if it fits your requirements. These videos may help you decide:

Since one of the reels you're looking at is a composite body, and you haven't ruled it out due to that I would suggest you also consider a Casitas MGL. The Casitas MGL is seriously underrated.

I cant answer your question about the P. Supreme but I have a Daiwa Revros 2000H. I don't use spinning reels very much but I wanted one inexpensive spinning reel for times I need one (like trout fishing the Chattahoochee). I paid a hair under $40 shipped from ebay. Its surprisingly nice for the money. I believe the Daiwa RG-AB is the updated version of the Revros and should be a little better for an extra $15. I go to the McGinnis bridge ramp sometimes. If you want to come give it a few casts you're welcome to.

Have you tried a Chronarch MGL? Its sounds like thats what you're wanting.

What is it you like about the 70 over the 200I? Is it the size, weight, or something else?

What Im interested in is how this new Curado stacks up to a Tatula CT. After comparing my Curado I to my Tatula CT, for the price I paid for both, the Tatula CT makes a strong compelling case for itself. There are things I like better about both reels but the (street) price difference is not insignificant and I dont like the Curado better just differently.

Yes, it should be done to a new reel because Shimano says you should do it. It is designed and specified to be oiled periodically. If the reel sits in a hot warehouse for an extended period of time it is possible the oil has evaporated or migrated from the brake pipe and that will cause a screeching noise during a cast, cause poor performance and prematurely wear the brakes. Shimano provides oil with the reel specifically for this purpose (and oiling the spool bearings) My rhetorical question to your question "Why mess with a reel that may or may not have a bigger problem than throwing some oil on it, possibly damaging it further, then not being able to return it?" Why return any product before reading and performing the manufacturers recommended maintenance for the product? I tried finding the manual for the reel to copy/paste what Shimano says about this but surprisingly I don't see any modern reel manuals on their site and Im not home where I can scan from my manual. This is what your'e supposed to do (although I only put a small drop of oil on a Q-tip and rub it around the brake pipe as you only want a very small film of oil) https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GJIqAk9gKiE

I bought a casting Tournament ZX rod and liked it so much I bought another and plan to buy another for a spinning reel I recently purchased. They have a lifetime warranty. When I went to buy the second rod they only had one in the action/length I wanted. After looking it over I found a flaw in the blank. I took the rod to the service desk and asked if they had some in the back. A sales associate went and found a couple to choose from. He said "ok the service desk has your old rod, you're all set" thinking I was swapping out my old rod. I laughed and said no, I'm buying another. He was ready to let me walk out the door with the rod lol. They dont seem to care why you're swapping the rod apparently. On sale for $70 it is IMO an unbeatable value.

Polarized sunglasses are very important. They remove sun glare. For me this does two very important things: 1. Allows me to see into the water 2. Reduces eye strain and the headaches and fatigue it causes. I bought a cheap pair on amazon that turned out to be as good as my poly lense Oakley and Maui Jims. I originally bought them to fish with because I was worried about losing them over the side of my kayak, but they turned out to be just as good. My sunglasses with glass lenses have superior clarity but my polycarbonate lense Oakleys and Mauis Jims are not any better. Here is what I bought https://www.amazon.com/Duco-Sports-Polarized-Sunglasses-Glasses/dp/B00SMRN2DU/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1500956373&sr=8-1&keywords=duco+sunglasses

The brakes only work during a cast (high speed) The spool tension exists to control the low speed action of the spool. You need to tighten the spool tension more. Tighten the spool tension until the lure drops slowly and controlled where it hits the ground and the spool makes about a 1/4 turn then stops on its own. Set your bakes on max. Begin casting and backing off the brakes until the reel casts smooth with just a hint of backlash then either use your thumb to slow it a bit or tighten the brakes a hair for a thumb free cast (until the lure hits the water). https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cwGNLqXEJYY

If you read the manual it states the brakes must be oiled periodically. Its not "messing with it" its proper maintenance of the reel and the described problem are direct symptoms of a dry brake.

Put a drop of the oil that came with the reel on a Q-tip and rub it around the the brake ring. You need to do this frequently (every or every other fishing trip) How many brake shoes are turned on/off?

My girlfriend tells me my head is only worth about a buck fifty. OP, IMO the sweet spot between price and quality ia a Mustang MIT auto inflate.

A light weight spool wont cast as far as a heavier spool because of the heavier spools greater rotational mass having more momentum. Having said that other factors like the line used, rod action and casting technique all play more of a role in distance. Any reel will cast that far OP. Casting distance is at the bottom of the list of important attributes I look for in a reel because they all cast far enough.

Your budget is too low for a quality baitcasting rod and reel. There is a difference in buying cheap stuff and buying quality stuff for a good price. The best baitcasting combo I have for the money spent is a Daiwa Tatula CT paired to a Cabelas Tournament ZX rod. I got the rod for $70 on sale and the reel for $98 shipped (no tax) from the auction site. This combo is light weight and is all the quality anyone could ask for at an affordable price. My advice is stick to the spinning gear you have and learn to catch fish. Go by walmart and pick up some 1/8 oz roostertail inline spinnerbaits. Try firetiger with the gold blade and the grey/white one with a silver blade. I always have a roostertail tied on and almost always catch when no one else is. Bigger spinnerbaits catch bigger fish but smaller ones catch more and the ocassional big one will hit the smaller one as well. Pick up some EWG hooks and a pack of whiteice superflukes. Get a pack of grubs/jigs and jigheads. You could try yumdinger, senko, lizards and/or baby brushhogs. These all catch bass. As mentioned above keep your reels cleaned, lubed and spooled with fresh quality line. Keep your spooled reels out of the sun as much as possible to keep the line from degrading. Look into the type of line you have and the type of knot that works well with that line. Learn a few different knots (palomar, uni knot, snelling a hook etc.) Make it a habit to retie your knots often. Set your drag properly to keep your line from breaking on hook sets and hard fights. Keep an eye out for an inexpensive used kayak. Fishing from the shore gets old and limits you. Learn what to look for in conditions and water/land to know where the fish are more likely to be. Things like are there signs of life (fish jumping, birds circling the area) points, depths, water temp, lake bed depths and curves etc. Your gear is fine and all you need is knowledge and practice. Read, watch videos and practice. You'll be reeling in the big ones in no time. Have fun brother. Come post a pic of that big bucket mouth you catch soon

I would go with 1 Chronarch MGL and 1 Tatula SV and either sell the one I didn't like as much and buy one more of the other or keep both and enjoy the slight differences each offers. Reels are largely personal preference. No one will be able to tell you which reel you will like better. I have a Curado I and Tatula CT and honestly at this point I couldn't tell you which I like more and really enjoy using both. Its like having two beautiful girlfriends switching back and forth between them

IMO a Wilderness Systems Ride 135 would be a perfect kayak for you especially if you can find one used. Trust me, go as long and narrow as you can get away with. My Tarpon 120 fits fine on my small Japanese car and does not extend beyond the front or back. A Tarpon 160 would still be no problem on my car.

Did you put the spring back correctly? I could think of a couple things that you could have put back incorrectly (reversed) Look through these 3 videos and double check everything is back together right. Also I break down my reels 100% (more than in this video), thoroughly clean everything and put a tiny amount of grease on all sliding parts.

Daiwa Tatula CT at the auction site for under $100 shipped is hard to beat IMO. The more I use mine the more Im starting to prefer it over the Curado I