FryDog62

Split shot rig is good for smallmouth, unless in rivers/lakes with rocky snags. Then try a Free Rig with a cylinder weight. You might still lose some but not nearly as many 👍

I picked this out of a reel after a charity tournament in Minnesota last June. I had to stop fishing with an hour to go. 3 reels with the lures that were working that day were all clogged like this one and I couldn’t cast any more..

I agree, it can happen... swear I did the right way then it pulls out. I found the way to safeguard against this is to go through the loop at the end twice and it has never failed me. There is a video out there that shows going back through the loop 3 times, but 2 has always worked for me and its thinner going through the guides. Highly recommend 👍

Thanks I will try this again later👍

Ok, so I received these in the mail - and tried for over 20 minutes to get them to open properly and then close/lock on a couple different lures - to no avail. I mangled the first one and had to cut it off with wire snips and the second I couldn’t close at all. I consider myself to have reasonably good dexterity and motor skills but this was a bugger… any tips or tricks? Must be a simpler way ??

Welcome from Naples! 👍

No doubt weight is a factor… but after I added the big 16x16 yak tackle box, 8 rods, 2 gps units/livescope, lunch/cooler, net, I’ve only dropped from 4.1 to 3.8 mph.

I wait until it doesn’t start, then I jump with my NOCO battery jump starter and drive to get it replaced. Keep one in the boat too…

Part of me would like to see OT come out with a 155 lb thrust kayak motor for the Autopilot! Of course I'd probably need a 300 AH lithium battery too ~

I asked a similar speed question on the FB Autopilot group page recently, and if/when an AP 2.0 is released - would it have a bigger motor (pounds thrust)? The responses were basically no, that even a 60 or 80 lb thrust motor would only increase speed by .1-.2 mph. Apparently some have tried it with an 80 lb somehow configured to fit the kayak. They say the hull design is for stability and will never be significantly faster even if you go up in power. For the recreational angler I think 3.5-4.0 and spot-lock is plenty. But I hear you, when it comes to tournaments - getting to the prime spots first can make all the difference. I think it could become tough for Old Town to compete against other brands that go twice as fast. Maybe someday a different (second) tournament hull altogether with a larger power source/motor? Would be nice to look into the future, it won’t be the same 5 years from now IMO.

The entire "new" concept of Strolling came a lot from the "Moping" that James and his brother used to do to win the Rainy Lake tournaments decades ago. Their technique influenced many from that area including Gussy winning the Classic in 2023. FFS brought strolling to the forefront and it has many variations now, but James and Gang used to do this blindly without sonar. And with a lot of success..

When it’s snaggy, I switch to the Big TRD worm and rig Neko style with a #2 or #3 VMC Neko hook. The Neko rig resists getting stuck in the rocks over a traditional Ned or tube head, and the VMC Neko hook up ratio is dam near 100%. The Tiny Child Rig is very snag-free as well and I don’t think I have ever lost a fish with that VMC Neko hook.

As a rule, I don’t use swivel snaps, never really have. But these days, I’m tossing a lot of small finesse crankbaits from my kayak with BFS gear. The fish in these waters see a lot of full-sized offerings and these micro lures flat out get bit. Most days I don’t have a problem tying and retying when I change out lures. However there have been times this year when I'm out in some fairly strong wind and waves. It’s a challenge and time consuming when I’m retying while bobbing like a cork on the water. I’m starting to think about using a swivel snap on those days. The last time I did was years ago and I remember the snap opening up and losing a nice fish. So I’m looking for input on a smaller - yet reliable - swivel snap that won’t open up on me when fighting larger fish. And hopefully as strong or stronger than the 7 lb test line I use. TIA

Friend of mine bought them for the same reason and had the same underwhelming experience.

Contact Old Town customer service, I found them helpful and if under warranty should be covered. My motor wouldn’t fire up about every other time for about 8 trips this last Fall. Very frustrating to get all the way to the launch and have a dead motor. Over time, they had me replace both kill switches, test and re-test the battery, and then also replace the relay board inside the front hatch. Again, frustrating because the motor would still go dead, and it was back to the garage to problem solve and sit on the phone with them (over a dozen calls in 2 months). I was in the 23rd month of a 2 year warranty so I had to do all of this to finally get the motor replaced. Was it a PIA? Yes, but I have to say OT’s customer service was good and in the end I got it all taken care of.

Great, let us know what works - good luck👍

Only 3.5 hours from me but work keeps getting in the way… absolute hawgs there - Any input on primary lures that are working?

Any long flats or points with gravel/chunk rock are great for Carolina rigging. You can cover water fairly quickly and thoroughly. The key is to move slow enough to drag/scrape the sinker along the bottom with pauses. The noise/disturbance gets the attention of active and neutral bass. For me, the key is using a mono leader and floating plastics that get up just above any silt the sinker kicks up - and gets in the eye sight of the fish. Much different than a Texas Rig, closest techniques would be dragging a football jig or swivel head. Sometimes those work well too, but at other times you need the pause and floating plastic of the C-rig to get bit.

Yes and no… I mean AG said Florida was going to be underwater by 2010. And my PhD friends that publish papers on the subject have said that the original baseline numbers were “adjusted” to make more of a dramatic point than reality is. Is the climate changing some, are some glaciers melting, while others on the other ice cap have grown a little, all yes. These things have always changed and always will. Adaptability is key - and yes being a shallow peninsula - Florida will always be affected more than others.

We left Florida 2 days ago with a heat index of 105 and it’s only mid May. We’re spending the weekend in SC and it’s beautiful (79 degrees today). Yeah, Florida has experienced too much growth in recent years, but SC has a hyper-building issue here too. Just isn’t as filled in as FLA yet. The roads aren’t up to the bursting growth here. I don’t know how to say this without sounding political, but there are reasons why people are moving this way and it’s not going to let up.

I hope you had a good exhaust fan on that tent 🌬️

Psyllium fiber every day, drink lots of water… then drink coffee when you get up the next morning and make your deposit before the day even starts. Works like a charm! 💩

That’s why I don’t use them… a standard O-ring or a plastic tubing sleeve are better IMO. You need to hook both the ring and meat of the worm to last more than a fish or two…

Sounds like you’re fighting the good fight, it isn’t an easy process. I mentioned earlier I had contemplated this particular tournament, so am living vicariously through you. Will be a good education for the rest of us in terms of what you learn. Hardest part IMO is picking the right spot to start since 4 mph isn’t going to get you very far very fast. Decisions… decisions.. 👍

Be sure to run the hook through both the ring and meat of the worm. The more surface area you hook, the tougher it is to tear out.