FryDog62

Zolo Dragger dug up a good one out of 18 feet yesterday on a 3/4 oz football jig. WRB/Tom directed me to ALX years ago - and I called Alex. Might be my favorite rod brand now. Thx Tom... SproDD79 call Alex ?

I have the Decoy as well. In the Zolo line to Toadface and Dragger. In the IKOS line the Buzz rod. All outstanding sticks. Call Alex -

Until it gets a motor, gps and good storage its not a viable option as a fishing kayak for me despite how light it is...

If in your pursuit to find variations of the Autopilot - if you come across a hull only (either 120 or 136) I may be interested... I already have an Autopilot and store the hull in Florida in the summer, but take the motor, batteries, GPS home with me to Minnesota. Ideally, I would like a hull in both locations to use and transport the accessories when I drive to/from. TIA

Yes it’s dry here, but... I remember seeing a letter my grandmother wrote to my dad before he came back from the Korean War. Trying to organize a welcoming home party for him, saying she hoped the weather improved in time. Then she said, well this is Minnesota, if you don’t like the weather just wait 10 minutes. That was 70 years ago. We’re due to be wetter than average here in Minnesota in the next year or two and chances are we will. The climate has always changed and it always will. Every day somewhere on this planet there is a new record high temp and a record low, drought and floods... always been this way. I have seen data presented that our cycles follow El Niño/La Nina closer than you’d think. Those cycles are dependent on the sun, not influenced by our activities. I’m not saying the climate doesn’t evolve over time, but there are a lot more pressing issues facing this world.

I have the same yak as cast_by_fly and think if you are fishing alone and/or need something just light enough to lift in/out of a vehicle its hard to beat. Peddle drive vs. Autopilot is a personal preference (budget considerations too) but honestly after using spot-lock and fishing hands/feet-free, I couldn't go back to anything else. Boat control even on smaller waters on windy days in a small watercraft is key. And yes... you can stand in them ~

Here ya go: 4/0 Owner Twistlock LIGHT weightless hook 5 inch Caffeine Shad A very different action than your typical nose-weighted fluke which just dives. The Twistlock hook keeps that Caffeine Shad more horizontal. There is also an air bubble in the tail of the plastic which provides some buoyancy. Once it hits the water it will swim horizontally for a while, then stop, the tail wiggles on its own, changes directions, spirals and continues horizontally before spiraling and changing directions again. I have found many times when the plastic stops and the tail wiggles it get strikes when other lures just don't. You can speed up and add twitches along the way depending on what the fish react to. https://www.tacklewarehouse.com/Owner_Twistlock_Light_Hook/descpage-OTLL.html https://www.tacklewarehouse.com/Strike_King_KVD_Perfect_Plastic_Caffeine_Shad_5_8pk/descpage-SKPCS.html

This is where I am too... with the exception of when I have a lot of fluorocarbon line out after a long cast (football jig, Carolina Rig, etc.) I giver h@ll then!

For some of you Elmer Fudd duck hunter types... From this angle PG, from Elmer’s viewpoint maybe not..

And so it begins in Murderapolis this morning. First time I get to scrape the Jeep. Might still get out a few times fishing this year, otherwise its "only" 214 days until the bass season opens here next Spring ?

Tim just passed away, was a legend author/fisherman: https://www.amazon.com/River-Smallmouth-Fishing-Techniques-Rivers/dp/097638762X

First thing I added were seat risers and transport wheels. Great purchases, many more to come. Enjoy your new rig!

Yeah the islands got mashed. Friend of mine is going down to Marco this weekend to inspect. Could be awhile til those places look half way normal again. The place we stay is 10 miles inland and did not get hit too badly relatively speaking. Lake is deep and didn't flood either. It will still be cold as heck here in a few months, so we're going either way. Kayak rental place is half under sand/mud... don't know if mine is buried or survived. What fun ~

Its not a huge deal in the grand scheme of things.. I have friends down there without homes, and people lost their lives. Sad deal all round ~ I would like to figure out the kayak status before I get down there Jan 1 if poss. If its a loss, not sure how the insurance would work but I'd like to order another to be delivered in time and then I can tinker and re-rig it again in 75 degree weather down there, and not at -10 below here in Minny.

Sí señor... on my way there now, I hear the Peacock bass down there like Maxscent too!

I bought an Autopilot 120 kayak last January and used it for 2 months - then put it in storage at a marina where a river meets the Gulf in Naples. Obviously there's a lot more concern for the people and infrastructure down there right now than some yankee's yak, but I wonder if its on its way to Cuba by now. A lot of news reels with scenes of the Fire Dept/engines under 4 feet of water and they are inland further than that marina ~

Unless I'm skipping a lure, I don't recommend any SV reels in the Daiwa lineup. I have both Tatula Elites and an MGL. Both great reels... They both cast much farther than an SV reel, would say the Elite casts slightly farther than the MGL.. but the MGL might palm slightly easier for some. If I had to choose one reel over the other would be the Elite. Casts a country mile, dependable, etc.

Best compact spinnerbait I’ve ever used: https://www.tacklewarehouse.com/Northland_Tackle_Mimic_Minnow_Spin/descpage-NLTMMSP.html

Not sure how old you are Darth, but yeah you can get into decent shape. Doesn't require a gym membership and a trainer. The key is finding something moderately strenuous that you will stick with vs. High impact/stress = burnout/injury. If most people walked a half hour a day and added in some resistance training (doesn't need to be heavy free weights - exercise bands work fine for most. Check out bodylastics.com). The whole deal is most people don't commit to something they will stay with. The other thing to consider is intermittent fasting vs. several small meals all day. It works and is healthier when done correctly. I eat first at 10 AM and am done by 6 PM. No snacking afterwards works. I'm a senior citizen by some people's definition, but I can still get back into my boat and kayak. Especially fast if a cell phone is in my pocket... don't ask me how I know...

Excellent. The reviews and price point looks like this is gonna be the rod for me. __________________________________________________ As good as this rod is for chatterbaits, it really excels for spinnerbaits especially when the lure gets slammed. Serviceable as a mid-depth crank bait rod too. Versatile beyond bladed jigs...

I bought an Alpha Angler Chatterbound 2 months ago. A bit under the radar brand, absolutely love it!

I was completely brand loyal to one rod maker for years. The brand is made in the USA and has a good reputation for quality and warranty, and I don’t disagree. That said, one day I bit the forbidden fruit of another brand. In comparison, I found my favorite brand in MH and Heavy was really heavy, thicker in the blank, and quite tip heavy. No wonder I was fatigued after an hour of using them. After that experience, I have forced myself to try different brands and discover new actions, weights and sensitivities. I have close to 20 rods and not more than 3 of any single brand. I think I’ve learned a lot and also found much better overall rods at least for me. I still have one rod in that old brand, but it is a medium and serves its purpose well. All the other MH and Heavy in that brand have been traded in through A.L.F.

i.e. Rick Clunn

I remember when Punch was a member in this site...

I wish I wouldn’t have spent so much time chasing gravel lizards, but that’s what everyone in Minnesota seemed to do grow up doing...