Turtle135

80 ain't even "warm" for black bass

This is a great resource for information on jig fishing: If you are just starting out fishing jigs I would suggest an arky head as it does a little of everything. Siebert Outdoors offers one: http://www.siebertoutdoors.com/Grid-Iron-Arky-Jig-472.htm Start with a few 1/4 ounce and a few 3/8th ounce. Smaller jigs generally generate more bites which helps build confidence. I am partial to Netbait Paca Craws as trailers. If I was forced to carry just two color combinations I would go with "black/blue" and "green pumpkin".

I am assuming your water does get a lot of fishing pressure and it just may be that those bass see hundreds of spinnerbaits, crankbaits and other common bass presentations over the course of the season. They do have a tendency to wise up and stop striking those lures. Bass have a hard time getting conditioned to a soft plastic worm as there are virtually zero "negative clues". So that could be the reason that is still a producer on that water. I will also assume your water down in NO is still pretty warm. I will reach for a worm first over a jig in warm water. Maybe when things cool down a little in the fall a jig will come back into play.

does this water receive a lot of fishing pressure from other anglers? and when you say "Texas Rig" you do mean you have a bullet weight in front of the senko?

I use 7' baitcasting rods for just about every presentation. A rod that is not long enough to "clear the nose of your kayak" can be annoying when a bass inevitably decides he wants to be on the other side of your yak.

Just an update. I picked up the Tarpon 130x and took it for a spin last night for the first time on my local reservoir. It is significantly faster than the Ride 115. The better "glide" of the 130x is going to take some getting used to as I kept gliding forward into the spot I was intending to fish. After I acclimatize to my new found tracking and speed I suspect this will allow me to enter a fishing spot with greater stealth. One paddle stroke and then just quietly glide into casting range. It is "nimble" as advertised and I am looking forward to getting it on the river this weekend as I suspect it will really shine in that environment. The Tarpon 130x is 10 pounds lighter than the Ride 115 but it feels even lighter due to the solid handles they now use. It just seems easier to manhandle the kayak with that firmer grip. I was able to stand in the Tarpon 130x and make a few casts but standing and fishing in that kayak is not something I would do regularly. The deck is not laid out for standing but if I needed to stand and stretch while out on the water that is doable.

Nice musky! That is a big one in my book and that one looks to be in great shape (clean fins, etc.). Have you caught any of what I refer to as "evil size" (24" - 28")? Because you can get one of those in while they are still fairly green they can be more dangerous with a mouthful of trebles that the big ones.

One resource for tournament information: https://www.bassmaster.com/ You can also watch some of the tournaments live and on demand. This is one the Bassmaster Elite Series had on the Tidal Potomac River in the not too distant past: https://www.bassmaster.com/video/live-archive-potomac-river

I own one of these KC Welders and fixed a few kayaks that had one too many encounters with rocks on the Potomac River. One has been on the water for 5 years since the repair with no further issues. https://www.amazon.com/Hobie-Welder-Pro-Stock-72097001/dp/B004CGCY34 The trick to using one of these is to really allow the polyethylene on the kayak and the rod stock to get gooey soft so that it mixes together. On a couple I actually buried a small sheet of wire mesh into the polyethylene to beef up the area. You can also do it this way:

Once while grinding a crankbait along the bottom my lure came back with a five dollar bill impaled on the treble. Who says it does not pay to fish?

Worst I can remember is a bass boat deciding he needed to pass between my kayak and the shoreline on a shallow point. He did not stop to fish around the point so he was clearly heading someplace else (and the mile of wide open water behind me could not entice him to take that route). OP: What was the attitude of the guy who was spooling your line? Was he intentionally screwing with you or was he not quite all there? You have to give "crazy or odd" a pass sometimes cause they don't mean it.

I will fish. I have a couple of locations that offer some wind protection and I am not adverse to popping out of my kayak and wade fishing (that wind can get a summer bite going). My only fishing "kryptonite" is lightning.

oh no, you are not going to get me into resurrecting that old argument!

Tequila Sunrise (and Tequila Shad by Culprit) are my first choice in 10" and 12" ribbontail worms. The interesting thing about red underwater: "Water absorbs different wavelengths of light to different degrees. The longest wavelengths, with the lowest energy, are absorbed first. Red is the first to be absorbed, followed by orange & yellow. The colors disappear underwater in the same order as they appear in the color spectrum. Even water at 5ft depth will have a noticeable loss of red." So red fades to black the deeper you get your presentation.

here is a handy tip for removing those trebles, I was glad I had watched this video a few times cause the guy I was fishing with over the weekend had a smallie bury a treble into his finger (the technique worked like a charm)

there is something gratifying about catching a bass under difficult conditions, congrats on breaking through!

Fuji EZ Keeper as well. p.s. - when I get a texas rigged keeper on a baitcasting rod that catches the line on the cast I cut that sucker off (one of my pet peeves with rod makers)

I am just guessing but I suspect they found out that the slot where the pedal drive inserts into the kayak needs to be as structurally sound as possible. Even more so than the slot on the ATAK where the Helix Motor Drive can be installed. A human constantly applying torque on those pedals could cause some failures if that area is not properly designed. One video promo they put out months ago did kind of paint the impression that the pedals would fit the ATAK. Wildy is probably regretting that video now as some people felt they had been misled.

Assuming you are targeting largemouth, when the water temperatures are at their highest of the season I reach for 10" and 12" plastic worms (usually ribbontails) before I go to the jig (and I do love to fish the jig). Just seems to generate more and better bites for me this time of year.

Neither the ATAK 140 or the ATAK 120 will accept the pedal drive.

I am in the same boat as you (literally and figuratively). I have been bass fishing from a kayak since 1991. While I have never had an issue with tracking on my Ride 115 I do hear you on overall speed and glide. There is only so much you can do with a hull that is stable enough for standing and only 11.5' long. I did upgrade to the AirPro Max when it first came out. It is an extremely comfortable seat for me. I did a 16 hour stint on the water back in July with no issues. If any issues with your current seat are causing you pain or stiffness upgrading the seat might be an option but you might be better served in the long run by saving that $ 350.00 towards the kayak that addresses your other needs. It appears that the new kayaks from Wilderness Systems (ATAK, Radar, Tarpon 130x) all have a version of the AirPro seat. I am looking at a Tarpon 130x for my next kayak. I am looking for a kayak that paddles extremely well, has speed, attains up river well and is nimble. All characteristics that others have used in describing that kayak. I am getting a test paddle in the 130x in the next couple of weeks. The AirPro seat in the 130x only has one position and the 130x is not designed for standing. If you are on facebook put a request in to join the "Wilderness Systems Fishing Kayaks Owners Group". That is a good place to get more targeted feedback on the new kayak lineups out there.

I have a crate in the back tankwell. On a typical all day largemouth trip I have three waterproof planos, a couple of smaller terminal tackle planos, and 3 "gallon size" zip lock bags for soft plastics. I organize the zip locks by plastic type (worms, craws, beavers, etc.). If I have other presentations that I think I "might" need, they go out of the way into the front hatch.

Take a look at the Daiwa Tatula XT Casting Rod. Look at the casting rod, not the crankbait model. The rod is 7', medium power, fast taper. Goes for $ 99.99 at Tackle Warehouse. I like this rod's handle as it fits my hand comfortably. I own several of these in medium heavy and use them as all around rods. link to that rod lineup on Daiwa's site: http://www.daiwa.com/us/contents/rods/tatula_xt/index.html

IMHO a scent will get you a few more bass. I do not think it generates more "bites" but it ups your chances of detecting a strike as I believe a bass may hold onto your jig long enough for you to know it is there. If my trailer is already heavily scented (like Paca Craws are) I do not feel the need to add scent.

when the river starts to come to life because of some insect hatch on the surface I have had some crazy fast action by throwing a small popper that has tail feathers