stk44

I am semi-forgetful but I keep multiple lists to combat this. I’ve had my boat for 3 seasons now and I have not forgot anything major and I contribute that largely to my packing/safety checklists. I keep one checklist on my phone which is my list of items that I need for any tournament or fishing trip. Anything not listed that gets removed from the boat will be added to a note that I leave on the kitchen island. This gets checked off before I leave. My most important list is my predeparture list. This reminds me to remove the rear straps and I have two separate reminders to install the plug. I feel like redundancy is important there given some of the stories I’ve heard lol. Preparing the night before, at a minimum, is crucial. The more stuff you can get done before your trip will minimize forgetting important gear. I like to prep my rods at least 3 days prior and put my ice and lunch in the night before. The checklists are only good if you have the time to review them. Now. For the thing I did forget once. I got a phone call while strapping my kayak down to the bed extender and didn’t not finish ratcheting the 2nd strap. I made it to the end of my street and remembered. Crisis averted, but I still get chills thinking about how bad that could have been.

Video footage has definitely helped me improve my technique and it also helps me notice what I did differently to get a bite. As an example, something I noticed from last years footage is that my longer than average pauses earned me some bigger fish. I thought I was fishing slow enough but there were times I’d set my rod on the deck to drink water, grab a snack or grab a tool on the deck that earned me an extra big bite. I recently picked up a new GoPro and the plan is to power from my boats usb charger and limit the need for frequent battery changes. I previously used my GoPro hero 3 for several seasons and the constant battery changes either resulted in lost fishing time or not filming when the battery died during a tournament. Lastly, the ability to save videos of memorable catches makes it all worth it to me. I’ve never video taped a PB, so I’m hoping I can change that in 2026.

@Banned User the 3d printer spits them out into two halves. It’s still a pain, but you have to bed the wire just right so that both halves close. It definitely does not require much strength but a lot of finessing.

I’ll see if I can figure it out to use ABS just for that section

No it was a design that my wife found. I wish I was that creative lol. I found some chicken wire to make the hook holders and then just threw some snaps and hooks on. I added a little rattle as well. Now I have to wait until the pond unfreezes to try it out. The only thing I really don’t like is the plastic bill. It’s made if the same PLA filament as the body, so I’m not sure how well it will dive.

So simple and yet I never thought to do it this way. Definitely doing this from now on!

Yep. It’s definitely not a downgrade, but if you want to fish offshore, you don’t have any options unless you have a boat.

I’m going to guess the key factor there is weight. My Old Towne predator weighs somewhere in the 70-80 lbs range unloaded. To get it loaded in my truck bed I need to drag or trolley it over, swing one side over the tailgate, then lift and push it all the way in. It’s not always easy but once you form a routine it’s not too bad.

I think the fact that you have another boat gives you the option to keep the kayak fishing simple. I like to keep it simple as well in my kayak. I do have a non-color 2d fishfinder that I like to use, so I have a small lead acid battery in the kayak. If I solely fished out of a kayak, I would probably get one with a pedal drive and maybe I would consider a trolling motor for larger lakes. I’d be safer carrying a hand grenade in my kayak/canoe than my Australian Shepherd. He’s an absolute lunatic, but a good dog at the same time.

I’ve went back and forth on the power stick. I would like that angle but I’m not sure how I feel about having that pole in the way all day.

Nice! Let me know what you think of it if you get a chance. I’m thinking of powering it from my boats usb charger so I will need to use that adapter to connect a 6 foot usb c cable. Trying to figure a good way to waterproof the cable as well.

I originally bought a kayak to get off the bank. I started with a sit in kayak and upgraded to a sit on top. There are a lot of HP restrictions in PA, so that’s one reason I go the kayak route. The other is for the simplicity. I have a 12’ paddle only kayak that is not too heavy and can be lifted into the back of my truck, with proper technique. It’s very relaxing to limit distractions, take a few rods, a lunch and some tackle. I don’t want to overcomplicate the kayak deal. If I want to fish an unlimited hp lake or fish a tournament I will take the boat.

I got a new GoPro and I’m curious if anyone has experience with the contacto? Is it weatherproof enough to be fished in rain and on rough water? Just trying to figure out if it’s worth it or if I should stock up on extra batteries.

I don’t mean to one up you guys, but check out this lure that I fired up on my daughters 3d printer

Well my Lake Erie trip didn’t work out for smallmouth as I could not get out on the lake. I did catch a bunch of largemouth on the JH Zako combo. Stroking or pulsing and stopping the bait on laydowns was fantastic for me this year. I’m liking the GP jig with GP zako and the black/blue jig with the zako color (black/gp. Pretty sweet setup. Also, I did catch my first smallmouth on the bladed jig, albeit a 12-13 incher. Looking forward to getting better with it next year. If all the stars align, maybe I can get our of PIB on Erie next year.

Wow, I can’t believe this. @Catt will be greatly missed. I was just checking his profile the other day and thought it was odd he hadn’t been logged on in a while. We lost another great one.

Wow, just hearing about this now. This is incredibly sad to hear. Tom gave me so much great advice over the years and I always learned something from his posts. He will truly be missed.

It’s worth a shot trying black and blue for spinnerbaits and swim baits. My primary colors for spinnerbaits are chartreuse, chartreuse white, and black and blue. For jerkbaits you could try silver/black back, or blue/ back black as a starting point and adjust from there. while color selection might not always be a top priority all the time, there are times when the proper color is absolutely crucial. For me, that is enough to have a variety of colors at the ready. You don’t need to go crazy though, for my confidence baits I might have like 5 or so color options. For baits I fish to give the fish a different look, I generally have 2-3 colors in the boat.

@Aguilab1I have not tried the heavy fast but the the 7’3 XH can definitely handle those lures. The only thing I have not tried is a 3/8oz chatter bait. That might not be the best bladed jig rod as it is a really stout rod, but I’m sure you could do it.

Praying for a good outcome and that your morale stays high. You’ve got this.

Thanks. I was going to use the same diameter mono. You think I should use bigger?

I just placed the order for my Vanford 3000. I think that will be the better option for 8 lb flouro. I have not bought a new spinning reel since my Stradic Ci4+, so I’m super pumped to get it. I am going to give that bigger paddle handle a fair shot and then will order the 2500 handle if needed. Thanks for all the help!

@A-Jay I just bought a Vanford (3000 size) for about $215 at BPS. They stacked the club price(currently 15%) with the military discount. It’s definitely not expected but what a nice perk, especially on shimano stuff which is oftentimes on the exclusion list.

Have you checked bps recently? The prices definitely used to be higher but I compared a lot of prices to TW and it was actually lower at BPS. The thing I found is that they just don’t have the same selection as TW. Also, if you use your club member price which is 10% on Mondays, it stacks with the military discount.

Thanks! After I made the switch to shimano, I’ve never needed replacement parts (knock on wood) so I appreciate the info!