FishTank

I have a card I keep in the original box with a service record and what line is on the reel.

I got it off ebay. It might be fish guts. Whatever it was, wiped right off.

One of the guys I fish with has a 16' Crestliner Storm with a 40hp. I think his rod locker holds up to a 7' rod. His rods and reels do get a little beat up bouncing around in there but it gets the job done.

A lot more pressure and bad water conditions. Two lakes and several ponds I use to go to have had a large amount of fish dying off due to bad polluted water, some from fertilizer run off others from chemical dumping. I have a family member that is retired from being an environmental engineer (waste treatment plants and chemical facilities) and he said just prior to Covid, it was the worst he had ever seen it in Indiana during his 30+year career. Some lakes are on the come back though, like Turtle Creek. If you're from Indiana, you probably know how special this place use to be. The last tournament I fished there, there was a 20in limit and only 1 fish per person, 2 per boat.

Just to add to the above.... I used ABEC 7 Boca's for the spool bearings (non orange shield).

I had it for a years before I changed the spool bearings, maybe the pinion support bearing (which was not necessary) and polished the main and pinion gear. I cleaned/degreased the anti-reverse bearing and re-oiled it. I also added new carbontex drag washers. It casted further, felt smoother, and the drag felt a little stronger. Overall, I was pleased with how it came out and it was a noticeable difference. I don't use it as often I should anymore but it still works great.

A Shimano Curado 201 and a St. Croix Avid 7' M Fast. It does just about everything.

Even the Monkey was like don't do it but.... I have been hunting for this unicorn for awhile.

It would be a long haul but these guys are great. They know their stuff and they all fish and also are all great fly fisherman. They sponsor a bass tournament and drop about 1,500 rainbow trout in a stream behind their store annually to help with promoting the sport. If you contact them, ask for Jessica. She is straight forward and pretty good to deal with. https://www.mwoutfitters.com

Sure thing. I have family scattered all over Minnesota.... Duluth, Twin Cities, etc. Great state.

I have made at least a dozen orders from them and they have been fantastic. I signed up for premium membership and it has definitely paid for itself and then some. The guys there I have talked to are tackle junkies and seem to be really down to earth. They are my go to for some of fishing stuff. I just wished that they carried more.

No matter what you get.... if you have a $3000 budget, you should get a kayak between $2000 and $2500. All the stuff you might put into it will add up fast..... Fish finder, pfd, anchor, a crate, and it just keeps going. I would suggest going to a good kayak specific store and explain what your plans are and see if they can fit you to the right one. What kind of body of water you fish would be the first thing I would consider. Next would be comfort (seat, leg room, etc.) Then, method of propulsion (it may be best to consider one that is easy to both peddle and paddle). Bonfide, Native, and Old Town come to mind. Personally, I have a Hobie PA 14 (still learning though) and it is not paddle friendly but is great for choppy, windy conditions.

Out for the second voyage. I didn't get a chance to get a picture the first time. Love it so far but maneuvering can be tricky. I just wish I would have caught something today. Got skunked.

I don't use the Palomar knot that often anymore, simply because it's a pain to tie in a bouncing boat/kayak, in the wind which what I am dealing with about 75% of the time. I started using the San Diego Jam knot last year and have had great luck with it. The Palomar knot, when correctly tied, is a better knot in my opinion but again its hard for me to get one tied correctly. There is, for me, a higher chance of an incorrectly tied Palomar knot breaking than a correctly tied San Diego Jam.

No tape for me. I use old filler spools of whatever I have left over to back my reels.

Good video. I agree braided line is not a universal line. I use it for certain conditions like you mentioned in the video. I will sometimes use it around logs and stumps but too much of a tree and limbs and I find me self cutting into this type structure and getting the braid stuck in something. I find heavier FC or mono to be the a better choice. It can be tough call sometimes though since you can't always see what's under the water.

I have stickers all over my old one but nothing yet on the new one. Eventually I will put a few related to the areas I fish rather than be floating billboard for all the equipment companies I buy fishing stuff from.

Sunglasses, pliers, snacks, water, rain gear, and pfd. The other thing would be, not charging the battery.

What reel are wanting to super tune? Some newer reels really won't benefit from a super tune and new spool bearings. The pinion gears and main gears are so well made now, it's hard to improve them. For example the new Curado K comes smooth and polished as is but go back to the Curado G and this reel improves greatly with a super tune and some high end spool bearings. The question is.... Is the reel you have worth the cost of getting it done and will it benefit from it?

I picked up one of the crankbaits and it's pretty sweet. I haven't caught anything yet but I was surprised how well made it was.

I haven’t used the Cherry Wood so I really can't compare it. It does have a shorter handle and Winn Grips. It's definitely a different rod from most but I like it. In a way I it like better than the regular Mojo and the Premier.

St.Croix 7' M Mojo Yak. It's meant for kayak fishing but the tip is so soft that it works well for just about anything. The power is pretty good for a Med rod but sensitivity wise it's just OK. For the best do all rod, I like the G. Loomis 783C GLX.

Not out yet but the Megabass P5 BMG should do the trick. I have the Super Destroyer and it's not my favorite jig rod but it can handle a 3/4oz jig with trailer pretty easily. It's just a tad short and soft for bigger jigs. It is magical for just about everything else.

Loomis and St. Croix. As far as made in the US reels go, I haven't seen one in a decade that's worth buying. It's a shame. The best I can hope for now is "Made in Japan".

Not a fan of the reels but some of their other stuff I have picked up has been great..... Net, line (for a fishing buddy), lure covers, rod sleeves, kayak gloves, and I have seen guys with the back packs and fishing pliers, both look decent.