FishTank

It's too much rod for the Karashi. I have thrown it on the Kasumi Six Eleven and it can be challenging on that but it's not too bad. To me, the Karashi is a true BFS bait for either a BFS rod or a light spinning rod. If your goal is to throw the Karashi, I would look at something different for sure. For the Shad Rap, the Kasumi Six Eleven is my go to. For me the Z-Crank is best with 3/8oz cranks and jerkbaits. With stuff that is a 1/4oz, it can be frustrating to get to load. I also throw the regular 110 on it but nothing heavier.

@Patrick Oliver I have two of the Conquest BFS's reels and I have tried PE #0.8 with leader on a P5 Kasumi Six Eleven. It worked but I didn't care for it and went back to fluorocarbon, particularly 5lb and 6lb Sunline Invizible. I have PE lines on other set ups and it's not an issue but this one with the almost micro guides was a challenge. Oddly, the Sunline Invizible cast further than PE to leader. It's sort of a mystery to me as to why. Maybe I should try a heavier PE. All I know is that this is my favorite set up for BFS crankbaits and I am sticking with Sunline Invizible.

I am kind of thinking the same but as my first day went on, I sort of figured it out. It was more in how I was trying hold the reel and snapping the X-Nanahan (pictured above) while sitting in a kayak than anything else. I use to have the same issue with a few Daiwas and my thumb. Also, the backlashing with this thing is pretty generous. It's not as forgiving as a DC reel but then again the heaviest thing I casted on it was a 3/16oz jerkbait with a full spool. I need to spend some more time with it and I also need to cast some heavier lures. I also would normally say the same thing with any Kastking reel. The ones I have held have been clunky right out of the box and worse as time goes by. This thing feels more tight, like some of the upper end Daiwas but still a little different and somewhat tighter. The guy that sold me on it used his for 1/2oz and 3/4oz jigs and as a punching reel with heavy FC, maybe 16-20lb. He had put it through the wringer for a few months. I am planing using it for finesse/BFS cranks and jerkbaits. Only time will tell.

I wanted to try something different so I decided to try one these guys. I was at a local shop back in spring and a sales guy there had one. It felt different from anything else I have seen. I had a good coupon code and they were giving away a pair of pliers and a couple of soft plastic bags on their website so I placed my order. My initial thoughts after fishing it a few times..... It's crazy light almost too light. I have it on a Megabass P5 Kasumi Six Eleven with 8lb FC and it almost feels tip heavy. It took me a minute to get use to. They claim it can handle BFS type lures down to 1/16oz. I put that to the test with a couple of little 1/8oz crankbaits/jerkbaits and it did pretty well but it's definitely not its strong suit. I felt like a I was fishing a reel with a shallow spool. It's actually kind of cool. It does a good job of controlling a cast with little baits but it's not as good as a regular BFS reel. When bringing in fish, it's actually really powerful and solid for how light it feels. The drag is just ok and the drag clicker sounds cheap. The retrieve though is super smooth, again almost too smooth, like nothing I have used. You can't feel a thing when you crank it. The thumb bar is also really light and is effortless to push. It's kind of weird and it takes some getting use to. The brake dial is the one thing I don't like. If you palm it and try to work a jerkbait, it's easy for it move. It should be tighter. I found I had to check the setting from time to time. Overall I like it and it is different. I do feel that a JDM Metanium shallow spool would have been a better purchase for a few more dollars. I do think Kastking has come a long way and this reel is a major step. It's solid, fun to fish, and handles a wide variety of lures weights with a regular spool.

I have one. It has become one of my favorite rods. I use it mainly for jerkbaits. The tip recovers quickly so it snaps a jerkbait easily. My favorite bait to throw on it is a Megabass Vision 110jr +1. I have also thrown small cranks on it, like its namesake, the Z-crank and the OSP Blitz. I have it paired with a Shimano Calcutta Conquest Shallow Spool. It's a blast to fish.

For me I throw black and red in the fall when it comes to jigs and sometimes crankbaits with a craw pattern. In dirty water I usually throw black with blue flake or a bright colored crankbait or jerkbait. Years ago a red hook trend came about because a supposed study. It prompted a lot of anglers to switch out their hooks to red ones. It also got guys to throw red hard baits or so called bleeding baits. This never really worked for me but for some I guess it did because red hooks are still around. I guess it depends on your level of success or confidence.

If you are intending to hit just above bottom, you might try this guy below. What you do is, set it up sort of like a drop shot. You will have to experiment with length on the bottom line to your bait and the line to your lure. It can be a nightmare to cast. I found it easier to sort of side arm cast low and then move my boat/kayak back while letting line out (long lining) so I can have a longer retrieve and a better chance of hitting the right depth. It's better to do this on a sandy bottom first. https://www.tacklewarehouse.com/Ryugi_3-Way_Caro_Swivel/descpage-RSWVSA.html?from=gpmax&gad_source=1&gad_campaignid=20188093914&gbraid=0AAAAADkexy5qZOuJMlZq9DRiqVP3CfJRe&gclid=Cj0KCQiAiqDJBhCXARIsABk2kSmw6VhWeX0RS_zfZEJ1yDLw7NLTxoOKHOm-TG1TLn2ElniwtRUihyEaAo8VEALw_wcB It should end up looking like this. It is a common walleye technique. We use to call it a 3-way. Not sure what it is now.

Each reel I own is almost for a specific purpose. So if you really want to slim down, I wouldn't base your decision on the reel but rather on the technique you use them for. Decide on which you throw the least or maybe even the most. If you don't use it, then maybe you need to let it go. If you use it a lot, maybe think of an upgrade.

Not for me. I received a few of their lures and baits in a mystery box. I couldn't give them away. There is one exception, the Lunker Log stick bait. These actually caught fish when wacky rigged. I was impressed but not enough to let them replace a regular Senko but I did have more success with them than other stick baits I've tried.

Owner ST 36s for most crankbaits Ryugi Pierce and Dagger for BFS and light crankbaits Gamakatsu Nano G-finesse for 110s I also like the BKK Fangs and Hyperlatchs. I've tried them on various baits.

Amazon has the Abu Garcia Max Pro for $55 on a Black Friday Special. I think it retails for $100. Looks like a solid reel for the money.

You might look at the Kistler Hunt series. I use mine for small BFS baits including the Karashi and small top water poppers. Despite having a delicate tip, it can bring in the fish. It loads and casts little baits perfectly. Its just a fun all around rod. Caught this monster smallmouth on it.

I still have a few but it use to be the Venom Big Shot. It's compact and fat so they would be easy to flip or skip. I don't think they are made anymore but I use to put Megastrike in them and a use either a heavy stupid tube set up or the Owner Phantom Tube Hook. Both worked. I may have only thrown a tube a few times this year. Not sure why.

I am not sure of the percentage but when I kick the bucket, somebody is going to have a field day.

I would glue it but ultimately it sounds like the keeper just isn't made correctly for the Zoom Horny Toad. You might look at the one Picasso makes. I had one briefly before I put it in one of those invisible trees. It worked pretty well with the Zoom toad but unfortunately, I didn't catch anything on it.

I picked up another P5 Kasumi Six Eleven. I got lucky and found a really good deal on it in the US. Here may be the downside of my Bait Monkey purchase.... I bought a KastKing Mg-Ti Elite. A guy at a local shop showed me one he bought earlier this spring and I was impressed. I couldn't get it out of my head. So one good coupon code later, I ordered one. This is my first KastKing reel. The ones I have seen in the past didn't look to be something I would spend money on but this reel felt way different than anything else I had seen from them.

I've been using it for a year or two and no issues so far. I will be breaking down a few reels over winter and we will see what it looks like.

Just give it time.....

I went both Friday and Saturday on my kayak to two different lakes and the two days couldn't have been more different. Friday I caught 8 largemouth and and handful of nice crappie. The weather was great, 45 degrees in the morning and 60s in the afternoon with a small amount of wind. Saturday was a nightmare. The forecast called for 8-10 mph winds with gusts up to 15mph and temps up to 70. Sounded like the perfect day but it turned into a disaster. The wind was 25mph sustained and I had gusts around 40+mph. At one point for about 5min, the tornado sires went off. I started to get swells that were about 2-3 feet. The temps stayed in the 50s as the wind was creating a mist. It was weird. The air was warm but the mist made it constantly cold. I eventualy tucked tail and hid in a cove behind a boat shelter. There was no way I was making it back to the boat ramp. I waited for about 45min and started to head back but noticed that there was a spot across the lake with a high hill. I made it across and was able to fish the rest of the day. I ended up catching 1 smallmouth, a few wipers, and oddly a few gizzard shad. This would be a pretty abysmal day but under the conditions, I caught a few fish and I survived. I'd call that a win. I will say one thing, if had my old kayak, I would have gone swimming. For once the Hobie PA14 I have, took a beating and kept me safe. My body is still soar. It surprised me how physically exhausted I was after bouncing around all day. It took a lot out of me to navigate and keep the kayak balanced. No fish pictures but I took this after getting off the water. Oddly the wind died down as soon as I left.

I'm either doing a burn and pause in deep water or going slow and tapping the tips of rocks and structure in shallower water.

Sometimes yes but more importantly is that the bait runs correctly.

The Hook Up Tackle is killing me.....

I bought a small scale last year but I don’t use it for BFS lures as much as I use it for jigs, especially 3/8 oz and 1/2 oz. You would be surprised at how far off the jig weights are. I was trying at one point to keep them separate but the heads sizes are so similar and one brands 3/8oz might as well be anothers 1/2oz.

I like a cork handle and I'm impartial to a split grip. I use to hate it on some rods but things I disliked (lack of balance and feel), have improved on a lot of rods.

I'd stick with what you have. For me, I like dragging a tube but in my lakes, you can get hung up a lot. So I don't throw them as often as I could. I do throw a heavy tube occasionally. Sometimes a heavy stupid tube is good to throw around laydowns and docks. It can be easy to skip and sometimes fish like it better than a jig. I also throw a Fat Ika as a substitute.