FishTank

I think 8ft is too long for a kayak but I have seen guys do it and the price is nice for the Dobyns. If you have your heart set on casting 10xd's (at almost 2oz from a kayak), it's going to tough to do if you're sitting all day with that long of a rod. If you're standing, maybe not so bad. There is one rod that I have heard of guys using for big cranks and it's pricey but it's specifically designed as a shorter do all big bait rod..... Megabass P5 Tequila Baccarac 7' Regular Taper. It would be the most kayak friendly rod that I can think of for big baits.

Hopefully water temps will be about 40 and air temps in the 50s. Not ideal but I plan on staying warm and dry. Also plan on making it a short trip. This is what I will use.

I am hoping the same. The main lake I fish funnels wind so 5-10mph is more like 15. I was constantly making adjustments with the paddle and worrying about hitting the bank. I might try to get out this weekend if the water isn't totally frozen.

I don't see an issue either way as long as the reel is stored out of sun light and cold weather. I too have reels with FC on them that haven't been changed in a few years.

As far as baits I miss.... Xcalibur one knocker lipless cranks. I caught tons of fish on this bait.

I got it installed. It wasn't too hard but not as easy as they make it sound.

Yes. A little goes a long way. I use it on grag washers and gears only.

Not saying that the Krytox grease isn't good stuff but I have used Cal's and Shimano drag grease for years and everything has been smooth on every reel I have worked on. What reel did you grease with Cal's that was hard to crank?

I use to work on printing presses back around 1996-2004 and we used a lithium grease that was $100 for a .25oz tube on a special heat sensitive roller. Not sure why but it was crazy good stuff. It made the rollers last years instead of months. Also....Trust me, NASA has way more expensive stuff.

I was going to suggest the the 783C GLX but 843C works as well. I like the shorter length of the 783C for tight spaces. The cost he suggested would be too low for the ones we picked. With that said, the rod I am going to suggest isn't in the same category as the GLX but it has worked good for me as a do all kayak rod.... St. Croix Mojo Yak 7' M Fast. It has a soft tip that works for T-rigged soft plastic and works well for crankbaits as well as jerkbaits.

There is one thing that bugs me about the Metanium, it feels like a lighter version of the Bantam. It's not a bad thing, both great reels. I just think for the money I would have gotten another Bantam and lived with the extra weight. Maybe I haven't fished it enough to notice a difference between the two.

I have the 8x:1in the Metanium. It has the longer power handle. It's quick, almost too quick. As far as the Steez goes, the 7x:1 is plenty fast.

I picked one up last fall and like it so far. Smooth, light, and I haven't noticed any geary feeling in the reel. As far as which reel to pick..... I do like my Steez SV. It would be a toss up for me. I might give a slight edge to the Steez simply because I have fished it more. Another reel to look at is the Antares 70A JDM. Great reel as well.

St. Croix Legend Glass MH Mod.

Meat at Taco Bell ?

Nice glad to see you got it out.

I had one and lost it but it did catch fish. It sort of worked best when it just sat still. It was a weird bait for me but a bargain when you compare the quality of it to other swimbaits.

That's were I was going but I should have been more specific. As an example, I found a used, busted up Curado B for a buddy's set of reels. I picked it for parts including the spool, worm gear, and a worm gear paw. I think I got for $40 shipped.

I might be done for a while but JDM is starting to look like the best option if I want to add a new reel.

Reel frame parts are tough. They usually only make a limited amount of them and they're gone. You can occasionally find a few parts used but either way it will be expensive.

I am going to go with neither with the idea of a 1/4oz or less being thrown. I'm thinking Curado MGL 70.

I am the same when it comes to sitting and standing. I prefer to stand and like that I can sit down comfortably if I want to. Which is why I went the PA14. The conditions I usually fish at my main lake are windy. The spot lock would be great but I think on the lake I fish it wouldn't be totally reliable. Also, I thought the PA14 was the more stable of the two but the AP would definitely be more maneuverable and faster. I almost want to own both but my wife would kill me.

I grew up fishing these kind of spots and it can be tough. We had a few pits that were 50-75 feet deep with water so clear you could see the bottom. Any splash or sudden movement would spook the fish. Since it was a bowl, we would cast on to the bank and let the bait fall in or use live bait on a split shot rig. The best days are when it's overcast.

I use both and don't see any difference in hook ups so I really don't have a preference.

That was worth it.