bralexander

That looks like a crazy ride! I didn't end up over there till much later than I thought, so I didn't do any fishing either. Hezeez, that boat looks interesting. Do you have any pics? I am not a huge fan of aluminum boats but that looks like a "vintage" boat in very good condition from what I could see in the video. Bruce

That emotion is exactly the kind of kayak I posted about. It has a good "name" brand, better construction, and proven design. Way better than the dolphin you first posted. I would have no problem recommending the emotion for a first kayak. If you get this from a local store then you can always return it if you absolutely hate it. Bruce

Just to give you an example- I paid $250 for this older Ascent 12' on craigslist a few months ago. I ended up selling it after using it for a few months(my 4 yr old really wanted to start going fishing with daddy and I needed something bigger) and broke even. This was a great handling kayak and was excellent to fish from.

Along with everyone else, I think you should keep looking, there are better deals out there. Definitely look on craigslist for a used kayak. If there are not any in your area, you should check out the larger sporting goods stores. They have sales all the time on kayaks in the same price range that are much better all around. I have been through a few kayaks in the last few years and have come to accept that 12' is my sweet spot, but 10' is workable (as long as you don't weigh 230+). When I have wanted a kayak in the past, I look on craigslist first and anything in my price range I research any reviews I can find. Then if it still seems good, go check it out in person. Many times you get a much better deal buying used and I have never had any problems. Also, buying used, you can sometimes barter if you do not necessarily have enough cash. I have personally sold a kayak to someone for cash, plus some car audio gear and it worked out great for both of us. Good luck, Bruce

Very nice! It turned out great. Bruce

Very nice Wingman, did you do the cut outs yourself? I have seen some for sale already modified and on another forum a guy had cut by hand with a dremel and some file work and it was very well done. Either way, it adds a custom look that I like. Bruce

Yeah, I transferred the braid to a modern reel already. I was using it with a flouro leader and probably will do the same, it's probably not necessary but I like the idea of being able to just break the leader in a unfreeable snag. Thanks Bruce

I did think of this, but I have no experience with a bailess setup. I have read up on it a little., are there any problems I should worry about or things I should do differently if I go bailess crypt? Bruce

Fair enough, I transferred the braid to a modern reel and put on some mono. I will test it out shortly. Bruce

No doubt, there are big differences between old and new. I fish both and I enjoy them equally. The quality and craftsmanship on this Penn is outstanding, even without all the new "improvements", it is incredibly smooth and strong. If I have to adapt my techniques or tackle/line that's okay with me. Thanks again everyone, Bruce

Thanks DVT, that's what I figured. All my other setups are currently mono, I just wanted to try out some new braid and was hoping I could use it on this reel. Oh well. Bruce

I appreciate everyone's responses, however, this is a somewhat "vintage" Penn 714x and unlike modern reels, you cannot close the bail by hand. When using more modern reels I do close the bail by hand and "feather" control the line. I have a few "vintage" reels that also do not close by hand, but I run mono on them and have no problems. I was hoping to use braid on this one, but am running into this problem. I may just try turning this into a bailess reel or switching back to mono, but was trying to see if there was something else I was missing first. Thanks Bruce

Baitmaker, these are amazing! I am very envious and in awe. That is all Bruce

You have a bunch of good advice here, but from personal experience- Unless you get a rack, you will eventually scratch your car! I have carried kayaks and canoes on a plethora of cars. If I am very careful and don't scratch them on the way up, eventually there will be some sand or something trapped between the foam/blanket/noodles that abrades the paint. I would not carry anything on a new car without a rack. A rack is a sound investment, in my opinion, and once you have one you will be surprised at how often it is useful in everyday shenanigans. Bruce

Just checking back on this, did you get out in the Harris Chain last weekend? Interested in what you caught/ what you used. I might be over there on Sat and am always looking for tips. Thanks Bruce

Ok, so I tried to recreate what's happening in my kitchen! So this is what the problem looks like-

Hey A-jay, thanks for the response. Unfortunately, the Penn 714x doesn't allow you to manually close the bail (unless I am completely wrong). And as for your first reason, the line is not actually going under anything. It is literally just wrapping around the small silver "button" you push to remove the spool. This hasn't caused and knots, yet, but is very annoying. Thanks Bruce

Hey everyone, first time poster, long time lurker! Anyways, I recently have been on a "vintage" reel binge and am having a problem with a "new" setup. The reel is a Penn 714x and I am trying out braid, again, with 15lb Power Pro Super 8 Slick. I did a good bit of research before deciding on the super slick and pretty much all the reviews were very good. My problem is the line will occasionally (every 8-10 cast) wrap around the push button spool release upon retrieval. I am not sure if this is because the braid is such low memory, but that is what I suspect. I like the braid otherwise, but between this and feeling I am not getting full casting distance, I am close to go going back to mono. I guess my question really is whether I am doing something wrong or using something wrong? I don't know. I have been fishing for 20+ years and do not have any problems with other setups. Thanks in advance, Bruce