NYWayfarer

I have been researching and trying out different kayaks since renting one when I was on vacation. Last night I purchased a Pelican Tracker Angler 100 from Dicks Sporting Goods on sale for $229.00 While I liked many other kayaks, like the Perception Hook, Old Town Trip, Future Beach Trophy, Pelican Sentry and Sentinel, I had to go with the Tracker because it is lightweight. I have a car with no roof rack so its the foam block carrier kit for me. Also I would need to load/unload and walk the kayak to the water myself. Also the rack I have to store this in my garage can only take so much weight. The Pelican Tracker weighs 38lbs and I was able to pick it up over my head at Dicks with no problem. It's a basic Kayak with no bells or whistles but it will get me on the water easier than any other option.

The guy at the front of the boat needs to hear that.

I had to break the habit of closing the bail mechanically as I have done it that way all my life. I now close it by hand and worry less about line twist, broken bail springs and all the other bad things mentioned above.

That dollar box is an interesting place to visit. I find YUM baits there that they don't advertise on their site. I have a pack of what look like Dingers with swimbait tails on them and a pack of grubs with paddle tails from that box.

Palomar. If I could I would tie my shoes using that knot.

I agree download a weather app and use it to see the conditions and radar for the time you are out on the water. I have the weather channel app. I pick 0% to 20% chance of rain days with low wind to go out on boats. Keeping watch of the in app radar for my area helps me make better choices on the water.

Yum Christie Craw.

I like multi-species fishing for anything with rod in hand. I was never a fan of trolling even though I do it occasionally for Lakers.

Great advice. I had not thought of that. Makes my jig buster tool obsolete now.

On my Rapala line clippers there is a knife and a backlash tool that has a hook like the bottom tool in that pic. I won't leave home for fishing without it.

A 15 day update on my Kastking Spartacus. I have been using this reel almost exclusively since I got it. It was the primary reel I used on vacation last week. After thousands of casts it is still performing well. No backlashes that were not my fault. Like my stealth it is pretty much backlash free as the line stops when my lure hits the water when the brakes are properly adjusted. It casts far with little effort. Just for testing purposes I was able to cast a weightless 3" Yum Dinger a good distance and not backlash on 12lb line. I would not normally use a baitcaster for a lure this light. That's the good, now the not so good. Cosmetically the reel has lost almost all of the painted on name and numbers on one side of the reel. That includes the Spartacus reel name, gone and the numbers on the magnetic brakes plus the words less and more, gone. The side you see in the pic above still has all the painted on words visible. The reel also has some flex to it that I noticed when Setting the hook on a submerged branch. This is too be expected with a graphite reel to some degree. No more problems with the cast button sticking. Overall it is still a great reel IMO. I like my Kastking Stealth better as the only thing that is an improvement on the Spartacus is the centrifuge brakes dial over the pins on the Stealth.

When fishing shallow ponds from shore I never get skunked if I wacky rig Yum Dingers using an "O" ring. If I don't get anything with the 5" version I downsize to 4" and then 3" if need be. Match the colors to the local forage. In my pond Green Pumpkin is deadly.

My fishing gear is in my basement. I would leave not rather chance gear failure on the temperature extremes my garage can reach.

I have been fishing from 6:30 pm to 8:00 pm as anything else is just torture.

Thanks guys! I did get a chance to sit in a SOT Kayak and I see the difference. Stability is the same which was my biggest concern. My BJ's Wholesale Club has a Pelican SOT kayak deal, kayak paddle and car carrier kit for $300 that I have my eye on.

Mine is a tie between Superman II (Christopher Reeve Version) and Goodfellas. I am a comic book collector and I love mob movies.

What's illegal is the price we pay for cable. Overbearing laws drive law abiding citizens to illegal acts. I pay for a gold package of internet and cable services from my local company. I also have a fire stick. I have all my bases covered and I am poorer in the pocket to show for it. Cutting the cord is looking better and better.

I hear you. Sounds like a recipe for happiness as long as it isn't abused. I am a spender and my wife is a saver. I would have nothing if it wasn't for her. Best thing I ever did was marry an accountant. I tell her all the time Togo buy something nice for herself. She made might take me up on it once a year and it's usually to buy a Vera Bradley bag on clearance.

I have been watching some YouTube live vids from the event and am very excited about some of the products I have seen. i am usually in Orlando at this time of year for vacation but my family and I decided to take a break from Disney this year. Just as well as I would not have been able to get into Icast as a fishing fanboy.

Old eyes are the debil Bobby Boucher. Clear blue fluorescent Stren and Trilene are the exorcist my friend. I use both 90% of the time when fishing mono. It really helps when you need to watch the line fishing wacky rigged stick baits

I have lived and died by Fenwick Eagle's. Both spinning and casting rods. Dependable, strong, sensitive and price conscious. It's hard to ask anything more from a rod than the Eagle.

My recommendation is the Kastking Stealth. Great reel, great price. Light weight, awesome drag, and once you get the brakes set right it's almost backlash proof. It is my favorite reel hands down right now.

I watched Flukemasters live Icast vid on the 13 new rods and reels. The colors were puke green and trashy tangerine. Horrible, the man needs some common sense. i am not into the whole fluorescent green phase the industry is going through. I avoided the Lews Mach 1 and 2 for that reason.

Pennsylvania Bluegill

Thanks for the advice guys. I will definitely try a SOT kayak when I get the chance. I have done done some research and I am leaning towards the sit inside kind since I can get one of those spray guards and fish deep into October here in the North country. @GrumpyOlPhartte the Trip 10 angler is the exact Kayak I had in mind. It is a Dick's exclusive kayak and like you said it is basically a Vapor with some rod holders