Boomstick

I think most people will say that Garmins are the easiest to use. I found the same thing toying with the demo models at BPS/Cabelas, and after owning a Garmin EchoMap UHD 93sv for a few months I will attest the UI is extremely user friendly and once you get it setup, you don't have to tweak a lot lake to lake. The imaging quality has also came a long way in the past few years. Lowrance units aren't too far behind. Hummingbird's have amazing imaging but at the cost of requiring more tweaking for obvious reasons. When I started shopping fish finders, I was considering a Lowrance HDS as it's the best of both worlds with a very good screen, but I quickly ruled that out simply because it eats batteries twice as fast as a comprable sized Lowrance Elite/Garmin EchoMap/Hummingbird Helix, largely to power the extra pixels. I strongly considered a Hummingird Helix Chirp Mega SI+ G3N as well for the imaging quality and a Lowrance Elite in a distant third place, but I'm very happy with the Garmin. I feel I can see almost everything - clear northeast water helps that for sure.

So as if 2020 wasn't a bad enough year, I've came down with a bad case of gout in my left foot, primarily affecting my ankle. I think it's been 3 years since I've had any real form of gout, but all summer I have been fighting off extremely mild joint stiffness in my toes which could have been the onset of gout. I learned in July on a week long camping trip when I forgot to take my medication that my medication was causing minor flareups, so I didn't take it so I could hike the trails. My mistake was taking it again when I got home. Fast forward to the third trip - we had a day that was raining pretty decently and we were expecting thunderstorms so we didn't want to take the boats out. So I tried to hike a fairly short trail before the effects of medication wore off and walking on my ankle caused me to hurt my ankle. Now a few weeks later this past weekend, my entire foot blew up. It might be the natural progression of gout, but just hurting your foot can also trigger an attack so I don't really know what happened. It improved enough on Monday where I was able to take the kayaks out with my youngest son (my oldest was sick sadly). I tried to go to a lake I normally shore fished a lot in the past but haven't been out on the kayaks, but all of the places I could get food were closed so I had to go across town for food so I took it to a small pond and caught four fish and the first bass was a good one and made me wish I brought the scale! But just getting out felt good and did wonders for my mood. But it got a lot worse since. It's gotten to the point I have to sleep on the couch and can barely sleep at night. I'm kind of bumming. Despite all the stuff going on this year with Covid and whatnot, jigs being sold out almost everywhere etc, I had more fun this year than I ever had in the past. Getting kayaks was a ton of fun! Then I got a fish finder, and learned a lot on how to use it, and read it and how to turn that into catching fish. My last camping trip was perhaps on the most beautiful, small motorless lake I have ever fished - only 20 acres, but there is so much structure between the shoreline, an island in the middle and fallen trees etc. So I've been watching fishing videos on BR/Youtube, checking the forums a little more and watching TV and gaming a bit more than I normally would since I can't do much else, but nothing else brings me the same peace as fishing.

Played guitar since I was 7. Started college as a music major, but switched to computer science...

So from my experience, the best day you really wanted to go you would have been the day you wrote this. I'm guessing the prior evening cooled off significantly as well although that may have ran into the next morning, but night fishing may have been good.

You could put braid on that and pair it with a MH rod too if you ever had to.

Well I have no idea how big those fish are, but I caught one today and figured it was probably about 3lbs max (didn't think it was long enough to be that much more), but it may have been similar on my rod as the second one you have there so it probably was bigger than I thought. I do always estimate my weights very conservatively for the record. I wish I brought my scale - wasn't expecting anything too big in the pond I was fishing, but I will say when it hit my bait it just stopped in place like it was a big fish.

This does sound like the fall transition. Throw a search bait like a spinnerbait (willow blades so you can reel it faster) or a crankbait, and see if you get bit. If you do keep fishing that spot, and if you don't it's time to move on. The bass are chasing the baitfish, so you need to be as well.

I don't think it was stuck, probably swam into the weeds for safety

IMO 60-68 is generally good water temps for catching tons of bass, but my best days have been on the evening of a cool day after a long heat wave. The water may still be 79 degrees (fairly hot), but the sudden change in temperature triggers the feeding instinct of these bass. That said, I largely ignore temperature and fish whenever I can get out. What I fish and how I fish it may change, but that's it.

Singlecut Jenny said tonight, an IPA with a very high IBU

I use a BG 2000 for my finesse fishing. It has a slightly wider spool than the 1500 and isn't too much heavier and can also run straight 6/8/10 mono line if I choose not to use a leader, so this was a win win for me. I would think a 2500 would be a little overkill for your needs. EDIT: I see I'm late here. The 2500 shouldn't be a game breaker either. Enjoy

Both what you are throwing and what the cover looks like comes into play. 8lb is pretty much for smaller, finesse style baits and generally not for heavy cover. Here's a quick rundown: T-Rigs - 12-15lb mono/fc (or 30-40lb braid with a similar leader - I usually use 15lb but occasionally 12 or 17) Jigs - 15-20lb mono/fc (or 50-65lb braid with an optional similar leader - I use 17lb fluoro or straight 50 or 65lb braid in cover) Spinnerbaits/Chatterbaits/Swimjigs - 12-20lb mono/fc (I use 15 or 17 depending on cover, rarely 12) Crankbaits/Jerkbaits/most treble hooked baits - 10-12lb mono/fc, or 15lb for squarebills in grass Hollow Body Frogs - 50-65lb straight braid Drop Shots/Ned rigs/inline spinners - 6-8lb mono/fc (or 10-15lb braid with a similar leader, I use 12lb braid with a 6lb leader) Of course, it is better to rate lines by the diameter than the rated breaking strength but I can never remember that offhand. I can attest that 12lb Berkley Big Game breaks well above 20lbs and most lines will hold above their rated strength. For example, Berkley Trilene XL 12lb is thinner than Trilene XT or Big Game, and 15lb Yo Zuri Hybrid is as thick as most thicker 17lb mono/flurocarbon lines (but the same doesn't hold true for their other line ratings as far as I can recall)

I'm sure the NRX is a fantastic all around rod. If I was to drop $500 on a rod, it would be a jig or T-Rig rod - probably a MH+/F that runs between 6'10" and 7'1" that would work for both - that is a 3/8oz and maybe 1/2oz arky head jig in lighter cover. That would make sense. When flipping and pitching, you're primarily getting bit on the fall so that wouldn't justify it for me. And from my experience with football head jigs, I usually have no problem detecting strikes when I'm dragging it sideways on the bottom either. That said, I don't think the best rod in the world would make up for what's essentially user error. Since I got a kayak, I have fished a jig a lot this summer and I've had even more success this year (and taught my kids how to fish a jig with some success as well). I have gotten to the point where I almost always know what I did wrong when I did miss a fish, know when I missed one and I also miss far fewer than I have in years past. But I still have a long way to go. This video demonstrates that nicely. Do the same for T-Rigs. I really dig a split grip for this technique as well.

A lot of of people use and love Shimano spinning reels, but I wouldn't call them the best bang for the buck. I would say that many Pflueger offerings are a better value, but I think it'll be tough to beat the Daiwa BG in terms of total value. Smooth reel and a drag system that can compete with much higher end reels, the only catch is the extra weight but that doesn't bother me. They're also known to hold up exceptionally well.

The Daiwa Tatula SV is probably the best I have used. If you set the brakes at 10 and cast directly at your target, you don't even have to thumb it other than to stop it. Several will recommend the Curado DC.

I will use my St. Croix Mojo Bass topwater rod for the real light ones, 1/4oz and under with a light wire hook. I don't have a perfect rod for those inbetween 1/4oz and 3/8oz, so I will use my 6'10" MH/F Daiwa Tatula with lighter line, but ideally a medium rod that runs on the heavier side would be ideal. My oldest son has been fishing them on his Sierra 703C, and that rod does well.

Since I see all that wood, I would try a spinnerbait, crankbait, and swim jig (or how many you can rig up at once) and then mop em up with a jig or a T-rig once you find where they're holed up (I usually go with an arky head jig around timber). With all that wood, I can't imagine you won't catch fish

My way of telling if I need it? Try a swimbait without it and if that's not working try a spinnerbait. If they hit the spinnerbait or the swimbait, you're good and no need to change. if they short strike the spinnerbait, try an underspin.

Well the water is getting colder and the fish are feeding more. It's not quite to the point where jerkbaits are perhaps the most effective bait, but jerkbaits, crankbaits, spinnerbaits, spinnerbaits and topwater just started becoming real effective up here. Come usually mid to late October, it's a jerkbait and a jig or t-rig or a very slow rolled spinnerbait. But that changes year by year.

You can catch them all year round on a jerkbait, but in the northeast it's prime time for a jerkbait

Tackle Warehouse on black friday isn't too bad!

I think the buzzbait is just that effective. I also have roughly the equivalent success with poppers, but for say a whopper plopper, the wind has to be blowing or it has to be in the right spot right at feeding time.

Here is my arsenal. I think it's pretty well rounded. The only thing I'm missing is a swimbait rod. 7'6" H/F Daiwa Tatula frog for pitching and flipping jigs (and lately casting heavier jigs since I lost my 7'1" H/F). I use this with 65lb braid in cover of 17lb flurocarbon. 7'4" H/F Daiwa Tatula for frogs. 65lb braid 7'1" Daiwa Tatula MH/XF with 15lb or 17lb flurocarbon - I use this for primarily 3/8oz and sometimes 1/2oz jigs, spinnerbaits, chatterbaits, swim jigs, paddle tail swimbaits 6'10" Daiwa Tatula MH/F with 15lb or 17lb flurocarbon first gen with a split grip - this is my favorite T-Rig rod for hot summer days - the split grip allows me to balance it in my hand looking for finicky fish bites. Sometimes a 3/8oz jig too 7'2" Daiwa Tatula glass MH/R (MF) with 10lb, 15lb or 17lb flurocarbon - I use this for spinnerbaits, chatterbaits, swim jigs, square bills in grass and deep divers (with 10lb fluoro) 7' Daiwa Tatula glass M/R (MF) with 10lb crankbaits - crankbaits, jerkbaits 6'8" St Croix Mojo Bass M/XF "Topwater" rod with 12lb mono - this rod is a true medium and it's perfect for jerkbaits and poppers. Little stiffer tip than ideal for keeping them pinned but it allows me to impart action and detect strikes on a rod twitch really well. 6'9" St Croix Avid X ML/XF spinning rod with 12lb braid and a 6lb or 8lb fluorocarbon leader - drop shots, ned rigs I also had a 7'1" Daiwa Tatula H/F that I used with 65lb braid or 17lb fluorocarbon for casting larger jigs and heavier T-Rigs and it used to also be my frogging rod and was pretty good for that. I loaned it to my youngest son and he lost it and the replacement arrived damage. I'll probably replace it for next season. Now my oldest son has a Dobyns Sierra 704C (15lb Yo Zuri Hybrid) and a 703C (12lb Yo Zuri hybrid) and it's a pretty versatile two rods. The 704C is nearly identical in power and action to my 7'1" MH/XF Tatula, and the 703C is on the heavier side of medium but the tip is closer to moderate fast. He also has an Ugly Stik GX2 which he uses for crankbaits and a Pflueger President M/F combo, but the 703C isn't horrible for a crankbait, especially squarebills in cover.

I am not sure about the Curado DC, but I can attest this is true for the Curado K.

Oh, back when country was good! I was playing Glen Campbell earlier... what many people may might not know is he was also a monster guiitar player.