Dirtyeggroll

You can get into a nice pedal drive kayak for that budget.

There are a couple of small lakes with nearby housing developments here that I have caught several 20-21” fish out of that weighed 2.5 pounds or less. I suspect that a similar phenomenon is occurring considering the number of guys pounding the lake with Senkos all of the time. Different fish:

I would also reckon they are not tailoring their fuel for outboard motors and thus may not have data for more than a vague answer.

But I did so good resisting the bait monkey during the last sale...

Spend a little time to find and save whole lot of money and buy a used one. No need to start with an aluminum boat, unless it fits your budget or water needs better. I went from a BassHound 10.2 (same as sundolphin) straight to my Ranger. If you're worried about the potential to put some learning curve wear on it then thats all the more reason to go used. Just got to do your homework. Z18 would be a good first boat. I'd make sure to get a keel guard on it ASAP. Ultrex will be a very useful addition. Electronics are nice too! Good batteries, but those can wait until the ones that are in it are done. A 5 gallon jug of Bass Boat Saver or some kind of equivalent and some rags to wipe the boat down after each use. Its just a good habit to get into, and if you start out doing it with everything needed its much easier to keep it up. Lots of people like a jack plate, a Hot Foot, and a blinker trim. Personally, I think those things come down to personal preference, but I think most people prefer them.

Have you thought about being the one doing the renting?

Can’t go wrong with any of the above in any combination. Pick whatever is most appealing to you. All are good, the rest is really just personal preference. Happy fishing!

Got into a little tossle with the bait monkey when those Curado 70XG’s went on sale at TW. I held him off pretty good until they went out of stock. He bit me pretty good. I hope it doesn’t get infected.

I fish 1.5’s with a Dobyns Champion 705CB composite and a Curado 70. I can launch a 1.5 squarebill on 10 or 12 lb fluorocarbon further than I will ever need to. Loads up great on the cast and on fish. Not usually a $150 rod, but if you can find one at that price, I’d argue it’s one of if not the best you can get.

Ever since I found out about this kayak a couple weeks ago, I constantly want it. I don’t need it and it would hardly ever get used because I have bass boat and no where close by to fish that I can’t launch the boat, but ... OUCH! Bait Monkey! Quit biting me!

1. Inspect it. Every square inch. Inside and out. -Look for any cracks in the fiberglass especially around the transom (on the back of the boat and in the bilge/battery compartment) and check corners. -Look at the keel for nicks and gouges When you think you’ve spent too much time looking it over spend that much time looking over it again. Then take a break and move on to the other parts of checking it out. Then after you’ve done everything else below, look it over again. 2. Check the transom for flex. Stand on the back of the motor and ride it like a bull. Really put your weight into it and see if the transom flexes. 3. Check the decking/floors for soft spots. March (lightly) over the whole boat. 4. Put the boat in the water and let it idle. Ask the seller to meet you with the boat cold so you can see how it starts. If you know how to check compression or know someone who does have them come with you and check the compression. 5. While the boat is idling check all of the electronics. Bilge pump, live well and navigation lights. These all can be a pain in the rear to replace. Check the bilge area to see if any water is leaking into the boat. 6. Run the boat. Let it rip. Then stop and start it again. 7. Check the trailer. Lights, brakes if applicable and hubs. If you encounter issues with the transom, find areas with exposed fiberglass matting, find soft floors, or run into issues with the motor, you should pass it up unless you are wanting an expensive project. Seriously, just walk away if you find issues with any of those. Another boat will come up. I probably forgot some stuff.

I do it every year. Maybe not this year though. Dont really see anything that can’t wait until Memorial Day.

The sale price remains throughout the 25 days. The stock, however, may not.

Or maybe they just gave up because people kept hacking it

TW 25 days of Christmas is live. Was hoping to find a good deal on some bulk Tatsu but I can get it cheaper on Amazon.

There are indeed data to support the idea that much of the population have “asymptomatic” herniated discs. If your pain is not related to the disc, then it should get better with rest. The epidural can help with the pain in the meantime. My suggestion would be to go with conservative efforts first. Especially if you are not experiencing any leg weakness or numbness. A discectomy usually requires adding hardware which you want to avoid at 28 (although it’s not a huge deal to have it that young). Additionally, you can always have the surgery if you don’t get relief with the conservative efforts.

C’mon man! Just make a simple affordable trolling motor that has spotlock and feedback/cable drive on the foot pedal without any of the other expensive tech junk that no one actually uses so you can keep it affordable. I don’t need the thing to make an unmanned trip to the moon, just to pull me around the lake and stay in one position when I want to.

Most stores with merchandise have cameras that are visible yet people still rob them at gun point.

It’s a funny thing paying $$ for baits that have such failing hardware.

Not to mention 10% off gift cards, and usually a good price on Seaguar line.

There are still some quality lmb and smallies, but the shear number of spots and their catch ability especially those 14 3/4 inch in length outnumbers the LMB and smallies 10 to 1. At least in my limited experience and what I glean from lurking the Ozark Anglers forum.

Especially at lakes that put up huge number of 1-2 lb "short" fish, such as Table Rock. I wonder what the standings would look like if the current fish catch data were favored to the best 5 big fish instead of the biggest total weight.

Don’t forget that being able to make the bait quietly entire the water may be just as important as accuracy. If you make a big ruckus but nail your spot, it might not favor well for a bite, however gently sliding the bait into the water even a couple feet off the mark might be subtle enough to draw a bite. It’s something that I don’t think we truly have the data to make any conclusions about. As far as being proficient is concerned, when you can get the bait where you want it most of the time from wherever the boat is and catch fish consistently doing it, that is when I would say one is proficient.

If you are a CLUB card holder and have BLACK membership status at Bass Pro/Cabela's, today is the the day to make your major purchase(s) at Bass Pro/Cabela's. You will get 30% in points on all purchases. For example, if you buy the Helix 10 MSI G2N for $999.99 today, you will get ~$300 in CLUB points to be used at Bass Pro/Cabela's or converted to a Bass Pro/Cabela's gift card. Essentially you would get ~$1300 of value for ~$1000. Deal ends at midnight.