YaknBassn

I love the Gen 4 Revo reels. So much better than the 3's.

H20Xpress Mettle paired with a Daiwa Aird rod. Thats a combo thats right around $100. Both a surprisingly good considering their price points, especially the Mettle. It gets overlooked because it's a house brand reel, but it's solid as a rock.

I use Abu's, specifically the Revo series. I'll be honest, they're good reels, but I still wish I had went with Daiwa reels. I will say that the Revo 4 series has dramatically improved over the 3 series.

I made a blind purchase on them and I'm glad I did. I absolutely love them. I got rid of my Dobyns and Falcon rods in favor of them. I would suggest going for the Invoker if you can swing it, but the Lancer isn't a bad rod at all, especially at $89.

I've got several Ark rods. The Lancer is an incredible rod for the money. Very light weight, not at all tip heavy, and the guides see to be durable. I'll use it before I would any other in that price range. The rod ratings are (to me)what you would expect. I like it more than the Viper series, but not as much as the Invoker.

While I'll never spend that kind of cash on a rod, I certainly understand why someone would. Especially if they regularly fish tournaments. A fishing a rod is a tool, no different than the tools I use to make my living. I can get by with a $4 pair of Wal-Mart linesman pliers, but the more expensive Klien Tools are better made, more comfortable, and make my job easier. I used to scoff at the idea of spending $150 on a rod, believing that an Ugly Stik was just as good. Then I bought a $150 rod. There isnt a comparison. The more expensive rod is hands down a better tool. I can catch fish with an Ugly Stick, but I'm not as comfortable and the rod isn't as dependable. I can buy that a Megabass rod is way better than an ALX rod. If it's in your budget and you can personally justify the need for a high end rod, then by all means, use one.

I've got several different brands, but I'm slowly changing everything out to Ark Rods.

UPS has always been excellent. FedEx was spotty, but where I live now, that driver is great. USPS...just no.

I've been fishing all of my life. It's only been in the last couple of years that I've started to exclusively target bass. Despite reading, buying quality gear, and spending time in the water, I haven't progressed as much as I think I should have. It occurred to me that I've never taken the time to really learn to fish different lures. I've always had a habit of switching up quickly if something wasn't productive. Today, I challenged myself. I took out three rods, along with two lures to use on each. I've read about how Fall can be very productive or very slow. I wanted a productive day. I brought out lures that I thought would work best in the conditions. Instead of constantly switching lures and techniques, I was forced to adapt, slow it down, and pay closer attention. I ended up having the most productive day of my fishing life. I didn't catch huge fish, but I caught numbers. I landed 13 in six hours on the water. In doing this, I learned more in six hours than I have in years. I think this is something I'll do occasionally throughout each season, just to learn to fish specific lures more effectively.

BrianSnat has a point. If you plan on multi-day camping trips, a canoe is worth looking into. If you just plan on simple overnights, then you could probably get by with a kayak. Just think of what you want to do. First question is your budget. Kayaks range from $200 all way up to $4000. Anything around the $1500 mark puts you in a rock solid fishing platform. Do you want to be able to stand comfortably and fish? Do you want to be comfortable enough to fish for hours or just quick trips?

Black Max was my first baitcasting reel. I paired it with a $50 Daiwa Laguna M/F rod and it does what I need it to do. I bought it over three years ago and still use it today. It's not necessarily a BAD reel, it's just not built for heavy use. There's an obvious difference in quality when compared to a $200+ Revo, but Revos aren't marketed to the everyday Joe who fishes just once a month.

I'm going to go a different direction than everyone else and suggest Ark Rods. Their Viper series is excellent at the $100 price point. I have most 4 rods from the Invoker lineup and they're incredible. I only have one Viper, a spinnig rod, but it's a very solid rod. Look into them.

We're getting into the off season, so there's a very real possibility you'll be able to find a "high-end" kayak at a great price. If it's possible, stepping up another $200-400 really opens things up.

I stopped by Academy to pick up some new hooks, but I left with hooks, frogs I didn't need, jerkbaits, swim jigs and lipless crankbaits. Ended up spending nearly $50 on what should have been a $6 stop. Bait monkey sucks.

I do the biggest part if my fishing from a fishing kayak. That, along with being short, I don't really like anything longer than 7'6". The reel you're referring to is a Tatula correct? I've checked them out. A little more than I wanted to spend, but not out of the question. I've never personally fished a Daiwa reel, but they seem to get a lot of love.

I'm looking to buy some new gear for punching. I'm just looking for some generally recommendations on rods, reels, hooks, etc. I've really grown to like the Invoker lineup from Ark Rods, so Im leaning towards their 7'4" Mag Heavy rod. However, I've heard countless people recommend the Tatula rods, so I'm looking hard at their 7'4" Frog rod. As far as reels go, I don't really know what to go for. I've thought about snatching up another Revo STX 3 while they're cheap, but again, I keep looking at the Tatula lineup. What are the key differences in all of the models? There are so many options, between the SV, 100, CT & Type R, it's a little overwhelming. Which better suits the purpose of punching?

Are you sure you're taking enough time to find the correct presentation? I know it's difficult when you have a limited time to fish. Sometimes I find myself swapping baits too often and never really taking the time to really present a single lure in every way. Slow it down and relax. P

I do 99% of my fishing from a kayak, so I typically carry four rods, but I'm looking to add another to my arsenal. I've got several (cheap)setups, but I generally take the same four that I feel do multiple things well. I'm currently using: Ark Rods Invoker 7'1" Hvy/Revo STX - Frogs, Swimjigs, Swimbaits Powell Max 3D 6'8" MHF/Tournament MB - Texas Rigs, Jigs, Castaway Taranis 6'10" MF/Revo S - Plastic Jerkbaits, Spinnerbaits, Topwater, Shallow/Lipless Cranks Dobyns Fury Spinning 6'6" ML/Pflueger President - Finesse applications As you can see, I really don't have any brand loyalty at all. I really enjoy using different equiptment. I'm just looking for a recommendation on what to add.

For me, 5' of visibility would be clear water. My home lake is 1', maybe 2' of visibility.

I do 99% of my fishing from a kayak. I used to bring bare bones, but I've slowly worked my way up to bringing everything. I usually bring a total of 6-7 rods, 4 being on deck, ready to use, and the others stowed below deck. I have a crate with three 3500 boxes with jigs, topwater, and cranks. I also have a double sided 3600 satchel with terminal tackle and other items. I also bring a tacklebag with an assortment of soft plastics. I do like to try and anticipate, but I like being able to adapt to the conditions.

I always bring a large trash bag with me. This past weekend, I put it at a launch on a wildlife refuge with THREE large trash drums and a place to dispose of fishing line. I filled the bag, picked up who knows how much line, and even collected a used boat battery.

Caught a catfish by the dorsal fin with a crankbait. On a separate occasion, I caught a gar by the tail with a crankbait. Crankbaits are fun. I've also had an Osprey make a dive at a fluke. He grabbed it, but luckily, he didn't get hooked.

I do all of my fishing from the seat of a kayak. I bought it so I could expand my potential as an angler. Fishing from a kayak adds a challenge in itself. Being limited on storage, it forces you to actually think about the conditions and what will/won't work on the water. I've fished a couple of local kayak tournaments, but most guys do it for the same reason...it's fun. Catching a bass, be it a dink or a giant, is fun. Of course, I'm a competitive guy, so Im always challenging myself to learn and evolve, but it's a hobby, not a means to make a living to me. Fishing is an escape from everything that bogs me down in life.

I've used a Falcon BuCoo SR 6'10 Heavy/Fast as my "go to" for fishing the slop for a while now. Initially, I was looking for a new rod for fishing Texas rigs and jigs 3/8oz and up. I never realized, until recently, how much lighter Falcon Rods feel than others. There's MH rods by others that feel heavier than a Heavy Falcon. My question is...should I replace the Falcon with a new H/F rod and use the Falcon as my Jig rod? Or continue using it as I do now and just purchase a new Jig rod?

Falcon BuCoo SR. I the Medium/Moderate is available in 6'6" and 7'. Great rods for the price.