Hook2Jaw

For sure. I spend so much time in the water at work that it's either I like the cold or the reptiles.

@NittyGrittyBoy, I'm glad they found dude. @Bluebasser86, note to self, no Katsuage Outbarbs.

I'm not all that worried about finding secret honey holes or being given any, but I think I've about figured out that the big girls will either be prespawn or possibly on beds. My plan is to hunt them on flats with deep water access nearby. I've found several spots to try thus far, but I will add that Rock's Pond area to the list. My plan is to scout four spots with flats and the aforementioned deep channel access on Friday, with a lineup of topwater(spook and whopper plopper), lipless, squarebill and wakebait, and weedless paddletail. On the bottom contact and finesse side I will have a weighted Texas rig ready to go for worm, craw, and lizard, in addition to finesse jig and casting jigs. My spinning rods will have weightless Texas worm and fluke and shakyhead. About 7 sticks. Hopefully I can load the boat with moving baits and pick up a few bites on slower presentations or at least put 5 on the board tossing YUM Dingers to cypress.

I wanted to teach high school English and Literature. I climb trees and apply saw.

As a kayaker, 10 is a lot, 15 is dangerous. I try to keep it under 10 when I fish large lakes, but small ponds can get it with the wind on up a ways.

YUM and BBB, even before the price hike. H2O and Berkley hard baits are stellar.

I've never been on a Compass, but the stability should be similar. All of those boats are, in my opinion, a wash. A 2017 Outback will have less deck space than a 2020 Outback or Compass. The 2020 Outback will be the more expensive boat, but it will be loaded with features in comparison to the Compass. The 2020 Compass can be very personalized, but you might end up more expensive than an Outback for similar features. Demo the boats. Look at the colors offered. Pick one.

The old style Outback is a great boat, the new style Outback is a great boat. I would go with a 2017 over a 2019 -- those particular hulls see problems and I'm not just talking the front hatch, which is easily fixed. People have been having their 19 hulls cracking from being in the high seat position. Get the 17 and stick a trac and switchblade transducer mount or, my personal preference, a Berleypro transducer cover.

I'm fishing the KBF Open there in late February, and wondering if anyone had any tips and potential patterns. I have a few spots in mind with the idea that it will be prespawn and some might actually be on beds, but really don't have and absolutely cannot find concrete information on neither Marion or Moultrie.

Braid tricking isn't bad at all. It bled more before it was popped out.

I need to try that there Cavitron. I throw my plastic buzzbaits on 15# big game, a little line conditioner and I'm happy. I found a hole on the Polaris last week at work around Hinesville, @NittyGrittyBoy. I was busting a thin sheet of ice while I pulled winch cable but the water under the ice was Georgia warm and prime for a buzzbait.

Love me some Berkley hard baits, but, every time I wallop one against the water to clear grass or other debris, the LEFT eye ends up popping off. I feel like they dab a good bit of glue on the right eye and the left gets shafted. #eyeglueequality

If you don't carry it, add a length of heavy braid to your kit and learn how to unhook yourself. It's not fun, but it can save a day.

This is something I didn't think about but something I end up doing when I make a ride to a lake. I simply don't have time to try to force feed fish, if I know the lake I may as well head to another spot that holds fish that I'm aware of. If I don't know the lake, I may as well graph so when it happens the next time I've got another spot to try. If you've got to stay in that one spot, a Carolina rig or Petey(downsized Carolina) are some other rigs I'm a fan of besides what's been said already.

Being not big on knot wetting is a definite problem. Slobber that thing.

I'm with @LionHeart. I'm a fan of leader for shock absorption and abrasion resistance, and I also worry about line shy fish. I've got a 7'3" Medium Heavy rated to an ounce that I run straight fluorocarbon on in 15# because I don't run it in the really heavy stuff. When my 7'6" Tatula XT HF arrives it will be rocking 40# braid to 17# fluorocarbon and used for jigs and worming via casting and pitching.

@Jermination, that's exactly what I needed to see. Thanks.

Thanks to both of you. @MN Fisher, I was just worried the particular stick might be too much of a cue to get any distance with and really needed input from more owners. @Tizi, thanks, you're the 2nd guy that thinks it'll do just fine.

I know.

I don't have any heavy casting outfits, and this sucker is rated from ⅜-1½, and I want something for pitching ½-¾ ounce jigs, but also want it to handle Carolina rigs with ¾-1 ounce weights. I'm hoping it'll handle wobble head jigs as well for probing deep. I can get on for 80 bucks from SO, and stick a Daiwa Tatula 100 8.1:1 on it and not go over my 180 dollar safety bonus from work. I'm worried that since it's designated as a flipping, close combat oriented stick, that I won't be able to cast the aforementioned presentations. Thoughts before I pull the trigger, BR? Alternatively I might grab the 7'3" Heavy Fast that isn't designated for flipping and dabble into a beef stick for frogging. @Hammer 4 has already advised me, but I'm nervous. I don't know what to do.

I'm so, so very sorry, Tom. I can't imagine.

That the world record tie was caught in an oxbow in the state of Georgia.

DSG is the K-Mart of sporting goods suppliers.

While the amount of drag you're adding with a transducer arm is pretty negligible, it is drag and I would rather have a Berley Pro cover than deal with another accessory inside my kayak. That area is for waterlogged snacks and discarded plastics.