Bass Junke

You need to have the google earth pro on your desktop. Going to the web page is not enough. No worries it's free.

Yes, the Vibe's have no pedal or power option. Paddling is the only way to go. I plan on getting the 2019 model and they say they improved rudder system, used better cord, cable,? I am going to try it out. Let's put a rudder on a canoe, if you are canoeing solo I can see this helping, maybe you don't need to switch as often. Now I put a rudder on a kayak I paddle... just going to have to wait to experience it. Can't wait. It has been a windy year here, my kayak has a pretty neutral drift. The wind really pushes me around but I tend to stay faced in the same direction. I find lures that move a lot of water turn me more. I spin like a top with spinner bait when not anchored.

All right Smalls, thanks I am going to try it at least a couple of times. I was just joking about saving some weight. I still think in the end it is coming off. Hey guys, if I do decide to remove it, first one to post their address I'll send it to him or her

I was looking at the Bending branches Angler ace classic, something like that. It was in the 130.00 range. After watching that video I ended up buying the Werner Camano 285.00. I hope I don't kick myself for not getting the adjustable Harold. In the end it was not about the extra 15 bucks, I think it was 3 or 4 ounces heavier. Going lighter. The Vibe paddle that broke was 40 oz, the Bending branches was 32 oz, the Werner is 26 oz. It feels like you don't have a paddle in your hands.

Harold always post some great stuff for us paddlers and I just did a search for this topic. Could not find anything, certainly not recent. The Headwaters guys put out some informative stuff, yes they are ultimately just trying to generate sales, but I will listen. They often stress the value of a quality paddle. They did an entire video on paddles, eye opener. Went from planning on spending 130$ to much more. I am getting a new kayak next year, planned on getting a good paddle along with it. My free vibe paddle kind of broke, aw shucks! My wife basically said get whatever you want I bought a really nice paddle, I knew it was going to better but wow!!! It is night and day. Thinking now about long paddles out to good fishing spots don't seem that bad anymore. My shoulders, arms and lower back have already thanked me. I know everyone wants to maximize what they get in a fishing kayak and they are getting expensive but do your body a favor, save some cash for a good paddle, it might be more important than the kayak.

All this talk about rudders on kayaks has me questioning my motives. I have a Vibe skipjack, it is a 9' no rudder. I will be buying the Seaghost 110 at the end of the year. My plan was to remove the rudder as soon as I get the boat, save a little weight. What will a rudder do for me? Will it save me paddle strokes when traveling long distances? Will it increase my maneuverability? My current method of fishing is once I arrive a spot I want to fish, I park my paddle, grab my backwater assault paddle and place it next to me. I have become quite proficient at adjusting my position with my line in the water. Now an 11' kayak is no giant, it only weights 65lbs. I am pretty confident I could spin that kayak 180 degrees with 2 paddle strokes. I think the rudder will help with positioning. The fact that the Vibe's rudder is foot operated does make it worth at least trying. Help me out guys. How is a rudder on a kayak going to help me?

Both techniques have caught the majority of the fish I catch. Drop shot I use more thus have caught more fish using it. Regular sized Ned rig is kinda small, I usually only use it on a bottom it is not going to disappear into the silt or mud. I guess that makes the DS a little more versatile, adjust the leader length fish for suspended fish or over the tops of weeds.

Haven't caught anything but my hand on any bait with a treble hook. Love dragging things on the bottom. Jigs, Carolina rigs, shakey heads, Ned rigs, drop shots though. Like others have said need to just fish them and stick with them to gain confidence.

Did you guys see the links below the article? One is a list of the top 25 bass of all time caught. That list has a few asterisks in it. Seems to me there should be a few more.

It's funny right after I posted this question the next week I was on vacation and fished 3 days that week. It was a trout fest. I caught them on Ned rigs, drop shots, shakey heads, and keel weighted paddle tails. Lots of fun catching trout.

Forgot to mention a cheaper option. I have not tried this but according to Navionics you can download the mobile app turn on your phones location feature and you can track your location on your phone with Navionics and use your Garmin for sonar only. The app is pretty pricey 15$, but it looks like a one time fee( not monthly). Worth noting, looking on the play store there is a note on the page to download the app, the note reads- "this app will be discontinued". Not sure what that is all about.

Just got the Garmin Stryker 4CV this year. Awesome unit. Researched it last year. If my memory serves cheapest unit I could find with Navionics or whatever maps pre-loaded was around 300$. Cheapest with side imaging, and maps 500$. A lot of the places I fish are not on Navionics. I bought the Garmin because it makes it's own maps. It's one of the best features. No GPS? Didn't Garmin practically invent that?

I just read the article on Lunker lore. A very interesting read. A fishy fish story to say the least, with maybe a little foul play thrown in there for good measure. I became intrigued when you mentioned that the record might be a little tall in the tale in another thread. I don't know Tom but 3 over 17 1 over 18 and 1 over 19 is a pretty impressive body of work. Who is the better angler? The guy that happens to catch the fish of his life or a guy who spends him time targeting giant fish and catching them? I would rather hear what the latter guy has to say.

Thanks for the info Alex. I have not pulled the trigger on a purchase yet. I did fill out the requisition and just awaiting for approval from the boss.

Good stuff Mick. Yea most of vids say find the spine but most of the post I have been reading here say build on the straightest axis. Just like a pool cue roll it on the table and find the bend, mark it, and build so the curve is opposite where the line falls.(not sure how to say that). I was going to buy that pro coat kit, glad you said that. I envisioned myself having to do two coats, basically planning on it.

Exactly. 200$ and no tools or supplies to show for it. Plus it is all weekend, I want to get out on the water. Maybe if it was in February. Thanks Kurt, can't take all the credit. The mousetrap idea I saw on Pintrest. The rest I just winged it by watching guys building rods. Alright Spencer you convinced me, going to build this first one no frills. Thanks all, not sure when this is going to happen, but I will post my progress.

Thanks Mick we are on the same page. Man I love this website. I am going to order a book, probably 3 spools of thread black orange and maybe a metallic just to play. I have bought nothing yet. My new plan is still to buy bare minimum build the rod, wrap the guides and then decide if I want to do this and if the answer is yes(pretty sure it will be), I think I will order the dryer so I don't have to turn my rod for 2 hours, It would probably come out better if it was turning constantly. Funny how my luck is, I am on vacation next week and next Saturday and Sunday Mudhole has a rod building class 20 minutes from my house. Tempting. 200$ and it is all weekend, at the end you have a new rod you built but no supplies or tools. I have already watched many videos on this and tons of research. I feel pretty confident I can do this with current tools at hand (and a book). Not to mention great advise from everyone here. I will be ordering the correct supplies I need no skimping here. Thanks Mick for some of the stuff I forgot. 2 quick questions. My wife said she would divorce me if I got another hobby. Is this considered another hobby or does this fall into the fishing category? If I build her a nice rod(maybe a nice hot pink one), will she be happier about my new hobby? Thanks everyone.

On the get bit website under Rainshadow I never hit more, Wow! they have a lot of blanks for sale, I like your suggestion Spencer, I think that is going to be the first blank I build on.

Thank you Mick. I have already discovered there is a lot of friction on the wood of the mousetrap and the spring itself. I have an idea how to fix that but at the same time I will keep the book method in my head in the event the mousetraps fail. That is just regular sewing thread on there I borrowed from my wife for the photo, I haven't bought any supplies yet. I figure the only tools I will buy now are the thread tool combo pack and the tape dispenser from Mud Hole. Do I need a reamer right away? Do I need anything else?

Thank you Spencer. Okay, first rod spinning setup for mainly drop shot. Looking to buy something inexpensive. Are the CRB color series any good model IS701ML? Are the get bit slates better model GBC 6'10" m? Both are about the same price. Will I be happy or should I spend a little more for a MHX DS822-blend? Is 74$ to much for a first build?

Like many others on this forum I have been thinking alot about building my own rods. It is not about saving money, it is about building rods the way I want them. The creative aspect is also a big draw for me. The general consensus is don't spend a lot of money on equipment, just try to build the first one on a box. Below is a photo of my creation. You guys think I can build a usable rod with this poor man's Macgyver rod wrapper? Anything you see that might be a potential pitfall? I do not have a dryer so I believe I will be doing the tedious job of turning my rod for a couple of hours by hand but I will be prepared for that, I hope. I have a couple of mousetraps modified to hold a spool and create tension, that whole piece rides on those wires allowing me to slide it back and forth. I think it will work.

Great advise Tom, thank you. I have already seen examples of both of what you described. Good to know I am actually reading this right.

I live in southern New England and have 2 ponds that get stocked with trout (3 times each this year). I fished both of these ponds frequently last year and caught many bass. Whitings pond Plainville, North Attleboro Mass, basically a big bowl with steep drop offs and deep water, deepest is over 40'. Hard bottom and fairly barren, humps and sharp elevation changes are the only contour changes I have found. Not a lot of submerged structure. The other pond, Falls pond, the southern half. This pond has a little more variety,(this pond is on navionics). Still mainly hard bottom but there submerged boulders and rock, lily pads and some grass in areas. I bought a Garmin this year and I do not know if having these 2 ponds near me is a good thing or a bad thing. I got out on these 2 ponds in April a couple of times and I have done some good research on using and reading fish finders and I feel I know pretty much what I am doing. April water temps started out in the low 40's and reached the mid 50's by last Friday( last time on the water). First time on the pond water temp 43,pond has been stocked with trout twice. I see fish everywhere on my sonar, mostly trout I am guessing. My question, I know I cannot tell the difference between fish on my sonar but what do trout do differently than bass? Do they stack up differently, do they stage higher in the water column? Is there even a way to tell? Should I just go to another body of water or should I give in and start fishing for trout? Any advise would be great, thanks.

Check out www.fishfindermounts.com. No drilling, no holes, and no glue. Just a few really strong magnets. Totally portable and you can even move it from your canoe to your kayak. I can take everything to run my Garmin from my car and installed into my kayak in just over 2 minutes.

Hmmmm, now that I think of it, another lens option might be something to look into. Thanks for the info.