schplurg

I also use a Yi Action Cam, the 4K model (not 4K+). It can easily be "hacked" to increase the bitrate for each resolution to well beyond a GoPro. You can also increase the bitrate for audio. Look it up if you want to try it. I think it's a must. It does have probably the best sensor out of all of the budget action cams. The stabilization is usable depending on what you are doing. It's so-so. Good for pans and sometimes walking. I use the "flat" color setting as the "Yi Color" setting is atrocious - so over-saturated that it's unusable to me. Flat color needs a little color correcting on the PC afterwards but it looks way better. I also find that the GoPro 7 videos, virtually all of them, are over-saturated. Not a lot but enough to look phony to me. The world isn't that vibrant! Many people tend to like that though. Turn sharpness OFF on the Yi cameras (or low I forget, whatever is lowest). Add it later while editing, the camera's sharpness feature is crap. CRAP I say! You will need to do at least a little editing if you want a presentable video. I mean cutting out the boring stuff. There are some free options that are fine, or find a friend or kid to do it I love having these videos! I have about 30 on YouTube. I started posting them so friends could watch and I got some subscribers along the way. I let my cam run most of the time while actually fishing. Depends on the resolution I'm using (SD card space). The Yi Camera has very good battery life. They also have great support. Excellent, including the return policy. The camera's not perfect but for between $79 and $199 you can't go wrong with it. It's the best in that range. I'd also recommend a used GoPro 6. Try craigslist if you wanna spend 220 or so. I'd do that instead probably. My next cam maybe. A photo is cool, but there's nothing like having the cast, hookset, fight, weighing and release all on hi-def video, especially when nobody is there to share it with. I have my PB on there (more than one), my reaction is funny. I have another video of me and a friend having a perch surf fishing contest which was a blast. Video editing isn't for everyone but I love it. I wear the camera clipped to the bill of my cap. I prefer that over a chest mount, just use a good hat! I sometimes use an iPad or whatever for a second stationary cam to mix it up a bit. If you think you can edit video OR if you know someone who will for you I HIGHLY recommend a video cam. I'm very happy to have it.

Kayaking isn't for me it turns out. I am probably going to trade my kayak for a small boat. Reasons: Tendinitis and paddling do not mix. This was the main test for me. It ain't working out. I find myself fighting the yak more than I fish. A pedal kayak might help or maybe a trolling motor, but really if I'm gonna do a motor I may as well get a boat. I can get a foot controller for hands free operation. I really want hands free as much as possible. I want space to move around. I find myself not changing baits as often as I would normally just because it's more of a chore. I think I'm too impatient for a yak. I feel stuck in the seat and I just don't care for it for long periods. The yak isn't as stable as I'd like. Anything better is too heavy for me. I initially wanted a boat but wanted to try a kayak due to it supposedly being more likely to get me on the water more often. It isn't true where I live. Pretty much every aspect of this kayak would be improved, for me, if it were actually a boat. Even launching would be easier and faster for me. I've actually been depressed for many days over this, mainly due to my tendinitis pain. I'm going to a doctor by the way. It isn't an easy decision for me to sell this. But I see a boat as allowing me to fish more by not tiring out my body paddling. It will also be much more comfortable. I really wanted to do an aluminum bass-conversion to begin with. Now I will do that knowing that I tried the kayak first. I am now confident that it is 100% what I want. I'd keep the yak but I could use the money towards a boat. Hoping for a trade. I practically live at a cabinet shop so doing a deck will be easy and fun for me. I gave it a shot.

I'm usually honest when I see another angler on the banks I fish. I don't give up "my spot" at the local ponds though because they are few. Other places - "Ya I caught two bass on a yellow crankbait right over there by that tree. I've had good luck along the dam too. Good luck!" If I see poachers I will call fish and game or whoever is appropriate. These are usually the same people who leave litter all over the place too. I think I hate litter more than poaching. It just blows my mind that people do that. Those are the guys that don't make eye contact with you...poachers and litterbugs, so they don't dock talk anyways.

You seriously don't fish on one of the seven days we have because of "bad luck"? Who dishes out this luck and why did they pick Sunday for you to be unlucky? I wonder if you can file an appeal, maybe change it to Tuesday or something. Then again I stay away on weekends sometimes due to crowds. Maybe if you wear two different colored socks you could fish on Sundays. I have no superstitions. I'll fish on Friday the 13th and I'll walk under a ladder indoors with an open umbrella to get there if I must. I even bring bananas sometimes so I guess you could call me a bit reckless I could see having a lucky shirt, but to not go at all - F that.

I use this because it's about half the price of other brands and it works great. I spend entire days in the kayak with no problems. Amazon Brand - Solimo Sport Sunscreen Lotion, SPF 50 Broad Spectrum UVA/UVB Protection, 8 Fluid Ounce https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B07PKXR89W/ref=ppx_yo_dt_b_asin_title_o02_s00?ie=UTF8&psc=1 I don't get in the water so I'm not worried about destroying reefs with the ingredients (ie Hawaii). Sprays suck unless you like wasting product and getting it in your eyes and mouth, and possibly other people's as well.

Yep. My current avatar photo is me holding the fish next to me, not in front of me, and it's still big! (to me - 5.25).

Met a guy at Lexington Res. on Sunday. He was French and tried speaking to me in his language and I felt bad that I couldn't understand him. He seemed very friendly. He looked very much like your avatar photo. Was that you? Hope he/you caught some fish that day, I sure did not.

I get my frogs at Walmart for $1.94. Just started trying them but I don't have a proper rod n reel really so bought a few on a whim. Haven't got a bite yet but only thrown it one day. Probably a piece o' crap but it casts fine and the action seems okay. Can pull it over pads and through brush no problem. I've caught plenty of bass on their Ozark Trail $1.97 cranks. I'd compare them to BPS branded cranks. I use these cheapies mainly at some ponds that require barbless hooks - I use these baits to fill my barbless Plano box and just pinch them all down.

Saw some spawning Bluegill one day and decided to play with them. Tried 3 baits with no luck. Then I remembered I'd found a tiny jighead caterpillar looking thing a few weeks earlier. Tied it on and pulled in 8 gills and a bass with it. Was actually my first sight-fishing for anything and all the gills I caught went right back to their beds upon release. Pretty cool.

When I was a kid I cast my Zebco into some river in Canada, as in the rod came apart and half of it went into the river. Guess the hook was small cause I didn't get it back. That cast comprises the complete history of my fishing in Canada.

I just wanna say I wish we'd rename these lakes to something we can all pronounce.

Yep. I got the one without the gripper, bought one separate. I've checked it against other scales and it does a good job.

Theme song from the old public access TV show, "The Fishmasters", hands down best. Fishmasteeeeerrrrrrssssss.......

In a new video from Youtuber Greg Blanchard, his $350 paddle broke in half. Said he had maybe 4 years of use with it. I have a Bending Branches fiberglass one - got it for $80. The "Scout" maybe? Not sure. I don't like that the hook retrieval notch is on the bottom, or there at all really. I may just seal that up. Why would I want a hole in my paddle blade? I have tendinitis and I have had no problems with it. It's just over 2 pounds I believe. I plan on adding a trolling motor so it won't be as much of a factor for me.

Haven't been bass fishing very long so I've got a whole career of "first times" to accomplish. I got my first 5 pounder a month ago. Other than that I'm just getting started!

I can't tell when they are going to jump, I haven't fished long enough. I think it's a cool part of the fight when they jump sometimes, and ya I've lost 'em. It's just part of the challenge and I respect a fish that can get away from me once hooked. I'm not happy about it but hey, whaddyagonnado? Bring it on fish, let's see what ya got!!!

Thanks, Glenn.

I buy my truck batteries there (Walmart) because they have good batteries and an excellent return policy. Well they did when I bought mine. Something like 3-5 years full replacement then pro-rated after. I couldn't find a better deal.

I don't know much about trolling motors (yet) - does the imaging/transducer only work when the motor is lowered into the water? I didn't see how it's mounted but I saw another motor that was like that. If so it seems limiting as people might want to use sonar while they are travelling faster or not using that motor. Or am I missing something?

I see mostly crank baits/jerks in that photo. I almost always use pliers on treble hooks. Cranks are such a pain in the arse to me, but they've produced fish here locally. Got close to a barbed hook getting deep last night just handling the bait on my line. One of these days... For me, it's when I am impatient that this is most likely to happen. No way I'd leave my bait at the hospital

I'm experimenting, but I'm wondering if color matters for a popper, especially anywhere besides the bottom. I'm gonna make a few, some really weird, and see if it matters. I see fish miss them sometimes so I wonder if they see something they don't like at the last moment or are simply bad aim. As for crank baits, I've caught every fish out of a local lake with cranks, and I only throw them there because nothing else has worked. One of my go-to baits is a white fluke, but now I have another - cranks.

Few more TM questions: Do you need to keep your feet on the steering pedals to keep the yak going in the same direction? Will the motor flop or turn randomly if you don't? Hmm thought I had a few more questions but can't remember now lol. When using reverse does the motor want to pivot up out of the water? I've seen fixes for this but wondering if it's really an issue. Probably depends on how you connect your steering cables. As for the yak itself, I'm liking it but am debating on getting a small cheap boat instead (or in addition to), which was my other plan. Gonna use this all summer then see how I really like it. I have a list of pros and cons about kayak fishing in general now that I've done it. It is very fun though.

Got mine at Bass Pro for $50 (BPS brand). Has a mesh top area and some pockets I will find a use for I suppose. All I keep in it is my multi-tool so far. https://www.basspro.com/shop/en/bass-pro-shops-tournament-mesh-fishing-life-vest It didn't look like the high backed ones would clear the back rest on my AirPro Max seat, and if it did I read about them riding up around people's necks. I find the full padded back just fine in my seat, and I have back issues. Also, the high-backs are 3 times the price, are not always very "high", and I don't see them being any safer in the water. I like that it has a zipper as well as buckles to hold it shut. Leaving the zipper open allows for more air flow. I don't even realize I'm wearing it.

I saw a boat like this at the lake a few days ago. Although they are supposedly almost impossible to tip it looked very uncomfortable in all but the stillest of waters. Those two people were bouncing around like bobbleheads just sitting at the dock. It was windy and rough that day. They seemed cool to me until I actually saw one on the water. I'd rather have a yak or a small aluminum boat, especially considering the weight of these things. However, on a still pond fishing solo it still looks pretty doable. But two people moving around in it? Not so sure.

Some of my more negative thoughts after kayak fishing 4 times now. Just bought a used WS Ride 115 that came with a nice AirPro Max seat. I debated for a long time between a yak and a 14 foot or so aluminum fishing boat. It's not that light - my kayak is 75 pounds empty. I'm 51. I have back issues that come and go as well as tendinitis. Sometimes putting the yak in my truck before and after fishing exacerbates these issues, even if just a little. I try to do it carefully, but it does take some strength. Coming up with a good technique is important. You also have to drag it around the ramp sometimes when it's full of gear. I feel that I miss out on a lot of fishing due to long paddling sessions, and due to the exertion while doing so. Depends where you fish though. Also constantly picking up the paddle to reposition the boat. I want to add a trolling motor, but now I think maybe I should just have a boat? I feel like I would change baits more often if I had a boat. It would just be more comfortable and easier to move and reach around in. I sometimes feel like I need to get out of the yak just to "get out". It's confining, obviously. It is a good idea to get out and stretch anyways. No escape from the hot sun. I spun around in my seat the other day and almost got tipped out of it. It's supposed to be stable but standing has been a little wobbly for me. I can, but I don't find myself doing it yet. It's generally more cumbersome. Grabbing a sandwich, getting into your milk crate and being stuck sitting in one spot can get frustrating. I do love kayak fishing. It's a great feeling and slipping into strange new areas in the trees is pretty cool. I'm just listing some negatives since there are so many positives in the thread already I may buy a cheap aluminum boat for next year and do a casting deck and all that. I only paid $500 for the yak with the seat so I will probably keep it, storage space permitting. Putting a trolling motor on the yak will require me to register it, and pay the same amount for inspection and launch fees as a boat. I don't find loading the yak in the truck any easier than hooking a trailer to my truck (opposite I'd say), so as for "more likely to get on the water with a yak than a boat" - eh, not too sure about that. Our electric-only lakes allow boats with gas motors as long as they are not used. I saw a full-on bass boat on the lake one day and asked about it. Was surprised. After using a yak 4 times I'm still not sure what I want. Both would be ideal! I'm still unsure as to what I will do. I need to use it more and I definitely will. I do love it, don't get me wrong, but now that I have one I see the good and bad about it, for me personally. I'm leaning towards getting the boat though. Haha many reviews I read when looking for a yak said something like, "I'm 5'10 and 350 pounds and this yak just isn't stable!" Being out of shape ain't stoppin' many people from kayaking