schplurg

If someone doesn't care for their own safety I doubt they'll care about that of others. To each his own, let Darwin sort 'em out.

So any advice on paddle type? Aluminum or carbon? I need to get one right away. Someone said to get the best I can afford but I'm not sure what is best and what is just more expensive. How about a battery(s) for a trolling motor and accessories? Seems like I'd need a 100 amp/hour but there are so many options. I don't want to spend $300 on one right now. Any suggestions on type and brand? I figured out how to rig the trolling motor to use a PWM to make it more efficient. It also works as a wired remote.

@Mike Wright (I can't quote your post for some reason) My plan is still being worked out heh, but I have a few parts for the anchor trolley and that will probably be the first thing I complete. Paddle and PFD too. Oh I bought foam golf balls today for the scuppers! My first improvement. It took on a tiny bit of water, especially the back where my backpack was sitting. Wet backpack = need plugs. The previous owner removed the front strap and put a big gawdy hood ornament there. I threw that stupid thing away. Without a handle it is very hard to move! So that gets fixed immediately. I really want to do the trolling motor thing so if anyone has advice on those questions that'd be awesome. I want it as hands-free as possible. I may get a small one-handed oar for fine maneuvering until I can figure out how to do the motor. I need a milk crate thingy but I'd like something enclosed instead. No rush although I could use some rod holders back there. It came with 2 holders mounted on the rails up front but they're very much in the way. I need a rear boom for my action cam/GoPro. I also want battery power for that kind of stuff but waiting to see what I do about a motor before doing electrical, I think. I don't know what else to do yet, I'm still recovering from the shock of actually owning one. I'd like to start doing the motor as soon as possible. That may determine how I set up some other things. Yep I see that is a "thing"! I used a regular ski jacket and it was okay, but I definitely want more arm and shoulder space and I see a lot of cool designs out there. I think customizing this rig will be half the fun

Thank you. I have a browser tab open with PFDs as I type this, and I wear one. I don't know if my seat is considered a "high back". Good article on paddle selection. Thanks again.

Finally after many months of looking I found a good yak on Craigs List. The WS Ride 115 was $500 and came with an Air Pro Max seat. I feel like I got a great deal even without the expensive seat! I didn't realize how much the seat costs new until I got it home that night Took it out the day I got it and it was my first time in any kayak ever. Was no problem. Standing was a little shaky at first but after a while I got the hang of it okay. I sat most of the time. The seat is awesome. I have lower back issues and I was comfortable for hours. I could use a little advice, of course. Is a 250 cm paddle long enough for the high seat position? Should I get aluminum or carbon and what's a good brand, hopefully less than $100? The paddle I used was approx 7' long and too short. I'm 5' 11" / 185#. I have tendinitis so I'd like a light paddle, and a trolling motor. Bigger question.....I want to add a trolling motor and I want to make it as hands-free as possible. Steering with the foot braces is okay, but I would like to have some kind of foot controlled "momentary-on" buttons for an instant forward and an instant reverse. Is this possible? I can do the work. I've seen people use the Minn Kota Endura 30 from Walmart/BPS and even taking the handle apart to move it closer to the angler. Could I go a step further and wire a button or two to this for the on-switches? Or would it be easier to just have a switch for power on/off and set forward or reverse manually ahead of time? Maybe like an on/off on the battery lead? I've seen remotes for motors but I assume it won't work with this cheap one. I thought of trying a foot controlled TM but they're too expensive for me even on Craigs List. Some are cheap enough maybe but not sure it's a good idea. I'm not worried about mounting the motor I can handle the mechanical stuff. Is there a better cheap motor for hacking the electrical? I want to use the motor for going longer distances, and for maneuvering while fishing. I can see how grabbing a paddle repeatedly will drive me crazy. If I could afford a pedal drive I'd have done that instead. I'd like to be able to back away from shore when hooking a fish, or just whenever I need to. If I could have only one switch/button it would be reverse. Other than that, I'm adding an anchor trolley right away. I see how that will be useful after I spent a day on the water. I'd like an enclosed box rather than a milk crate. Anyways I'm just getting started and I'm so stoked to have a yak finally! I just stand outside and look at it wondering what to do to this thing! Order of priority: - paddle - anchor trolley (already have some parts don't really need advice unless there's something specific to this yak) - replace 2 missing handles (good place to order hardware?) - add batteries, trolling motor or not. I need USB and lights etc. - trolling motor - torpedo tubes, fore and aft I'm very excited to have a yak. I almost bought a lower quality one (glad I didn't) but when I saw this for the price I jumped on it. It's everything I need (sans pedals!)

If you just go by weight then the score takes care of itself. one pound equals one pound two pounds equal two I think there are tournaments using this revolutionary scoring method right now.

Especially near Stockton. I've read some horror stories, even a boat that was shot at from shore. As for casting near shore, not all people are fishing for bass. On the river it's stripers, though they can hang out near shore too. I'm pretty sure in Cali that you must use your rod to get your hook in the water. I thought I read that a few weeks ago when going over the local regs. I just moved back to the San Jose area, the fishing here (not to mention the regulations) sucks. There are some fish around thankfully, but I earn 'em. This county simply closes most of the lakes to watercraft to deal with the mussel problem. All the taxes we pay here and we can't even launch an inner-tube. The lakes that do allow it charge an inspection, parking, and launch fee even for inner-tubes! Yes - you must pay to "launch" an inner-tube. Cheaper than a boat at least. I'm fine with the inspections but not the closures. Santa Clara county is not fishing-friendly. I won't be living here long though.

Tips are cheap and easy to replace. I don't know much about rods but I changed one last week. This is just what I did....cheap rod so I wasn't too concerned, maybe this isn't the best method or I missed some steps. Carefully heated the area with a lighter while pulling with a pair of pliers until it slid right off. Took a few seconds. DON't overheat it! Scraped off extra glue and stuff. I sanded off the tip 1/4 inch because it was too pointy/narrow for the new guide. Slid a shrink-wrap tube over the rod (came with the guide). I used Crazy Glue (cheap rod, I think there are better options), and slid the guide on. Slid the shrink-tube over it and heated it for a second. Works great. Fished with it several times. Maybe you're supposed to wrap it with string too? My friend gave me the repair kit and it didn't come with that. I just followed a Youtube video Like I said it was a cheap rod.

Be glad you aren't in California - even the coffee causes cancer for us if you listen to the idiots. Even our baits come with a Proposition 65 warning, as if humans are going to eat a crank bait. Everything is hazardous here if you believe the nuts and Cali is full of nuts!

I don't mind seeing one here and there, and for photography most seem to fly pretty high. But for people to use them to deliver baits beyond casting distance (is that legal in Cali?) and for actual fishing, that could be really annoying. Tom, I don't see drones adding to my fishing experience in any way. To each his own but to me that isn't fishing. And I do have running water and electricity. I'm surprised I'm the only negative commenter here so far regarding drones. Once I install my robotic casting arm to my boat and hook it all up to "Fishidy" and my GPS and trolling motor, I won't have to actually fish at all. I'll take a nap and wake up with a full live well! Anyways, the drone thing doesn't really seem to be booming in general so hopefully it won't be an issue. My neighbor flew his over the street a few times and I haven't seen or heard it since. Most bank anglers I see are as poor as me anyways

This is a little off the current topic, but I always thought it would be cool to mount a metal or wire "shelf" to the bottom of the seat where you can store a few Plano boxes for easy access. I almost bought a similar boat and still might and I thought that would be a cool mod. That's all.

Hell no. I am firmly against seeing or hearing a drone when I'm fishing, mainly because they are loud. Please keep them away from me and the fish I am trying to catch. I already have to deal with boats screaming by. You guys really want to see and hear a bunch of drones buzzing around your nice quiet fishing hole, or even a not so quiet one?

That's what I plan on doing for my first yak. Can't afford pedals but my tendinitis might make paddling tough. I want the TM foot controlled, at least a reverse and forward footswitch of some kind.

Glenn and Youtube.

I find snaps very handy for plugs. I don't use them for worm hooks, spinners or plastics. I don't like them in grass either because they tend to grab it. I like them because, as a rookie, when I'm checking new water I can try a bunch of baits quickly. Then if I find something that works I may or may not tie it on from there. Glenn has a video about using snaps which is where I learned it from, or at least was told it's okay to do so. Lately I bring two rods bank fishing - one with a snap and one setup for T-rigging and plastics.

Good stuff! Once when I was a kid, my family plus aunts, uncles and cousins had a couple of houseboats on Lake Shasta. I don't think any of us really fished, but my cousin saw some fishing line in a tree. He climbed it from the houseboat and grabbed the line, turned out there were two hooks as well. We each grabbed a short stick, wound the line around it and caught some trout off the boat. They tasted awesome! That's something that has stuck in my mind for probably 40 years. Probably one of my most memorable fishing experiences. I don't care what people think. I have a BPS Brawler combo, got it on sale for $25. I also have a pink Pflueger Lady President I got brand new for $21 - there's a thread about it somewhere. I have a rod AND reel that I made from PVC pipe and fittings. Just as a goofy experiment. I've casted it but haven't tried it on real water yet, but it's about time to do so

Aah, so that IS a missing 6th finger in your avatar photo!

Yep, I've watched them here on this site, and probably almost all of them. Aside from the great information, Glenn has a great delivery. Who wouldn't wanna fish with Glenn?

I think some of these people just don't know how, or have never really tried or experienced fishing for bass. When I started fishing recently I fished for Stripers because the river is close to me. I saw bass fishing videos and tried to catch some. My Dad lives on a decent bass lake and I'd tried bass fishing from the dock several times without getting a bite. And THEN...I got a topwater strike and landed it. That's all it took! Now I "get it". I know a guy that just fishes to eat. He eats too many fish from this river, as in there are mercury warnings. It gets boring bank fishing and just soaking bait, unless you're soaking up beers too! I'll soak one rod and throw lures with another. A two pound striper feels like an 8 pound LBM They are fun as hell. I wanna experience catching all the species I can.

I agree. There is no shortage of bass within 300 miles of me, if anywhere. As someone said above, they are abundant. We ain't running out any time soon unless the waters are poorly managed. I've never eaten a LMB but I heard they aren't that tasty. If I thought they were and I wanted to eat one I would, nothing too big though for several reasons. I may try one someday but I doubt I'd ever target them for food. I have no special love for bass over other fish. If I did I wouldn't catch them in the first place now would I? I take great care with any fish I catch and enjoy a good clean release. I fish for river stripers a lot and I've only eaten one. But if I wanted to eat more I'd have no problem with keeping one or two that aren't too big. Same with trout and panfish (uh they're called panfish! haha). I voted A - catch and release but I should have chosen B, even though it's very rare I eat any simply because I don't fish for those species often. I plan on eating trout and some others in the near future.

On the river bank here I switch baits until I get a strike, eventually moving if I don't. I have a back pack with one Plano for terminal tackle, one for plugs n spinners, and a pocket with some plastics. Extra line, a little food and water too. I've been using snaps/clips lately so I can switch out baits quickly - cranks, jerks, and a few other hardbaits only. If I have any luck I will tie the bait on from that point. My other rod usually has plastics tied on. I can walk easily with two rods, never tried more as I own only two One rod only is nice though because you can move continuously without forgetting rod #2, or stepping on it.

0 feet. I'm still a rookie so my deepest landed bass were all hooked with topwater. I've caught about a dozen off my Dad's dock on a popper and those are the only ones I've ever caught. That is about to change, but so far, ya. It's a very fun way to catch! I know of people who have never caught off TW so I guess I'm backwards.

Seems like a single pole umbrella mounted behind the seat would be better, if possible. You wouldn't really need to work around it. Get one that tilts so you can angle it how you want. That bimini looks great for midday but not so much any other times, especially if the sun is in front of you at all. If it's windy wear a big sombrero

Any Facebook is too much Facebook.

Do you guys skip crank baits normally? Rookie angler here. I tried skipping one once and got one very short skip one time. Seems like a tough thing to skip. Watched some videos and tried a Super Fluke T-rigged. Pretty "easy" to get that to skip like a rock. Even felt like I knew what I was doing a few times Was just practicing mainly. I'm still on spinning rods so have no BC experience.