CountryboyinDC

About the only other place that comes to mind is the Rappahannock above Fredericksburg. Access is an issue for part of it, but if you get an outfitter to take you, you'll encounter some less pressures smallies (no giants as I've seen).

That's good the OEM brake parts aren't too expensive, I was imagining them setting you back a bit. The electric over hydraulic setup is nice as are disc brakes, but as they say, if it ain't broke....

Lol. If I caught a citation native trout while out fishing for smallmouth in a stream, I'd probably just say I was seeing what was biting.

I'm just guessing, but I'd imagine it's because that's what they had a lot of lying around. Some people will put this on a flipping stick rather than heavy braid out of the belief that braid rubbing against wood or grass spooks bass. I'm not sure that I believe that this is true and somehow mono or FC somehow sound like a good set of twin fiddles to bass, but I guess we'll never know for sure. It should be less visible and might be more abrasion resistant than 65 lb braid, but I can only imagine the manageability issues.

It had surge drum brakes originally, and at the end had electric over hydraulic drum brakes. So, the $600 didn't cover a conversion to disc brakes. You sound like you're going to be doing a fair amount of work on the stock drum brakes. If the axle's something common like Dexter, the conversion to disc brakes may not be so much more than putting on new shoes, replacing rusted parts, turning the drums, etc.

@bwjay, I get it, but if St. Croix, Loomis, and Falcon (there might be more, I just don't own any) can put a lifetime warranty, Kistler could with those prices.

Brakes on trailers are good for falling into disrepair. On the farm, I can't tell you how many times I've had to go through brakes on a trailer that sat. I still have all my drum brake tools, but I don't know if I'll ever use them again; I haven't had them on a vehicle I've owned I 2 decades or so. If you really don't like drum brakes or surge brakes, for that matter, there are conversion kits. I helped a friend put on a Carslile activator on a cargo trailer, and he wishes he'd done it years ago. The install wasn't too bad, the worst part for us was making the flange for the brake lines going into the activator. His brake lines were the hardest stainless I've come across. I know that cost him close to $600. At the end of the day, I guess it depends on what you want to put in it.

I have run into folks who fish silver buddies all year (same for spoons and other things that I don't use for bass) and I've been thinking of getting into cold water fishing, so I've been reading up on blade baits. I never really thought of them as being like a trap, but I guess that when you think of it as the OP did, the kind of are. This is good information, thanks for those who contributed.

I just bought my first Kistler this year - a KLX Feel 'n Reel. It was on sale for $180 and I don't know of a similar product that's made in the USA, and I think it will be good for what I bought it for (10XDs, <2 oz glide baits), but I've only had it out a couple of times. My opinion is that if they're going to charge those big prices, they need to warranty up like SC and Loomis have. They might have some dynamite products, but folks like me will just wonder if they won't put a warranty behind it.

For a heavy C-rig, I use a heavy 7'3 rod spooled with 50 lb braid. For the weights, I use a couple or 3, depending on the depth, tungsten long cylindrical weights. These are the last ones I bought https://www.tacklewarehouse.com/Vike_Tungsten_Carolina_Weight/descpage-VIKECAR.html, but before that I got some off eBay. I put a couple of glass beads between the weights and the swivel. At the swivel, I tie on a 17 lb (usually) flurocarbon leader. For baits, I used to believe that a big worm or a lizard was the best bait for a C-rig, but the last time I threw one like this (a month and a half ago), I put a simple tube bait with a salmon corky tucked in the cavity (so it floats) on a Shaw Grigsby hook and caught a couple of fish. For that lake and my fishing skill, a couple is pretty good. The tube bait with the salmon corky has been working better than a lizard for the past 3 years, but my fishing has been mostly in the DC metro area, so YMMV.

Depending on where you are (mainly in Virginia), Appomattox River Company usually has some pretty good sales and free shipping over the holidays. Practically everyone is trying to sell off 2019 inventory too.

That's quite a spending spree.

I just checked it - seems like the site's back up. I didn't think this was the best deal they had going, frankly. I got one from them last spring for $125. I'm about tapped out for tackle; those Loomis IMX/Shimano Bantam combos they had for $400 drew me in last month.

I was thinking of trying the Megastrike one too. It's on sale at Sieberts, so I'll add that to my order. Like @GreenPig, I've had some really good times fishing with a Spot Remover (I use a Trick Worm, though) on rocky bottoms. That one works well with a 'lift slightly, then let fall' retrieve, rather than a 'deadstick, then shake' retrieve for me. I have some Owners too, and I've caught some fish on them, but I'm not as happy with them. They have a good screw keeper, though.

I had no idea Radio Shack still existed. I see they still have a few stores (within stores mostly), but they still have reasonably priced components online. OP, I run a Lowerance HDS Carbon 7 with a Totalscan transducer on a 10 AH battery for more than 8 hours. I have no idea how much juice is left at the end, but I've never run out of battery on the water.

@Bluebasser86, that's probably good advice. I'm as big a sucker as the next guy, I guess. Evidently, they promptly sold out of those crankbaits right after this happened at that BPS.

Lol.

I was thinking this rod was going to be the ticket for some lighter jigs. I've already got a couple of reels I could stick on this rod, how'd you like the Bantam with the light jig head?

If that was an accident, that big bass sure took its time shaking the little bass back out. They never seem to take that long when they have one of my topwaters in their mouth.

I guess you're right about that. The poor casting with the spinning outfits is on account of my upbringing. I was taught on a Zebco 33 (after a simple pole), and never got good with a spinning rig. I know people that can do wonders with spinning gear, and I should probably swallow my pride and ask them to show me how.

A buddy texted me this video of what happens when a 12 lb bass and a 2 lb bass get into a fight over a crankbait at the BPS in Harrisburg, PA. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ukcZxwX7mPk Maybe they had a beef going on before or something.

@Smalls, I think you've probably confirmed my suspicion. There other places like Texas where the tournament scene is a little more vigorous for kayak anglers. I definitely agree that the sport has grown by leaps and bounds. I look back at all the stuff I repurposed and made out of PVC and zip ties, and it's all available from Yakattack or someone now.

I haven't seen the ranks swelling around here, but I don't know who would replace them. There seems to be a growth in the numbers of people fishing from kayaks (particularly the more stable and comfortable they become), but the number of folks participating in tournaments is about the same. I only know about what it looks like in places other than here, but in the past year or so Hobie, FLW, and now B.A.S.S. have all thrown their hats in the ring. I just wonder who's going to be fishing these tournaments.

Amen to that. Skip your bait perfectly under any willow tree with no bass beneath it and you might as well lob it into the tree itself. I'm at best fair to middling at any type of casting, and can put the baits from a spinning outfit about anywhere but where I want them.