michaelb

I like the Kaku Guru better than the XRT, have you looked at that option? Kaku has been leading and innovating on these hybrid kayaks for years. The Kaku is much simpler, which i prefer generally as a design. If you want to sight fish, you can stand on the seat.

I am not convinced this matters; which is to say you can hand a pro any one of 100s of colors of senkos and I bet they would catch fish. I always have black senkos (and get blue flakes, but again, any flake may work); I like green too. On sunny days, I will sometimes switch to watermelon. Not sure there a compelling need for more colors than that or what you have now.

I fish for bowfin and they love spinnerbaits and yes they destroy them. Your snakeheads may be bigger too. I have switched to the Rollie martin mega strike spinnerbaits. They have a swinging hook; that will hopefully reduce leverage on the wires and reduce that damage. I do think a big bowfin can and will destroy anything, but this may help. They are otherwise pretty durable generally. Other suggestions to make your own or buy Muskie versions also make sense.

I regularly swap trebles for inline singles; I am on my kayak and I don’t want to deal with extra treble hooks swinging around a thrashing fish. I usually just swap the rear tail treble (and remove the middle one entirely if needed) and leave a treble up front. I don’t really see a difference in hookups; but I wouldn’t really know; but its way easier and safer to release fish. I bought all the sizes (since I did this on big pike and Muskie lures) but for crankbaits mostly use 1/0 and 2/0. I try to match the overall size.

Senkos are so expensive that I think the rule is that you are required to fish them down to the past possible option, snipping off ends or reversing it, etc. those last nibbles and bits still catch fish. If you are using a baitcaster you have to be careful because at some point, you will lose those remains off the hook and will end up with a birds nest to deal with.

I am also in the mega strike camp. They are reasonably durable, but also having the head swing definitely reduces twisting and bending force on the wire, and so I have not have these bend very much at all. I often target and get hit by pike, and they love spinnerbaits, and don’t really bend these up. I also do think that the swinging hook helps land fish and holds better, particularly if you have fish go wild and start jumping.

Not sure we know how fish see things, but isnt black the most visible color, particularly from below. Seems like there may be situations where making the line darker makes it more noticible; but my guess is that none of this matters. I use flouro leaders and high viz braid because I like that combo for a variety of reasons.

It’s hard to fish out of a canoe for a variety of reasons, including the high sidewalls and the need to stay centered. But canoes are awesome for hauling stuff and for carrying. I would love a $3000+ solo canoe to carry to small ponds, and would fish with it. But I think for your use a paddle kayak is the best choice. I like the Jackson Bite; crescent has really nice paddle kayaks including the ultralight if you have to carry it to the water; otherwise I would go slightly bigger so you can stand and fish.

Palomer if it fits; SD jam with heavy flouro; FG for leaders, or the lefty kreh leader knot. I do tie a loop knot also called lefty kreh but often have to look that one up.

I feel like if you are not throwing senkos you are probably just playing around with all the new gear you bought this winter.

Why is pounce better than other Seaguar leader material, like abrazx? The description suggests it’s not as good at knots and handling as other leader material. I have switched to using sunline leader which handles great and seems really tough, but most of my leader is in 40 lb and up, for pike. I have 10lb blue, but have thought about going to a 15 lb leader for drop shot and other finesse.

I use screw lock hooks that are EWG for senkos. They hold up much better than t-rigged. I haven’t really noticed a diff with hookups on any hook choice. Its possible those are too heavy for some times, and I do wonder about trying smaller lighter hooks again, but I catch tons of fish on senkos on the screw lock.

Why straight 15lb flouro for moving baits like a swim jig or a spinner bait? Don’t pike love these things too. Seems like they would cast farther on braid and I would use a leader for pike; but I may be missing something. Seems like any 100 sized reel could work, but I do use my 150.

Smallies are a bit hard for me to predict and can be mysterious, but either of the first two weeks of June or the end of May can be good; and then they school up in deeper water and shoals all summer, so any time can be good (or not, but that may be my lack of skill).

Panic sets in. Fish are rejoicing.