michaelb

Yes, one extra rod in a holder inline with the kayak and angled low but not hanging off the back. Don’t drift sideways into tight cover.

I’m surprised he was using 20lb mono. That is heavier than what i have for a senko rod (12-14). Fishing looks fun though.

I have this same net; is sold under different names. I do like that it is small enough to store and that it floats, since I can clip it my anchor trolley and get organized for a second, with the fish in the net. I don't use a net for bass though, although I should really start, particularly for smallies. I use the net for pike, and it is a bit small for that. You say this type of net is good with trebles, but I have had pike twist themselves up into knots with trebles in this net and it took a long time to extract those hooks. So if this rubberized net is "good" for trebles I may give up on looking for something better. There is a G3 version of this net that looks bigger in pictures, and I had thought of upgrading to that larger size (again, for pike, this G2 size is fine for bass).

I think tights would be hot and uncomfortable. I wear shorts but maybe look at the lightest travel pants you can find. Something like these https://www.railriders.com/men-bone-flats-pants-p-992.html?cPath=104_110

I don’t know when you are fishing but start in the evening and fish til dark ( keep using senkos but try them weightless and t-rigged)

The crescent lite tackle or ultralight are worth looking at. For speed on open water, a 12' boat will be much better and much faster. So the native slayer 12 as an example (or the crescent LT) will paddle pretty well. I also really like the idea of the nucanoes say the F10 for throwing in the back of a pickup and carrying to the water. The moken v2 in 10 or 12' too. I haven't ever seen one or paddled one, but the BKC FK285 looks short and fat, and so pretty clearly won't be a fast open water boat. I have an old tarpon 105 and it is slow and fat and too short for me in any kind of waves.

I don't know about casting differences, it may depend on the line and your setup and technique. But I do know that after a long far cast, if you get hit on the drop, your hookset will be much better with the braid than 8 lb mono.

If you can stand, any rod length you like and are comfortable with can work. If you are sitting, I agree that handle length is the most important factor, and so the reason "kayak" specific rods have shorter handles is for sitting. Since all of you are always wearing your life jacket, and the rod handle can get hung up on the life jacket and/or just otherwise get in your way. The factor that can be important is for the rod to be long enough to reach to the front of the boat and to clear the boat, for when the fish dives under the kayak and you decide you need to switch sides.

I haven’t tried neko hooks and will have to look them up. But circle/octopus hooks will significantly reduce gut hooking when wacky rigging.

Its never occurred to me to worry that the swinging hook would get hung up and I haven't noticed that either. It may be just as likely to be less likely to get hung up, since it may deflect away from an obstacle (not saying that; my guess is that it is the same). I troll spinnerbaits at times off my kayak, so that consists of flinging them backwards and then likely sinking to the bottom while I get set up to paddle, and then dragging them over and through and into whatever I am paddling (and I haven't had any trouble getting hung up).

Just curious, but why? What possible advantage is there to having it fixed. Have you ever used a trailer hook or caught the fish on the trailer hook on a spinnerbait? When they hit the trailer hook and miss the main hook (which happens a lot if you use a conventional spinner) that is an example of missing the hookup. Back when I used regular spinners, and I used them a lot, I definitely lost fish trying to land them, some times when bass would jump, but more likely, when trying to land a pike, directly at the side of the kayak, and they would explode with fury. I am sure I will still lose fish with the strikeback spinner, but it also does seem better, possibly dramatically better.

Yes, this is case in which you can believe the hype. The swinging hook on the spinnerbait is a real difference and is worth it, both in initial hook up and in keeping fish on.

Id use leaders if there were pike. Not sure if the bass care.

Are there no pike in this lake? In addition to the suggestions above i like paddletails as a search bait. I use a jighead but a weighted swimbait hook also works.

you are not going to get much love for an inflatable. You are giving up a lot in terms of paddling and durability. Do you really really need an inflatable? Over say a nucanoe F10? I don't think you need a fishing specific model, but I do think looking at specs and getting one that you could stand in may be worth it (or the rotating seat if you are stuck in the seat). Wind and waves will be a major problem paddling so I would these are mostly for floating and fishing (or river running? are you running rivers).

I am curious about how accurately you have measured that distance time? that is impressive. Googling average peddle speed, it seems like 8 mph is the high top end speed, and that 4-5 mph would be more the expected speed for the average user. I don't have a peddle kayak and I like paddling, in part because we also bike quite a bit over the summer too. I can cover 3-4 miles an hour paddling, but that is working hard and not something I could sustain over any distance. I much prefer fishing off my kayak than I do off my boat, so that is not even close or a question for me.

Backup to step 2. See how the tag end crosses over the main line. That crossover is inside the hook when tightened. That crossover only happens if you go under and wrap the tag around the main first. This is slightly related to the palamar knot because the mistake to avoid with that knot is also crossing the lines.

If we are talking about the M-F knot, it is not. Have you tied it? If you go "over" the tag end goes outside the hook and over itself before crossing the other line; if you go "under" the tag end crosses the other line inside the hook's ring.

I do like the concept of this knot. But to me the wrap goes the wrong way in step #3. By going under the doubled line you cross the lines on the hook as can be seen in step 5. If the wrap went over instead the lines don’t cross. Would be interested in test to see if this matters.

I use dardevles for pike, and I should probably do that more (I use inline spinners and spinnerbaits instead). I troll them at times on my kayak, and smallies hit spoons too which is usually a surprise. Casting a heavy spoon is a surefire way to learn you have line twist or dig in, as you watch the spoon disappear into the distance though.

The crescent ultralite may be the best light smallish kayak out there? I don't have one, but it looks nice. what you can stand on depends in large part on your size (and skill), and on the wind and waves on any given day. https://www.crescentkayaks.com/product/ultralite-fishing-kayak/ edit: also, the nucanoe f10 is a really interesting pond boat, would be much more stable for standing, and at 62 lbs is still carryable. The crescentlite would dust it in terms of speed on open water, so everything is a tradeoff.

I think these are the best spinnerbaits and the swinging hook is a real difference maker. Believe the hype. they are called "strikeback" spinnerbaits, yes, by megastrike.

How big is this reservoir and how far to fish are you paddling? I like all those boats. My guess is that the SS127 would paddle the "best" out of that bunch, meaning go farther/faster, and the reviews and descriptions over the years describe it as very stable. The nucanoe is a really unique boat in terms of design, and at 41" wide it seems like that would be super stable. It may be that the OT is the smallest of the three boats (and is still a big stable kayak)?

At $1000, that hardly seems like a good deal, unless basically new. Given your height, I would really prefer to see you in a boat over 12', even though the shorter boats are better in your truck bed, I think you can still make 12 or longer foot boats work there with the extender. So the 115 is just a bit short to me. For Wilderness, the Recon 120 is a big big boat at 38" wide. Given your price, you can pick the best paddle options. The big rig is on sale at austin kayak? https://www.austinkayak.com/Wilderness-Systems-ATAK-140-Kayak/ACK22229P.html

I’m thinking pike/musky are going to hit that thing ???