4reelfishing

I fish SE Michigan (Ann Arbor Area: Kent Lake). You have already got a lot good advice but I will add my own. I would stick with the rod and reel you have, buy some 8lb monofilament, get some 3/0 EWG hooks and some 5 inch Yum Dingers or Senkos in Watermelon Red Flake and Rig them weedless. If you are having fun fishing you can upgrade you rod and reel later in the season. I would tell you to use braid but I think mono is your best bet to start off with.

Just bought 10lb BG and some 8lb Stren for the first time. Have always used Trilene XL and XT so I am curious to see how they perform this year. How does BG do as a leader?

As far rods others will probably have better suggestions but I like mono for shad raps as I fish from shore and I don't want quite as much depth. However #9s can get down to 15ft and floro would probably make that a little easier and probably give you a little better feel. I fish #5s mostly and keep my rod a little higher to keep it up in the water column so mono works fine for that.

I wouldn't do braid to floro as I don't think it will help your casting distance significantly. I also think you have a good setup as it is. You talked about using it for other light weight cranks (like the Shad Rap #5 I am assuming) so I would stick with the spinning rod you have. I love fishing the Shad Rap #5, I think it is the best crankbait of all time. I personally use 8lb mono over floro but the floro would work fine, I just wouldn't go 10lb straight floro or mono on a spinning reel though. You could also use this setup for light swimbaits, small spinnerbaits, wacky rigs, and really a ton of things. I do agree the #9 is getting into baitcasting territory but it is still fishable on the rod you have. If you want a new setup a 7' St. Croix Triumph medium spinning rod might be a good option.

I am braid to mono leader guy. That being said I use straight mono on my crankbait/spinnerbait rod because braid to mono doesn't help in that situation. Wacky rig I sometimes go straight mono as well. Straight braid for frogging.

I know inflatables are not the most popular but anyone have experience with the Packfish 7? How is it for fishing out of? https://www.seaeagle.com/FramelessFishingBoats/PF7

I use 15lb-20lb power pro to a 8lb Trilene XT mono leader (about 4-6ft long). I use an alberto knot to connect them. Trilene XT has less stretch than most nylon monofilament so the hooksets are really good.

Countryboy Thanks for the reply. I think I am going with a SOT. I was looking at the Topwater and a Jackson Bite. The place where I am going to buy it is having a test paddle so hopefully I can test both of them.

Looking at getting a kayak for fishing small lakes and rivers. I'm 6'2" about 250, I was looking at a few options: https://oldtowncanoe.johnsonoutdoors.com/canoes/fishing/discovery-119-solo-sportsman https://www.basspro.com/shop/en/ascend-h12-sit-in-hybrid-kayak-camo https://www.austinkayak.com/Old-Town-Topwater-106-Kayak/ACK26071P.html Anybody have any thoughts or experience with these kayaks? Thanks

My main two soft plastics are Yum Dingers and Yum Christie Craws.