kayaking_kev

Can you ship in the same tube that TW sends you?

It depends on how much you're going to use the Black Max reel. If it's just on the weekends during the Spring and Summer, it's a fine reel. But, they do break down pretty easily with heavy use in my experience. It was my first baitcaster and I admit I did put it through the ringer taking it kayaking for a season and a half, a few things went wrong with it. The thumb bar came detached on one side, but I did superglue it back and hopefully it will hold, but the gears have also become really grindy, even after a cleaning. It could be from the extreme wear and tear I put on it being a noob while kayak fishing. Other than that I caught more fish with that reel than any other reel so far and I now own 10+, and I still plan on having a use for it. I guess if you take care of it, it would be a decent cheap option for cranking with the 6.4.1 gear ration and it cast pretty good. It hard to find a cheaper BC reel in a lower gear for cranking. I don't have any experience with the rod, I used a 6'0 Medium Ugly Stik Gx2 and threw the Whopper Plopper on it most of the time, but it does good with all moving baits being a composite rod. I caught hundreds of fish on that combo this past season and it also matches good too. I usually fish for pesky river smallies that fight, shake and jump pretty hard and it did a good job of keeping them pinned.

OMG! What beautiful fish! Them things could probably eat my PB Smallie.

I dunno, maybe a cold water thing, but I don't really know.

I don't think they will have those models, at least not right away. The series is supposed to be designed more for bottom contact fishing and the 735CB was thrown in there because a lot of people have been asking for a 735 graphite cb rod, since there is only a 735 Glass model right now. I think everyone loved the Sierra and Champion Series for reaction baits and Gary wanted to introduce a better blank for bottom baits in that price range, for those not wanting to spend the money on the Extreme or Xtasy.

This was posted on FB about 20 mins ago. I'm trying to get a pic of the thread wrapping though.

I plan on putting the Fuego on my 744c, but I also might see how the Concept Z looks on it too. It depends on how red the guide wrappings are. Right now, the Concept Z don't look too bad on the orange of the Extreme HP.

I was talking to Gary over a month ago about Panfish Rods, because he just released one for the Colt series that was 6'0 in August and he and another guy kinda let it slip that there was a new series coming out and it would have a 7'0 Panfish rod in it, but they wouldn't say much else other than they were just waiting on the shipment to come in. I kind of got impatient and got the St.Croix Panfish rod anyway, so I ordered the Kaden 744c instead, but I do need a Dobyns Dropshot rod for my collection and I'm wondering if that KD711sf would also make a decent secondary panfish rod? What do you all think? But then again that 745c is tempting also. It should be ok, but if you do much dropshotting, I would consider the 711sf. And, I would definitely get one of these over the Fury.

I have the 744c on the way. I will post pictures when it gets here. It is named after Garys grandson Kaden. AA Cork Split Handle, except the 765FLIP which will be full handle Fuji Reel seat. SeaGuide XO Guides The thread wraps are reportedly red and look awesome. The logo can be seen below. There are 100 of each of the 12 models for customers to test, but they must give feedback on them. Some are sold out already, like the 735cb. They will be numbered 1-100. They are supposed to be released in the middle of the year sometime. They cost $100 + $20 for shipping and you can order multiple models. They are said to retail for twice that. You must call their office at 903-919-8028 and give them your name, address, model # you want and credit card #. I've heard they are made of the same hardware as the Champion XP series, but with better blanks more suited for bottom contact baits. I've also heard they were going to replace the Sierra Series, but they decided not to remove the Sierras right now.

I think you could get away with a 703 better with a Sierra or Champion XP, but the Extremes are faster, so my vote would be for the Extreme 702sf. I use the Extreme HP 702c for 1/5 and 1/6 oz Ned Rigs. The 702sf will be more technique specific and the 703sf will be more versatile and still do a decent job at those applications.

I have the SLX, SLX XT, SLX DC, but the Fuego CT is the one I bought in 8.1.1 gear ratio for frogging. I like the Fuego's external braking control better than the internal on the regular SLX and the handle does turn a lot more freely on the Fuego.

I was going through some of my videos and came across this fish and it made me remember this thread. River Smallie in early Spring, a lot of them and the Rock Bass have the red rings around their eyes. I don't really see it later in the season, so I always assumed it had something to do with spawning.

They are and they hit really hard sometimes and will bite everything and anything. It's hard to tell at first if they are a smallie or not, but then they go limp after the initial hard hit. Thanks, it was only my 2nd season of fishing, so still not the best fisherman, but learning quickly. Exactly! It's either that or keep buying gear, and I have now bought 14 new rods in the last few months with the 2 new ones this week. I just ordered a Dobyns Kaden 744c today. I'm in the process of doing more editing so I don't order another one. But yea, it took a very long time to go through all 45 of my videos from this season and cut out the fish, and just as long to get them ordered to where the smallmouth and largemouth were first. It brought back a lot of good memories though and I won't be fishing anytime soon.

I find that 10" on average usually feels the best for me. I've seen tips where people say to have 2 feet or longer to get more distance, but it doesn't work for me.

They've had that Lucky Craft Crankbait sale on and off for a couple of months now, mostly on, good deal though. I guess I should of posted it awhile ago.

90% of all them were probably caught on the Whopper Plopper when kayak fishing on a small river for smallies and a 5" plastic worm when fishing ponds and lakes from the bank for largies. The panfish were almost all caught on a 1" gulp minnow on a Big Bite Baits 1/16 oz jig head.

Looks sweet together.

My latest order, and I just ordered another rod yesterday, Dobyns Champion XP Glass 704cb. PLEASE HELP ME! Cal Coast Fishing Rod Mule Rod Carrying System Boyd Duckett Baits BDJ Jerkbait (x2) Z-Man TRD Tubez 6pk Roboworm Straight Tail Worms Strikezone Pocket Knocker Lure Retriever 3pk Big Bite Baits Craw Worm 10pk Big Bite Baits Double Tail Finesse Grub 10pk Eagle Claw Lazer Sharp Tin Ned Head 3pk (x2)

That's a good point, I never used mine for the jerkbait, I use a Lew's Tournament MB. But, I've also spent almost two seasons throwing a whopper plopper for 8-10 hours multiple times a week in season on a Ugly Stik with Abu Garcia Black Max, so I could probably do it and be fine, but that's just me. If it balances good with you're rod, like if you're using a MH, then the extra oz. might be that bad. The Metanium DC does weigh 6.7 oz., just a few more grams than your Lew's, but they are expensive. I have the SLX DC and it weighs 7.6. I'm 6 ft. and I do like palming the Lew's a little better though. Just another option. As far as how good are DC reels, IMO if you're good with regular BC's then the only real advantage they have is being able to cast better into the wind. I don't get any better distance with my DC than I do from the SLX XT or regular SLX.

Megabass Destroyer F3-61X Speed Tip Custom Megabass Destroyer F1-61XS Lycaon Phase II Megabass Destroyer F2-62XS Full House I haven't been in the fishing game long enough to know, but I assume these are older generation JDM Destroyers? About how old are these rods and how would they compare to the new Destroyers? The lengths jump out to me as being good for kayaks and that's why I'm interested. The first one listed was on sale for awhile for $58 and even though shipping was $60, it still seemed like a good deal. Thanks.

You could consider getting a DC reel if you're worried about wind. I love being able to grab my DC reel on a windy day and not be forced to take a spinning rod. That's really the only thing I like about the DC reels, would much rather have a MGL.

The Megabass Oneten Special is on my Ultimate Collection List as the best out there, but it's more than $250. The Megabass Orochi Jerkbait Special might be my next choice and that's closer to your range. Gary Dobyns uses the Champion 704cb & 705cb graphite rods for jerkbaits. I'm personally using a Fury 703c and a shorter Lew's Speed Stick. I try not to use spinning gear unless I have too.

on a 1/64 oz. Trout Magnet

LM = 4.6 lbs. on a neko rigged 5" worm ( Caught another that was 4.4 lbs. on T-Rigged Craw ) SM = 3.1 lbs. on a Whopper Plopper Size 90 Munky Butt Color ( Caught several close to this ) I've only been fishing 2 seasons now, and both these were from this past season. I also usually only fish small rivers that most would even call creeks and ponds, mostly public park ponds.

I'm about to purchase a Dobyns Champion XP 704cb Glass Rod tonight and just want to make sure I'm going the right route. I have the 705cb Glass and it's great for lipless, chatters, medium cranks, but I'm wanting something better for lighter cranks around 1/4 oz. My choices are between the 704cb graphite and the 704cb glass. I pretty much know what the differences are, but the biggest thing that makes me want the glass is that I'm wanting something a little better for river smallies that fight like crazy and are in shallow depths of 1-2 ft usually and they end up jumping a lot and trying to shake the lure. The past season I have fished with the Ugly Stik GX2 6'0 out of a kayak, and it has done a great job being that it is a Medium and has a flexible glass tip. Every time that I've tried with stiffer rods, I end up losing more fish and, even though I just bought 12 new rods in the last couple of month, I don't feel I replaced my Ugly Stik Gx2 for river smallie cranking. That's where I feel the need for the 704cb Glass. A few things to add though, I will be also fishing for largemouth with this rod, and my plan for the next year is to build my own kayak rods that are shorter in length with shorter handles. One for bottom fishing and one for cranking, with actions geared towards smallies. There are a few reasons that do make me consider the graphite version though. Gary Dobyns himself fishes the graphite versions. I don't own a graphite cranking rod. More sensitivity. But, somehow the 704 glass is lighter than the 704 graphite, go figure. Anyway, does it seem like I have the right idea about the 704 glass over the graphite for what I want it for?