Michigander

As long as I don't think I will get swamped or hurt and I can make an effective presentation, I'm in. Obviously my 21' bass boat and my 10' kayak are going to have wildly different tolerances but that is part of knowing yourself, your equipment, and being honest about your skill level. Sometimes I get to the lake and decide that the conditions are more punk than me and I go find a more sheltered body of water. Failing that, I go watch Elite series reruns on YouTube and cry softly into a can of Miller Lite.

Wow, yes that would be awesome. I got to chat with their actual design engineer in January at The Ultimate Fishing Show in Novi, MI. Hitena has some really fascinating stuff going on.

I made a hook sharpener out of two chainsaw files JB welded together. There's videos on YouTube for how to make them. Beats every other method I have tried for on the water sharpening single hooks. It works for trebles too but it's awkward and I usually end up stabbing myself in the process. #InlineSingleReplacements

Other than sticker shock, I haven't met anyone that doesn't have good things to say about the Hitena. I'm scared and excited.

Oh, I'm sure there are plenty of reels that beat a Cardiff in every performance category when you start ticking up that price tag. I'm just trying to get a reel that isn't a piece of junk so I can decide if this style of fishing is enjoyable enough for me to take that next step up in gear. And if I decide instead that I'll just be a casual swimbaiter, then I will have a perfectly serviceable combo for many years with proper maintenance.

I have no complaints about Smackdown. It's been taking over my reels for the past year and a half. I bought some Hitena braid to try out this year too. I'm kinda hoping, for my wallet's sake, that it isn't head and shoulders above Smackdown, lol.

Did you like the Cardiff overall? I'm looking at the 300 for my first swimbait reel.

Competitive fishing is a male-dominated sport but not because of the rules. The only way we get more diversity on the water is for women like your wife to go blaze that trail. Good luck to her!

There's the "chicken rig" that removes the exposed hook from the Neko equation. You could try that. I'm partial to a micro jig for that kind of stuff though.

The Daiwa Millionaire round reels are only like $50-$60, you could try one of those. Unless the community firmly believes they are junk. There's also some heavier saltwater spinning gear...

A whaler is the logical next step after bass boat for the reasons you listed. I know people with boat regret stories but a whaler isn't included amongst them.

I second Snack Daddy Tubes. Excellent tubes compared to most every other tube I have ever thrown for my waters. Certainly is, but the definition of what is better will vary from person to person, day to day, and lake to lake (or river). ?? The real question is what are you looking for in a tube? If we know that, we can pair you with a product that matches your specs.

On Burt, big small mouth will be cruising the shallows around the beach areas. However, if they see you then they're gone. Long casts required. Also check the Indian River, if you see crayfish every where, then the smallies are in there. If all else fails, look for where the walleye guys are clustered up and fish a ring around them because they are on the bait. And if you are feeling brave, make the run and fish a drop shot next to the pillars of the Mackinaw Bridge in Lake Michigan. Got this 5.88lb Smallie out of Burt Lake during the morning topwater bite a few years ago:

Lansing.

I took the Kayak out in mid December because I found a pond that was only half frozen with a thin sheet of ice. I was working a lure over the paper thin ice and wanted so badly for a fish to try and get it. Sadly no luck. Also, if you want to experience some serious noise, go ice breaking in a kayak. Wow, that was loud. All the sound reverberates through the kayak and right into your ears. Won't be doing that again if I can help it.

Was hoping you'd get some responses. I'm getting into swim baits this year in Michigan and am trying absorb as much information as I can before I can get out on water that isn't frozen over. I only have the Jackall Gantarel Jr and an S-Waver 168 right now and plan to get a Dobyns 795SB and a Shimano Cardiiff to throw them on. At least that's the best budget combo I can come up with. Figure if I don't care for swimbaits then I have a new medium duty musky setup, lolz.

If I just need a keeper, 9 times out of 10 I'm dragging a Rage Craw t-rigged with a 1/8 oz. Tungsten bullet weight around grass edges. If I'm looking for a good tournament fish, I'm probably covering water with a swim jig or pitching a big tube. If I'm looking for a kicker then I'm probably throwing a bigger version of what the rest of my livewell guests fell victim to. @J Francho is right though, a numbers spot is way more valuable than any bait.

I guess I'm in the big chunk you mentioned. I do throw them and catch some fish on spinnerbaits but it feels like most of my limits are coming off of swim jigs when they want a skirted, horizontal presentation. And I can't seem to buy a non-pike bite on a bladed jig. Also, the price tag on spinnerbaits that aren't made with junk components is a bit much for a bait I don't have a ton of confidence in.

I have two DSG stores near me, they both have a medium sized fishing section. It's a weird mix of higher end tackle, cheap garbage, and iCast overstock which could fit into either of the other categories depending on the particular item.

Tried my hand at tying some preacher-style bucktail jigs this year. Was getting bored of just tying silicone skirt jigs. Most of them still need weedguards glued in.

Gotta have a frog in a lineup like that. If I could only pick one, the Booyah Toadrunner in the Ole Smokey color did some serious work for me this last year. You won't be able to get way deep in the slop with 12# line but you can certainly fish edges and sparse areas.

I'm shocked I haven't received one then. I must've never quite crossed that $150 line in a single order.

Regular Strikers have the ability to save waypoints but it is just a white background so it lacks any kind of context which isn't super useful but it is better than nothing when the sun goes down and you're trying to find your now very dark launch point. Been there. Now I tie a chem light to a tree if I know I won't be back until after dark and there`s no lamp post. Personally, I fell in love with the ability to make my own maps. It revealed so much about the lakes I fished which translated into more catches. At the end of the day though, regular 2D sonar is all you actually need to be efficient on the kayak. Your speed is very low compared to a motored boat and so you have to make the best of the area you are in but having some sonar will show you the depth of the fish or at least let you know if you're totally wasting your time in an area.

If making your own topo maps is important to you, skip the Striker unless it's a Striker Plus which unfortunately takes you out of that $100 price point unless you're cool with a refurbished unit. If you can find a used Raymarine Dragonfly, those are fantastic.